Gibraltar brick wall

[jaywalker1]

Hi,

 I am at a loss, and have been for quite a while, as to how to find any information on my gr grandfather Charles Miller who died in 1850 (Gibraltar) just before the birth of his son, also called Charles. On the Gibralttar birth certificate that I applied for it states that Charles Miller was a 'late Convent guard' so could have been in the military. His wife was called Elizabeth (nee Long) and I have no information of her other than that she was British and came from Tewkesbury Gloucestershire originally.

I can trace Elizabeth, and her subsequent children, through census returns and records here in the UK as she may have married a John Abraham Voll whilst in Gibraltar before her return to the UK. She took his name and had 4 more children, one of whom was born in Gibraltar in 1854. Any suggestions or lines/sources of enquiry would be much appreciated.

[KGarrad]

The Convent, in Gibraltar, has been the official residence of the Governor of Gibraltar since 1728 - so he was almost certainly in the Army

[jaywalker1]

Yes, I knew that the Convent was the seat of government but I had heard that all military forces visiting or stationed on Gibraltar took it in turns to offer a guard.
Have you any suggestions as to where I can get information about the forces stationed there in 1851?

[KGarrad]

Just found a web page that says:

26th Foot, deployed to Gibraltar March 1850
34th Foot, deployed to Gibraltar 1845
56th Foot, 1st Bn, deployed to Gibraltar December 1846
56th Foot, Reserve Bn, deployed to Gibraltar February 1847
67th Foot, 1st Bn, deployed to Gibraltar January 1848
67th Foot, Reserve Bn, deployed to Gibraltar January 1848

http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/850DAA.pdf
Distribution of the British Army, 6th April 1850

[jaywalker1]

Thank you for the information and web site link. I will do some research on this. Perhaps one less brick in my wall!

[carolmc]

Hi, you have the birth date for son Charles, if you can find out which regiment was in Gibraltar at the time of and just before the birth, you can then go to the National Archives and look at the pay muster roll books  for the regiment. They give quarterly records of movements, hospitalization, deaths etc. It took me 3 visits before I found my soldier, but the records are very accurate and illuminating. good luck.

[jaywalker1]

Hi, you have the birth date for son Charles,[ if you can find out which regiment was in Gibraltar at the time of and just before the birth], you can then go to the National Archives and look at the pay muster roll books  for the regiment. They give quarterly records of movements, hospitalization, deaths etc. It took me 3 visits before I found my soldier, but the records are very accurate and illuminating. good luck.

[jaywalker1]

Thank you for that idea. I will look into it.........unfortunately it is not easy for me to get to the National Archives from Cornwall so I will have to be pretty sure of my facts when I do (hopefully) get there.

[carolmc]

used to live in Falmouth! it's still a long way from Taunton!