Crimean War - did soldiers get leave to go home

[ShaunJ]

You said that the baptism record on Christmas Day 1845 described him as a soldier, and the other children's birth records (1850 and 1855) described him as a shoemaker or cordwainer. If that's the case then he must have been discharged from the army between 1846 and 1850.

[pineapple88]

Hi Shaun- thanks I see what you mean, for this though the conundrum is, the baptism record for the child in question described him as a soldier but the birth cert for the same child in the same year described the father as a shoemaker both registered in 1845 (and it is the same person), seems his wife always called his trade shoemaker on the birth certs which she registered. I have found another possible record describing him as a soldier and a shoemaker. His skilled trade before joining up was shoemaker though. His wife was widowed between (March 1854 and 1861 (in the census).


Thanks all anyway, I may have to leave this query on this gggrandfather not sure I will ever find out for definate what happened to him.

Thanks for all your inputs.

[fulliautomatix]

I have a similar issue with my 3x great grandfather who was in the 97th Foot and also served in the Crimean War. Prior to that conflict, my 2x great grandfather was born in early 1853 and unless my 3x great grandfather was on leave from where he was stationed in Nova Scotia (from mid 1851 - mid 1853), he cannot possibly be his natural father! He didn't marry my 3 x great grandmother until Oct 1855 on his return from the Crimea, after another son had been born earlier that year. This one IS likely to have been his biological son, conceived when the regiment was back in England before being sent to the Crimea, but sadly he died in infancy.

[BumbleB]

This might give you some insight as to whether "leave" was a feasibility    18 days by sea 

http://www.historyhome.co.uk/forpol/crimea/usher/despatch.htm

[pineapple88]

Hello thanks for your posts - yes I agree it is a mystery if they were away how they could father children without having some sort of leave.  The link is very interesting as to when they set sail and from where from etc and how many rank and file am going to scrutinise it carefully.!

[BumbleB]

My other query/thought might be - you say have baptisms for these children BUT do you have their birth certificates (OK, I know that registration wasn't compulsory until mid 1870's)?  Just a thought!

[pineapple88]

Hi there,
Well here's the thing, I have the birth cert and baptism for child born in 1855 both just say father is a shoemaker.

But the one in 1850 no baptism (which is a bit strange in itself as the other two were baptised) and no birth record matching the details I have put to the GRO but this child did put in her marriage cert same father as the others Joseph Smith shoemaker.

The child in 1845 I have the baptism record saying father soldier but the birth cert says he is a shoemaker (the mother was the informant) seems the mother only ever called him a shoemaker.

oh the tangled web we weave!

[ShaunJ]

no birth record matching the details I have put to the GRO

I think the child was Mary and the mother's maiden name was Ward? There are quite a few Smith mmn Ward children born in Hunslet around that time. This one might be a possibility but Mary is aged 1 in the 1851 census and this one must have been 2 or very nearly 2:

[pineapple88]

Hi Shaun oh wow that looks like it could be the one. I didn't know you could find it with maiden names on the GRO from 1849. That's so good Thank You. You will have to let me know the one you're using. This is so helpful to me.