Genealogy Chat

Hi all, a very kind lady found for me the baptism of my George Perkins in weymouth dorset, his father is listed as being a private in the above regiment.....anyone any ideas on how to trace him further.....I have looked for his marriage but as a soldier he could have married anywhere!! suggestions gratefully received Fuzzy x

What date, roughly? Merry

Hi Merry, George Perkins was baptised in 1813 and his father James Perkins was listed as a soldier then, so I suppose 1813 and before possibly after Fuzzy

Bother.... could you change his name to Henry?? TNA: WO 97/1116/36 HENRY PERKINS Born WIMBOURN, Dorset Served in 1st Royal Veteran Battalion; 9th Foot Regiment Discharged aged 43 1799-1816 Can't see any more! Merry

OOOh Merry thanks for looking, can you tell me where you got that info from and I can store it away in case I need it in the future fuzzy x

Try googling for '16th Regiment Of The Light Dragoons' - there is loads of stuff - you might get lucky. Mark

Or I can do you a James born in Northamptonshire in the right regiment! WO 97/107/69 JAMES PERKINS Born NORTHAMPTON, Northamptonshire Served in 16th Dragoons (Light) Discharged aged 41 1792-1814 Merry

You need the PROCAT catalogue on TNA site: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp I put in his name and dragoons, like this: '''James Perkins AND Dragoons''' and ''WO'' for War Office in the box marked Department or Series Code. Merry

Merry I so love you!!!! Where did you get the info from you little mine of information you!!! I tried googling but got nowhere! too much of a coincidence not to be him, just seen you added where you got the information....thanks. i will make a note of that in case I need something like that in the future. will look in his area of birth for marriage, good a place as any to start!! Cant find him on the census for 1841, but was like a needle in haystack without birth place, will try again tommorrow, wine box is calling now.....and after such a productive day!!!! Fuzzy x

Do you know when he died? That age at discharge can fall anytime during the date range they give you (I think).....so if you had his army papers and you know his age at discharge, it would be helpful if it tied in with his age at death! Merry

Hi Merry, No I dont know when he died, I will look for him over the next couple of days. Tried doing the search you did, but i couldn't get anywhere......and I haven't opened the wine yet.....must be doing something wrong!! I dont know where to start looking for his place of death, will trawl the census' again! thanks again for your help Merry....Oooh silly me if the range ends at 1814, he would have to have been discharged either in 1813 or 1814 as he was listed as being in that regiment when his son George was baptised in the november of 1813. so if I take 41 years off of 1813 that gives me a rough year of birth??! Fuzzy x

Which parish in Weymouth was the baptism (I can't see it!) Merry

Hi Merry, I looked at all the parishes on line and could not see it either, someone went to the Dorset History Centre today and found it on the micro filche. He was baptised on the 17th November 1813 in Melcombe Regis. found a brilliant site with all the dorset parish registers transcribed....didn't write it down and now cant remember how I found it......bum!! Fuzzy x

Was that St Mary's then? St Mary's is supposed to be on the IGI and is also transcribed on the Dorset Online Parish Clerk site, but nothing for that date. I wondered whether the bap was at one of the nonconformist churches there?? Or maybe it was in the Bishops Transcripts and not the PR's or vice versa? What was James wife's first name? Merry

Did you say his name was GEORGE??? Rod

Hi Merry, James' wife was called Margaret. I dont know if it was St Marys the lady took a note of the reference nos in case I needed them MIC/R/588 and PE/MCR:RE 2/1, she said that the entry was difficult to read but it had been transcribed as Perkins in the index of the Melcombe Regis records. she lives in Weymouth and happened to see my plea, before heading off the do research of her own.....am so bowled over by the kindness of strangers Fuzzy x

Hi rod, Yes George Perkins baptised on the 17th of Nov 1813 parents James and Margaret fuzzy x

Merry, Found the site again!!! St marys is Melcombe Regis, sept to dec 1813 is listed as missing!! Dont know how she found the record!! Fuzzy x

For some reason I was looking in May 1813!!! Anyway....no matter that the baptism is missing from what we can see.....it's obviously there really! The thing is, I reckon they were just passing through, as there are no other related Perkins entries in the area that I can see....no other children and no burials for the parents and they don't seem to be in Dorset in 1841. Soooooooooooo...............do you think he (James) was stationed at Wyke Regis Barracks? Merry

Hi Merry, I reckon that is a distinct possibility, the kind soul checked for baptisms of siblings and also drew a blank!! Arn't people lovely?!! have met so many lovely folks on this site, makes all the headaches doing the tree worthwhile!! anyway back to the point, I reckon they were def just passing through. The barracks sound like a good bet....Oooooh I am getting blacks and mumblings about what time is tea?!! Best go..... Fuzzy x