Genealogy Chat

Hi

I would be so grateful if anyone could advise me on a long standing problem.

I have an ancestor, Abraham Nowell who was a Recruiting Sergeant based at Settle in Yorkshire when he married his first wife Mary Preston in Sedbergh in 1794. (His first wife died and he married again in 1801 in Sedbergh)

I have searched all Sedbergh and surrounding areas for his birth (his death certificate in 1828 puts his birth around 1763 ish).
Just wondered if anyone knows of anywhere they would have such army records from that time or where I could get anymore information. Looking to visit North Yorkshire Records Office in the next couple of weeks, have visited before and found him in the 1822 muster roll as being infirm. Would be sooo grateful for any advice before I go or any suggestions as to where else I could look. Pleeease can anyone help.
Thanks in advance

Marilyn

where do you have an 1828 death cert from?

Sorry Scarlet, I mean a copy of his burial in 1828, which I obtained from Sedbergh Parish Records.

Marilyn

Marilyn

As a soldier he could literally have come from anywhere. Are you able to get to TNA Kew and access his army records as this will be the best bet for you to research army career, which will tell you where he was born and where he may have gone in the years he was in the army.

If you cannot get to Kew then do you know the regiment he was in? Could he have fought in the Napoleonic Wars and especially at the Battle of Waterloo 1815?

You can try Battle of waterloo to see what you can find.

You could also try the FindMyPast website and access the Regimental Births, Marriages and Deaths Registers which do go back to the late 1700's for BMD and this may help you to locate births of possible children which may have occurred in places other than Yorkshire

I have soldiers born in Northants but serving in Ireland, and then living in Yorkshire, Hampshire, Lincoln as well as serving abroad in Mauritius, Eat Indies and the Crimea.

Janet North London borders

Janet

I have looked in the National Archives on line and couldnt find anything about him there, think he was just a recruiting sergeant, didnt fight.

Are the records complete from Kew Record Office or would I find extra infomation if I actually went.

Thanks for replying.

Marilyn

Sadly the records of army/navy pre about 1850's are NOT online and it would mean either a trip to Kew or pay a researcher to do it for you. It needs time to find records at Kew. It took my OH and myself two complete days to research for enlistment papers and all his musters, They are not all that easy to find although if you know his regiment then that will be half the battle and no I cannot guarantee that you will find him at all as some are bound to be missing.

I would certainly try the Findmypast for possible births in other areas and then see what you can do.

To me it was worth doing, as I found out so much information about my soldier that I would never have unciovered.

Janet NLB

Janet

Think maybe I will take a trip to Kew sometime, not sure of the regiment but he was based at Settle in Yorkshire, the Duke of Wellington regiment was around that area then so thats a start. I will also take a look on find my past, thanks a lot for helping me Janet, it is very much appreciated.

Thanks again
Marilyn

Duke of Wellington's regt is 33 Regt and originated from Yorks, but do not fall into the trap of thinking he joined his local regt. My man was born in Northants and joined the Duke of Wellington 33 Regt at Westminster. He was also seconded to the Northants and Beds Regiments before returning to the 33 but this was probably because the 33 was decimated at the Crimea in which he fought. He then went on to serve in the North Lincs Militia, so no real pattern. You really should find something in the Regimental Registers, but until you have a definite regt then it will be an impossible task at Kew. My man ended up in London, far from his ancestral home in Northants. If you have his regt you can also try the Regimental Museum and 33 is in Halifax I think?

Janet NLB

You have been very busy and lucky with your ancestor, hope I eventually find mine, dont know if it makes a difference him being only a recruiting sergeant, must have still been in a regiment.Not sure of even where to start to find his regiment, you have done so well.

Looked on Find My Past, but nothing on there, still got plenty of other rellies to look up to use up my credits.

So...to the job in hand, will start to search everything I can find.

Thanks again, at least I have some idea of where to look after your advice.

Marilyn

No, marilyn mine was only a Sergeant when he finished so you should get to him eventually so good luck.

Janet NLB

Marilyn

I should have said that these Regimental Registers are in the Overseas Section of Findmypast. Did you check that area as they are not in the ordinary registers. At present, but not for much longer, these Regimental Registers are in big books in the FRC in London, but this is closing very shortly, if it has not already done so, and there will be a delay in the material going to TNA at Kew. However I do realise that London is as bad for you as TNA at Kew.

Janet NLB

Names of all soldiers discharged to pension pre 1854 are indexed on the National Archives website, and he isn't there. All other records - musters/regimental discharge to pension/description books etc are filed by regiment, so without this, it would be impossible to find him at Kew, unless you try the regiment you think he may have been in.

Looked in the overseas section Janet, just searched everything for his name.

Not altogether sure of his regiment Ann, at a guess would be Duke of Wellington but not really sure how to find that out just yet.

Thanks for the interest both of you, thought this had gone way down the board by now.

Marilyn

Ann

They are not all indexed online, especially the earlier soldiers. I know mine is not on line and he was discharged to pension 1876, having joined the 33 regt in Westminster in 1852. I have found all his details at Kew to include his pension rights.

Janet NLB

Janet

I did say those discharged up to 1854. Supposedly all names are online. I know from doing lots of military research that lots of service records, even for those discharged to pension, are missing.