1st Battalion Dates (Ireland and Pershore)

[martinhall]

Hi, I wonder if you can help.

I'm tracing my family and come to a sticky patch.

My grandfather, William Hall, was born in 1881 at Norton Barracks. His father, also William Hall is described on the birth certificate and in the 1881 census as being a private in the 29th. Also on the census for that year is his wife: Katherine and another son, John Thomas (born abt 1879). Katherine's birthplace is given as Ireland as is John's. So, potentially William met and married Katherine in Ireland and their first son was born there. However, according to the 1st battalion timeline, they weren't in Ireland or Pershore on those dates.

Were there soldiers from the 29 in Ireland around 1879/80 and in which case, where?

There is a third brother, Patrick, who joined the Worcestershire, probably as a drummer boy sometime around the turn of the century, but I haven't been able to trace him at all.

Any help or words of wisdome would be much appreciated.

[CPLCLIVE]

Hi Martin
The 2nd Bn of the Worcestershire Regiment where stationed in Ireland from 1880 to 1883 The First Battalion where in India, The 2ND Bn where up untill the Cardwell Reforms in 1880 the 36th Foot The First Bn where the 29th Foot.
I hope this is a help
Clive

[martinhall]

Hi Clive,

thanks for the reply, but it confuses matters slightly.

According to the census information, in 1861 William Hall the elder is in North Camp with the 29th in 1861 (which fits). In 1881, also according to the census, he is in Pershore with his Irish wife and two sons: William Henry and John Thomas. According to William the younger's birth certificate, he was born in Pershore on 22-Jan-1881. In both of the 1881 documents, William the elder describes himself as a private in the 29th. The census information also says that John was born in Ireland in 1879 or 1880.

I guess William's wife could have gone with the 29th to India and then came back on her own to have John in Ireland. Then, they could have all ended up in Pershore together in 1880/1881, but that doesn't fit in with the movements of the 29th.

Unless, William was one of the privates who was part of the nucleus depot company of the 29th and was there on an off from 1877. I don't suppose we know the names of the 12 privates who started the work in Norton do we?

Cheers

Martin

[CPLCLIVE]

Martin
In those days a Pte soldier and officers too for that matter on a posting to India was possbly away from the UK for a greart number of years in some case up to twenty years and if their wives where with them they too would be out there for a long a period as thier husbands. it was a very hard life.
Clive

[martinhall]

Yes, taking another look at the census, there appears to be quite a few soldiers from the 29th in Norton Barracks in 1881. Guess they must have been depot staff and probably went straight from Aldershot in 1879 rather than India.