Cape of Good Hope

[Jinni]

Has anyone heard of FORT GRAY in The Cape of Good Hope S.Africa.About 1853-1861.And what the Army would have been there for,sorry my history not very good.
Janice

[peter nicholl]

Hi JaniceIt might be Fort Grey. 1853 is right for the 8th Kaffir War. One Regiment there was the 6th(Royal 1st Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot.HTHPeter

[keith9351]

Just to add to what Peter said, the other Regiments who fought in 8th Kaffir War 1851-1853 were:-

12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales)

And the Foot Regiments were:-

Inf: F2 F6 F12 F43 F45 F60 F72 F73 F74 Reserve/F91 1/Rifle Brigade.

Plus Cape Mounted Riflemen

Keith

[Jinni]

Hi JaniceIt might be Fort Grey. 1853 is right for the 8th Kaffir War. One Regiment there was the 6th(Royal 1st Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot.HTHPeter

Hi,

He came from Nottingham,so any help with which Regiment he might have joined.
Janice

[Jinni]

Hi,

Just found Fort Grey on Map,sorry my history and anything about the Army is Zero.I thought Fort Gray was some Army Barracks in Africa!!!I don't know if you can help to point me in the right direction/I have a Samuel Varney Born 1834c 1851 Census with Parents in Nottingham.1861 Census Winchester with Wife Bridget.... Daughter Sarah born 1853 Cape of Good Hope.Son William born 1856 Dublin the rest Portsmouth and Winchester.In 1871 Census Wife Bridget is a Widow living back in Nottingham.I can't find any of the childrens Birth Certs or his marriage to Bridget (She came from Rosscommon)
Any Ideas most welcome
Janice

[ypom01]

Hi Jinni,

I too was searching for info about my grandmother's sibs in England. GGfather was in the Army...found his rank and regiment on the last census while alive (ie Sergeant, 99th reg.) please also try www.thewardrobe.org.uk for a Regimental Timeline for all the regiments of the Royal Army...it is amazing! I finally found all the sibs on a document called "Register of Births at Sea" cannot remember which website had this but could have been R---sweb. Hope this helps...Michele

[Jinni]

Hi,

Thank you for that info I will certainly give that a try,I just can't find births anywhere at the moment
Kind Regards
Janice

[Procat]

Hi Jinni,

I have just checked the index to Army Returns - Marriages - 1796 to 1880 and Samuel is not recorded.

Nor could I find the kids on the Regimental and Army Births indexes.

[Jinni]

Hi,

Thank you,I just don't know where to start looking for them,I have looked everywhere that I can think of,I found them on 1861 Census at Winchester,but Samuel had died sometime between 1861-1871 as on 1871 his wife Bridget was a Widow with the Children in Nottingham.
Kind Regards
Janice

[Geoffers]

I can't find any of the childrens Birth Certs or his marriage to Bridget (She came from Rosscommon). Any Ideas most welcome

I see that the 1861 census RG9/691 f165 p21 shows him to be a Sergeant in the Army.

His marriage may be in the Regimental Registers, as opposed to the Army Chaplains' returns. The regiemental registers are not indexed and to obtain an entry you need to know a regiment.

I think that locating his service record may help and details of how to do that may be found on these TNA research guides (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp#b)
(Click on links prefixed, 'British Army').

To locate his service record, it would again help to have his regiment.

If you look at the page preior to his entry in the 1861 census, you will see that there are some officers recorded (RG9/691 f164 p20) - e,g. Thomas BIGGS, 'Captain in the Army'. I think it highly likely that they were in the same regiment and an easy way to find their regiment is to refer to The Army List, partial runs of which can be found in man larger reference libraries.

There may also be another lead as to the regiment, the entry below Thomas BIGGS is for 'Charles Henry Spencer CHURCHILL', bn c.1829, who was related to the Duke of Marlborough whose family occupy Blenheim Palace. A search of the internet may bring up a biography which mentions his regimnt.

[keith9351]

Winchester has a long association with the Rifle Regiments, in 1873 it was the Training Depot for
The Rifle Brigade
The Kings Royal Rifle Corp. (Who both fought in the 8th Kaffir War)
As well as the 37th N Hampshire and the 67th S Hampshire
If you are looking for a Regiment to start the first 2 look promising.
Keith

[keith9351]

I think Geoffers has cracked it with Charles Henry Spencer CHURCHILL
From the Gazette 24th Sept. 1847
Second Lieutenant Charles Henry Spencer CHURCHILL to First Lieutenant by Purchase 24th Sept. 1847 Rifle Brigade.
Also the Gazette 4th Aug. 1854
Lieutenant Charles Henry Spencer CHURCHILL to be Captain by purchase 4th Aug. 1854 Rifle Brigade.
So your man was in The Rifle Brigade.
Keith

[Jinni]

Hi,

A big thank you for that info,I just needed another brain mine isn't into Army Research.Mind I ought to by now after what I have ploughed through.

Kind Regards
Janice.

[Geoffers]

Quite a few problems in family history reseach can be solved by approaching them from a different angle - the trick is picking up which angle is easiest to work from. One of the great things about these forums is that there is a wealth of experience and several such as Keith who know a lot about military matters and are happy to share their knowledge, by which we all learn.

Good luck

[Jinni]

Hi to everyone who helped me,

Just received today the Death Certificate (Had a thought some of the children may have died) William Varney Born 1856 died aged 8 years in Winchester Barracks 27th June 1863 of Scarlatina his Father Samuel Varney was present at the death ... 60th Rifles by Samuels name ,getting somewhere at long last.
Thanks again for all the help given to me
Regards
Janice