Joseph Artley - Brit. Army in India??

[John Henry]

Trying to obtain some info on Joseph Artley, relating to his birth, and whether he died in India. "Family legend" has him as "a Colour Sgt, Brit. Army, killed in India".
I am sure I have found his marriage to one Emma Warren 1878 at Wandsworth. She was listed on her 2nd marriage (to Wm. Willatts), as "widow". (1882)
Their daughter Constance Angelina was born 1878, and a son Joseph Wm. T.
born 1880, died 1881.
Soldier Artley killed 1881/82.?? Any ideas???

[Geoffers]

He should appear in either the Army Chaplains' Returns of Deaths 1796-1880, or the Army Returns of Deaths 1881-1955.

Both can be searched online at 1837online a pay-per-view site. Don't forget to check variant spellings of the surname (e.g. Hartley)

His service record should be at The National Archives (TNA), Kew, but since he is likely to have joined prior to 1872, you would need to know his regiment. So instead, as he was presumably died whilst still serving in the army; try the casualty returns - you should see if there was a record of payment to his widow first off, these are alphabetically arranged. The records for 1862-1881 being in WO25/3476-3490, an index to this is in WO25/3491-3501.

Have a look at the research guides on TNA's web-site.

The birth certificates of the children should show his rank and regiment.

Geoffers

[Garen]

"Family legend" has him as "a Colour Sgt, Brit. Army, killed in India".

John - there is a possibility that your chap died during the Second Afghan War which occurred Nov 1878 - Sep 1880. I did a quick scan of the casualty roll and did not see his name (could have missed it), so perhaps he died from illness rather than in action. If you have any idea of his regiment I could check the medal roll. Of course he may not have been involved in the campaign, just a thought.