Where is Hillbank?

[Karen Newman]

On the 1891 census, a sergeant in the Border regiment (in Hougham, Kent) has a place of birth: "Hillbank, Surrey".

I am unable to work out where this is.

Any ideas, please?

[Geoffers]

Not offhand, but does your chap appear in any other census returns, and if so what is shown for his birthplace?

Is this John RUSSELL? (RG12/747 f57 p14)

[Lizzy9]

What is the name of this Sergeant?

I think he's John Russell born abt 1864.

[Geoffers]

Thanks Lizzy, I'd just found him and went back in to edit my post.

[Mutley]

There is a Millbank in Westminster, London, not quite Surrey then, because the Thames ran between them.
If you google you will see it is directly opposite Lambeth so probably only a few minutes across one of the bridges (Vauxhaul or Lambeth) to Surrey. A possibility but not a definite.

[Keyboard86]

Hi I had a look on Google maps for Hillbank Surrey, there is one in the middle of nowhere on the Reigate Road, Hookwood, Horley, Surrey.

Keyboard

[Karen Newman]

Yes, he is John Russell. I haven't found a match on other censuses as there are many John Russells of a similar age, but none born in Surrey, or in the army. He may well have been been abroad at the time of the 1881 census if he was in the army then, or discharged by 1901. He may not be the only John Russell in the regiment, it's such a common name.

Thank you for the suggestion about Millbank. I did come across a few entries on censuses with that as a place of birth, so it made me wonder. An M and an H can easily be confused.

Thanks also for the suggestion about Horley.

[Peter Goodey]

Have you looked for his army records? His attestation papers will show his place of birth.

[Karen Newman]

Following the release of recent army records on FMP, I have the record of one JOHN RUSSELL who did indeed reach the rank of Sergeant in the Border Regiment by 1891.

Place of birth - 'not known', then 'in or around the parish of Woolwich', aged 15 on enlistment in 1877.

Next of kin - father A Russell, Sutton, Kent. (Various Suttons in Kent, Sutton-at-Hone seems to be the nearest to Woolwich). Many names start with A, but I have tried Alfred, Albert, Arthur, Abraham, Alexander, Amos....

On enlistment, he says he was on a training ship (to the specific question asking about Navy service). Later reference in the army record to him being a 'boy' in the navy.

The service record has him in India in 1881. And in Kent - Lydd/Dover by 1891.

John at Hougham in 1891 looks like he could be the same man. I had hoped that this place of birth might help in tracing him in 1871.

[Geoffers]

Is this in your direct line of ancestry? (or were you just curious about the place name?)

I see he married Miss Edith BODDY on 3 Sep 1893 at St.Marks, Surbiton. Do you have a copy of the marriage certificate, which should give a more complete name for his dad? - or is this one of the LMA entries available on Ancestry? This may help to identify him in earlier census returns.