Regiment Unknown >HILL<

[armartin1992]

Here goes - hope someone can get me started!
Family legend begins with John HILL marrying Esther COLE in India where John was in the army and Esther was the daughter of an army man. Later COLE is changed to JOY so I have no idea of what her name really is.

I would like to get some guidance on how to most efficiently obtain the marriage info for John and Esther, the regiment John was in so I can order his records and then the birth info on the children. I know if I outline where the children were born there is a good chance someone here with more experience can help me identify the regiment! here goes.

John was 44 on the 1881 census so I am putting his birth year at 1837. Esther was 36 so her "born on" date is 1845. Oldest son on the 1881 census is 18, which makes Esther 18 when he was born so I am putting the marriage year approx. 1863. MAYBE in India..........except that the old transcription I have from my aunt's notes (1881 census) has the 1st born birthplace in 1863 in the WEST INDIES. I may have my geography confused but we are the west over on THIS side of the pond (USA), right? Help on that point. moving on...the rest of the brood is as follows:
George b. 1867ish Aldershot
Ann b. 1869ish Chatam-Kent
William b. 1871ish Dublin
Samuel Frederick b. 1873ish Dublin
James 1875ish Dublin
Alice 1877ish Dublin
Herbert (my gggrandfather) b. 1882ish Salford (apparently back at home)

Any idea, suggestion, links etc. would be welcome.

T.T.F.N
amy

[v.wells]

|wave|Welcome Amy,

findmypast.com is ppv but look for "army births overseas". freebmd.org.uk for births marriages and deaths post 1837. Esther Cole may have been previously married so look for both surnames. John and Hill are very common names so when backtracking choose the least common. familysearch.org select IGI search is a good guide for searching - at least for pre-1837 stuff just make sure the info hasn't been submitted by a member of the church - you need a Batch file for the source and that will say where the information is held. I am wearing my |dunce2| hat or else I'd look it up for you. Someone here will though, I'm sure.:)

[Geoffers]

Family legend begins with John HILL marrying Esther COLE in India where John was in the army and Esther was the daughter of an army man.

Welcome to the British-Genealogy forums....................

There are a couple of online databases which are always worth trying as they are free:

FIBIS (http://www.fibis.org/)
India Office records at the British Lbrary (http://www.bl.uk/collections/orientaloffice.html)


I would like to get some guidance on how to most efficiently obtain the marriage info for John and Esther

You may find mention of his marriage on his service record. Army marriages are as mentioned by Vanessa (message above) available on a pay-per-view site, 'findmypast' - these are indices to records which are held. If you find a likely match, you can order copies of certificates online via the GRO (http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/)


the regiment John was in so I can order his records

Army records are held by The National Archives (TNA) at Kew
TNA has loads of research guides (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp#b). Look at the links prefixed, 'British Army'



John was 44 on the 1881 census so I am putting his birth year at 1837. Esther was 36 so her "born on" date is 1845. Oldest son on the 1881 census is 18

This is presumably RG11/3973 f37 p20 - 44, Dalton Street, Salford, Lancs?


I have from my aunt's notes (1881 census) has the 1st born birthplace in 1863 in the WEST INDIES. I may have my geography confused but we are the west over on THIS side of the pond (USA), right?

Put 'West Indies' into any search engine and you should get some hits which show the location of the West Indies, which is around the Caribbean. They held army garrisons.


George b. 1867ish Aldershot
Ann b. 1869ish Chatam-Kent

Those born in England may possibly have been registered in the main GRO index of civil births rather than military births - so you may need to check both.


Herbert (my gggrandfather) b. 1882ish Salford (apparently back at home)

There was a Herbert Bruce HILL whose birth was registered in Salford in 1882.

This appears to be the correct chap if you look at the 1891 census for
RG12/3224 f98 p6 sch.26
66, Robert Hall Street, Salford, Lancs

Which also shows another son, Albert who was then shown aged 5 and also born in Salford. The 1891 census helpfully provides middle initials for several f the children, which may help you to identify them in the civil/military indices.

If you get stuck, or any of the above is as clear as mud, ask

[armartin1992]

Thanks for the advice, I will check out as you suggested this weekend when done w/ workweek!! Thanks again. amy