John wilson 13th Company Royal SP 1837

[Debra Bozkurt]

Hi

Have no real expertise in Military Records can anyone help me. I have a John Wilson marrying in 1837 in Shinrone Ireland and his occupation states 13th Company Royal SP. He has a son Thomas Wilson who joins the Royal Engineers in July 1851 aged 12 as an underage Bugler - I have his records. In 1851 (pre July) Thomas and his mother who states widow is living in Woolwich 1851 - was that the home of the Royal SP/Engineers in 1851. Why/how would Thomas join the Royal Engineers as an underage Bugler, I was looking to see if his mother died between the date of the census and the date of attest.

In 1864 Thomas marries and states his father is John Wilson Sergeant in the Royal Engineers - doesn't say deceased although mother is widow in 1851.

I have looked for the military record of John Wilson and can not find it or either John and family in 1841, they may of course been in Ireland.

Has anyone got any ideas of where I could search, tried the main sites. Or can through an light on John Wilson?

Thanks

[Peter Goodey]

It sounds as if the father died and the boy was taken on by the regiment. This sort of thing wasn't a particularly rare occurrence.

If John died in service, you're not likely to find a service record. You could try muster rolls and pay lists - and possibly description books - but it would be a long trek from where you live.

You've looked at the 1841 census. Have you tried the "British Army, Worldwide Index 1841" on FMP? These records were originally extracted from pay and muster lists.

[Debra Bozkurt]

Thank you Peter. I looked at the Index 1841 and there was a few John Wilson in the Royal Engineers but no clues to who they were. Think I am resigned to not knowing who John Wilson was. There were John Wilson's in the county in Ireland where his wife and son were from so can only assume he was likely to have been born in Ireland joined the army and died before 1851. There appears to be no other child born to John and his wife so it maybe he was abroad for the years of their marriage. Could not find Elizabeth after 1851, too common a name to be certain if she died or remarried.

[gortonboy]

I'm wondering due to the Royal Engineers link if he was in fact in the 13th company royal sappers and miners. The reference of 13th SP refering exactly to that. There is this chap in the 1841 index.

First name(s) John
Last name Wilson
Sex Male
Service number -
Rank Private
Unit or regiment Royal Sappers & Miners
Sub unit 13th Company
Year 1841
Remarks -
Location Cork
County Cork
Country Ireland
The National Archive reference WO 11/93
Record set British Army, Worldwide Index 1841

[gortonboy]

https://www.orbat.info/history/histor...engineers.html

[gortonboy]

You may find this pdf file interesting reading

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...1Jg4BDe3JNcuvO

[gortonboy]

From 1825 to 1915, 13th (Survey) Company was continually involved in the Ordnance Survey of Great
Britain and is known to have been based at the following locations.
1825 1838 Many Irish
locations
1838 1839 Portarlington
1839 1942 Cork
1842 1844 Skipton
1844 1846 Dublin
1846 1847 Liverpool
1847 1852 Dublin
1852 1853 Londonderry
1853 1854 Belfast
1854 1860 Dublin
1860 1861 Edinburgh
1861 1871 Dublin
1872 London
1872 1873 Chester
1873 1878 Inverness
1878 Norwich
1878 1879 Derby
1879 1882 Edinburgh

[gortonboy]

Do you have his birth record from the GRO ?

Gro Regimental Birth Indices (1761 To 1924)
Archive reference REG1
Record set British Armed Forces And Overseas Births And Baptisms
First name(s) Thomas
Sex Male
Last name Wilson
Birth year 1838
Regiment Royal Engineers
Type Armed Forces
Country Ireland
Place Shinrone
Page 112
Archive General Register Office
Record's year range 1838
Volume 658
Line number 105
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records

[Peter Goodey]

There is this chap in the 1841 index.

Indeed. This is the one I assumed the questioner would be focus her attention on.