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He was in the 2nd , It was formed the year he started and they only saw one
active service Burhma from 1885 -1887 the time scale of his death. . so. . did he retire and die in Munford or go with his regiment and die in battle . . .curiouser and couriouser . . . :-)

Just a note..you DO find him in 1881 England census


Name:Thomas Smith
Age:42
Estimated Birth Year:abt 1839
Relation:Head
Spouse's Name:Sarah Smith
Gender:Male
Where born:Calcutta, East Indies
Civil parish:St Botolph
County/Island:Essex
Country:England
Street Address:"Infantry Camp" St Botolph
Condition as to marriage:Married
Education:Employment status:
View image
Occupation:Barrack Sergeant
Registration district:Colchester
Sub-registration district:Colchester First Ward
ED, institution, or vessel:Infantry Camp 1
Neighbors:
View others on page
Piece:1789
Folio:58
Page Number:2
Household Members:
Thomas Smith 42
Sarah Smith 41
Helen H. Smith 21
Emily Smith 16
Alfred B. Smith 12
Isabella Smith 10
Florence E. Smith 8
George F. Smith 5
Marian Smith 3

But Lindsey's post ties in as follows:

Battalion were in England (which included Wales then) in 1871 - birth of Isabella in Pembroke,
and they moved to Ireland during the year - birth of Florence E in Ireland in 1873
then to Scotland (1875), Birth of George F in Glasgow in 1876
England (1876) Marian in Ipswich in 1878

and they were in India for the 1881 census...maybe the discharge mentioned by Dei for 1878 was for that specific battalion....?

Just a thought

Jude

Lindsey you are an Angel :-D

Re: 13th Light Infantry Pembroke, Wales in 1871

Some more useful links for you:

http://www.army.mod.uk/lightinfantry/history_traditions/county_regiments/s






Battalion were in England (which included Wales then) in 1871, and they moved to Ireland during the year, then to Scotland (1875), England (1876), and they were in India for the 1881 census. So he was in the 13thBattalion at the time of the 1871 census. The 1st Battalion were in Ireland for the 1881 census, so that is probably why you cannot find him in that one.

To research him further you will have to visit Kew or employ a researcher. See - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/step4.htm

this looks useful
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,279863.0.html

I'm currently in corrospondance with Alfred's Grandson! He's shared his tree
But there's very little on it. I'm trying to pin him down on Sarah's maiden name . . . Tho he does have Alexandar as Thomas's father .. Fact or guesswork. . . It's hard to know isn't it?

Oh I just remebered another thing. On Alison's wedding cert. Her father is listed as a Clerk (deceased)? not a soldier. . .

Yes I can see why. As Jax said "they certainly moved around"...born respectively in India and Canada; children born in South Africa, Mauritius, Portland, Glasgow, Pembroke, Ipswich, Colchester, Ireland and then they seemed to settle in Norfolk... :-)

Jude

EVERONE else is from Norfolk! ha ha ! That's why this one has me addicted!

1871 Wales Census about Isabella Smith
Name: Isabella Smith
Age: 1 Month
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1871
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Thomas Smith
Gender: Female
Where born: Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Civil parish: St Mary Pembroke
Ecclesiastical parish: St John Pembroke Dock
Town: Pembroke Dock
County/Island: Pembrokeshire
Country: Wales
Registration district: Pembroke
Sub-registration district: Pembroke
ED, institution, or vessel: Military Encampment
Household schedule number: 1
Piece: 5520
Folio: 38
Page Number: 27
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Smith 32 quartermaster sargeant 13th Reg b East Indies
Sarah Smith 31
Helen H Smith 11
Thomas A Smith 9
Emily Smith 6
Alfred B Smith 2
Isabella Smith 1 Month
View
Original
Record

View Original Image

Yes Sct ppl the site

I've just seen this on FMP
search british nationals armed forces births 1761-2005

a long shot ? Smith is a bad name to be searching 1

There are a few registered births matching Alice

You could also try Marian

Births Jun 1878 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Smith Marian Ipswich 4a 699 THIS ONE

Or there's an Alfred in Weymouth which could be Alfred B born Portland.

Another possibility would be to see if anyone has look ups in Ireland for Florence E?

This of course is the problem with having such a common surname...at least you have some exotic birthplaces to pinpoint them. Me I have Llewellyn and Evans in Wales...ha ha!



:-D :-D

Yeh and the tree I got her from that started this all off she was called Alice! ha ha ! It's not easy is it?!

:-S

Alison - from the censuses is a bit dodgy....1891 born 1882, 1901 born 1884, 1911 born 1885 and as Lindsey points out they don't all appear to have been registered. I'd go for Isabella - it's definitely the right family (from the census)

63 matches for births in Scotland in 1876 :-(

:-)

Ah ok Lindsey, thanks, is that the actual site ^ "Scotlands people" ?

Sadly not all the children are registered Isabella looks a safe bet ?

As I said George would be the best as you might get an instant result through Scotlands people , pay to view
but only if he was registered

Oh I see , I thought you ment he'd completely left the army in 1878.
My thoughts were along the same lines given the migration and births.
Also she is born in Kingston Canada another military base? so they have met up somehow. Whether he was sent there or she travelled with her family.

Definately need to get birth cert. Does anyone have info on Alison Smith b1885 colchester as she was my great grandmother and if I am to buy a birth cert. I'd rather get hers.

but Yvonne...he probably headed for Ipswich in 1878 because that is where Marian was born. And then by 1811 had moved to Colchester which is only 18 miles away. The only thing I would say is that in 1881 he was still with the military in a barracks which suggests his discharge was not completed in 1878?

The attestation in 1858 was probably before they married - hence no wife.

The only way you are going to find a marriage is to find Sarah's maiden name. It seems likely he had left India and was on his way back when he met and married her (hence the children in SA and Mauritius)

Jude

Ah no Dea , in 1881 census he's at Colchester. Darn.
But great news. I've made contact with a relative who seems to be a match so fingers crossed. Thanks so much everyone. :-D

I thought it probably was 51 years - perhaps she didn't realise that because he was deceased she didn't have to fill that in?

1860 certainly fits in with birth of first recorded child in Cape of Good Hope

As its crossed through maybe its 31years?
Has anyone been able to look in Army marriages around 1860 Asia ?

Lindsey - she's widowed in the 1891 and 1901 censuses. The last one with Thomas on is 1881

Jude