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Hi, I am trying to help my partners father, he is trying to locate the place of burial for his great grandfather, William Andrew Potts. William was born in 1863 in Madras India. William married Mary Bedford (b1874) in 1889 in Belgaum India. William was a gunner in the 23rd Frontier Force regiment, Royal Artillery. He discharged from the army in 1905 at Camp Bireandra. William and Mary had several children, some of which came to the UK and settled in Leicestershire, one of which is Mary Agnes Potts born 1893 in Bangalore, India. We are unsure whether William came to the UK or stayed in India. Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mark

Have you looked for a possible death in this country?

https://www.freebmd.org.uk

When was the last definite 'sighting' of him?

For info

First name(s) William Andrew
Last name Potts
Marriage year 1889
Marriage date 28 Mar 1889
Spouse's first name Mary
Spouse's last name Bedford
Place Belgaum
Presidency Madras
Groom's age 26
Bride's age 15
Groom's father's first name John
Groom's father's last name Potts
Bride's father's first name Thomas
Bride's father's last name Bedford

looks like he remarried
William Potts
Birth Date 1863
Age 52
Spouse's Name Barbara Brown
Spouse's Birth Date 1894
Spouse's Age 21
Event Date 30 Nov 1915
Event Place Bangalore, Madras, India
Father's Name John Potts
Spouse's Father's Name William Brown
Marital Status Widowed
Spouse's Marital Status Single
Citing this Record

"India Marriages, 1792-1948 ," database, FamilySearch

is this a son
Thomas Edward Potts
Birth Date abt 1896
Age 50
Port of Departure Bombay, India
Arrival Date 30 Aug 1946
Port of Arrival Southampton, England
Ports of Voyage Bombay
Ship Name Strathmore
Search Ship Database Strathmore Strathmore
Shipping Line Peninsula and Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd
Official Number 164521

His first marriage for our reference:

William Andrew Potts
in the India, Select Marriages, 1792-1948
Name: William Andrew Potts
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Age: 26
Birth Date: 1863
Marriage Date: 28 Mar 1889
Marriage Place: Calicut, Madras, India
Father: John Potts <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Spouse: Mary Bedford
FHL Film Number: 463301


A second marriage ???

William Potts
in the India, Select Marriages, 1792-1948
Name: William Potts
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Widowed <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Age: 52
Birth Date: 1863
Marriage Date: 30 Nov 1915
Marriage Place: Bangalore, Madras, India
Father: John Potts <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Spouse: Barbara Brown
FHL Film Number: 527481

If this is him, maybe more info on the record - though you'd need access to Fold3:

UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Soldier Service Records, 1760-1920
Name: William Andrew Potts
Enlistment Age: 20
Birth Date: abt 1864
Birth Place: Combaconum East Indus
Enlistment Year: 1884
Regiment: Royal Artillery
Regimental Number: R.A./46782
Attestation Paper: Yes

View Original Image on Fold3.

Maddie/Erika, thanks for the information. We have looked in the UK for his death, but we can't find anything, so potentially he stayed in India, but we can't find anything to tell us otherwise. We knew he re-married to Barbara, but we didn't have dates so that information is great thanks. Thanks Mark

Barbara remarried in 1930, so either William had died between 1915 and 1930 - or they had divorced - and the transcription does say she was single, though that might be a mistake;

Barbara Potts
in the India, Select Marriages, 1792-1948
Name: Barbara Potts
[Barbara Brown]
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Age: 34
Birth Date: 1896
Marriage Date: 4 Mar 1930
Marriage Place: Bangalore, Madras, India
Father: William Veasy Brown
Spouse: Vincent Williams
FHL Film Number: 463314

Any relevance?

William Andrews Potts
mentioned in the record of Thomas Shortland and Mary Jane Elisabeth Tringham
Name William Andrews Potts
gender Male
Daughter Mary Jane Elisabeth Tringham
Other information in the record of Thomas Shortland and Mary Jane Elisabeth Tringham
from India Marriages
Name Thomas Shortland
Birth Date 1885
Age 27
Spouse's Name Mary Jane Elisabeth Tringham
Spouse's Birth Date 1890
Spouse's Age 22
Event Date 14 Aug 1912
Event Place Bangalore, Madras, India
Father's Name Thomas Shortland
Spouse's Father's Name William Andrews Potts
Marital Status Single
Spouse's Marital Status Divorced

From FMP -
British Army Service Records 1760-1915 Transcription

First name(s) William Andrew
Last name Potts
Birth year 1864
Birth parish Combaconurn
Birth town Combaconurn
Birth county East Indies
Birth country East Indies
Service number 46782
Regiment Royal Artillery
Year 1884
Attestation date 23 Dec 1884
Attestation age years 20
Attestation age months 11
Attestation service number 46782
Attestation corps Royal Artillery
Discharge corps Royal Artillery
Document type Attestation
Series Wo 97 - Chelsea Pensioners British Army Service Records 1760-1913
Archive The National Archives
Archive reference WO 97
Box 5709
Box record number 1

From image - Trade is Engine Fitter

Joined at Bellary

Handwritten note signed by him says he is aware he has no claim to be sent back to India at expiration of his Colours and Reserve Service

Attested as Gunner
Appointed Bombadier 1 Dec 1887
Reverted to Gunner 30 April 1888 - for misconduct

Extended service at Bangalore 13.2.91 to complete 12 years

15 Feb 96 - re engaged to complete 21 years

NoK - Initiallly Father John, Mother Amelia and sister Elizabeth at Bellary.
Also older Brothers Charles 2/13 Regiment and John Bangalore

All crossed through and wife Mary with husband has been inserted.

Good conduct Medal awarded 17.5.1903

Married Mary Bedford with leave and brought on the Married Establishment 12 Feb 1891. Married on 28 March 1889 at (looks like Belgaum) India, Note says Page 59 Volume 1 61-80


Discharged as a Gunner 22.12.1905 after 21 years with the Colours at Camp Birandra. Intended Residence ? Messrs Mercer and Co. Bellamy

EDIT - have added to above, there were duplicate pages written in a better hand and with more info.

More to come -

A tree on Ancestry has a photo of Vincent Williams (born 1880 London, death unknown). The tree owner's grandmother said birth was 4 Feb 1881.
It gives his wife's name as Barbara Potts (no dates), and shows they had a daughter (no details of her - presumably living.)
There's also a photo of Barbara.

And that's all that's on the tree, apart from some detail re Vincent's parents.

Fernandez Family Tree - tree owner: jusmeuk

It doesn't seem probable that he/she will have any more info re Barbara, and certainly not about William - but you never know - might be worth contacting if you have an Ancestry sub (or 14-day free trial).

Children - names and birth dates as per Army documents

Mary Jane Elizabeth 20.11.89
William Andrew 8.5.91
Margaret Agnes 10.4.93
Thomas Edward 12.12.94 - noted as died 7.10.95 at St Thomas Mount
Thomas Edward 26.7.96
Winifred Ann 29.7.99
Catherine 18.3.1902

discharged to Pension at St Thomas Mount 22.12.1905Character Exemplary
Address - ? Spencer Road, Bellary

At Attestation - apparent age 20 yr 11 months
5' 8 1/8' tall

Chest - 33 ¾ "
Complexion - Fair
Eyes and Hair - Brown
Religion - R/C

Another tree on Ancestry gives Mary Jane's dates as 1889 - 1963.
Her mother was Mary Elizabeth Bedford.

Several siblings.

There's a photo of her with her husband Charles Alfred Tringham.

They divorced in India in 1912, and she died in Auckland, NZ.
Charles died 1915 in Eastbourne, Sussex.

No more details about William than we already know.

There is an Extract from the Marriage and Baptism Register in his documents

Gunner William A Potts Bachelor to Mary Bedford Spinster at Belgaum India 28 March 1889

witnesses Marianna Clara Pedro and Julia Green

Chaplian - J (Nuckle ?) Catholic Chaplain - there's an umlaut .. above the u in ? Nuckle

------

also shows Baptism of Mary Jane Elizabeth 13.12.1889 at Belgaum

All Belgaum looks like that but could be Bel gaurn??

------

Winifred Ann baptism 9.8.99 at Trimulgherry

Catherine 31.3.02 at ditto

According to that tree (in my last post above) , Mary Elizabeth Potts, nee Bedford, was in London with her parents in 1891. But she's listed as Elizabeth Bedford, and she married in 1889, so that can't be her in 1891. Also the 1891 father's name is John, whereas William's wife's father was Thomas.

Mary Bedford
in the India, Select Marriages, 1792-1948
Name: Mary Bedford
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Age: 15
Birth Date: 1874
Marriage Date: 28 Mar 1889
Marriage Place: Calicut, Madras, India
Father: Thomas Bedford
Spouse: William Andrew Potts
FHL Film Number: 463301


She had 8 children, all born in India, between 1889 and 1902. (According to the tree, which isn't necessarily to be trusted.)

All, thanks for your help, it's certainly given us a lot more information on William. Mark