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Maddie and LancashireAnn

Just had a thought on the marriage records for Ellen and her brother George it says father ROBERT CHARLES PRESTON

Robert Preston didn't have a middle name of Charles but their step father was ROBERT CHARLES PEARSON and his occupation was labourer.

Do you think the surnames was put down as Preston instead of Pearson

ErikaH I did find the baptisms and posted the two relevant ones in my post

Maddie and LancashireAnn I agree it is strange that it says that Robert was a labourer. It says soldier on all his childrens baptism records.

LancashireAnn I was wondering if the number on his attestation record was just for his training and would he have been given another number when he was allocated to a regiment or battalion
If the Boer war finished in 1902 I wonder if he came out of the army and was a labourer when he died somewhere before 1908 when his wife Jane remarried

Thank you once again everyone for your help it is always appreciated

if this correct (posted on P1)

Service number 2949
Regiment Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

then none of those service records except perhaps the Natal one fits unless he transferred regiments

interesting that he is described as a labourer on those marriages rather than a soldier

and with the middle name of Charles

Marriage: 14 Jul 1927 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
Robert Bradley - 23, Labourer, Bachelor, 2 Dutton Street, Warrington
Ellen Preston - 23, Spinster, 96 School Brow, Warrington
Groom's Father: John Bradley, (deceased), Labourer
Bride's Father: Robert Charles Preston, (deceased), Labourer -------
Witness: George Preston; Martha Green
Married by Banns by: Harry Battye, Assistant Curate
Register: Marriages 1924 - 1928, Page 153, Entry 305
Source: Original Parish Register

Marriage: 31 Mar 1923 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
George Preston - 21, Wire Drawer, Bachelor, 96 School Brow, Warrington
Margaret Buckard - 22, Spinster, 24 Crossley Street, Warrington
Groom's Father: Robert Preston, (deceased), Labourer ---------
Bride's Father: Joseph Buckard, Labourer
Witness: Joseph Buckard; Lily Stacey
Married by Banns by: F. O. S. Powell, Assistant Curate
Register: Marriages 1921 - 1924, Page 131, Entry 262
Source: Original Parish Register

For info

You could have found the baptisms yourself

http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Search/indexp.html

ALso for info

They were not at the address on the baptisms in 1901.

just realised Robert would not have died in the Boer war as he was alive in 1904 and the Boer war ended in 1902

i wonder if he died somewhere between 1904 when his daughter Ellen was born and when Lilian Pearson Preston in 1906 when he wasnt named as father

Ellen Preston - [Child] of Robert Preston & Jane Born: 8 Apr 1904 Abode: 17 Brook Street Occupation: Soldier Baptised by: Frederic W. Willis Register: Baptisms 1900 - 1907, Page 240, Entry 1913 Source: Original Parish Register

Lilian Pearson Preston - [Child] of Janie Preston Born: 26 Jun 1906 Abode: Brick St. Baptised by: G. F. Reynolds, Offg. Minister Register: Baptisms 1900 - 1907, Page 352, Entry 2812 Source: Original Parish Register

He was at Orford barracks when he got married and this is the only robert preston i can find at Orford Barracks

Service number 2949 Regiment Loyal North Lancashire Regiment Year 1893 Attestation date 02 Sep 1893 Attestation age 17 years 9 months service number 2949 Attestation corps 4th Battalion N Lancs Regiment

R Preston (Private)
in the UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
Name: R Preston
Service Date: 1899-1902
Service Place: South Africa
Campaign or Service: South Africa - Second Boer War
Regiment or Unit Name: Grenadier Guards
Regimental Number: 7121



R Preston (Private)
in the UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
Name: R Preston
Service Date: 1899-1902
Service Place: South Africa
Campaign or Service: South Africa - Second Boer War
Regiment or Unit Name: 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles
Regimental Number: 1564

R Preston
in the UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
Name: R Preston
Service Date: 1899-1902
Service Place: South Africa
Campaign or Service: South Africa - Second Boer War
Regiment or Unit Name: 3rd Battalion Scottish Rifles
Regimental Number: 1968



R Preston
in the UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
Name: R Preston
Service Date: 1899-1902
Service Place: South Africa
Campaign or Service: South Africa - Second Boer War
Regiment or Unit Name: Middlesex Regiment
Regimental Number: 19170519

(But the image linked to that on Ancestry is a document dated 1948 in Palestine - wrong document.)

This is probably the one listed as 5017 above:

R Preston
in the UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
Name: R Preston
Service Date: 1899-1902
Service Place: South Africa
Campaign or Service: South Africa - Second Boer War
Regiment or Unit Name: 3rd Battalion King's Royal Rifle
Regimental Number: 5617

Transferred to 1st Battalion.
Document dated 31 July 1901, at Springs,Transvaal

This is the one in the Pioneer Corps listed above:

Robert Preston
in the UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
Name: Robert Preston
Service Date: 1899-1902
Service Place: South Africa
Campaign or Service: South Africa - Second Boer War
Regiment or Unit Name: 1st Railway Pioneer Regiment
Regimental Number: 72

From forces-war-records - (repeating those posted by Maddie) - but of course I don't know if any of these could be your Robert:


Robert Preston 72 Private 1902 Pioneer Regiment
R Preston 1819 Private 1905 Manchester Regiment
R Preston M2/020354 Private 1908 Army Service Corps
R Preston 3180134 1900 British Army
R Preston 2922395 1900 British Army
R Preston 1415516 1900 Royal Artillery
R Preston 744233 1897 Royal Artillery
R Preston Private 1906 Natal Rangers
R Preston 5017 Private 1900 King's Royal Rifle Corps
R Preston 5017 Rifleman 1902 King's Royal Rifle Corps
R Preston 1902 Grenadier Guards
R Preston 4155 Private 1900 Welsh Regiment
R Preston 3469 Private 1900 Northumberland Fusiliers

thank you maddie

the boar war records from ancestry

maddie what site is this please

All Web: South Africa, Second Boer War British Service Register, 1899-1902 results for Robert Preston
Results 1–13 of 13
View Record Name Military Rank Service Number Military Unit

Note: To get better results, add more information such as or Death Info—even a guess will help. Edit your search or learn more.
View Record R * Preston Private 72 Railway Pioneer Regiment
View Record R Preston Private 4155 Welch Regiment
View Record R Preston Private 3469 Northumberland Fusiliers
View Record R Preston Private 5017 King's Royal Rifle Corps
View Record R Preston Private 2379 West Kent Regiment
View Record R * Preston Private 1968 Scottish Rifles

In 1899, the Loyal Regiment found itself assigned to South Africa. With hostilities seeming likely in the aftermath of the Jameson Raid, the De Beers company became increasingly concerned with the security of its operations in Kimberly. Although a town guard and other volunteer formations had been raised, the De Beers company and citizens of Kimberly petitioned for additional security measures. On 7 October 1899, an artillery battery and four companies of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment were dispatched to secure the town under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Kekewich. Five days later, with the start of hostilities, Boer forces arrived and began to beisolate Kimberley. For the next 126 days, the North Lancs and the local militias would be cut off and subjected to regular shelling from the Boer artillery. The siege was finally lifted when Brigadier-General Sir John French's Cavalry Division was able to break through the Boer lines on 15 February 1900.[3]

With its commander and four of its companies under siege in Kimberly, the balance of the 1st Battalion served with Lord Methuen. Together with the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, 2nd Northampton Regiment, and 2nd King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry), they formed the 9th Brigade of the 1st Division. They served with 9th Brigade at the Battles of Belmont, Modder River and Magersfotein.[4]

Following the relief of Kimberly in February 1900, the reunited battalion would remain a part of Methuen's command until July, when it was detached to guard Oliphant's Nek. However, on 8 August, they abandoned this task at the orders of Colonel Baden-Powell and left the area unguarded. This allowed Christiaan de Wet to escape the British forces attempting to catch him. Although the Boer escaped, it was ruled that orders received by the Loyals were to blame, and the regiment escaped censure.[5]

The end of 1900 found 1st Loyals back with the 9th Brigade. As part of the brigade, they took part in actions around Klerksdorp. Remaining under Lord Methuen's command for the rest of the war, the Loyals provided men to be formed into mounted infantry companies as the war shifted from large engagements into a guerrilla war. The Loyals would continue to serve throughout the guerrilla phase, engaging Boer commandos on a number of occasions until the end of the war with the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging on 31 May 1902.[5] Following the end of hostilities, 525 officers and men of the battalion left Cape Town in the SS Carisbrook Castle in September 1902, arriving at Southampton early the following month.[6]
Early 20th century

there in nothing on fmp