British Army widows 1857 Family History Local History

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British Army widows 1857

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Jane Masri
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British Army widows 1857
« on: Sunday 25 October 09 16:01 UTC (UK) »

My 2xgreat grandfather was killed at Lucknow, India, during the Mutiny in October 1857. He was a corporal in the 84th Foot which seems to have been based at the British garrison at Secunderabad near Hyderabad during these troubles. He was married and had at least 2 small children at the time of his death. The whole story of the siege & relief of the residency at Lucknow has captured my imagination so I've been reading some of the online personal stories & diaries which, in turn, has begged the question, what happened to the widows & children of those that lost their lives? Plenty is written about the officers but what about the rank & file?
The regiment left India in 1859 so what happened in the intervening years? Was she obliged to leave India shortly after her husbands death? Did the regiment look after her & the children until they all left in 1859?
Can any historians answer these questions?

jane


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km1971
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Re: British Army widows 1857
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 25 October 09 16:50 UTC (UK) »

Hi Jane

Most widows remarried other soldiers. It was either that or a free passage on a troopship back to the workhouse. Even when widow's pensions were introduced it was only for a maximum of seven years. And the portion for the children only lasted until boys were 14 and girls were 16.

The problem you face is that the army did not record details of wives and children until much later. It can also be quite tricky as often the children adopted the surname of the stepfather. If it was all done overseas it may have not left a trace. Bit of a black hole really. You could check Findmypast for her remarriage.

You could also try Fibris and there are a few other links on this thread on another forum - http://genchatfriends.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=5883&page=1

A good rule of thumb is that if you cannot trace either her or her children back in the UK, then she remarried or died overseas.

Ken


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Jane Masri
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Posts: 3878

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Re: British Army widows 1857
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 25 October 09 17:08 UTC (UK) »

Hi Ken,
Thanks for your reply. From my readings it seems that the lives of Army wives & their families was pretty dismal back then. Only a screened off section in the barrack room. Having to wash laundry of their husband's comrades to earn a few pennies whilst hubby was away fighting battles. So I would assume the life of a widow was even bleaker & marriage might give her & her children the means to survive!
I haven't found a re marriage for her using the usual sources nor a death. The only clues I have is that her son (my great grandfather) enlists in the RN at Portsmouth in about 1866. Her daughter does marry as evidenced by her obituary in 1934, Lahore. So she, at least, either returns to England & then returns to India or just stays there Undecided

I've just been searching the Times Digital for the actual date of return of the 84th & it seems that they left Calcutta on April 10 1859 & although expected to arrive in mid-July it didn't until 1/9/1859 at Gravesend, so I'll see if any of the family was onboard if I can find the manifest Undecided

Thanks for the link I'll have a look now,

jane


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km1971
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Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Re: British Army widows 1857
« Reply #3 on: Monday 26 October 09 08:41 UTC (UK) »

Hi Jane

I don't think there would be a manifest for a RN transport ship. Also if she did return to the UK as a widow she would not have stayed on in India until the regiment returned two years after her husbands death. They would not have known at the time how long they would be there. Also, there would have been ships sailing to the UK every few weeks, so she would have been found a place on one of these.

Ken


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Jane Masri
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Posts: 3878

My back garden

Re: British Army widows 1857
« Reply #4 on: Monday 26 October 09 08:54 UTC (UK) »

My thoughts exactly, Ken.
I'm still digging away at the internet to see what can be found, nothing so far but I have a growing list of search documents that they might be found on that I can look at on my next UK visit

Thanks for your input & I'll broaden my search to include dates just after October 1857,

jane


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Researching BRABY/BRAVERY in SURREY and SUSSEX

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