Author Topic: Royal Sappers and Miners?  (Read 14171 times)

Offline Randy Thomas Sheik

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Re: Royal Sappers and Miners?????
« Reply #9 on: Friday 31 October 14 18:00 GMT (UK) »
I am researching my family tree and there is a direct relative who served with the Royal Sappers and Miners. At his gravesite there is a small stone marker next to his gravestone and I would like to know if anyone knows what is the meaning? The image is attached and the marker is the one on the right.
Clements, from England/Ireland
Samuel Lively Harris, from London, England
Mernagh, from Birmingham & Ireland
Scheik, from Pommern, Prussia
Kalff, from Stolpe, Pommern, Prussia
Thomas Welch, 1874, son of Charles and Rebecca Welch from England
(All of the above emigrated to Canada except Thomas born Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

Offline alanmack

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Re: Royal Sappers and Miners?????
« Reply #10 on: Friday 31 October 14 18:21 GMT (UK) »
Looks to me like simply the support for a rail surrounding the grave or the area the grave is in. More ornate in stone rather than the modern concrete ones which look similar.
Glamorgan - Carpenter, Chamberlain, Ellis, Watkins, Rees, Bevan
Wiltshire - Carpenter, Chamberlain, Ellis, Merrett
Essex - Burdon, Taylor, Menzies
Canada - Burdon, Parkinson
Australia - Carpenter, Burdon

Offline Randy Thomas Sheik

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Re: Royal Sappers and Miners?????
« Reply #11 on: Friday 31 October 14 20:52 GMT (UK) »
Thanks Alan,

I thought that it might be some sort of support except that there is only one and there are no railings or any other kind of dividers anywhere near this grave. And the hole depression that is visible on the front is also on the other 3 sides.
Clements, from England/Ireland
Samuel Lively Harris, from London, England
Mernagh, from Birmingham & Ireland
Scheik, from Pommern, Prussia
Kalff, from Stolpe, Pommern, Prussia
Thomas Welch, 1874, son of Charles and Rebecca Welch from England
(All of the above emigrated to Canada except Thomas born Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)

Offline DawnC86548

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Re: Royal Sappers and Miners?????
« Reply #12 on: Sunday 05 July 15 06:35 BST (UK) »
HI,

I saw your questions relating to Royal Sappers.   I just saw on findmypast.com that my 3rd great grandfather, Andrew Paton (from Shotts, Scotland) was part of the Royal Sappers.  His record on findmypast.com shows him as a deserter in 1828.   Something new to learn!

Is there any way that I could find out more on his military record?

Thanks,
Dawn


Offline km1971

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Re: Royal Sappers and Miners?????
« Reply #13 on: Sunday 05 July 15 09:37 BST (UK) »
Hi Dawn

I take it you mean the FindMyPast deserters record? I have the original and it is badly indexed by FindMyPast who as usual have cut corners, and made mistakes in their haste to get it online.

Firstly the date is 29 February 1828. It also says he deserted off furlough, and he was a collier, aged 23. If you PM me with an email address I will send it to you. The description is very detailed down to the colour of his eyebrows.

Captured deserters almost always lost the right to a pension, and were usually branded with a D for a second offence. As most surviving records come from the pension departments you will probably not find anything else online. The best way forward is to research the muster books in Kew – they are not online. The problem is that there are about seven musters covering 1828, so you may have to look at them all. These appear to cover one year only so the amount of detail should be good. Once you have his company you can check older musters to get his enlistment, and later ones (assuming he was recaptured) to get a full picture of his service.

Ken

Offline DawnC86548

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Re: Royal Sappers and Miners?????
« Reply #14 on: Sunday 05 July 15 16:04 BST (UK) »
I will email today to find out more

Offline dated connections

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Re: Royal Sappers and Miners?????
« Reply #15 on: Monday 06 July 15 05:48 BST (UK) »
Would anyone be kind enough to look up John Dykes who join in the late 1800's and was posted in Greenwich.  Any info on him would be great. Thanks ???

Offline km1971

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Re: Royal Sappers and Miners?????
« Reply #16 on: Monday 06 July 15 06:31 BST (UK) »
You need to supply more information such as date/place of birth - even a guess. The Sappers and Miners merged with the Royal Engineers in 1856. So was he in the Royal Engineers? They retained 'Sapper' as their equivalent to Private.

Ken

Offline dated connections

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Re: Royal Sappers and Miners?????
« Reply #17 on: Friday 24 July 15 13:25 BST (UK) »
Thank you Ken, the person I wanted to contact was away on school holiday.  I found out he was born in 1782 in Audlem to John Dykes and Elizabeth (nee Bullock).  He joined army in 1800 (we think) and went to Woolwich.  What we would like to know if we could find out what he did in the army for 20 years as a Sapper and Miner.  Did he go to War?  My guess that it was the late 1800's he joined was certainly way out. Thanks a lot.