Many months further on, and I am so grateful and thankful for your assistance. I knew I had this thread somewhere, but couldn't find it! Very sorry about the late reply.
I contacted the Nottingham University, had an email back from there telling me they did not hold the records for the 1Oth Royal Lancers.
They replied and referred me to the Derby Museum, where Archives are held for the 9th/12th Lancers. I then emailed Derby with his details to see if they had anything there.
To My Great Joy! Got the reply below!
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The first sentence itself was great! Told me I was on the right track, and now had a Number!
And the rest was even better!
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John Gibbons Mathews - Military details.
Dear Jeanne
Thank you for your enquiry regarding the service of your great great grandfather 674 Troop Sergeant J G Matthews, 12th Royal Lancers.
The 9th/12th Royal Lancers Museum does not hold the service papers of soldiers who served in the Army. The records of soldiers who served before 1920 are held at TheNational Archive, Kew, Surrey, TW9 4DU, and the service papers of soldiers who served after 1920 are held at the Army Personnel Centre, Historic Disclosures, Mailpoint 400, Kentigern House, 65 Brown Street, Glasgow, G2 8EX. However, the 9th/12th Lancers Museum holds an extensive but incomplete collection of regimental archives, including nominal rolls, medal rolls, marriage registers and diaries some of which give information on the service of individual soldiers.
According to the 12th Lancers Services of NCOs and Men 1809-1865, John Gibbons Matthews enlisted into the 12th Lancers on 7 October 1840 at Dublin. He was born at a place called Moate in West Meath (Ireland). He was 21 years and 2 months on enlistment and was 5 foot 10 and a half inches. He is described as having a fresh complexion, grey eyes, and dark brown hair. His trade on enlistment is given as `clerk’.
John served with A Troop and was a capable soldier who was quickly promoted; he was made corporal on 5 August 1842; promoted to troop-sergeant on 1 October 1844; and he married on 9 July 1845. He was discharged on payment of £20 on 9 March 1848. His character on discharge was recorded as `very good’. Please note that in this archive he is recorded as `Jonathan G Matthews’ and not John Gibbons Mathews.
His marriage and the birth of his two children while serving with the Regiment are also recorded in the 12th Lancers register of marriages and baptisms 1815-1880. He married Mary Jane Flemming, who was a spinster at St Mary’s in Donnybrook, Dublin on 9 July 1845. The date of the birth of their son, Henry Maxwell David Matthews is given as 4 November 1846 and his baptism took place at Hounslow on 7 January 1848. Their daughter Mary Grace’s baptism is recorded as occurring on 18 May 1848 at Hounslow.
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So, you can imagine how pleased I am with this! The marriage details and Chn born in Hounslow details are what I have, and - the Henry Maxwell David Matthews mentioned at the end is my great grandfather, he is the man in my profile photo!
And Shaun, thank you also for your info about John's Death at Sea! From my Scavenger Hunt on here recently, with those details, another wonderful Rootschatter found the actual death for me from the Register of Marine Deaths! That hunt initially was to find his mother, Sarah Annie unknown MS, and the mother of his wife, who were both un-named on the marriage record.
So, just one more step now for his service record. I have tried loads of searches at National Archives, but nothing has come up. I also filled in an online enquiry form, response was a message indicating an answer to my enquiry 10 -12 days hence. However, I have heard nothing back to date.
My question please, any advice or tips on searching the Military Service records at National Archives? I am completely stumped! I have tried the variations of his name, also his name and birthplace of Moate, WESTMEATH, Ireland, as stated in the Military notes from Derby Museum, Jonathan G. Matthews. All census info I have for him state his full name as John Gibbons Mathews his birthplace as Newry, Ireland.
Thank you all for your past assistance, if you can give me any more pointers to pick up on his service record that would be wonderful!
My Scavenger Hunt has been amazing in terms of what the chatters have unearthed, so I've put most of this new Military info on there as well
Thanks so much once again for all your contributions. Much appreciated.
Jeanne 😄
