Thomas Button 35th Regiment of Foot 1806-1832

[MaxD]

This history covers the period of your interest, may be helpful (click the pages to turn them)
https://archive.org/details/anhistoricalmem00trimgoog (the author spells it Barbadoes if you search on that)

maxD

[queenswood 1]

1841- I now have found a census entry for 1841 for an Elizabeth Button born between 1817 and 1821 in the West Indies- in Sherborne Union Workhouse Dorset. This is surely the daughter of Thomas and elizabeth- so Thomas must have gone to the West Indies with his first wife! Getting there slowly as the bricks come down

[queenswood 1]

Sherborne Union Workhouse 1841 census- records show Elizabeth Button age 20 born west indies -Glover- and she had a sister Jane Button aged 19 born west Indies - a glover. So it looks as though Thomas had 2 daughters  with his first wife Elizabeth whilst in service in Barbados. Would they have been sent back to England from the west indies on the death of their mother -Thomas's first wife- whilst he was serving with the regiment? Seems a bit harsh if, by 1841, thomas is living with his second wife in Dorset whilst his daughters from his first wife are a few miles away in the workhouse! What would have been the protocol in such a scenario?

[ShaunJ]

You are just guessing that the two girls in the workhouse are Thomas's daughters, and that the May 1818 Budden marriage was him. Go one step at a time !

[queenswood 1]

I know Shaun- this has been such an enigma for so long it is hard not to get excited! What other military records may be available for me to try and find out about Thomas and his first wife?

I am awaiting the Settlement docs for Aug 1832 from Dorset History Centre. It is also curious that i cannot trace a baptism for Thomas Button/Budden in the Pimperne area but there is a possible in May 1793 at Folke in Dorset-which is not far from Sherborne- so i am again wondering if the 2 daughters got returned to their grandparents from the West Indies after their mother died, which is why they ended up in the Sherborne workhouse. Too many questions still at the moment but your help and guidance is appreciated beyond measure

[ShaunJ]

Sherborne Union Workhouse 1841 census- records show Elizabeth Button age 20 born west indies -Glover- and she had a sister Jane Button aged 19 born west Indies - a glover

If he already had a daughter Jane is it likely that he would have called his 1832 daughter Jane?

[queenswood 1]

I know what you are saying but his second wife was also called Jane- the marriage certificate states that he married Jane Dobbin in 1831 - so I guess it is still possible? do you think he may have just got on with his new life? I would agree it asks more questions but to find 2 girls with the right surname and in the right time frame in the home county of the father- stating that they were both born in the west Indies- it ticks quite a few boxes! My husband's family are Dorset born and bred for many generations and I know the research is correct over the censuses-so when I found mention of someone being born in the West Indies on the 1851 census it stood out like a sore thumb! Hence the curiousity-but it has been a long and tortuous trail I can assure you!

[queenswood 1]

I have found an extract from a book written by Sir andrew halliday in 1839 on the Sickness and Mortality in the West indies- letter to the Secretary of War- which indicates that the 35th regiment had been in the tropics for 3 years before 1824. From 1824-1826 they were in Barbados then sent to St lucia and Dominica from 1826-1830. in 1830 they were moved back to Barbados. So at least now I know a bit more of the Regimental movements. Pressing on!

[ShaunJ]

Is it Jane (1831) on the 1851 census born "Dominique", married to Richard Wood?