Ancestor joined 8th of Foot 1858

[Heather James]

I've been trying for 3 years to find more info on my great-grandfather William Silvester Wilson. On the Genealogy Just Ask! page, someone was able to find out for me that he signed his Attestation Papers in Cork on 30 January 1858 with the 8th Regiment of Foot, Service Number 368. He served 6 years & 275 days.  During that time he served abroad for 6 years; Gibraltar for 5 years and 12 days, and Malta for 1 year and 43 days. He served until 6 October 1864. He was discharged 7 February 1865 due to chronic bronchitis.  I'm thinking that because he signed in Cork, he was from Scotland and may have returned there after he left the Regiment. His daughter Hannah Isabella Wilson was born in either 1871 or 1874, apparently in Malta although I have no proof of this. (1891 & 1901 England Census show Malta; 1911 Census shows "Unknown" then they emigrated to Canada. I have everything from there on.) It's possible her mother's name was Jane Dade, or it could have been Hannah Isabella, last name unknown. I'm hoping if I can find confirmation of William's service record, that will lead me to something that documents his wife's name, perhaps his child's name, his parents' names... anything !!  Thanks for any help you can provide.

[MaxD]

  The detail comes from his discharge papers which are on Findmypast but they don't have family information.  However, he was in the 2nd Battalion 8th Regiment of Foot who were in Malta in 1864. Edit - see next post  The child does not appear in the army births overseas.

The one piece of info from his record not given to you is that his intended place of residence was Clerkenwell Middlesex where he was born.

MaxD

[MaxD]

He was born 17 July 1836 to John a victualler of Cable Street Whitechapel and Hannah Wilson and baptised 7 Feb 1837 at the same time as his 3 year older sister Ann. (London baptism records).

MaxD

PS  The fact that he was in Malta in 1864 is not relevant - I mis read the child's birth date

MaxD

[Heather James]

Wow, MaxD, thank you !!!  This gives me a whole new line to explore.  I'm charging at that brick wall again! 

Heather

[Heather James]

Oh yes... the whole Malta thing and Hannah Isabella Wilson's birth date being after her father was discharged and left Malta...  Hopefully I'll find the answer to that mystery when I follow up on William's trail.

[Heather James]

Just a public THANK YOU to MaxD for emailing me separately and spending many hours gleaning what info he could on my ancestors. There are still mysteries there that may never be solved, but I know a lot more than before.   

[MaxD]

It was my great pleasure!

MaxD