55th regiment of foot - John Evans

[eileendavid]

Thanks for that Max

Yes that was the census I found

Eileen

[eileendavid]

Hello Maxb,

Just a quick question is there any way I can find where John Evans served with the 55th regiment of foot.  I know he signed in 1807 in Plymouth although he was from Holywell Wales. 

His wife Isabella Skelton I think was born in Brampton Cumberland (1796). 

He married in London 1813, his first child John was baptised at Brighton in 1815 although this son said he was born in London. He then had two children baptised in St Helier in 1817 and 1818. 

My great great grandmother was born 1821 in Ireland not found this baptism yet but she recorded her birth place as Ireland on the 1841 census 

He left the 55th of foot in 1821 in Ennerskillan.

He was a private for 5 years and some days then he was a corporal until being demobbed in 1821. 

He then went back to being a shoemaker and lived in Liverpool his 4th child Thomas being born in 1823.  John died in 1833 in Liverpool. 

Just wondered if there is anyway that his service in the 55th could be traced to these dates.

Thanks again for you help

Eileen

[MaxD]

One way of doing it, if you have Findmypast, is to search on "55th Regiment" on their newspaper archive, limiting it to the decades of interest.  This brings up mentions of the regiment and locations.  Taking 1813, in August they were in London, 1815 Brighton, 1818 Guernsey which included men on Jersey and in 1821 in Ireland leaving there in October en route for South Africa.

This isn't foolproof as elements of regiments often served apart or moved at a different time to others and one can't be precise as to months.  If you are simply looking for something indicative then these dates do appear to dovetail.

Otherwise Cumbria's Museum http://www.cumbriasmuseumofmilitarylife.org/about-us/our-regiments/55th-regiment/ may be able to help.

MaxD 

[jonw65]

Hi Eileen
Muster rolls are the usual way to follow a man's army career. You would have to go to TNA at Kew. Records for the 55th are in WO12.
For the years 1817-18 the reference is WO 12/6486.
There may have been more than one John Evans in the 55th, but yours was a corporal for the last nine years of his fourteen, which should help.
Apparently there are some muster rolls for the 55th, 1815-1816, online on ancestry in British Army Muster Books and Pay Lists, 1812-1817

If you are in doubt about the Jersey baptisms (and I'm not sure that you are!), you could investigate the army births a bit more.
We have
Jane Evans
place Jersey
year 1818
regiment 55th
vol 1088 page 15

If you were to apply to the GRO for this, what exactly would you get? I've absolutely no idea, perhaps Max could help.
John

[MaxD]

A John Evans does come up in the muster roll for the 55th for 1814/15 but these rolls don't say where the battalion is stationed and I think Eileen is content as to his career in the regiment.

Well worth getting the birth cert from the GRO (they are overseas records) jonw65 has given the GRO index reference.  This will confirm the parents.

MaxD

[eileendavid]

Hello John & Max

I am interested in everything to try and prove this John Evans and will do whatever I am advised with my limited resources.

My great great grandmother Elizabeth Evans was born in Ireland and I still haven't found her.  I am planning a trip to the 55th museum in the near future in Kendal.  Do they have the muster rolls?

I thought the GRO was for births after 1837/

Eileen

[MaxD]

Certificate - The armed forces births are one of the exceptions
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/most_customers_want_to_know.asp#Overseas

Museum - muster rolls I supect not as they are, apart from some on Ancestry in the period 1812-1817, and two on FindMyPast for the 60th and the 84th, at the National Archives.

Muster rolls - Attached is firstly the ledger headings from the 1815/1816 register.  The register does not record where the battalion was, it does however prove that a Corporal John Evans was serving with the 55th in the period 25 Dec 1815 to 24 Mar 1816 (at the top of the From/to columns).  As John has said, one has to look at each half year register in turn following a man from when he is first in the regiment until he no longer appears in the muster rolls.

The  John Evans entry, as a Corporal in the next post

MaxD

[jonw65]

Hi
What would be good would be to find out where the 55th were when John Evans married Isabella Skelton.

Either ancestry have indexed the ones they have online only partially, or in an odd way, or I am doing something wrong!
Because Corporal John Evans is featured more times than indexed.

Max, they do tell you where the regiment was stationed! You need to look at the end of each quarter.
I can't give you the exact dates the 55th changed stations.
From those lists for the 55th that are online we can see
25 Dec 1814 - 24 March 1815 list is Chelmsford
25 March 1815 - 24 June 1815 is Brighton
25 June 1815 - 24 Sept 1815 is Brighton
25 Sept 1815 - 24 Dec 1815 is Bristol
25 Dec 1815 - 24 March 1816 is Bristol
25 March 1816 - 24 June 1816 is Bristol
25 June 1816 -  24 Sept 1816 ??
25 Sept 1816 - 24 Dec 1816 is Guernsey

[MaxD]

John - Thank you for that very useful info about the locations (some of which I got from the newspaper trawl).  I think it must be me doing something wrong - PM on the way!

Eileen - Can't make John Evans entry small enough to post.  Send me your email by PM and I'll do it that way.

MaxD