William Auburn, Royal 1st Devonshire Yeomanry

[m23to53]

According to a notice in the 'Exeter and Plymouth Gazette' 9/7/1895, Squadron Sergeant Major William Auburn of the Devonshire Yeomanry died suddenly the previous day. According to the record of his 1888 marriage to Helen Herbert, the birth of his son in 1894 and his GRO death registration he was simply William Auburn.
But reports on his funeral and a notice of the birth of his son, he was W F Auburn - the initials also appear in a few other newspaper mentions of him.
I have been unable to find any record which expands that 'F', though there was a writer of military fiction at the time called W Ferrars Auburn,  a name I have also been unable find in records. So far, I have been unable to find  a birth record - the death report intimated a 1857 birth while his death registration and marriage record said c1853 - or any mention on censuses.  ( not even his father who was also William Auburn according to the marriage record, a cooper by trade and apparently still living in 1888.
I assume he may not have been born in England, Wales, Scotland or Isle of Man for no sign of his name in their birth records.
But I wonder if any records might exist for the 1st Royal Devonshire Yeomanry, in which he had served for some years and was a popular NCO,  in the 1890s which might give his full name?

Thanks John

PS I might also mention that he could be the William Auburn aged 18 up on a desertion charge at Aldershot in 1871.

[rosie99]

( not even his father who was also William Auburn according to the marriage record, a cooper by trade and apparently still living in 1888.

Presumably the marriage does not state that his father is deceased, that does not mean he is still alive.  He should only have been asked for the name and occupation of his father, not whether he was dead or alive

One of the marriage witnesses was Caroline Auburn, have you traced her

[ShaunJ]

According to the brief inquest report in the Western Daily Mercury of 10 July 1895, he had been invalided home from India with a liver complaint.

I see also that he was resident at Hulme Barracks in Manchester at the time of his marriage in July 1888.   Have you been able to trace the Caroline Auburn who witnessed  the marriage?

[ShaunJ]

The 9th (Queen's Royal) Lancers were stationed at Hulme Barracks in July 1888.

[ShaunJ]

"The ground was admirably kept by a detachment of the 9th Lancers from Seaforth, under Troop Sergeant-Major W. F. Auburn. "

Liverpool Mercury 21 July 1890

[ShaunJ]

"War Office (appointment of Sergeant Major W Auburn as Cavalry instructor to volunteers, offer of St James' barracks to the colony for £40,000, appointment of Colonel A Man as Commandant of Local Forces, return of Sergeant Major W Auburn to his regiment, application for local rank of colonel for Lieutenant Colonel A Man);"

(1891)

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C987783

[ShaunJ]

The Western Times of 17 May 1892 reported that Troop Sergeant Major Auburn, 9th Lancers, was appointed permanent Sergeant, E Troop, 1st Devon Yeomanry.

[ShaunJ]

Confirmation that he was indeed the author W Ferrars Auburn, whose pen name was "Captain Random" - from the Western Daily Mail Mercury, 9 July 1895:

[m23to53]

Originally no, but widening the search found a suspect in a Caroline Auburn born c1860 in Ireland on the 1871 Canadian census, born Ireland, Has a brother William but he is six. Finally found on Ancestry transcribed as Aubun.
There is a William Auburn on the same census, born c1854 in England , but eldest son of James and Mary Auburn.
But nothing to say either are either the witness or the soldier, and nothing to identify that elusive 'F'.

Incidentally, found a report on the inquest into his death which was caused by severe gastritis and a syncope.

Regards
John