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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: ainslie on Sunday 27 January 19 17:40 GMT (UK)
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In an old family album which I have just received, I found a small photo of an army officer with a double line of buttons down the tunic, striped waist belt, sash over left shoulder, sword in hand by left leg, braid at left cuff and down trouser leg, peaked cap on small table. Written in the lower margin is Major Pilsworth 1861.
The census of that year shows a Mrs Jane Pilsworth in Little Bolton, Lancs, occupation given as “husband a major on full pay”. My ancestor also lived in Lancashire, but we have no known link with any Pilsworth.
Is anyone able to find more about the major? I cannot scan the photo as my scanner is out of action and I have no other copying gadget at present.
Thanks
A
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The London Gazette has a William Pilsworth in 1858 given as "unattached" (meaning he had no particular regiment affiliation at the time) Staff officer of Pensioners. By 1869 he had made Brevet Major in the same job and was about to be promoted Lt Colonel. He could be the William Pilsworth Captain in the 67th Foot in 1846. This could be his service record:
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C13280141
(There is another of the same name but he is a Lt in the 22 Foot in 1864 so not him).
As a staff officer it looks to me like a War office job, perhaps commuting to Lancashire at weekends.
MaxD
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Ainslie -- what does Jane show as her age and birth place please?
I can find only 2 potential marriages prior to the 1861 census for a Pilsworth to a Jane;
Q/E Dec 1849 Henry Pilsworth to Jane Rayment Mansfield - Cambridge Reg Dist
Q/E June 1854 George Pilsworth to Jane Maltby - Lincoln Reg Dist
HOWEVER --- they could have had an Army marriage abroad - haven't checked that -- but do the surnames of the 2 brides ring any bells with the 'ancestor' you have who also lived in Lancashire?
I have just seen MaxD's response -- so the marriages above may have nothing to do with your Pilsworth - neither are called William. Hence maybe worth searching Army marriages.
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Ainslie -- in 1851 there is a Captain William Pilsworth with wife Jane at Parkhurst Barracks -- he is 38 and born Athy, Kildare -- she is 30 and born Sunderland.
They have 2 children -- one born Athy? and one born Canada.
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Sunderland and Canada match up with the ‘61 census. Thanks.
A
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There is a very brief, incomplete record on Find My Past -- gives him a birth date of 1 Aug 1812 also tells us he married Jane Sophia B. Preston on 11 May 1839 in Berbice? (Berbice is what it looks like to my inexperienced eye).
He belonged to 67th Foot and was Ensign, then Lieutenant and then Captain.
Another brief record is I think the one Max mentioned where he is shown on the unattached list by the Royal Hospital at Chelsea.
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Could be way out on this but-the death for William PILSWORTH in 1877 shows a probate record as Lt Col (on the Staff) ..wife/widow is named as Jane Sophia Brownrigg PILSWORTH...daughter Elizabeth Caroline ELLERSHAW (wife of John).
A few newspaper reports have him (William) as formerly of the 67th Regiment.
Maureen
Sorry-Pennines :) going to post it anyway!
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Bingo
The 1851 Captain Pilsworth found by Pennines is in the 67th Foot (my LG man in 1846??). I hadn't gone back far enough before in the LG. Ensign William Pilsworth of the 67th becomes Lieutenant 1838.
Do the census give a clue as to the marriage date?
MaxD
PS Just seen Pennines valuable finds - adds up methinks Marriage would be Berbice (Guyana) where the regiment was in 1838/39.
https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.278805
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Having looked at all you have been finding, I am pretty sure that I have no link to the Pilsworth family. The major is one of the very few named in a family album but another thread on the forum tells me that many photos of this kind were exchanged, not all within families.
Thank you to all.
A
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Maureen -- no problem at all - it is added confirmation and great finds.
Max -- that book is a really good find about the 67th -- you never fail on military info do you!
Ainslie -- How could you say he's not yours after all that! I am gutted. You could have just said 'Wow - thank you everybody' - and we would have been none the wiser! (I am only joking).
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Pennines
I am always hugely impressed with the members of the forum and their skill and willingness to chase remote facts.I did hope to find some link with the Victorian major, but was very disappointed.
A
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Nothing lost. When Wayne and Kylie Pilsworth come asking about their soldier antecedents all the work is done!
MaxD
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Excellent!
A
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Brilliant Max!
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