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Research in Other Countries => Other Countries => Topic started by: Kylie B on Tuesday 30 April 19 05:25 BST (UK)
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Hello
I am hoping for some help as I have no idea where to even start...
I have 2 records pertaining to British in India, and would like to know how to find out more.
I have a marriage from the British India Office records of a James Mottlee aged 25, Master of the Indian Navy in Bombay, marrying 15 year old Margaret Burke in 1856.
I have a baptism of a Henry Mottlee in 1864- he is listed as being a Private in HM 95th Reg as a medic at 95th Reg(iment) hospital, Camp Aden, Bombay. Record says born 1837.
How do I find out more about these 2 men?? How they came to India, how long they were there for, where they went, family members, movements etc????
Any assistance would be gratefully received as I have no idea where to look next, and these 2 records were the only ones relating to these 2 men on FindMyPast.
Thank you!
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You could start by looking at www.fibis.org - Families in British India Society ;D
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We learn something new every day. Aden in India
Aden is a peninsular about three miles long joined to the mainland by an isthmus. At the western end Steamer Point is a good harbour; at the eastern end the Crater, a long-extinct volcano, is where the military barracks were first built when Aden was annexed to British India in 1839
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Barryd- thanks so much. Interesting!
And KGarrad- that sounds like the perfect place to start!!! THanks very much :-)
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Records on Family Search for some of this Mottlee family,
Henry Mottlee born 22 February 1864
His Family Search number which will bring his name up when on Family Search is 27DH-VDH
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Master of the Indian Navy
Or is it Quartermaster?
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Sounds like an Anglo-Indian?
Skoosh.
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There's a merchant navy record (apprentice ticket issued 1848) for James Hammet Mottlee born 17 November 1831, residing in London at 13 Conduit Place.
Baptism of James Hammett Mottlee at All Souls Marylebone on 21 July 1833, born 17 November 1831, parents William (a painter) and Margaret. Abode Nassau Street.
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There are public trees on Ancestry for this family, and previous threads on Rootschat:
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=590813.0
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=452578.0
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=587399.0
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Thanks barryd- that record is actually the baptism in India of Henry born 1837.
Thanks ShaunJ for the links to the previous threads. And yes that is James's baptism and merchant navy apprenticeship.
Thank you!! I had no idea on that abbreviation- quarter master!!
Interestingly I note it says in Indian navy....not merchant or British navy...
I never got to the bottom of the connection to the Hammet family as you linked to, but there clearly is a link between Henry & James's mothers Laing family & the Hammets.
But back to this apparent India connection....no appearance of either brother on the FIBI site.
Any further clues please?????
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"Indian Navy" would be the Maritime Service of the Honourable East India Company (HEIC).
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Looks like Henry's birth was registered in 1839 is Strand RD in Q2 1827: Volume 01 Page 315.
There was a previous Henry Mottlee born 24 March 1827 at the British Lying-In Hospital, Endell Street, Holborn. Same parents.
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Thanks ShaunJ
I assume the earlier birth of a Henry must be an older sibling who died as an infant although I haven't found a death.
Ok so James could have continued to work in the merchant navy. What would have happened to his very young wife? Would she have remained in India or come to Britain? I assume she us a British subject??
I can't find James in England after the apprenticeship record, or Henry between 1851 census and his marriage in 1870s...
🤔🤔
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I see that you know quite a lot about Henry already: https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=423815.18
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Hi ShaunJ
Still haven't solved the riddle of being a medical practitioner and time in India.
This baptism record from Camp Aden is something i have only just discovered- and found the marriage for brother James who was still off the radar at the same time.
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My ancestor was a veterinary surgeon in the HEIC.
All the records I have found for him (on Fibis ;D) also show Surgeons and other medical personnel.
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KGarrad any tips for searching fibis as I tried searching and found nothing....
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For the record, Henry's baptism (at the camp church in Aden, in the Archdeaconry and Diocese of Bombay) records that he was a Private in HM 95th Regiment (British Army) acting as Medicine Compounder in the 95th Hospital.
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Henry had lots of advertisements in Australian papers (and occasionally NZ papers) for his cure for rheumatism. In the later ones he styled himself "late medical specialist to Government of India". See for example https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/86079028 (bottom of column 2).
I would guess that this claim was somewhat exaggerated, if not complete fiction.
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Not sure if you've seen this from the Norwood News in March 1885
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Thank you so much ShaunJ
I hadn't seen the rheumatism cure adverts but in other aspects of his life Henry was quite 'creative' with the truth it seems, so likely that claim regarding the government of India is another exaggeration...although some of his apparent stories are proving to be true!
I am intrigued with the last article you posted from Norwood- he seems to have convinced several clergymen of his case- I wonder what the family affliction is that is mentioned? By the time the family emigrate to Australia they only have 2 surviving children.
Do you know anything of how I can find out about his enlistment in the army? I assume that is where he learned the skills of medicine compounding- and thank you for translating that bit for me!!!
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I haven't been able to find any military records for him so it would appears that he did not serve long enough to go on to a pension. Muster books and paylists for 95th Rifles might reveal his service dates but that would involve a slog through the records at the National Archives.
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Thanks ShaunJ
I guess we keep looking.
I have no other record of him other than the Indian baptism between the 1851 census and his marriage in 1873, so there is quite a window of time there.
Any suggestions?
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