RootsChat.Com

They say, “All the girls love a sailor” but I have a very naughty one in ‘my lot’ !
I need some help though please.

He joined the RMLI in 1853 for a period of 12 years, some of which were here in Falmouth harbour, on a gunship which had been turned into a coastguard vessel.

I paid Nat. Archive’s fee for a download of his RMLI attestation records (sadly no service records though)  but they make fantastic reading !

He had ‘BAD’ conduct which is so much more fun to read about than a guy with good conduct (in my opinion anyway !!)

He was often drunk, using disgusting language, theft, disobeying orders, constantly late back from shore leave and disappearing for several days at at time, one time he was bought back to the ship by Police.
Also, very often absent from the ship and even using insolent and profane language while attending Divine Service, and more !

He had pay and leave deducted, was confined to barracks and also spent time in prison somewhere doing ‘hard labour’.

In 1859 he was ‘deficient of battle medal’ so I wonder what that was for.

Once, while he was ‘missing’ he actually married a local girl who became pregnant. Presumably, when he was late back to the ship, he was with her.

When he’d finished his time here, in 1862, he went off on another ship and abandoned her and the baby. That baby is my line.
After completing his 12 years service he ended up back in his hometown in London, remarried (bygamy?) and had a new family.

This is what I need help with….
He was Court Martialled in 1863 and I have the book and page number of the event but sadly the Nat. Archives have not yet had it digitised for download.

I would have to visit in person for a copy of it but I live hundreds of miles away so it’s not an option.
I wondered if anyone was planning to go there soon and could obtain this for me please, all costs reimbursed of course !

Thankyou in advance, hopefully 🤞

My ancestor had a little girl, Ivy Caroline Hedges, who died aged 5 weeks, in October 1907.
She is recorded in the GRO death records.
On the ‘Find a grave’ website she is shown as buried in a shared grave - “Plot 2, grave 7727 SHARED GRAVE”.

I can see on the headstone in the photo of the grave, a lady called Sarah Drury was later buried there, in 1926 - “Plot 2, grave 7727B SHARED GRAVE”.

But as Ivy died in 1907, years before Sarah, she was obviously buried there first.

Sarah Drury is in the Cheriton Road Cemetery burial book in 1926 but there is no mention of little Ivy in 1907.

Any thoughts please ?
Thanks

Hi everyone,

Martha Kessell’s birth was registered in Falmouth in 1849.
She was born in Penryn and I believe her to be the illegitimate daughter of Ann Kessell.

Mary Ann (b.1843/4) and Jane (b.1840) also seem to be Ann’s illegitimate children as per the 1841 and 1851 census !

Martha Kessell is on the 1851 census, aged 2, with the family living in Helston Road, Penryn.
I can’t find her after that.
No death or marriage entry or in the 1861 census.

Any help much appreciated.
Thanks very much.
J.

I have an old CDV, probably 1860’s - 1870’s, of ancestors here in Cornwall but on the back it’s printed  R.S.Stacy, Photographic Artist, North Adelaide, Australia.

They had both died by 1878 so I know it was taken prior to that date.
Luckily their names are written on the back.

I’m sure they wouldn’t have travelled that far away so how could that have happened ? Would a photographer have come to the U.K. using his card stock ?

Their daughter actually moved to Adelaide, Australia but died there in 1853 and I assumed her body must have been brought back as she is buried here with her parents. BUT there is a burial record for her in a cemetery in Adelaide, aswell as her baby.
Maybe the parents didn’t bring her back but just included her name on their headstone in memory of her.

Any thoughts about the photo query much appreciated.