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Messages - mbcx3psw

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That certainly sounds plausible.

Thank you.

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I've found records of my great, great grandfather in the Rifle Brigade's muster books. Henry Swendell  was a soldier in the Crimean War from September 1854 until the middle of 1855 when he was sent home. In the muster books Henry is recorded with a group of about 16 men with the attached remark recorded in the column "How became non-effective"

I can't make out what it says. If anyone could decipher I'd be very grateful.

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The attached picture was found in my late grandma's house in Bradford along with various photos of family members. In dating the photo I hope it will help me identify the people in it. The composition suggests to me a family with mother and father on the outside and grown up children in the centre.

The tall man stood up bears a resemblance to my great grandad Thomas Swendell. The older man sat down may be stood on the far right of another photo taken between 1908 and 1912 - https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=832760.msg6973638#msg6973638. I'm looking into the possibility that the family are Saxons. Thomas's father married Ann Saxon in 1864 in Montreal. I wonder if the resemblance between Thomas and the tall man is because they are cousins and the older man is Ann's brother.

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Armed Forces / Re: Why would a colour sergeant in the Rifle Brigade resign in 1866?
« on: Saturday 26 September 20 14:45 BST (UK)  »
Thank you all for your responses. It's certainly given me some things to consider.

I'm pretty sure that Henry remained in the army since he was recorded as a witness at a wedding in Quebec in 1867. His rank is recorded as Sergeant - https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=600226.msg6975011#msg6975011. In addition he was almost certainly in Canada in 1869 as his son Henry was born in Ottawa in this year.

No one has dismissed my speculation on his possible connection with Timothy O'Hea so I may explore that further. Hampshire archives have O'Hea's VC citation https://calm.hants.gov.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=A12170%2f3%2f1%2f1c%2f15%2f3%2f15&pos=8. Does anyone know if a citation would name individuals other than O'Hea involved in the event?

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Armed Forces / Why would a colour sergeant in the Rifle Brigade resign in 1866?
« on: Friday 25 September 20 20:51 BST (UK)  »
My gg grandfather Henry James Humphrey Swendell was a colour sergeant in the 1st battalion of the Rifle Brigade. As far as I can tell from his service record, attached, he resigned from his rank of colour sergeant to sergeant on the 1st of July 1866. At the time the 1st battalion was stationed in Quebec City in what was British North America which became Canada in 1867.

Can anyone help with what resigned might mean? Is it the same as demoted or if he resigned does this mean he asked to be demoted? What sort of event may have triggered this?

On a flight of a fancy could his resignation be linked to Timothy O'Hea - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_O%27Hea being awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on the 9th of June 1866? Newspaper reports at the time record a sergeant undecided on what to do - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/23204/page/22. Is it possible that this sergeant was Henry and because of his inaction he resigned?

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I think that the Henry Swendell who was a witness is my great great grandfather and father of Thomas Swendell who appears in the photo attached to this thread - https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=832760.msg6973638#msg6973638

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Could you point me to where that information might be? I can't find Thomas in the 1911 census so any pointers would be helpful.

Thanks,

Paul

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Thank you everyone. This photo really fascinates me. The little girl is a mystery and the composition of the photo doesn't give a clue (to me at least) on whether her parents are in the picture.

Thanks once again.

Paul

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