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Messages - Megatill

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10
Armed Forces / Re: At what age did the British Army accept enlistees in 1800-1840?
« on: Saturday 09 September 17 01:05 BST (UK)  »
Thank you, KGarrad - obviously my searches on the topic did not pull this information up!

To summarize:

"The 'official' age to join the army was 18..."

"The age of 19 was often given by underage lads wanting to join up rather than 18 which aroused suspicion and could lead to further checks being made, a simple ruse, but it worked!"

"many army orphans were enrolled into the regt as drummer boys as young as 13, they were the orphans of soldiers who died with the regt and the regt became their guardians, he can enlist at 16, but he needed permission from his parents, if he was an orphan the colonel of the regt he was joining would decide whether they would take him or not, you could not serve overseas on active service till you were 19, unofficially there was no age limit, it was down to the discretion of the colonel of the regt, in the time period you are talking about..."

"I believe the ratio was one 'boy' per company..."

Thank you to M.T.H, manmack, and harribobs for their responses back in 2006.



Megan in Sydney

11
Australia / Re: COMBER or COOMBER - Edward in Australia
« on: Friday 08 September 17 07:44 BST (UK)  »
Quote from: Aussie1947 on Friday 08 September 17 07:29 BST (UK)
Hi,

General Regulations and Orders for the Army 1811

Gerry


Thanks so much for this book, Gerry - I've had a cursory glance through it and have not seen any detail on any age restriction or limitation. I'll have a better read of it tonight. It looks quite useful and will probably explain the way the Muster Books are laid out!!!

12
Armed Forces / At what age did the British Army accept enlistees in 1800-1840?
« on: Friday 08 September 17 07:20 BST (UK)  »
Hi, Everyone!

One of my 2GGrandfathers died as Edward COMBER in Armidale, NSW on 31 July 1900.

Anecdotal evidence shows him born 1820 in Spitalfields, and alternatively, 1816 in either Ireland or Dorset!

Other anecdotal evidence reports him as being enlisted in the British Army, and thought to have been in the 50th Regiment of Foot (then the "Queen's Own" and subsequently the "Royal West Kent" Regiment).

My main question for this forum is - "how young would the British Army accept as enlistees?".

In order to fit Army enlistment into the data I currently have, Edward would have had to have been, at the youngest, 10 years old. It would be more appropriate for him to have been 18 years old or so. The 50th was in Australia in 1837 to 1841 (so if he was born 1820, he would have been 17) and no doubt he would have been one of those soldiers shipped to NSW as Convict Guards.

However, if Edward enlisted in Britain or Ireland, how young would he have been allowed to be in order to enlist?

Thanks, in advance!!!

Megan in Sydney

13
Australia / Re: COMBER or COOMBER - Edward in Australia
« on: Friday 08 September 17 07:17 BST (UK)  »
Ok, Folks, I was trying to avoid typing all the Certificates out, but here are some of the ones you were questioning.

1) Marriage 1851 between Edward Comber & Elizabeth Mackey at St Philips Church, Sydney on 21 July 1851 by Banns

Number 27 Volume 22

This certificate does not appear in the NSW BDM Index. It was obtained in 1984 over the counter from the Register 'book'.

The marriage indicated by Jamjar ("351/1853 V1853351 99 COOMBES Edward to MCKYE Elizabeth VA") is not them, and it actually occurred in Warwick Queensland (I have in hand this one too).


2) Children of Edward and Elizabeth Comber number 15.

The majority of these birth/baptism certificates are quite abbreviated, and where a certificate does show the birthplace of Edward, it says "England" with the exception of Sarah Amelia b 20 June 1860 (Application P 87026/82 WS) and Matilda b 16 Sept 1863 (Application 82 M 548 gd) both of which certs say Edward's origin was Spittlefields, Middlesex.

However, I conducted research in London in June 2016, specifically visiting the GRO for assistance in finding Edward's registered birth or baptism and sadly there was no information confirming his origin in Spittlefields or Middlesex.

Edward's age assists in the confirmation by mathematics of his birth year from the Certificates as 1820. However, with lack of proof regarding his actual birth or baptism, it is still speculation that he was born in Spittlefields.

3) Edward's death certificate (1900/008088 - 1900 July 31st in Armidale Hospital, NSW) has NOT KNOWN for his father's information and simply ENGLAND for his origin.


As I have posted questions regarding the Comber family in other posts (with other questions), I was just reminding folks here that while my specific question was "how young would the British Army take enlistees", I'd be happy to share other information regarding Edward and his family if others have info I have not yet seen. Edward's "book" that I have created has over 200 pages in it, so it is a bit hard to recreate here in a posting!!!


Thanks for all your responses!!!

Sorry I posted in the wrong forum, too! I will repost a rewritten question there (and Jamjar - I was not annoyed, and I am sorry you interpreted my 'flip' comment as "annoyance" on my part. I'm trying to remain positive and accept questions and answers I've heard before without causing upset or drama. My apologies to you).

14
Australia / Re: COMBER or COOMBER - Edward in Australia
« on: Friday 08 September 17 06:49 BST (UK)  »
Quote from: Jamjar on Friday 08 September 17 05:46 BST (UK)
My main question for this forum is - "how young would the British Army accept as enlistees?".


Although someone on this forum may be able to answer this question, I would have posted it on the 'Armed Forces' board, where the military experts gather.

Jamjar


Hi, Jamjar - I had a look on the "Armed Forces" board, and the most recent posting appeared to be in 2014.

Also, as I was also asking in a round-about way about Edward Comber,  I thought a more general post would suffice.

Sorry if I thought incorrectly!!!!

15
Australia / COMBER or COOMBER - Edward in Australia
« on: Friday 08 September 17 05:12 BST (UK)  »
Hi, Everyone!

One of my 2GGrandfathers died as Edward COMBER in Armidale, NSW on 31 July 1900.

Anecdotal evidence shows him born 1820 in Spitalfields, and alternatively, 1816 in either Ireland or Dorset!

Other anecdotal evidence reports him as being enlisted in the British Army, and thought to have been in the 50th Regiment of Foot (then the "Queen's Own" and subsequently the "Royal West Kent" Regiment).

My main question for this forum is - "how young would the British Army accept as enlistees?".

In order to fit Army enlistment into the data I currently have, Edward would have had to have been, at the youngest, 10 years old. It would be more appropriate for him to have been 18 years old or so. The 50th was in Australia in 1837 to 1841 (so if he was born 1820, he would have been 17) and no doubt he would have been one of those soldiers shipped to NSW as Convict Guards.

However, if Edward enlisted in Britain or Ireland, how young would he have been allowed to be in order to enlist?

Of course, if anyone in this forum has an Edward Comber (or Coomber) in their tree who married in Sydney in 1851 an Elizabeth Mackey b1831, I'd love to connect!!!

Thanks, in advance!!!

Megan in Sydney

16
Armed Forces / Re: 63rd Regiment of Foot (1830, Tasmania) - Sgt MACKIE/MACKEY
« on: Tuesday 06 October 15 19:26 BST (UK)  »
Thanks so much, lexiabain! I had heard of the AJCP films, but have been reluctant to pursue, mainly due to the legibility, but will take the plunge and start exploring.

What I do know about my Sergeant is that he died on the ship going home, and his 3 children were sent on to his place of enrollment. No pension, as far as Iknow.

I have read Wylly's book - it's huge and full of information.

I'm hoping to visit Kew in the next year and get that regimental info directly from the British archives.... that will be exciting!

Megan in Sydney

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Kent Lookup Requests / Re: MARYOTT (and variations) - George Alfred MARYOTT b1839, Kent
« on: Monday 02 February 15 07:07 GMT (UK)  »
Hi grandarog,

Yes, it is very helpful to scroll through the responses to questions. I'd say that process (scrolling through responses) has resulted in filling in half the data in my tree!!!!

I've already had contact from a number of Maryott researchers as a result of my postings.

It really does work!!!!!

Megan in Sydney

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Kent Lookup Requests / Re: MARYOTT (and variations) - George Alfred MARYOTT b1839, Kent
« on: Sunday 01 February 15 22:17 GMT (UK)  »
Thanks grandarog - have already found these!

The newspaper interview of 1923 has provided the basis for most of my searching. Appears that George had no problems in stretching the truth a bit - all his remarks are about real events during the Crimean, but miss out on being accurate in the dates by about 5 years. I'm prepared to grant George a touch of Alzheimers, though... He did go through a very interesting life!

Thank you again!

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