Children of "Blackwatch" Soldier

[FishMan]

My ggg-grandfather John GARDINER was born in Edinburgh about 1806. John served in the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment "The Blackwatch" and married English born Phoebe ALLEN in 1832 while stationed in Malta. John & Phoebe returned with the regiment to Edinburgh in 1836 where a daughter Charlotte was born early in 1837.

In 1839 the regiment was posted to Ireland and garrisoned at Dublin's Royal Barracks. Two daughters (the elder my gg-grandmother, Matilda Somerville GARDINER) were born during this period. By the 1841 census the family and regiment had returned to Scotland and were based at Stirling Castle.

In late 1842 John (now Quartermaster Sergeant, Reserve Batallion of the 42nd Regiment) & young family return to Malta where he saw out his military service in 1846. On retirement John took a pension but elected to remain in Malta after the departure of the regiment in 1847 and was appointed Garrison Quartermaster Sergeant, a position he held until his death in October 1849. A son John Somerville GARDINER was born in 1847.

Can anyone advise how I might get details (or certificate) of Matilda's birth in Ireland? Would she have been considered Irish or British? I am also intrigued by the given name 'Somerville' as I have no idea of it's significance to the family - any ideas?

FishMan

[atom12]

Hi Fishman

Perhaps the link below can help you in your military families search.

http://www.findmypast.com/OverseasStartSearchServlet?mode=A&searchType=B

[liverpool annie]

Hi Fishman !

I was begining to think I was psychic ..... 'cos I knew everything in your post !!    then I found this !! .....

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,152233.msg705255.html#msg705255

I can't add too much to this reply but there is a Clan Somerville .........  might be worth researching !!

http://www.clansomerville.net/

Annie 

[liverpool annie]

Well here's a bit of serendipity ........ I was looking for an obit for somebody else and this name jumped out at me .... don't know if it's one of yours but thought I'd post .... just in case !!

McCALLUM, Dec 31st 1907, 61 Westbank Rd, B'Head, Commander McCALLUM. R.N. retired, a son.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~liverpool/14Jan08.html

Annie 

[Daffodilly]

And sadly further sown in the death notices his wife and the little boy died, really sad.

Daff

[manmack]

FM,theres no answer to the question of what nationality matilda was,only her parents knew the answer,she was born on the strenghth at a british army barracks in ireland.an example of what ime saying is,IF you were born at a british embassy in any part of the world,you will be classed as british because the embassy is classed as british soil,its the same with an army barracks,the place of birth will be given as ireland,the nationality is whatever the parents choose,irish,british or english,mack

[atom12]

Yes, I confirm and agree that children born to British military parents abroad are classed as British subjects and so are British nationals (even Scots) 

[liverpool annie]

Hi Fishman !

I think you have two choices ....... !

1. Sorry for asking - but have you searched the Irish indexes? You can do this at a local LDS history centre. Once you find her (being optimistic) you could then send for her birth certificate to Ireland

2. British Army births for this period are more often found in the overseas section (army) of the GRO indexes at the Family Records Centre than in the civil registration for Ireland.

You can access the overseas indexes at this website - there is a charge I'm afraid - but overseas BMDs are not on FreeBMD.

http://www.findmypast.com/HomeServlet

( which is the same site Atom 12 gave you ! )  were you able to get John's service record from TNA ? that may give you some other ideas too !

Annie 

[liverpool annie]

I just thought Fishman ...... of something I heard a long time ago about given names ........

Godparents names were often given to children as a middle name !!

Just a thought !!

Annie