Crimean War dead end - any suggestions please?

[miriamkinga]

I've had lots of help on this board re my search for information on my ggg grandfather William Goater/ Goter.

To quickly recap he was born c. 1826 (no idea where) and his father was also William, an agricultural labourer.

He joined the 49th Hertfordshire regiment in Hereford in 1844 (army no. 2179) was posted to Ireland where he married Eleanor McGreal in 1846 (aged 20 on marriage cert) and served in Malta where his son Henry was born in 1853.

He then served in the Crimea (and is listed on the medal roll, thanks Neil) but apart from a date of death I couldn't find out any more info.

Kevin Asplin (what a great guy!) undertook some research for me at Kew and managed to confirm his service details (and found some really interesting stuff on William Kingston a sergeant in the regiment who became Ellen's second husband) but couldn't find any personal details on him i.e. home address, parents etc.

So now I am completely stuck and wondered if any of you army experts could suggest any other sources to try? Are there any specialist army forums etc,. I could try?

Thanks again to all who have already helped me.

Best wishes

Maria

[Leofric]

Maria,

I doubt if any army forum is going to unearth any more detail than is held at Kew.

Have you tried an all-counties search in the 1841 census for him (aged about 15) and hopefully still living with his father also called William?

You could also try an all county search for his father in the 1851 census. If either produce any likely candidates, you could then see if any parish records exist and then trawl them for the birth in 1826...and perhaps his parents' marriage too.

There are no records of any Goaters in Herefordshire on the IGI.
Good luck

[bearkat]

GOATER is a Hampshire name.  It doesn't fit with him enlisting in Herefordshire though.

[chinakay]

There's a William Goater living at Nether Wallop in 1841, born in Hampshire abt 1825, listed as an apprentice <groom> with a bunch of other apprentices.

And another William born abt 1772 living at Bishops Stoke, but he might be a bit old to be the first William's father. He's a gardener, married to Ann.

Cheers,
China

[bearkat]

Hampshire OPC uploaded CMB for Sparsholt yesterday.   

http://www.knightroots.co.uk/

There is the following baptism:-

24 Feb 1828   William Goater son of William & Rebecca, Labourer of Sparsholt.

[bearkat]

There is also another William GOATER baptised 1835 in Sparsholt.  I can trace his marriage and burial in Sparsholt.

I cannot see a marriage or burial for the William GOATER baptised in 1828.  He could be yours but I'm not sure about how you could prove it.

[bearkat]

1841 lookup - with thanks to Pels:

1841 census:
HO107/404/5, folio 4, page 2

Hampshire, Sparsholt

Wm Goater,  48
Rebecca, 50
Wm. 13

[bearkat]

1851 census - with thanks to Newfy

1851 - HO107/1673; Folio: 185; Page: 15 - Mitcheldever, Sparsholt
 
Rebecca Goater 62  WID Mother In Law Wilts, West Chalton

Henry Maslin 30  Head Journeyman Blacksmith Hants ~~~~
Jane Maslin 28  Wife Sparsholt
Henry Maslin 11  son do
Eliza Maslin 9 dau do
Walter Maslin 6  son do
Elisabeth Maslin 3 dau do 
Ellen Maslin 1  dau do
Arthur Maslin 1 son do

[Leofric]

This looks like William senior's death record:

William Goater, March quarter 1848 Vol 7 page 229 registered at Winchester (it includes Sparsholt)

and his wife Rebecca's death:

Rebecca Goater, Dec Quarter 1853 Winchester Vol 2c page 49