Kings Own Scottish Borderers, 25th regiment foot

[bernice52]

Hi boris,
I have a similar comparison with Patrick Healy in 2nd batt 25th foot
enlisted Athalone March 1860 married Farnham Xmas 1860 daughter born Aug 1861 shorncliffe camp hospital, dau born Edinburgh Barracks June 1963 & another dau born Fulwood Barrakcs June 1867, which differs from account of being posted in Canada? he was discharged 1868. so the time frame for other members dont suit
I would be interested to know if they went overseas between 1863 -1867
to search for another birth

[PJB]

I have Francis Staley "2nd Battalion 25th regiment of foot

He was 5' 5 1/2" and 18 yrs old when he joined and 5' 5" when he left.  He had a fresh complexion, brown hair and blue eyes, 34" chest and was in good condition. 

Discharge no. 1022, 12. Nov 1878,  18 years 144 days, and was abroad for 12 2/3 years, of which 8 were spent in the East Indies.  Pension.

His conduct was very good.  He had 4 good conduct badges, no medals, no school certificate.  8 times in Regimental defaulters' book, once tried by court martial, never wounded.

He had gonorrhea twice and syphilis once.

He was in Kandy, Dum Dum and Aden, which he left in 1875 on the "Euphrates".

He had a mark like a face on the back of his left hand.  He left to live in Stockwell Street, Derby.


I must try and find out what the court martial was for !!!

[edward4belle]

If you look at the collar dog left hand side just under the chin in the picture it looks like Edinburgh Castle which is the collar dog for the KOSB. Also the striped sholder bars this reminds me of the type worn by members of the band also the tassles on the left hip (i cant see a sword)  but it looks very much like the decoration on a bugle which I had at Shorncliffe Barracks Folkstone in the 1970's while serving as a boy soldier in the KOSB's  I was a member of the Band (just to skip long periods off standing to attention). I do know that the KOSB's had a few tours at Shorncliffe Barracks. Folkstone Kent

[selby1977]

My ggggf was in the 25th foot regiment he was from North Charlton Northumberland he had a son Ettrick born in Bangalore India in 1851 was it likely that wives and children would also be in India with soldiers?? My gggm was born in 1860 in Chatham. John Scott was discharged unfit in 1855 but enlisted 1833 any one know where he would have spent that time?? Barbara

[km1971]

Hi Barbara

If you know when he enlisted/was discharged, have you found his service papers on Findmypast?

India was a garrison posting rather than a campaign posting so a certain number of wives went with the regiment. The higher a man's rank the more chance he had of taking his family with him. In his time if there were too many wives wanting to go they would draw lots. Later in the century men had to get permission to marry. But once 'on the strength' - ie the married roll - the family had a right to go with the soldier.

The army did not record wives and children on the married roll until much later. If you haven't found their marriage you have to consider that they married in India - which you can check. She may have been the widow of a soldier who died. There was no widow's pension then. So if she did not re-marry a widow would be given passage home. But this often led to the workhouse.

Ken

[selby1977]

Hi ken Yes I did find it on find my past quite by surprise I was looking for son Ettrick and seeing he was born in Bangalore I wondered was it a transcription error but found his father John Scott in the military records. It was quite out of the blue.  I had wondered why my greatx2 grandmother was born in Chatham 1855 but john was from Northumberland and the family had returned to the North East in the 1861 census- but i see Chatham was a depot for the 25th foot. I live quite close to Berwick Upon Tweed so will pay a visit to the barracks- when did the 25th foot become KOSB?
I find the social history and how people lived and moved around at that time fascinating!

Barbara

[km1971]

Hi Barbara

They became the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 1887. They were nominally the King's Own Borderers before then. They were 'given' to Scotland in 1881 to balance one of their regiments going to Ireland. There were no permanent depots until 1873, so all regiments would pick up recruits as they moved around. Or in times of short supply send recruiting parties far and wide.

Chatham was often used to house the depot when regiments had battalions in India. So he was probably discharged there and decided to stay.

They only had one battalion in his time with them. So after training he would have served:

= West Indies until April 1836
= Ireland (Cork, Templemore, Limerick, Cork) until May 1839
= Devonport until December 1839
= Cape of Good Hope until August 1842
= then India, until he was returned to Chatham for discharge.

Ken

[selby1977]

Thanks for that information it is really useful and fits with information i have -John married Cathrine who was born in Ireland Their first child Elizabeth was born in Exeter 1841. Ettrick was born 1851 in Bangalore and Jane in Chatham 1855 their fourth Child William was born Bedlington Northumberland 1860.

Thankyou again for your help

[mag106]

I'm so pleased to have found this thread! 
Have my ggf's service record in 25th from FindMyPast and details of wife (Jane) and children from muster rolls & pay lists.  He was James SULLIVAN, enlisted at Chatham in 1849 aged 14 and discharged from Buttevant in March 1875.  What I can't find is a marriage record although in the pay lists it was quoted as 27 Feb 1855.  I guess it would have been in India but don't know where to look.
The other problem is that James' youngest child Frederick SULLIVAN (my gf) was supposedly born in Buttevant in August 1875, five months after James was discharged to live in Cardiff. Would the birth still have been 'on the strength of the army'? Again,I can find no record.  Any ideas, anyone?
Maggie