St Marys Barracks Chatham

[BPE78]

Ive found my ancestor John Sutton in the 1861 English census based at "The Military Moaliding Depot, St Mary Barracks No. 2". Does anybody know what the word "Moaliding" means? I have no idea what regiment he was in. The census states that he was a Staff Sargent and his daughter was born in the East Indies. He was transferred to Ireland where his family ended up staying. From marriage certs of his sons he was also in the Comptroller Dept and also a Barrack Master.

Im living in Dublin so going to Kew to do research not really an option at the moment. Would a marriage cert be available through civil records or would Kew be my only option. Any help much appreciated. Thanks.

[neil1821]

The mods will probably pick you up for posting that image - copyright issues (see the copyright statement on the image itself)

 

Does anybody know what the word "Moaliding" means?

Nothing! 
I'll bet you a pint you've read it wrong. Perfectly understandable if handwriting is not so good. We need to see the original image of that word (just that word, which i believe is acceptable re the copyright).

[km1971]

Moaliding Depot = Invaliding Depot.

He was a Staff Sergeant Inv^d Depot.

Neil...you owe him/her a pint. You should have had the bet with Ancestry

The numerator got it wrong as well. It is actually Invalid Depot.

Ken

[BPE78]

Firstly apologies for the wrong doing on the image. I jumped in with both feet.

So would Johnny be working there or recovering? If he was working there would he have been attached to a regiment?

PS mines a Heineken ta very much

[km1971]

He would be helping to run the depot. The soldiers (who were usually waiting for a discharge hearing) are called 'inmates' on the census. The Invalid Depot was like the Barracks Department, ie staffed by discharged NCOs. To find his regimental career you will have to wait for Findmypast to put earlier records online. They have only released papers for men discharged 1883 to 1900.

I have found a marriage in Meerut, India on 7th January 1852, between John Sutton (aged 28) and Susan Handlin (aged 15). If you can find it in the regimental BMDs on Findmypast the index should tell you his regiment.

My guess is that his father-in-law was a soldier as well

Ken

[neil1821]

PS mines a Heineken ta very much

Ah well, when you're next in the East Midlands I know a good local or two.......... 
Yes, I should have included Ancestry in the bet too.

Seriously though, never trust any transcription at face value. If it looks odd in any way, you need to look at the original record.

[BPE78]

Ken,

Thats them! I know for sure that Susan's maiden name was Handlin. I have Herbert's (my 2xggf)birth cert. I also have an inkling that her father was a soldier too. She was born in Maurtius probably as a result of her father being stationed there. Being Irish dont know much about the British Army but if John was in India & Chatham Barracks could he be in the Royal Engineers? I think Ive found the birth of another child in 1878 Mullingar in the Irish midlands which had a major Barracks. Have to order the cert. He was deceased by 1887.

No one in my family knew that the Suttons were English because my grandmother was very young when her father died plus there is an Irish version of Sutton (if you know what I mean). The only clue was the christian names are very English. Thats to the release online of the 1911 census I was able to connect the dots.

Is Findmypast good? I think Ive written a small essay there. Thanks Ken and Neil.
Brian

[km1971]

Hi Brian

You cannot assume anything about his regiment before joining the Invalid Depot. He was in Chatham as that is where the Invalid Depot was. There were lots of units in Chatham - RA, RE, Royal Marines and Depot Battalions for all the regiments in India.

You really need a birth certificate from the 1850s in order to find his first regiment.

Ken

[BPE78]

Ken,

Birth cert just says Staff Sargent and (what I now know) Invalid Depot. They are making me work for it 

Brian