Looking for a Stroud workhouse inmate

[Old Mister Brown]

So many thanks, Squirrel Nutkin. We are most certainly on the same tree! I have a lot of information for you and I think that, between us, we ought to be able to post a detailed and more complete tree online. So where to begin? If I start with Ann Strickland at Cheltenham in Gloucestershire we can take things from there, and you can give me any snippets of info you have or have inherited. If you reply to this, I will then commence. Does that suit? Best wishes, Cousin Old Mister Brown.

[osprey]

Welcome to Rootschat! 

So glad to see you've found each other. An interesting tree!

 

[Old Mister Brown]

  Thanks for your very kind thoughts. As soon as Squirrel Nutkin has replied to my last email I will begin the instalments of what I know of this Strickland Family. Old Mister Brown

[Old Mister Brown]

Dear Osprey and Squirrel Nutkin. See my latest message re the descendants of Ann Strickland of Stroud and Cheltenham workhouses. The elusive Ann, my great-great-grandmother, appears to have been born in Cheltenham in 1825, the daughter of John and Maria Strickland. Her illegitimate son, William George, was born in Cheltenham and baptized in Stroud. He joined the Army in 1872, went to India in 1873. He married Harriet Cox there in 1875. They had four sons: Vincent, Clinton, Cassily and George. They all were Indian Army. Vincent, my grandfather, died of wounds received near Arras, in May 1917 and is buried at Kensall Green Cemetery. He had two distinguished sons and three daughters. My father, his second son, became a Major-General and CMG, DSO, OBE, CStJ, MM and was given the Star of Jordan by King Hussein of Jordan. It is an amazing story.

[Yvery]

Hello,
I'm so delighted to find this thread. I'm also a descendant of the Elusive Ann and illegitimate George Strickland. I have a feeling that Old Mister Brown is my Uncle 

I've been spending the last few nights (up very late - so addictive) perusing the Findmypast database for not just the transcripts of baptisms and marriages but the actual beautiful contemporary records of the day. A bit more information is contained there as it lists the Witnesses to the marriages which has revealed some interesting snippets. Some names were certainly recycled down the generations quite a bit. I found Thomas Eagles (Army) and Harriet Eagles baptising their son Charles Eagles in India in 1826. Charles (Gunner 3rd Battalion) goes on to marry aged 21 to 15 year old Christiana Elliott in 1847. On their marriage certificate Christiana's father is called Farrier Elliott 8th XX? Cavalry but in her second marriage he is called George Elliott when I flicked back to her first marriage G Elliott is listed as a witness along with Thomas Eagles. That cross referencing seems to reinforce the family connection.

What was very useful was the fact you listed off all the children Charles and Christiana Eagles had, I don't know how to find Siblings. I had thought myself clever to notice that at Harriet Eagles first marriage to William Cox that Tho's Eagles is listed as Witness (her father died by "accidental drowning" in Rangoon in 1860. Christiana marries a year +2 weeks to a widower William Smorfitt) . Searching on Thomas Eagles brought up Thomas Casaly (only 1 s) Eagles born in 1848 in Saupor which is where Harriet was also born in 1851. Clearly the name Casaly was brought through the Eagles line somewhere. Was the original Harriet Eagles's maiden name Casaly?

But sneaky old George Strickland was marrying his Cougar Harriet (she gives herself the profession of Teacher in a school, this makes me assume she had no children to look after from her first marriage to Cox, is anyone able to confirm this?) and lists himself as being 23 years old in December 1875 when he married. He also gives his name as George William Strickland and has his father as William Strickland. This had me assuming he was born in 1852 which put me way off when I was searching the workhouse records and births in England. According to the details Old Mister Brown has he was born in 1855 which means he was only 20 getting married and came out to india when he was 17 years old. Are there any records to confirm this?

I've tried to find out about what was involved in enlisting in the Army at this period - apparently the Curtain reforms went through in the 1870's due to the disaster of the Crimean war. Family lore also had George Strickland as winning a scholarship to a grammer school.

I couldn't find any records of George's death either but he was gone by 1890 when Harriet marries for the 3rd time to Rev. Perry. Does anyone know if there was any children from this 3rd marriage?

Harriet and Christiana were clearly very resourceful women bringing up young families.

[osprey]

Welcome to Rootschat!   

Old Mister Brown hasn't visited this site for a couple of months but should get notification of your reply and may revisit.