ISLAND OF SAINT HELENA circa 1826

[GalaxyJane]

Hi everyone,
                    I have an ancestor who was on Saint Helena for some time as he had a daughter there in 1825. On her birth records he is listed as belonging to the 5th art. (sic) which I presume is short for artillery.
   Can anyone suggest how I go about finding how and why he would have gone from Leicestershire where he was born circa 1805 to the island. How  would he have enlisted, what  might he have been doing there and when and how did he return?.
I have already been in touch with a Saint Helena genealogy site but have had no response as it is a general one and they are not military experts.
           I would be very grateful for your help
     

[Little Nell]

Hi GalaxyJane,

Since he was in the army, you could try searching for his name on the National Archives site.
http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/default.asp

Read their search tips first and then put his name into the search box.  His name may come up in the discharge papers.  You cannot view the records online, but you would find out if it was worth searching further at Kew for his full service record.

Nell

[GalaxyJane]

Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly. It is very kind of you. Unfortunately I got no joy from the National Archives.
  Since my first post I am wondering whether my ancestor might have joined up with the East India Company, as during a Google search a few minutes ago I saw a photo of a bond signed by someone in 1770 or so, promising to serve in their militia ''either on Saint Helena or in India.''
Of course it was not my ancestor, that would be too much of a coincidence. I wonder if you have any information on the East India company and its records -- anything on line?.
  Apologies if this does not come into your field of expertise

[ahoneybun]

You may find some of the links and resources on the St Helena Family History site at:

http://website.lineone.net/~sthelena/familyhistory.htm

will be of use in your research.

There is a link on the page to the St Helena Discussion Forum on which you may wish to post your query.


Regards

Alastair
Perth
Western Australia

[manmack]

jane,its simple,he was part of the garrison that was guarding napoleon bonapartes body,bonaparte died in 1821 but the british didnt release his body till 1840,he was exiled to st.helena and died there,mack

[GalaxyJane]

Hi Alistair and Manmack,
            What a great surprise to find your helpful messages flagged for me in my in box, a year after I had posted my original query. It just goes to show that on Rootschat, the Truth is Out There 
         Alistair, since posting, I have indeed been in touch with the St Helena discussion forum, where I received one lead for information. I  also found you can apply direct to the island archives for research. However this seems to take some time:I posted my cheque at the end of July last year, received acknowledgment of its arrival in November -- the island has no air service -- and am still waiting for my turn to come up! I will let you all know if what I get is worth waiting for. Meanwhile if there is anyone in the same position and would like the email address any time, do PM me.
                Manmack, thank you for solving the mystery of my ancestor's presence on the island. Family legend held that he was in Napoleon's guard but I knew Napoleon died in 1821, and my ancestor didn't sign on to the East India Company army till 1824. It just didn't click that they would still need to guard the body. Doh!
                Thanks once again to both of you for taking the trouble to help with an old mystery
                     Cheers
                                Jane

[peter cluer]

Possibly he was in the St.Helena Artillery working for the East India Company.You can order films for the muster & pension rolls for the St.Helena Artillery from your local family history centres.The films cover the period 1789 to 1859.The films number from 2029841-2029846 & 2029863.Film 2029846 covers1825-1830 & film2029863 covers 1830-1859.Regards Peter 

[GalaxyJane]

Hello, Peter,
                  Thank you so much for the extremely valuable references you have taken the trouble to post for me. I shall include them in my printout of
most important things to lookup, next time I am in the UK. No FHCs here in Turkey,   
         If anyone has been reading this thread, I'll just report that I am still waiting for my turn to come up at St Helena Records Office. They must be very busy there!
                    Regards to all and thanks once more
                                                 Jane

[GalaxyJane]

Just to say that by an eerie coincidence, my info from St Helena Archives arrived in my in-box today.
       There wasn't much, but they had done a very thorough search.
Negative information is also valuable in its own way.
       In short, I was very pleased with their service, even though it took a long time, which is not their fault as the island has no air links and the initial letter and cheque has to travel surface mail.
             I hope the information is of help to other Rootschatters
                                 Best wishes to all
                                                   Jane