William Lewis - Barrack Sergeant Chatham

[Benzol]

Hello all you military whizzes. I'm struggling with all this stuff and would like assistance/information.

William Lewis 1838-1912 was a career soldier. He was born in the Dover area of Kent c.1838. I have found him in the census 1841/1851/1881/1891/1901. He appears to have enlisted prior to 1851 when he was recorded as a bugler at the Royal Sappers and Miners barracks Woolwich age 13. By 1881 he was a barrack sergeant at Chatham Kent until at least 1901 when he was aged 63. The 1861/1871 census does not include William and his family as far as I can see.

I know he was married to a lady named Faith, no surname, and had a number of children. Most of the children were born (New) Brompton Kent. Three others were born in Gibraltar whilst another was born in Bermuda. William and family seem to have been posted abroad
after 1870 returning home sometime about 1876.

Questions

1. Are the wives and children of army personnel recorded in army records? If so where?
2. Are the details of army families serving abroad recorded for census purposes? Where?
3. Would army records contain details of the marriage of William and Faith? Where?

Any advice etc would be appreciated.

Cheers

Benzol

[Jool]

Hi Benzol,   Have you seen the tree on Ancestry which includes this family, claims Faith's maiden name was Eastmead.

This is where you tell me it's your tree 

Jool

[Benzol]

Right you are Jools. Trouble is although I've put this name on the tree it's an educated guess. There's no provenance for such a person born c.1838. Nor is there a marriage of  a William Lewis to a Faith Eastmead as far as I can tell. The guess is based on the birth of a Faith Eastmed 1838 and the details given in the various census records. Also there is a possible marriage. A William Lewis was married in Dover RD 1860. There was no wife named and the marriage record turned up in another area I think in Hants somewhere.

Thanks.

Bemzol

[gortonboy]

had a look at the GRO REGIMENTAL BIRTH INDICES (1761 to 1924)1761 - 1924

there is a lucy lewis b 1874 Gibraltar  Royal Engineers  volume 644 page 193

if you think this is yours,,you can order the cert from the GRO,,,Which should give mothers maiden name.

[gortonboy]

and also in GRO REGIMENTAL BIRTH INDICES (1761 to 1924)1761 - 1924

Charles R Lewis b 1872 Bermuda   Royal engineers  vol  664  page 158

just to explain that the reference to Royal engineers is the regiment of the father.

[Benzol]

Thanks Gortonboy,

Just the ticket. Lucy Mary is my brother-in-laws' Grandma. What web site do I need to look at this stuff?  As far as I know there seem to have been  two other children born Gibraltar, Amy and Annie.

Perhaps you know the answers to a couple of the questions I asked. Do all births get recorded or only those born abroad? Is there a similar army marriage index database? On census night are soldiers and their families serving abroad recorded.

The Royal Engineers bit is of interest. My B-in-l's father was the youngest RSM in the RE or so I'm told. I wonder if grandpapa was a member too. I feel a trip to Chatham, RE Museum and Archives, may be in order.

Anyway a good start thanks.

Cheers Benzol

[gortonboy]

hi,,the army birth indices i got from the findmypast website.

there should be a birth recorded somewhere for all children,,but as we all know,,it doesnt always happen

there is also an army marriage index on findmypast,,,but not found your marriage

soldiers are only recorded on the census if they are serving at home ,,except for the 1911 census,,when they are recorded wherever they are serving.

[WoodFace]

Hello Benzol. 

I know this is in response to an old post but I have just found it in a web search so I thought I'd make contact.

William Lewis, Royal Engineers, (1837-1903), Barrack Sergeant at Chatham was my 2x great grandfather. 

I expect you have long since answered your questions but I'm happy to help if I can.  I am researching William's origins and I'm very keen to make contact with any other living descendants to share information.