33rd regiment of foot 1851

[tullox]

I am chasing an elusive x3 great grandfather by the name of Thomas Caple.  What I know is as follows. He was married in 1860 in Bristol and gives his occupation as soldier. He has a child in Plymouth in 1864 and his occupation is Sergeant RA. then he disappears. His wife marries again in 1867. Ican find no record of him in 1861 census, no record of his death. In 1851 I can find a Thomas Caple born in Oxfordshire  in a barracks of the 33rd regiment of Foot  in Sunderland.
Can anyone please assist me by answering the following:
Was the 33rd in Bristol around 1860
Are there any records of either the 33rd or the RA (stationed in Plymouth in 1863/4?)
Any suggestions as to why I can't find Thomas in 1861 (his wife is living with her parents in Devon)
If Thomas died as a soldeir where would the death record be?
Any suggestions would be very warmly welcomed. I have hit this brick wall for years!

Thanks
Sue
Sue

[macintosh]

Sue,
The 33rd as you probably know was the 1st  Yorkshire (West Riding)Regiment, they were in India in 1861 -68 (Indian Mutiny was ongoing) without going into reams of typing may I suggest you try and search for a James Bates Sergeant 33rd Regiment.
 I know this is not your man but he was in the 33rd at the same time as your man and the info gives a lot of detail that may help your search, even down to a reputable military researcher for that Regiment.
Good Luck
James

[maidmarianoops]

these sites may help
sylvia

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/trail/familyhistory/military_records/tracing_records_01.shtml

http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/regiments/3474.aspx

http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~calderdalecompanion/a.html#a122

[km1971]

Hi Sue

??29 Private T Capel served with the 33rd Foot in the Crimea. He received the medal with clasps for Alma and Inkerman. The first two digits of his number are missing. I could not find him in the list of recipients for the Sebastopol clasp. But the roll is in a very bad state.

They were only home (Aldershot and Dublin) for 7 months before embarking for Mauritius. In 1860 they were in India, and the Depot was in Ireland. So my guess is that he was already in the RA by then. If he died in service they would have destroyed his record 20 years later. I suggest that rather than needing an expert in the 33rd Regiment you would be better off researching which RA Brigade/Battery was in Bristol in 1860. Someone on the British Medal Forum or www.firepower.org may be better.

Also, most widows would not have received a pension, so widows of soldiers tended to re-marry quite quickly. Once his back pay had gone they really had no option other than the workshouse.

Ken

[tullox]

Thank you to everyone who replied with information. All very interesting and I will follow up suggestions re. RA in Bristol. The information re widows was also illuminating as was the fact that death records for those on active service were destroyed after 20 years.

So much to learn !!
Very many thanks
Sue