58th Regiment of Foot

[Firehorse]

Hi, in the 1861 census, I have three ancestors - all born Brompton, Middlesex - who are brothers serving with the 58th Regiment of Foot stationed at Nether Hallam, Yorkshire,

Edmund Boxall (b. 1834) 25 (he is erroneously named as 'Edward' on the census)
George Boxall (b. 1836) age 24
James Boxall (b. 1839) age 23

I have found Edmund working as a plasterer in Walthamstow, Essex in 1881 and George Boxall also working as a plasterer in 1871 and 1881, but I have been unable to locate James Boxall past the 1861 census when he was with the regiment.  I have wondered if he continued with the Regiment and perhaps stayed in one of the countries where they were stationed.  I know that the Regiment was stationed in NZ and Australia at one point and some stayed behind, but I think that was prior to 1861 and James is in England in 1861.   

Are there any records available anywhere for the 58th Regiment of Foot which would give any clues to James' whereabouts post 1861?  He seems to have fallen off the face of the earth and even brothers Edmund and George disappear after 1881 too even though they were in the forties in 1881 and still pretty young.   

Any help would be appreciated! 

Thanks!

Jilly

[ShaunJ]

FindMyPast has the discharge papers for Edmund - attested for 58th in 1855, transferred to 21st in 1864. Served 6 years in East Indies.

[Firehorse]

Thanks for looking that up, Shaunj,  That helps explain why I can't find Edmund in 1871.  Would that be the 21st Regiment of Foot that he was transferred to in 1864, do you think?

Jilly

[km1971]

Hi Jilly

The 58th Regiment arrived back from NSW/NZ in March 1859. They moved to Newcastle later in 1861, and then spent two years in Ireland before leaving for ten years in India in July 1864.

Meanwhile the 21st Regiment arrived back from the West Indies in August 1864. So Edmund may have requested a transfer to remain in the UK.

Ken

[Firehorse]

Hi Ken, thanks for clarifying that.  Though I know George and Edmund returned to civilian life in England, I wonder if the reason I can't find James is because he either was killed during a campaign perhaps, or maybe never returned back to England from the West Indies.  I'd noticed that there's a website listing those soldiers who stayed in NZ and Aus. in the earlier years, but could the same have been for India perhaps where soldiers stayed behind, not returning to their homeland?

Thanks for your help! 

Jilly   

[ShaunJ]

There was a James Boxall who died at Murree, India 19 July 1868 aged 28 - could be him?

https://www.familysearch.org/search/recordDetails/show?uri=https://api.familysearch.org/records/pal:/MM9.1.r/M6PM-2SV/p1

The 58th was certainly in India at that time.

There's also a James Boxall of about the right age in the Scottish census for 1881 and 1891 - a bandmaster.

[Firehorse]

Hi again Shaun,  Thanks for spotting this.  This could very well be a match - the death in India.  The age certainly matches up and the possibility that he went to India with the regiment around that time frame.

Not sure how I can verify it though, and if his death was caused by battle or illness, but it all points in the right direction and explains why he couldn't be found in later censuses.   

Thanks Shaun!

Jilly 

[Firehorse]

Hi again, just wanted to let you know that the James Boxall in India wasn't the one, it was in fact the James Boxall in Scotland who is a match!  A fellow researcher was able to look up the Scottish records and it appears he was married twice with children.  It turns out he was a bandmaster with the Royal Scottish Fusilleers.  Not sure how to find out more about this regiment, does anyone have any ideas??

Thanks for all your great help and pointing me in the right direction!   

Best wishes,

Jilly

[Firehorse]

Oops that should reat Royal Scottish Fusiliers.  I looked it up and it looks like there is a 21st Royal Scotts Fusiliers Regiment of Foot (1877 - 1881) ( his brother Edmund transferred to a 21st regiment) so I wonder if this could be his regiment.