Thomas Butler

[seahall]

Which lead to this marriage.

Weedon Bec C of E.

Pg. 233, No. 446
Nov 4th 1866

John Hall, full, Bachelor, Shoemaker, Lower Weedon, father Richard, Shoemaker to
Sarah Wright, full, Spinster, Floore, father John, Soldier

John signed his name, Sarah her mark

Witnesses: Robert Reynolds  (signed his name) & George Wilcox
who signed his mark.

Sandy

[KGarrad]

1. Pg. 103,  No.824
July 29th 1866
Thomas Joseph to Thomas & Hannah Butler, Lower Weedon, Private 83rd Regt.

Better known as the 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot.
Amalgamated with 86th (Royal County Down) Regiment of Foot in 1881 to form The Royal Irish Rifles.

[seahall]

So it seems that maybe Thomas isn't either of the men on the
1861 Census then KGarrad.

He obviously came out of the Army before Mary Ann's baptism.

And supposedly died before the 2nd marriage in 1872.

There are nice piccies and history here about the Depot.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0ghm/

They are still impressive today.

Sandy

[Lizzy Drippin]

Hi Sandy
Thanks for all that information, I have sent for the marriage certificate, perhaps they got married at the register office. Can I ask where you found Thomas Butler was from Dublin, I also wondered if there was a burial record for Thomas Butler, I'm not sure when he died, but if Hannah remarried in 1872 they can't have been married long.
Thanks Lizzy Drippin.

[seahall]

Sorry Lizzy Drippin.

I was getting confussed on the Husbands.

I can not see a burial for him.

Sandy

[Lizzy Drippin]

I have now the marriage certificate for Thomas Butler and Hannah Hall and they were married at the Register Office Daventry. It also confirms the information given to me earlier that Thomas was in the 83rd foot. On my great grandmother's birth cert. he is a Chelsea Pensioner, he can only  have been  About 34, so why was he a Chelsea Pensioner.
Thanks Lizzy Drippin.

[Pennie]

The term "Chelsea Pensioner" simply refers to those who were pensioned out of the British Army and drew a pension (administered by the Royal Hospital at Chelsea).

It doesn't mean that your ancestor resided at the RH and wore the red livery - the majority of Chelsea Pensioners lived independently away from the hospital, often with their family.

Pennie

[Lizzy Drippin]

Hi Pennie thank you, for that. I have looked on  find my past for Thomas, but it's such a common name there are loads and I'm not sure he was  born in Ireland anyway. He must have died for Hannah to remarry, but I don't think it was in the Daventry area.
Thanks again Lizzy Drippin.

[MajorD]

Hi Lizzie

I found something interesting at this link;

http://www.theoriginalrecord.com/database/search/decade/187

The regiment makes 3 appearances in the listing, the first of which reads as follows;

"Outstanding soldiers of the 83rd regiment of Foot (1860-1870)

The 83rd Regiment of Foot embarked for Bombay in January 1849, and took part in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny, adding "Central India" to the regimental colours. It returned to England in 1862: the regimental depot was at Chichester. In 1866 the regiment was sent to Ireland, in 1867 to Gibraltar, and in 1870 back to India. Each year just a handful of outstanding soldiers of the regiment were chosen for good conduct medals and gratuities: these are listed here. There were two lists, one for men recommended for the Good Conduct Medal without a gratuity, and one for gratuities - £5 to a private, £10 to a corporal, and £15 to a serjeant. Both lists are indexed here, and each gives rank, name, regimental number, date of recommendation and date of issue. (The sample scan is from the 105th foot)"

This suggests that he may have been posted to India at the time of the 1871 census and may have also have died there?  Also, it seems possible that Hannah may have accompanied him on the earlier postings, returning home to give birth.

I clicked on the link below that entry and did a surname search and came up with one Butler in the lists in the period 1865 - 1872.  I'll leave you to decide whether it's worth £8 to send for a copy of the image on the off-chance that it's Thomas.  I suspect that Butler was probably quite a common surname in the regiment's normal catchment area though (searching the 1871 UK census for him on Ancestry I found Thomas Butlers born in Waterford and Down among the 95 listed).

Ian