looking for details on the 42nd dragoons

[millymcb]

I have just been looking at your other thread about the family which is here in case anyone is interested. Looks like Weston was sometimes Whiston.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,633334.0.html

Did you ever get the marriage cert for Henry Whiston/Mary Smith? That may have some useful info on it if it is the correct one.


Milly
 

[millymcb]

Have you seen this in the 1871 census?
Henry Weston, Private, unmarried
Cavalry Barracks, Hulme (Manchester).
Born 1849 Surrey Wandsworth

I can't quite read what it says but it is 4th D?  and could well be 4th Dragoons (although that doesn't fit with the name change to Hussars). Also - I think the 4th Hussars may have been in India in 1871.
RG10/4006/138/11


there are two other soldiers in 1871 called Henry Weston - one is Army Service Corps, the other looks like Royal Artillery.

Milly

[millymcb]

Just looked at the first page of that census and it is definitely 4th Dragoon Guards.

The first name is Solomon Williams who is a something? Master. And in the London Gazzette of 1885 Solomon Williams name comes up as retiring from 4th Dragoon Guards. (Quartermaster, Captain, acting Major). No mention that they were Hussars. Perhaps they didn't like the name change


Milly

[km1971]

The 4th Dragoon Guards were in Manchester from December 1869 to May 1872. They were heavy cavalry and therefore a different regiment to the 4th Light Dragoons/Hussars. He must have been very young when his father died so mistaking 4th Dragoons and 4th Dragoon Guards is understandable.

According to the 1873 Army List Solomon Williams became Quartermaster wef 11 April 1868.

Ken

[millymcb]

It looks like it might be him in that 1871 census though?

Milly

[millymcb]

1881 Census
RG11/786/81/27 

South Cavalry Barracks
Henry Weston Private 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards age 31 - born Wandsworth Married
With wife Ann - age 30 also born Wandsworth
Son - Dan - born Wandsworth age 11

That is not what I expected to find. Throws what you think you know so far into a bit of confusion. It's either him - or there is another Henry Weston on the 4th Dragoons.

In 1891 he is widowed and living at 54 Jews Row, Wandsworth with son Henry (both candle makers) and son Daniel who was a soldier. Plus some other younger children. One is George born in County Clare Ireland in 1877 which fits when the 4th Royal Irish Dragoons were stationed in Ireland
RG12/447/140/67

Milly

[millymcb]

Ken - are the heavy brigade the same as the 4th Royal Irish? Dragoons (I hate it when Scrimnet is right!). Would they have just called it 4th Dragoons once the 4th (Queen's Own/Light) Dragoons had become the 4th Hussars?

Movements of 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards.

 1854 Crimea Heavy Brigade
 1856 England 
 1861 Ireland 
 1867 England 
 1872 Ireland 
 1878 England
 1881 Aldershot   
 1882 Brighton   
 1882 Egypt 
 1882 England: Brighton 
 1884 Sudan 
 1886 Manchester   
 1888 Ireland (Newbridge)   
 1891 Aldershot 
   
Milly

[km1971]

Hi Milly

They were the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards. The other regiment was the 4th (Queens Own) Regiment of Light Dragoons.

British cavalry was split into heavy, medium or light. The difference being the size of horse, size of rider and weight of equipment – heavies usually wore breast plate. During the Waterloo campaign and Crimea they formed Heavy and Light Cavalry Brigades, with ‘mediums’ in with the heavies. So Dragoon Guards and Dragoons were in the Heavy Brigade.

The 4th Dragoons became the 4th Light Dragoons in 1818, and the 4th Hussars in 1861. So after 1818 you do not have 4th Dragoons only 4th Dragoon Guards and 4th Light Dragoons/Hussars. So you cannot drop 'Guards' - but it looks as if the son did.

Looking at the 1871 census the enumerator starts off with 4 ^squiggle DG, and changes to 4th Dn Gds.

Ken

[millymcb]

Thanks Ken..very interesting.

Going further back on that 1871 Census the enumerator wrote it all sorts of different ways!  Am I understanding you right in that because it has the "Guards" on the end then it is the (formerly) 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards?

Milly