Charles Brownie - Dunning

[Mark Abbott]

I am looking for some help with this.

Charles Edward Brownie was born in Dunning in 1871, the son of John Watts Brownie and Margaret Brownie (nee Buchanan).  He enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders on the 23rd March 1889.  During his time in the army, he served in West Africa earning the East and West Africa medal with the bar "1898".  Charles also received and Army Long Service and Good Conduct medal in 1907.

In February 1902, Charles was posted to the Royal Jersey Light Infantry and continued to serve with them until his discharge on 16th August 1910; sadly, his papers are marked "Insane".  His intended place of residence is shown as The County Borough Asylum, Haywards Heath, Sussex.

I know that he married a Mary Grant McBain on 5th July 1902 and subsequently had a son Charles Buchanan Watts Brownie who was born 17th June 1904 in Jersey.

I can find the son on the 1911 Census, but there is no sign of Charles; does anyone have any ideas?

[Kay99]

Inmates of Asylums were sometimes listed by just their initials

Kay

[Mark Abbott]

Thank you Kay,

I think I have now found the family in Jersey in 1911; minus Charles who had I assume by then left the island following his discharge from the army on the grounds on "Insanity".  I still have had no luck tracing him on the 1911 Census despite knowing where he was going to live after his discharge.

Interestingly, the census records a daughter, Millicent, who was born in St Helier. This particular census now throws up a further problem, it records the place of birth of the father as Brighton whilst his army enlistment papers show his place of birth as Dunning, Perthshire!

I believe that Charles Snr., lived in the Brighton area and indeed, he had served prior to the Seaforth's with the 1st Volunteer Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment.

More research!

Regards

Mark

[ev]

Hi ,

FreeBMD has a Charles Edward Brownie birth 1st quarter 1873 Brighton.

Also a death for a Charles E Brownie 1950 Cuckfield Sussex , age 77.

Can't see a birth in Scotland 1865 - 1875 for a Charles Brownie.



ev

[Mark Abbott]

ev

Many thanks for all your help.

It looks increasingly like Charles' birth was registered in Brighton.

His service papers however show him as being born in Dunning, Perthshire and a photo of him appears in the book Military History of Perthshire, wearing his East and West Africa medal with bar "1898" in the uniform of the Royal Jersey Light Infantry Militia.  This publication identifies individuals born in Perthshire who served in the British Army and Navy.

His mother was also from Dunning and I wonder if he was in fact born there and the birth registered sometime later (for what ever reason) in Brighton?

[ev]

His mother was also from Dunning and I wonder if he was in fact born there and the birth registered sometime later (for what ever reason) in Brighton?

Could be , not sure of the rules for registering children at that time.

I see from his records he died 9th/10th September 1950 St Francis Hospital , Haywards Heath Sussex
signed by Ellen H Galloway of Stirling.
Wonder if that was his daughter ?



ev

[Mark Abbott]

ev,

Thank you.

His daughter was Millicent.

Mark

[MonicaL]

To add to all of Ev's info above, the Brownie family in 1881 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQ9F-XFL

Monica

[Mark Abbott]

Monica

Thank you.

On the 1901 Scottish Census, Charles is recorded as being at Fort George and his place of birth is given as Dunning.

I wonder why in all the other returns, he is shown as having been born in Brighton?