William Ayling 1850/1928 (South Bersted) 2nd District Battalion 17th Regiment

[Bessria1]

Hello I am looking for information on my great grandfather William Ayling   He was born on 21st August, 1950 in South Bersted and married Jessy Louisa Sercombe on 25th December 1877    At the time of the marriage his place of residence was Monaghan, Ireland.   He was a corporal AHC with the 2nd District Battalion 17th Regiment in Aldershot as of the 1871 census.  William had 9 children, Emily, William, Henry, Rowland Gordon (my grandfather) Charles, Edward, Jessie, May & Emily.   My Dad is William Gordon Ayling son of Rowland.     It has not been possible to find a birth or baptism record for William or confirm who his parents were.   It is thought he may be the son of James Robert Ayling 1809 - 1894 and Elizabeth Hammond 1811 - 1891.  My grandfather Rowland was born in Cairo and it is not known what his parents were doing there.  Family members think William was either serving with General Gordon or in the prison service.  Can anybody help please  Thanks Hilary

[ShaunJ]

Hi Hilary, Welcome to Rootschat,

The Corporal, AHC, bit comes from the marriage record which shows his age as 25 and his father as Henry Ayling, a builder ( the name Samuel having been crossed out). It's also mentioned in the marriage notice in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. He may have lied about his age when joining the army. There is a 7 year old William Ayling born South Bersted, with grandmother Ann Sutherland, in South Bersted in the 1861 census.

AHC stands for Army Hospital Corps.

[ShaunJ]

Corporal William Ayling purchased his discharge from the Army Hospital Corps on 26 November 1881 after 11 years and 72 days service.

[Bessria1]

Hello thank you for your messages.     Where did the information about the army discharge come from?    I have not seen this before.   Thanks for the marriage notice, I have not seen this either although I was aware of the marriage.   Part of it is cut off, could you send it again if there is something about his father being Henry?    My father told  me that William didnt know who his father was but I would assume he knew his mother.   After much research the options are that he is the son of Jane Ayling and unknown father.   Jane is the daughter of James Robert Ayling 1809 - 1894 and Elizabeth Hammond 1811 - 1891   Alternatively he could be the son of James and Elizabeth and Jane's much younger brother.   

[ShaunJ]

You'll need access to FindMyPast:

AHC discharge ledger page: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM/WO121/0238/001_133&parentid=GBM/WO121/121553434

1877 marriage register page: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBPRS/DEV/005844256/00036&parentid=GBPRS/DEV/MAR/77604/2

[ShaunJ]

Where did you find the 21 August 1850 birthdate?

Was it the civil service evidence of age declaration on FindMyPast?

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBOR/CSEOA/005/0390&parentid=GBOR/CSEOA/00001706

[Bessria1]

Hello again, thank you I am on FindMyPast.   I had the marriage paper but not the discharge so thanks for that.  Yes the DOB was on the civil service document

[ShaunJ]

Comparing the signatures on the civil service evidence of age declaration and the marriage register. They look quite different to me:

[Bessria1]

thanks for this again.  I am no expert either but to me they do indeed look quite different.   So confusing!