Tom Davidson What is this uniform?

[russell12]

Hello everyone,

I have a picture of my 3rd generation direct ancestor, Tom Davidson; whom I've been told by family was a 'Bengali Lancer', however I really have no clue as to whether this is true! (I really don't know anything Tom)

Could anyone help out with the date and uniform? I'd really appreciate it

[MaxD]

One of the dozen or so Bengal Lancer (not Bengali) regiments in the British Indian Army, guessing at latter half of the 19th century.  About half the officers and many NCOs were British. 

Do you have dates/places to help find him?

MaxD

[youngtug]

2nd Bengal Lancers, 1895. Will that fit;
     https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bd/cf/0e/bdcf0e86ca0dc5adaaa0e2307720d54a.jpg

[russell12]

2nd Bengal Lancers, 1895. Will that fit;
     https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bd/cf/0e/bdcf0e86ca0dc5adaaa0e2307720d54a.jpg

Thank you both for the responses,

I'd say mid 1890s was about right;

Both uniforms are from the 1890s (1897 and 1896), I don't know how much the uniform changed over the years but they look fairly similar... I'll have a snoop around Ancestry's military records to see if I can find anything (Would he be listed has Tom? Or Thomas?).

[MaxD]

Do you know whether he had any other initials?  Alternatively, the name of his wife and/or children?  I am looking at a possibility but need a few more clues.

MaxD

[russell12]

Do you know whether he had any other initials?  Alternatively, the name of his wife and/or children?  I am looking at a possibility but need a few more clues.

MaxD

Sorry for the slow reply! I've been busy with academia.... 



Above is the information that was sent to me by my great-aunt, I personally found it quite confusing; but it's all I've got to base the research of my mothers family off of.

I'm not too sure where the 'Florence'/'Dalrymple' surname popped out of or why it was changed 

She (my great aunt) has also been pretty persistent about the whole 'Emily Davison' relation - but it would seem her spelling of 'Davidson' is different, so not sure how true that is.

Not very helpful I know! But I would seriously appreciate any clues or just a general push in the right direction.

[Jebber]

Could this be your man?

 Findmypast have records of  Thomas Samuel DAVIDSON born c1856 Carlow, Ireland. He had a sister Isabella.

Attested Lancers in 1876 and served in Bangalore.

[MaxD]

Don't think that is he Jebber.  He joined the 12th Royal Lancers, very different uniform  12th Lancers were also a British army regiment in India rather than the British Indian Army.

That said, the family may not have known the difference between a 12th Lancer and any other sort and he could have been wearing the other uniform for fancy dress or it may be a mate in the Bengal Lancers??  A bit in the straw clutching department there.

Trying to squeeze dates out of the family details!


MaxD

[MaxD]

Russell12

Could you give a clue to which pat of the country we are looking at and a time frame for at least one level of the family. 

And just to note that if our man was a Bengal Lancer, then his records would be at the British Library rather than on line with British army records.

MaxD