Which British regiments in the Cape, South Africa between 1800 and say 1840 ?

[CaroSG]

Good day everyone

A forbear, George Dunsdon was born in Wantage in Wiltshire in 1801.  (so his family recorded on his Death Notice).  His gravestone says 1807 and his marriage certificate works out that he was born in 1792.  (Wantage was actually in Berkshire)

His death took place as follows:  18 Feb 1867, Caledon, Western Cape., 66 years. Tradesman 4 major, 5 minor children named on death certificate, one already deceased.

The family story is that he "came out to South Africa with the British Army of Occupation and took his discharge in 1836."  Nothing further is known about his youth.

Dunsdons are prolific in England.  George Dunsdons not prolific, and seaching on each one through Ancestry indicates not even one likely match.

It seems the only place to trace him could be through a military record.
So far nothing on the National Archives at Kew shows him, hoping for a quick and easy hit.
So the next thing is to trace which regiments were actually in the Cape during those years, which is the difficult part.  There is a lot of history of what the army was up to but not much detail.

I have found two marriages in 1829 and 1832 in Somerset West near Cape town for two soldiers from the 72nd Regiment, so that is one clue.  George's wife came from Somerset West

After that I don't really know where to look.

Ancestry has nothing valuable.  Findmypast has a George Dunsdon in the Royal Berkshire Regiment but the year turns out to be 1881, years too late to be my George.

Is there a military buff out there who knows something about the Regiments that could help? or who could point me to a website where I could find out more?

Many thanks
Caroline

[ShaunJ]

For the 1830's you can look up "Stations of the British Army" in contemporary newspapers on FindMyPast or BNA. Published monthly, that will tell you which regiments were in the Cape.

[CaroSG]

Thank you.  I will certainly do that.

Regards

[MaxD]

ShaunJ is absolutely right but you may wish to know what to do next.

In 1836 (taken as an example as that was the date you said he was discharged) the 27th (there from 1835), 72nd (since 1828), 75th (from 1830), and 98th (from 1824) Regiments of Foot were in S Africa throughout the year.  As you have seen, George doesn't seem to appear in on-line records.  You will now need to look (or have someone look for you) at the muster books (pay rolls) for each of the four quarters of the year for each of the four regiments in the hope of coming across his name and note of his discharge.  These books are not digitised but can be seen at Kew.  You would have to trust that any Dunsdons you found were yours.

The listing of the stations appear first in 1829 in the newspapers one can access through FindMyPast.  If the British Library have publications other than those on FindMyPast someone will I am sure advise.

Searching the FindMyPast newspaper archive with the term "distribution of the army" produces some results in some years 1820-1829.  1825 for example 55th and 98th Foot, but then it becomes a bit of throwing darts at a dartboard!

You may have checked already but his name does not appear in the Army overseas marriages between 1800 and 1840 in S Africa, there are no births with the name in the period (checked for children born while he served).

Another way to find which regiments were there prior to 1829 is to use:
https://web.archive.org/web/20060210174259/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/lists/bargxrefn.htm
checking each of the regiments that existed in the period in turn looking to see where each battalion (if they had more than one) was.  Then again it is the muster books.

While nothing is impossible, I do feel that you have already exhausted on-line sources and can only wish you good luck!

MaxD

[CaroSG]

Oh Wow.  Gee!   Thanks so much for this reply.  I would never have got anything like this information scratching around on my own, that is for sure.

I have recently made contact with one of George's 3x g.grandsons from Australia, who is fortuitously going to England next week to watch some World Cup Cricket and he would like to spend a bit of time finding his family-named Dunsdon ggggrandfather, so your info is really, really going to give us something to work with.

I guess George had another first name and perhaps he dropped it in favour of George?  It will be difficult to find out, but as least we can now make a good effort.

I myself had a reprobate Irish no good soldier who joined (maybe not  of his own volition) the 59th Regiment and spent a good 20 years in India who I found on the National Archives with a lucky break, but the point is that he was on the Archives, whereas George can't be found - which is odd.

Well, thanks so much.  It's very kind of you to help.

Regards
Caroline

[MaxD]

Not odd at all.  Can't prove it but I'd say there are many more not found than are found!

Do read the Nationlal Archive guide to British Soldiers before 1913 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-soldiers-up-to-1913/
noting particularly where it talks about records not being kept. Examples:
No pension because he left before a full term of 21 years or no disability = no record

You have probably looked at all the on-line sources mentioned already?

MaxD

[CaroSG]

Yes, of course, you are probably right about lots of people not being on records.  I always think if I look hard enough I will be lucky.

And no, I probably have not searched as many sources as I could have, because sometimes it feels as if I am wading through treacle.  I am always aware that reseach has to be very methodical and yet sometimes I just stab around!  Ever the optimist.

It is only recently too that a lot of South African records have been scanned and put onto Familysearch, as before that SA was very unfavoured in that regard.

Since you sent me the message earlier and gave me some clues on the regiments I have done some research on  those regiments at the Cape and found a very interesting book online at Google "History of the Cape Colony" - "History of South Africa since 1795" where it mentions all the regiments that came and went (happily) and this is the upshot (below) and it seems that the regiment that fits our George is the 98th (which you mentioned) which arrived in 1824 and left in 1837, nothing else quite matches his dates - although the 75th could do with some researching.

Nov 1821 the 6th arrived
Feb 1822 the 72 was removed
March 1822 the 38th and 54th were replaced by the 49th and 55th
August 1824 the 98th arrived from England
March 1825 the 6th left for Bombay
October 1828 the 49th was replaced by the 72nd
August 1830 the 75th arrived
September 1830 the 55th was removed
In 1834 three regiments 72nd, 75th and 98th remained, less that fifteen hundred men all told


I have probed and probed on the National Archives for this regiment and still nothing remotely resembling George's first or surname comes up.  Perhaps the Muster rolls will reveal something?   I guess one could still go to Kew and search these rolls as long as one was not too disappointed to find nothing relevant. 

Or just be philosophical and realise it is to far to travel to satisfy a line on the family tree.   

Kind regards
Caroline

P.S.    1843/06/00   75th.      Skeleton leave for England, more than half the men having taken their discharge in South Africa.  It must have been the sunshine.




Just in case anyone else ever needs this information:
1822/02/00   72nd   1st Battalion leaves
1828/10/00   72nd   1st Battalion arrives
1840/04/00   72nd   1st Battalion leaves for England

1822/03/00   38th   Leaves

1822/03/00   54th   Leaves

1821/11/00   6th   Arrives
1825/03/00   6th   Leaves

1822/03/00   49th   Arrives
1822/10/00   49th   Leaves
      
1822/03/00   55th   Arrives
1830/09/00   55th   Leaves
      
1824/08/00   98th   Arrives
1837/04/00   98th   Leaves

1830/08/00   75th   Arrives
1843/06/00   75th   Skeleton leave for england, more than half the men having taken their discharge in South Africa

1835/08/00   27th   Arrives from Cork

1839/04/00   91st   A wing of the 1st batallion arrives
1842/04/00   91st   The remainder of the 1st batallion arrives from St Helena
1842/08/00   91st   The 2nd batalion arrive from england

1840/04/00   25th   Arrives
1842/04/00   25th   Leaves for India

1843/02/00   12th   The reserve battalion on its way to Mauritius is detained and remains 3 months at the Cape

1843/05/00   45th   The 1st battalion arrives from Cork

1843/07/00   7th   Dragoon guards.  Arive from England