84th Battery RA Boer War

[KitHannay]

Hi all,

My great great grandmother's husband, William Houghton, was recorded as a Private in the 84th Battery of the Royal Artillery in 1895. He was later recorded as a Driver by 1899/1900. His wife and children lived in Scotland but I know he moved around and the family were in Aldershot in 1899. I have no idea where he came from, if he enlisted in Scotland or England or elsewhere.

I wonder where he would have signed up to this Battery and where I could find records of him or his Battery? I know it was in South Africa by February 1900 but that's all I know.

[Jebber]

There is a William Houghton born Dudley, Worcestershire c1879, he attested Worcester in the RA   in 1897, service number 9382. He was in South Africa at the right time, records on Findmypast.

There is another one born Hull, Yorkshire 1869, also served in the RA in South Africa.

As you didn’t give an approximate year of birth I can’t pin down any further possibilities.

[KitHannay]

Hiya,

He recorded his age as 22 on his marriage cert on 31 Dec 1895. So he would have been born 1872/73?

[MaxD]

Of the two cited by Jebber, the first was a shoeing smith, father William mother Jane from Alvechurch.  Was in 19 Battery in S Africa and returned to England in May 1901.  No marriage on his documents though and was born about 1879 so probably not this one.

MaxD