Birth/Baptism of William Colston b 1852 Bristol St Phillips

[Mamac]

I'm looking for the birth/baptism details of William Colston, born 1852 Bristol St Phillips. It appears he enlisted in the Royal Engineers (Regimental No 11521) in 1872, served in the Ashantee War and received a medal for his conduct at the battle of Coomassie. He obtained his discharge at Hong Kong on September 26th 1878 and was then employed as an overseer in the Public Works Dept. Hong Kong. In July 1880 he joined the NSW Artillery and was dispatched to Sudan in 1885. In 1885 having meantime risen to the rank of Sergeant he was discharged at his own request. In 1886 he was presented with the Sudan Medal. In 1891 was convicted and hanged for the double murder of a couple in Narbethong, Victoria.

I have much information regarding this man after he came to Australia but it's his UK records I seek.

Having made every attempt to search for his birth/baptism, he is not to be found in GRO UK, FamilySearch, or the main subscription websites. He's not to be found in the 1861 or 1871 census either. I would dearly love to find his parents and siblings.

Can you help?

[Kay99]

Where does his birth place come from?

I wonder if this could be him in 1871 in Shepton Mallet ??  Both father and son transcribed as born Shepton Mallet Somerset - 18 miles south of Bristol

Frederick Colston    48  Tailor
William D Colston son 19 Domestic Servant

Kay

[mckha489]

Related thread

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=821723.0

[Mamac]

Yes it's my related thread regarding his military career, which I'm now satisfied with being correct.

His birth details come from here https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1443066 His death record does not indicate who his parents were. He was not married.

[Brentor boy]

Where does his birth place come from?

I wonder if this could be him in 1871 in Shepton Mallet ??  Both father and son transcribed as born Shepton Mallet

Somerset - 18 miles south of Bristol

Frederick Colston    48  Tailor
William D Colston son 19 Domestic Servant

Kay

In 1861 -
Frederick Colston, 39, tailor.
Elizabeth Colston, 40,
William Demer, 9, son.
All born and living Shepton Mallet.

Marriage:-  Frederick Colston/ Elizabeth Demer. Shepton Mallet  Mar 1859.
Birth - William Selway Demer, Mar 1852. Shepton Mallet. No Mmn.

Possibly your man?

[Mamac]

Hello Kay,

I had seen this entry and dismissed it because the 1871 census described him as a servant and he was known to be a carpenter by trade.
There are quite a few Colston families living in Bristol St Phillips, but none that I can connect William with. I'm wondering if his father was also in the army and the family went overseas before his birth was registered. He then returned at some stage to join the Royal Engineers in 1872, before seeing combat in Ashanti in 1873/74.

Thanks for your input too Brentor Boy 

[Mamac]

Looking back to the 1851 census, there is an Edward Colston b 1833 who is an apprentice cabinet maker living with his uncle in Bristol St Phillips. His Uncle is William Martin a master cabinet maker.

This Edward goes on to marry in 1854 and become a carpenter and undertaker. I'm wondering if perhaps 18 year old Edward had a son out of wedlock in 1852? In the 1871 census he has a son named William but he was born in 1865.