A British woman marries a French captain. What happened next? [EDITED]

[davidqueneherve]

Hello,

Her birth record in Calais

http://archivesenligne.pasdecalais.fr/ark:/64297/e627555974699908b2759bda8ab9e16b

Françoise Louisa PETCH, daughter of Eliza PHILIPPS, 30 years old, widow of William Heath PETCH.

[davidqueneherve]

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPCK-F94B

[davidqueneherve]

Marie Augustine BESSON died in 1829. She was a widow.

http://archives39.fr/ark:/36595/a011423563653Let02l/95e48ac228

View 241

[Lalzovi]

Sorry to be a bit of a wet blanket, but I don't think you necessarily had to do anything particularly outstanding to be awarded the Légion d'Honneur at least in those days.  I say that based on the fact that three of my husband's ancestors also got it: two after retiring from the army and the navy, before WW1, and the other, later, for gallantry during WW1.  And another in a side line was a teacher.

The Archives de Paris hold civil registration records from 1860 - those of earlier years were destroyed by fire and have been partially reconstituted. See:
http://archives.paris.fr/r/124/etat-civil-de-paris/
Batignolles was outside Paris until 1860 when it became part of the new 17th arrondissement.

Civil registration for Lyon is held at the Archives de Lyon:
http://www.fondsenligne.archives-lyon.fr/ac69v2/genealogie.php?mode=1

Judith

Good point - thanks. It's at least interesting to see where his regiment had been posted for the majority of his service.

Thanks for the links too. I really doubt I'm going to find any children but it's worth a try, if only to gain some experience in navigating French archive sites.

[Lalzovi]

Hello,

Her birth record in Calais

http://archivesenligne.pasdecalais.fr/ark:/64297/e627555974699908b2759bda8ab9e16b

Françoise Louisa PETCH, daughter of Eliza PHILIPPS, 30 years old, widow of William Heath PETCH.

Thanks David, you really know where to look!