Recruitment pre WW1 ?

[kr236rk]

Hi,

My grandfather was a 'boy soldier', Arthur Kemp 1870-1944, so he would have enlisted circa 1885. He was born in Hammermith, Northwest London UK, but is associated with Bromley Kent, which is where he lived, & passed away in 1944.

I thought that his Kent location was due to his barracks being there. But why would someone recruited in NW London be sent to Kent, I presumed that recruitment was local to area before the Great War?

No-one knows what regiment he was in, there is no information at all about that - only family anecdotes to go by.

Thanks

[SiGr]

Hi, if he enlisted in 1885, is he not in the 1891 Census - and maybe also that of 1901 ? Presumably that/those will identify what Regiment he was in ?
Good luck with your research.

[kr236rk]

Thanks.

Cannot find anything for Arthur Kemp before 1911 - are you sure soldiers had census returns please?

There is an Arthur Kemp born Hammersmith, at the right era, but this is a Chiswick family, different.

But to my original question please - why would someone enlisting in North London, in the late 19th century, go to a Kent regiment - surely he'd be posted to a London or a Middlesex regiment?

Thanks.

[ShaunJ]

I don't follow your logic. You are just guessing that he must have been in a "Kent regiment" because he lived in Kent in later life. 

He married Margaret Quick Humphrey in Reigate in 1893. (What does the marriage certificate say about his occupation? ) She was from Beckenham - might not that explain why he later moved to Beckenham circa 1895?

In the 1901 census (in Beckenham) Margaret has three children with her, Arthur born Earlswood Surrey circa 1894, George born Beckenham circa 1895, and Maggie born Beckenham circa 1897. No Arthur senior, so he may have been in South Africa with the army

Beckenham is very close to Bromley where Arthur married Louisa Innell in 1911.

Incidentally the 1939 register shows an 1867 birth date for Arthur, not 1870.

[ShaunJ]

In the 1891 census Arthur Kemp is an attendant at the Earlswood Asylum in Reigate. His future wife Margaret Quick Humphrey was also there as a laundry maid. So he wasn't in the army in 1891.

[Comberton]

The man who married Margaret Quick Humphrey has Army Records on FindMyPast.
Indexed under the date 28th April 1896 but if you keep going through the record it has his original attestation in 1883.

[kr236rk]

I don't follow your logic. You are just guessing that he must have been in a "Kent regiment" because he lived in Kent in later life. 

No, the family lore was that Arthur was in the West or East Kent regiment.

He married Margaret Quick Humphrey in Reigate in 1893. (What does the marriage certificate say about his occupation? ) She was from Beckenham - might not that explain why he later moved to Beckenham circa 1895?

I do not have the marriage certificate - I will need to order a copy

In the 1901 census (in Beckenham) Margaret has three children with her, Arthur born Earlswood Surrey circa 1894, George born Beckenham circa 1895, and Maggie born Beckenham circa 1897. No Arthur senior, so he may have been in South Africa with the army

The family lore was that he enlisted while under age, then served in the Boer War.

Beckenham is very close to Bromley where Arthur married Louisa Innell in 1911.

Louisa was born in North London, Hampstead, I don't know why she was in Kent, presumably there to meet Arthur - yes - but what brought her to Kent from Hampstead? Louisa had been in service in Sussex/Surrey I think.

Incidentally the 1939 register shows an 1867 birth date for Arthur, not 1870.

Thanks for that.

[kr236rk]

In the 1891 census Arthur Kemp is an attendant at the Earlswood Asylum in Reigate. His future wife Margaret Quick Humphrey was also there as a laundry maid. So he wasn't in the army in 1891.

And so perhaps while still in Reigate he took the king's shilling?

[kr236rk]

The man who married Margaret Quick Humphrey has Army Records on FindMyPast.
Indexed under the date 28th April 1896 but if you keep going through the record it has his original attestation in 1883.

This information has been sought for near on a quarter of a century, my thanks.