Author Topic: Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?  (Read 5697 times)

Offline Forguette

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Re: Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?
« Reply #18 on: Friday 09 July 21 06:20 BST (UK) »
There is another Coombs in the census returns in England with an Indian wife and their children, her name is Eyetee Coombs. Perhaps someone got these Coombs mixed up with your Coombs.
I also wondered if any of these 'natural' children have birth/marriage/death certs which may name their mother.

Offline bearkat

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Re: Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?
« Reply #19 on: Friday 09 July 21 07:31 BST (UK) »
I think the only clue to mother of the younger children is the middle name of the first son: John Archer.

The first census that Robert William can be found is in 1861 where he is living with his wife in Lewisham.  However they don't appear to have married until 1862 in Jersey which is odd.

It looks like he's living with his aunt in Marylebone 1851 - dreadful image/writing.
Middx - VAUS, ROBERTS, EVERSFIELD, INMAN, STAR, HOLBECK, WYATT, BICKFORD, SMITH, REDWOOD
Hants - SMALL, HAMMERTON, GRIST, FRYER, TRODD, DAGWELL, PARKER, WOODFORD, CROUTEAR, BECK, BENDELL, KEEPING, HARDING, BULL
Kent - BAYLY, BORER, MITCHELL, PLANE, VERNON, FARRANCE, CHAPMAN, MEDHURST, LOMAX, WYATT, IDEN
Devon - TOPE, BICKFORD, FOSTER
YKS - QUIRK, McGUIRE, BENN
Nott/Derbs - SLACK
Herts - BARNES
L'pool- PLUMBE
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Offline Galium

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Re: Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?
« Reply #20 on: Friday 09 July 21 14:08 BST (UK) »
One of the witnesses to Catherine Eliza Coombs' marriage to William French at Buxar in 1873 is named Ratis Coombs.  The image that FindMyPast has appears to be a copy from the original record, as it is all written in the same hand, so that may not be exactly what the person actually signed.  Do you know who that is?
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Offline nicdigby

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Re: Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?
« Reply #21 on: Friday 09 July 21 17:17 BST (UK) »
There is another Coombs in the census returns in England with an Indian wife and their children, her name is Eyetee Coombs. Perhaps someone got these Coombs mixed up with your Coombs.
I also wondered if any of these 'natural' children have birth/marriage/death certs which may name their mother.

Thank you. Do you know how I would get hold of one of the birth certs? Presumably it's not the GRO?


Offline nicdigby

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Re: Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?
« Reply #22 on: Friday 09 July 21 17:18 BST (UK) »
I think the only clue to mother of the younger children is the middle name of the first son: John Archer.

The first census that Robert William can be found is in 1861 where he is living with his wife in Lewisham.  However they don't appear to have married until 1862 in Jersey which is odd.

It looks like he's living with his aunt in Marylebone 1851 - dreadful image/writing.

Thank you, yes you may be right that the Archer middle name is a clue, thank you.

Offline nicdigby

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Re: Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?
« Reply #23 on: Friday 09 July 21 17:22 BST (UK) »
One of the witnesses to Catherine Eliza Coombs' marriage to William French at Buxar in 1873 is named Ratis Coombs.  The image that FindMyPast has appears to be a copy from the original record, as it is all written in the same hand, so that may not be exactly what the person actually signed.  Do you know who that is?

This is interesting. I dont' have access to FindMyPast. I don't know who Ratis Coombs is. I wondered if it could be Frances Coombs but she married before her sister so her surname would have changed by the time of the marriage you are talking about.

Offline Stanwix England

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Re: Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?
« Reply #24 on: Friday 09 July 21 19:13 BST (UK) »
Further to Forguette's post, there are some details about Eyetee Coombs and her husband in the paper, that might help clear things up, perhaps some of it matches what your diaries say, or if not at all they can be ruled out?

From the newspaper 'The Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper' on Sat 20 April 1890.

"Death of an Indian Veteran. - Dr Danfield Thomas held and inquest at the Holburn Town Hall, on Wednesday, on the body of Mr Henry Augustus Coombs, aged 55 years, who died at his residence 73 Lambs' Conduit-Street, W.C. on Saturday morning last. Mrs Eyetee Coombs, the widow, a native of India, identified the body and stated that the deceased and his family arrived in London from India on Wednesday the 9th inst. He was suffering from general debility. On Saturday morning she prepared him his usual cup of tea, and on requesting him to drink it found that he was dead. Mr Henry A Coombs, the eldest son, gave an outline of the deceased's services. At the outbreak of the India mutiny he was in the Civil Service, and then volunteered for military duty, joining Hodsons Horse. He served with distinction under General Havelock at Cawnpore, and was also at Lucknow, being rewarded with a commission. He was present at other engagements and promoted to the rank of Major subsequently. He joined the Bengal police as superintendent and was second in command to Superintendent Howard (now one of the chiefs at Scotland Yard). During the service with the police, who in India combine military duties with those of the Civil service, he was present at a number of engagements in the North-West Provinces, being specially mentioned in the dispatches. After 37 years of active duty, he underwent a medical examination by Dr William Coates, senior officer in the medical staff in Bengal, and was invalided home. Dr. Bremner 26 Druary Lane, stated that the cause of death was the bursting of a blood vessel on the brain. The jury recorded a verdict accordingly. "
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Offline nicdigby

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Re: Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?
« Reply #25 on: Friday 09 July 21 19:34 BST (UK) »
Further to Forguette's post, there are some details about Eyetee Coombs and her husband in the paper, that might help clear things up, perhaps some of it matches what your diaries say, or if not at all they can be ruled out?

From the newspaper 'The Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper' on Sat 20 April 1890.

"Death of an Indian Veteran. - Dr Danfield Thomas held and inquest at the Holburn Town Hall, on Wednesday, on the body of Mr Henry Augustus Coombs, aged 55 years, who died at his residence 73 Lambs' Conduit-Street, W.C. on Saturday morning last. Mrs Eyetee Coombs, the widow, a native of India, identified the body and stated that the deceased and his family arrived in London from India on Wednesday the 9th inst. He was suffering from general debility. On Saturday morning she prepared him his usual cup of tea, and on requesting him to drink it found that he was dead. Mr Henry A Coombs, the eldest son, gave an outline of the deceased's services. At the outbreak of the India mutiny he was in the Civil Service, and then volunteered for military duty, joining Hodsons Horse. He served with distinction under General Havelock at Cawnpore, and was also at Lucknow, being rewarded with a commission. He was present at other engagements and promoted to the rank of Major subsequently. He joined the Bengal police as superintendent and was second in command to Superintendent Howard (now one of the chiefs at Scotland Yard). During the service with the police, who in India combine military duties with those of the Civil service, he was present at a number of engagements in the North-West Provinces, being specially mentioned in the dispatches. After 37 years of active duty, he underwent a medical examination by Dr William Coates, senior officer in the medical staff in Bengal, and was invalided home. Dr. Bremner 26 Druary Lane, stated that the cause of death was the bursting of a blood vessel on the brain. The jury recorded a verdict accordingly. "

Thank you. It's an interesting article but I don't have any recognition for any of the names. I have only gone up the direct branch though. But if it's on another branch, it doesn't help me uncover the mother of the six children.

Does anyone know if Indian birth certs for the six 'natural' children would have the mother's name on them? And if so, how do I order copies? I've been onto this link https://indiafamily.bl.uk/UI/OrderCopy.aspx .... but can't find the children on there so don't know the folio numbers etc

Offline Forguette

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Re: Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?
« Reply #26 on: Friday 09 July 21 21:02 BST (UK) »
Sorry I don't know the answer to your question, but here are links to some who probably do.

https://www.fibis.org

https://rsaa.org.uk