Can you help to solve an Indian mystery?

[nicdigby]

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

thank you

[nicdigby]

Hi again,
I've found something that might be the son being put on a ship from India back to England. Does anyone have access to the "Bengal Directory 1839" because on the Families in British India Society page, they have that directory as having a record of "master" Coombs on board the "Robert Small" ship sailing Feb 1838 Calcutta to London. If I could see the image rather than just the transcript it might tell me if he's on his own or who his parents are etc? Can't find it on Ancestry. No other records matching that one of an adult at the same time so maybe he travelled alone, going to English boarding school perhaps?

[mckha489]

Hi again,
I've found something that might be the son being put on a ship from India back to England. Does anyone have access to the "Bengal Directory 1839" because on the Families in British India Society page, they have that directory as having a record of "master" Coombs on board the "Robert Small" ship sailing Feb 1838 Calcutta to London. If I could see the image rather than just the transcript it might tell me if he's on his own or who his parents are etc? Can't find it on Ancestry. No other records matching that one of an adult at the same time so maybe he travelled alone, going to English boarding school perhaps?

Maybe here somewhere?

https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Directories_online

[nicdigby]

Hi again,
I've found something that might be the son being put on a ship from India back to England. Does anyone have access to the "Bengal Directory 1839" because on the Families in British India Society page, they have that directory as having a record of "master" Coombs on board the "Robert Small" ship sailing Feb 1838 Calcutta to London. If I could see the image rather than just the transcript it might tell me if he's on his own or who his parents are etc? Can't find it on Ancestry. No other records matching that one of an adult at the same time so maybe he travelled alone, going to English boarding school perhaps?

Maybe here somewhere?

https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Directories_online

Brilliant, found it! Thank you. No clues though, other than “master “ Coombs looks to be travelling alone.

[brigidmac]

You said earlier that you'd only looked at direct line
I suggest branching out ..you can get all sorts of information from slightly distant relatives
Maybe a single relative would leave something in will to the children

Or you may find them living  working or being adopted sponsored with more distant family members

Also it comes in useful for establishing links if any family members do DNA.( + You can see which family members have  any Indian ethnicity)

I'm enjoying following your search and the bits of information rootschat are helping you to find

[Galium]

I don't know whether you have come across this article on p.3 in The Citrus Tree (a genealogical newsletter published in Citrus County FLA - nice picture of Frank Coombs' house):

http://citrusgenealogy.com/uploads/3/0/4/2/3042427/ccgs_october_2012_newsletter.pdf

This was published in 2012, so the person who wrote about her Coombs family might not still be around, but she says that her father was Kenneth Coombs - whom I suppose was Kenneth Smith Coombs, who married Dapne James at Mussorie in 1930 - so it might be worth chasing that up in case she can tell you anything.
If you try googling her name + Citrus County, there's a possible address.

[nicdigby]

You said earlier that you'd only looked at direct line
I suggest branching out ..you can get all sorts of information from slightly distant relatives
Maybe a single relative would leave something in will to the children

Or you may find them living  working or being adopted sponsored with more distant family members

Also it comes in useful for establishing links if any family members do DNA.( + You can see which family members have  any Indian ethnicity)

Thank you, yes I think this will be the next thing to do, thank you.

I'm enjoying following your search and the bits of information rootschat are helping you to find

[nicdigby]

I don't know whether you have come across this article on p.3 in The Citrus Tree (a genealogical newsletter published in Citrus County FLA - nice picture of Frank Coombs' house):

http://citrusgenealogy.com/uploads/3/0/4/2/3042427/ccgs_october_2012_newsletter.pdf

This was published in 2012, so the person who wrote about her Coombs family might not still be around, but she says that her father was Kenneth Coombs - whom I suppose was Kenneth Smith Coombs, who married Dapne James at Mussorie in 1930 - so it might be worth chasing that up in case she can tell you anything.
If you try googling her name + Citrus County, there's a possible address.

thank you. The article you refer to is helpful and interesting.

[nicdigby]

Hi all,
Have been working hard today on expanding the general family tree sideways to try and get clues about who the mother was. Have found another child on another Ancestry member's page; they state he died within a year of birth in 1841 and that his name was Robert Smith Coombs like his father.
This would the baby died Jan 1841 and the mother a few months after. There are no sources. I cannot find anything anywhere about this baby: Ancestry/FindMyPast - no mention of him. Can anyone do better than me please?