EIC service records - do they exist and how does one consult them?

[jbml]

This one is a bit of a long shot ... but I'm struggling here and it is a possibility so I need to investigate it if I can.

Thomas and Ann Escott had two daughters, Eliza and Jane, both baptised in  Taunton, Somerset on 6 July 1834. However, according to FreeReg they were born in  1818 and 1821 reespectively (though where this information comes from I don't know ... it isn't showing up in the FindMyPast transcripts).

I wouldn't ordinarily be too concerned by the baptismal delay ... only I cannot find a marriage for their parents. The only one that FindMyPast is offering me is Thomas Escott and Johanna Preede, married 3 February 1811 in Cannamore, Madras.

And that got me thinking ... was Thomas Escott in the EIC service ... went to India and married and had his children there, then only had them baptised on returning to England??

Where (if at all) can I search for employees of the EIC and see if Thomas Escott is there?

I think he may be either the Thomas Escott, son of Charles & Betty, baptised in Dunster, Somerset on 30 October 1790 or the Thomas Escott, son of Thomas and Sarah, baptised in St Decumens, Somerset on 23 July 1782 ... so we're probably looking for an entry into EIC service in about 1800 - 1810 and discharge in the early 1830s.


EDITED to say ... it's almost certainly Thomas of St Decumens we're looking at, since the Dunster Thomas appears to have married Eliza Escott by licence on 2 September 1817.

[CaroleW]

Did Eliza & Jane remain in England & marry?  If so - have you found them on any census to establish their birthplace

[CaroleW]

From FS

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FG6M-84P
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FG6H-18D
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FG6H-P92
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FG6M-842

[Andy J2022]

The EIC records are held in the India Office collection at the British Library. https://www.eastindiacompany.amdigital.co.uk/Introduction/BritishLibrary

FIBIS has no records for a Thomas Escott. There are a couple of sailings to/from India around 1848-49 in which a Mr Escott is a passenger, but they seem too late for your man.

[jbml]

Eliza did stay in England after this, and the 1851 census gives her birth place as Taunton ... which is of course where she was baptised. (Well ... actually the census says "Southampton" ... but there were no Escotts in Southampton and I eventually speculated that maybe a poorly written "Som. Taunton" had been misread by the enumerator and recorded by him as "Southampton", to which he added "Hampshire" ... so I looked in Taunton and found plenty of Escotts there!)

It doesn't "feel" right, though, to say that she thought she was born there because it's where she was baptised ... because if she was born in India and baptised on return to England that would mean she lived in India for the best part of her first 16 years of life and you'd expect her to have been aware of that!

But nothing "feels" right about this branch of the family ... age in 1851 census given as 21; non-census records from 1861 say born 1832.

The Taunton baptism has the right father's name and occupation (cordwainer) to fit with her marriage certificate and the location is right ... and if the baptism were an infant baptism then it would be fair enough within the normal tolerances back in the day when people weren't obsessive about their exact age the way we are; but the  FreeReg information throws it all out.

The 1841 census has an Escott family living in King Street, St James, Taunton consisting of 53 year old cordwainer Thomas Escott, his 55 year old wife Ann, 20 year old John Escott and 18 year old Eliza Escott which looks like the right family (except Jane is now John  and the order of their births is switched) and this age would be right if the Taunton baptism was an infant baptism (which FreeReg says it wasn't ... but others don't agree).

There are lots of discrepancies whicever way you try to view it all ...

[jbml]

The EIC records are held in the India Office collection at the British Library. https://www.eastindiacompany.amdigital.co.uk/Introduction/BritishLibrary

FIBIS has no records for a Thomas Escott. There are a couple of sailings to/from India around 1848-49 in which a Mr Escott is a passenger, but they seem too late for your man.

Thank  you Andy ... that's really helpful.

[hanes teulu]

(except Jane is now John  and the order of their births is switched)

Check FindMyPast for the 18 May 1839 burial of a Jane Escott - note the residence.

[jbml]

Aha!

Great find.

Father Thomas died in 1841 (Somerset, Taunton Q3 vol 10 page 286) and was buried on 26 September 1841 (age 59: residence King Street)

Mother Ann died in 1848 (Somerset, Taunton 1848 Q4 vol. 10 p.308) and was buried 31 december 1848 (age 65 ... residence now Magdalen Lane)

[jbml]

And it looks as though John Escott the baker might not be a son, but a nephew or something.

He looks like the John Escott, son of William (labourer) and Hannah, baptised in Wilton on 27 October 1822