Alexander George of 2nd Btn Royal Artillery 1801-1822 & the mystery wife

[Aus325]

I have a decades long brickwall concerning the name of the 2nd wife of Alexander George of the Royal Artillery 1801-22. Born 1781 Clayfolds, Alvah, Banffshire, enlisted 2nd Btn Royal Artillery 1801, discharged 1 Mar 1822 Woolwich Kent for pension. Appointed as convict overseer and embarked to Van Diemen's Land aboard Jupiter in June 1823. Accompanied by wife only known as Jane, son James b.1813 and daughter Jane Jr b.1821 Woolwich. The son was from his first wife Isabel Raeburn who died in childbirth of twins in 1813. A new relationship began sometime after this, possibly at Woolwich with a woman known only as Jane with a daughter, Jane Jr born at Woolwich 20 Sep 1821 and recorded in the Gro Regimental Birth Indices (1761 To 1924). These early certificates can be ordered via the GRO which I presume has been done already as the full date of birth is in many trees on ancestry, and like many early records, the maiden name of the mother is not cited. Many descendants of this family in TAS have been trying for decades to determine the name of the mystery 2nd wife Jane, with not even a hint of a result. We have no date of birth and no known death for Jane. After the death of Alexander in 1837 in TAS there is no further record. She may be the woman who was granted permission to marry French convict Francois Calliot (Life convict per Sarah 1837) at Hobart on 31 May 1845. Any ideas or lateral thoughts are welcome....

[mckha489]

Has the marriage at Eastbourne to 19 Jun 1820 to Jane Comiry been ruled out?

[Aus325]

Thanks for the response. No, this marriage at Eastbourne has not been looked at. I see it now on Ancestry in 'East Sussex, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936' but not on findmypast, familysearch or FreeReg etc. This may be a record that has only recently been made available, and looks promising! I don't have an active ancestry account to view the full details but if someone could check the extra details and let me know if there is mention in this record of Alexander George being a soldier of the Royal Artillery that would be very helpful

[mckha489]

And that’s all I know too
Have you another example of Alexander’s signature?

[Neale1961]

Have you accessed Alexander George’s Royal Chelsea Hospital papers to see if there is any family information contained?
Knowing exact dates that he was discharged might be useful in trying to pin down his movements too.

[Aus325]

thanks, I have viewed his WO23 Chelsea Admission record on Ancestry which was dated 1 Mar 1822, which typically has only his personal information and nothing of his family. I have the reference to his WO97 discharge record from 1822 but have not viewed it yet as it's only available at TNA or on findmypast. I'm not holding much hope that it will contain anything beyond as his own information as he never rose above the rank of Corporal and it was normally only officers who occasionally had information of spouses and children in their records. Having viewed numerous WO97 service records of rank & file of the Regiments of Foot from this era I've yet to see one that contains anything beyond his own information. I'll still check it next time I have the opportunity just to be complete

[ShaunJ]

The WO97 record is just a transcription. "Discharge papers lost or mislaid". So no signature to be found there.

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=gbm%2fwo97%2f1229%2f133%2f001

[Aus325]

I can't access the content of link above as I don't have a current findmypast account. The record I've found in their index using a search for Alexander George of Royal Artillery comes up with a result in 1834 which would be worth looking at as it does indicate original document/s are available.

His first marriage in Banffshire 17 Sep 1801 to Isabel Raeburn appears to be no use as there is only a transcript available, no original. I have two different signatures from Colonial Office documents regarding the voyage to VDL but all of these documents have been hand copied by CO staff back in the day and the signatures are not the originals

[ShaunJ]

The record I've found in their index using a search for Alexander George of Royal Artillery comes up with a result in 1834 which would be worth looking at as it does indicate original document/s are available.

It's just a register entry