Families during the Indian Mutiny

[Richard Knott]

Did families of non-officers travel to India during the Indian Mutiny?

Launcelot Minns spent over twenty years in the Royal Artillery as a gunner, winning three medals but being court martialled for drinking four times. He served in India from 4 Aug 1857 - 19 Jul 1862.

He had a son, Edward, born in December 1857 while he was in India (but conceived just after he came out of prison!). Edward does not appear in any records apart from a possible death at sea in Jan 1860 aged two (or one on another record). He was on board the Cossipore and was one of eighty deaths on the way to Bombay. The only other Edward Minns of the right age appears to have died in Norfolk in 1857.

I assume this is not my Edward but it would be good to have that confirmed. Apart from anything else, his mother (Elizabeth) was back in England by 1861 with their daughter, living with another man.

Richard

Richard

[jimbo50]

Quick look says Cossipore wrecked in 1870 ? Was this another ship (en route to Calcutta) ?
'The Siege of Krishnapur' by JG Farrell..foreword;
'It is 1857. In Krishnapur the British Community continues it's serene existence....complacently ignoring the rumours of trouble elsewhere in Hindustan'.
I suspect that life continued as normal, including Families travelling, up until it was too late to turn back.
My Gt Gt  was shot in head at Delhi with a musket. Was subsequently court martialled and imprisoned 19 times because his subsequent behaviour was unacceptable. They eventually recognised that his injury was probably the cause and discharged him.

[Jebber]

The one who died in Norfolk in December quarter 1857, must be the one  born in Norfolk with birth registered in September quarter 1857, mother’s maiden name Bird.

[KGarrad]

Did families of non-officers travel to India during the Indian Mutiny?

AKA the First Indian War of Independence.

[Richard Knott]

The one who died in Norfolk in December quarter 1857, must be the one  born in Norfolk with birth registered in September quarter 1857, mother’s maiden name Bird.

Indeed it was; but the death in Norfolk shows he can't be the one on the ship in 1860.

I assume it was the same Cossipore, but it was several years after this trip. In fact Lancelot Minns had survived the sinking of another ship a few years earlier, just after he had married.

R

[osprey]

birth reg
Edward Launcelot Minns march qtr 1858 Kingsbridge vol 5b pg 199 mmn Lane

baptism Bigbury, Devon 28 March 1858 Edward Launcelot son of Launcelot Minns, artillery man, and Elizabeth of Lincom Cottage, Bigbury, date of birth noted as 4 Dec 1857.

So the death on the Cossipor 26 Jan 1860 of an Edward Minns aged 2 could be a match - age given on British Armed Forces & Overseas Deaths & Burials.
You could buy a copy of the certificate from the GRO to check details.

[Richard Knott]

Thanks. I know all about Edward's birth and the family before 1860; I just wanted to find out about Edward's death; but perhaps I will buy a certificate as you suggest= if such a think exists. I thought that the entry I had read was the only information available.

R

[osprey]

Some time ago I got a death cert from the GRO for a relative who had died at sea. But now I can't find the registration to see what ref I used to order it. It didn't have a huge amount of info but I would hope that one for a child would give the name of the father.