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  • Napoleonic Wars

    Hi
    My G Grandmother Emily Symonds was born in Paulton Gloucestershire in 1849, on her birth cert her father was Thomas Symonds and her mother was Susanna Athaway who was born in Sicily abt 1804.
    The only reason she would have been born there at that time was if her father was a soldier fighting in the Napoleonic War.
    Does anyone know where I can find a site that lists the names of soldiers in that war .I have a feeling he must have been killed in Battle,
    I cant find him anywhere or Susannas mother.
    There are sites that list the officers who died during that war,perhaps the poor foot soldiers didnt rate a mention.
    I cant find Susannas birth because I have to know the name of the town she was registered in, it only says Sicily on the censuses.
    I am just about ready to give up on this one.
    Help needed please
    Mary

  • #2
    I doubt if the Napoleonic Wars were the only reason - after all there's no reason why Susanna's mother would be out there. If he was a common soldier his wife would probably have stayed at home, I think only officers wives went with the troops.

    Have you looked to see if his army records are on the National Archives site? Assuming he was in the army - he could have been a doctor or other occupation not necessarily in the army.

    Besides it was only Susanna's mother that would need to be in Sicily! Maybe she was a cook or sempstress.
    ~ with love from Little Nell~
    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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    • #3
      Have you got census references because I can't see her. This appears to be Emily with her father in 1851 HO107; Piece: 1960; Folio: 120; Page: 16 who says he is married but Susanna isn't with them.
      Last edited by Little Nell; 28-07-09, 01:14.
      ~ with love from Little Nell~
      Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

      Comment


      • #4
        Have you tried the overseas births on Findmypast? All births/baps to soldiers families will be on here from about 1780ish onwards and then you can send for them through the GRO.

        Janet

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        • #5
          I thought overseas births would only have been registered with GRO after 1 July 1837 when civil registration came into being.
          ~ with love from Little Nell~
          Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

          Comment


          • #6
            No, because the overseas births to soldiers wives are really baptisms if you get my drift! I can't remember the exact date they start but they are around 1780 and certainly well before the start of administration of 1837 which makes them so useful for those who think they have children born to soldiers overseas. Always worth a check. These records used to be at the FRC in big regimental baptism books, at the far end well away from all the ordinary 1837+BMD. I was always looking at these books when I was there as I have a lot of army families. I do miss them! Not so easy looking for them on Findmypast.

            Janet

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            • #7
              In the Peninsula War era, soldiers wives sometimes did accompany their husbands as they were wanted to do the laundry....the regiment usually only allowed a certain number who were approved, but a lot of others tagged along. Wellington was the first to allow officers wives to accompany on the campaign proper, but that was a little later than 1805.

              Would it not be more likely that Thomas Symonds was in the Navy (Marines) as it was the Navy under Lord Nelson who protected Ferdinand III upon his fleeing to Siciliy from the kingdom of Naples in 1806?
              Last edited by Geoff Devon; 28-07-09, 13:49.
              Woodcock(Dudley...Worcestershire Broseley...Shropshire) Woodley & Allen(Herts/Essex/London/Kent/Surrey... & NSW/Vic/Queensland... AUS) and MANY, MANY more...!

              Sherlock always gets a result

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              • #8
                No, it's Corse, Gloucestershire (see 1861 census)

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                • #9
                  I've checked the National Archives, but the only soldier I can see called Thomas Symonds was too old, and born in Norfolk.

                  EDIT:

                  Oops, sorry, just realised it's Susannah's father I should have been looking for, not her husband. Off to have another look.
                  Last edited by Mary from Italy; 28-07-09, 20:20.

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                  • #10
                    Where is the info that she was born in Sicily?
                    ~ with love from Little Nell~
                    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      The 1861 and 1871 it says Sicily, but 1881 says France (British Subject) for place of birth.
                      Karen

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                      • #12
                        I can't see her can you give the refs please?
                        ~ with love from Little Nell~
                        Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          1861
                          Class: RG9; Piece: 1759; Folio: 83; Page: 5
                          1871
                          Class: RG10; Piece: 2607; Folio: 16; Page: 6
                          1881
                          Class: RG11; Piece: 2526; Folio: 75; Page: 3

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                          • #14
                            She died in 1898, so she should be on the 1891 census, but I haven't found her yet. Can't see her in 1851 either, or a marriage.

                            Deaths Dec 1898
                            Symonds Susannah 94 Newent 6a 155

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                            • #15
                              Ah, here she is in 1891. Birthplace back to Sicily again.

                              Class: RG12; Piece: 2008; Folio 62; Page 5;

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                There are one or two possible soldiers with the surname Hathaway who might be Susannah's father. Can't find one called Athaway. I've omitted the ones who would have been too young to be her father. The second date is usually the date of discharge.

                                JOSEPH HATHAWAY Born WITNEY, Oxfordshire Served in 10th Dragoons. Discharged aged 44. Date range: 1801 - 1814.

                                WILLIAM HADDERWAY alias WILLIAM HATHAWAY Born SAUL, Gloucestershire Served in 3rd Garrison Battalion; 58th Foot Regiment. Discharged aged 47. Date range: 1801 - 1817.

                                PETER HATHAWAY Born SAUL, Gloucestershire Served in 3rd Dragoons; Somerset Fencibles. Discharged aged 37. Date range: 1797 - 1819.

                                HENRY HATHAWAY Born SAUL, Gloucestershire Served in 2nd Dragoon Guards. Discharged aged 40. Date range: 1793 - 1814.

                                The National Archives Quick Search

                                The three born in Gloucestershire (maybe brothers?) are presumably the most likely. Saul is only about 20 miles from Newent.

                                Their files are available from the National Archives.

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Interesting one! Soldiers wives were said to follow the drum, when they went with their husbands, their lives were very hard, I've read a doctors account from the Crimea about him delivering a corporals wife, she was living in a frozen hle in the ground, tough ladies! The other thing is him marrying out there, but I'm not sure about the ins and outs of that.

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                                  • #18
                                    The 58th Foot regiment was in Sicily in around 1803. Not sure about the others.

                                    Susannah seems to change her date of birth on every census.
                                    Last edited by Mary from Italy; 28-07-09, 20:50.

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                                    • #19
                                      Originally posted by chivenor2002 View Post
                                      I cant find Susannas birth because I have to know the name of the town she was registered in, it only says Sicily on the censuses.
                                      There was no civil registration in Italy until about 1860.

                                      If she was baptised in an Italian church, you'd need to know the actual parish, not just the town, because there's no central index - registers are still held by the priest.

                                      However, she may have been baptised by a British army chaplain and registered among the British military or consular births, in which case you may find details among the overseas births on FindmyPast (although I don't know how many have survived from that period).

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        The other thing to consider is that although Susannah's father was English her mother might have been Sicilian, and he may have married her there.
                                        ~ with love from Little Nell~
                                        Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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