Help looking for someone on 1871 & 1881 census

[tessie31082]

OK you clever lot - please can you help me find Britford Charles Ebsworth (been mis-transcribed as Brilford and Elsworth on others) on these 2 census? He marries in 1883 to Mercy Yeats and I have him on earlier census with his parents and siblings! I can't get any combination to work!
Thanks so much as always
Tessie

[teasie]

There was a soldier named Charles Ebsworth aged 19 & born Wallingford, Berkshire in the 1871 census - RG10 1232 75 24.

1871 Army Index lists him as No. 1368 in the 91st (Princess Louise's Argyllshire Highlanders) Regiment of Foot.

From what I can gather they then went to South Africa (1879).

[tessie31082]

Teasie I'll take a look thanks - he has a brother Charles so I'll double check against him

[tessie31082]

Can anyone look up on FMP please for any military records for Britford / Charles (the 1871 census Teasie found is right) as I can't find any records for him or for the 1881 census - I assume he fought in the Zulu War? By 1891 he is married with children and back in Berkshire (no idea how he ended up joining a Scottish regiment haha)!?
Thanks

[teasie]

Hi Tessie

I already checked FMP and the only other record was the 1871 Army Index I mentioned.

I think the only other place you might find something would be the pay musters, but these are held at the National Archives and are not yet digitalised.

[tessie31082]

Ah thanks Teasie! I guess if he were at war there was no census in 1881 for him to be on in SA?

[GallowayLass]

The regiment was initially raised in 1794 and the name and number was the 98th (Argyllshire Highlanders) Regiment of Foot, it rose to 91st two years later by which time it had been sent to capture and garrison Cape Town in South Africa.
Then after serving all over the world in 1858 they were sent to India to quell the Indian Mutiny.
It served as the honour guard at the wedding of Princess Louise (Queen Victoria’s daughter) to Douglas Sutherland Campbell (later Duke of Argyll) at Windsor Castle in 1871. A year later, it was allowed to incorporate her name into its own title.
The regiment returned to South Africa to participate in the Zulu War (1879), fighting at Gingindlovu and Eshowe in April 1879.
In 1881, it amalgamated with the 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot to form Princess Louise’s (Argyll and Sutherland) Highlanders.

The wedding at Windsor Castle May have had something to do with a Berkshire man having an affinity with a regiment named for Princess Louise. She was a popular girl. Intelligent and artistic she also a supporter of the feminist movement.