Trying to obtain birth records - Corfu

[alastair01]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone has any ideas on how I would trace a certain part of my family tree as I'm not getting too far because of the following.
I know I had a relative called John Stewart who was born in Tromore, Waterfod Ireland in 1792. he joined the third 88th foot when he was 14 (underage) and was taken on full time when he was 21. I have his discharge papers (sourced from the National Archives)so I know he travelled extensivley with the 88th foot.
What I cannot find out is gaps between his discharge on 20 February 1832 in Corfu. I know he had two sons both born on the island as later Scottish census records show this as the boys place of birth.

I also belive his wifes name was Margaret but do not have a maiden name or where and they were married. The sons names were Thomas Stewart born in 1831 and John Stewart Born in 1835 again both son's are listed as being born in Corfu Ionian islands and had British subjects next to there names on the census.

Would anyone know how I could try and trace a:birth records of the boys and b: John Stewarts marriage details.

Thank you for any leads.

Kind regards Alastair Stewart

[WilmaM]

Do you have either marriage or death certificates for the sons? In Scotland they should contain the mother's maiden name.
Or the father's death certificate, if he died in Scotland post=1855 should have his spouses full name[s].

They are rather common names though, which will make things harder. Working from census records could help pinpoint areas to start looking at various timescales.

What census returns do you ;have? and where does it show the family living?
I take it this is them in 1851

Piece: SCT1851/685 Place: Edinburgh -Midlothian Enumeration District: 3
Civil Parish: Edinburgh Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: High Church
Folio: 431 Page: 6 Schedule: 25
Address: Byers Close
Surname First name(s) Rel Status Sex Age Occupation Where Born Remarks
STEWART John Head M M 58 Pensioner Chelsea Ireland - -
STEWART Margaret Wife M F 47 Inverness-shire - Fort George
STEWART John Son U M 25 Brass Founder Journeyman Overseas - British - Corfu
STEWART Thomas Son U M 20 Blacksmith Journeyman Overseas - British - Corfu

Her birth place as Fort George would indicate she is from a military family too-so who knows where they met or married!
Freecen doesn't seem to have them in 1861.

[SarahND]

Hi all,
Thomas is living in Edinburgh Canongate in both 1861 and 1871 with his wife Margaret and children. In 1881 he is still there but his birth place is misrepresented as Edinburgh. In 1891 his birthplace is creatively, "Carfie, (County N K ) Ireland of" on Ancestry and on Findmypast is "(County NK) Island of Carfie." In 1901 he was born in "Bs, Grace" according to Ancestry and "German B S" on Findmypast. There is a possible death for him in Canongate in 1904-- have you looked at this to see if his mother's surname is given on the death certificate?

All the best,
Sarah

[Currie]

Hello Alastair,

Have you tried the Armed Forces BMDs on FMP? http://www.findmypast.co.uk/content/sea ... d-conflict

Part of the 88th Foot was transported to the Ionian Islands in mid October, 1825, on the “Diadem”, followed by the remainder a few months later on the “Borodino”. Regimental H.Q. while there was usually on Corfu, but sometimes Vido or Cephalonia. They returned to the UK in mid September 1836 on the “Barossa”.

Alan

[alastair01]

Hi Alan many thkans for the information are you able to advise where I can find where the Barossa docked when she arrived back in the Uk? I need to establish when the family arrived in Edinburgh to verify other records

kind regards Alastair Stewart

[Currie]

Hello Alastair,

The story was in the Hampshire Telegraph, (Portsmouth), Monday, September 26, 1836. The Barrossa arrived on Thursday, at the Motherbank, from Corfu. On board were 15 officers and 494 soldiers of the 88th Regiment and three distressed British subjects. http://i944.photobucket.com/albums/ad28 ... affce1.jpg

The Depot Companies of the 88th had recently moved to Portsmouth from Cork to reunite with the main body on their return.

According to the lists I have the headquarters of the 88th Foot remained at Portsmouth until about August 1837, then a couple of months at Weedon. I’ve seen something in a newspaper suggesting the Weedon move may have been much earlier for all or part of the regiment. After Weedon they were at Bolton for about twelve months and moved on to Ireland about the end of 1838.

Hope that helps,
Alan

[alastair01]

Hi Alan that's marvelous information I know John Stewart discharged voluntary in July 1832 so I would presume he remained on the island untill leaving on the Barrossa or would he of done if he had already been discharged ??

If he was on the ship I would of thought he would of travelled back with his wife and the two boys born on the island and they would of been approx 11 and 5 years of age. Would you know if there is anywhere to find a "passenger list" to see if I can confirm they were onboard as it might give an indication where the families final destination was going to be.

Again thanks you for your help.

Alastair

[Currie]

Hello Alastair,

I was a bit confused by your first post, but see now that the son John was born 1825 on Corfu and not 1835. They would have occasionally sent back parties of invalids etc, he wouldn’t have been marooned there until the regiment returned in 1836. The depot in the UK was sending reinforcements to the 88th on a regular basis, I suppose to replace those discharged or otherwise lost.

On the newspaper clipping there’s reference to a group of naval and military invalids on the Parmelia, people going home at the end of their military service and no mention of the ship or regiment they came from.

If his discharge was 20 February, as you said earlier, there’s something interesting in Freeman's Journal, Thursday, April 19, 1832. (This same ship brought my GG Uncle Sylvester in chains to NSW in 1826.)

“The Marquis of Huntley, the William Harris, and the Sylvia, transports, arrived at Corfu on the 20th of February. The Marquis of Huntley has arrived during the week at Plymouth with detachments of the 10th, 11th, 18th, 51st, 80th, 88th, and 95th regiments. She has been ordered to Portsmouth, where she may be daily expected to land part of her troops.”

I can’t think of any other reason detachments like that would be returning unless they were discharged or whatever. I don’t know whether soldiers were supposed to report to their depot when they arrived back. At that time the depot companies of the 88th were at Landguard Fort, but that was also about the time they moved to Chatham.

I think that passenger lists with useful info are pretty hard to find for that time period. These were military transports and I doubt the usual rules, if any, would apply.

All the best,
Alan

[alastair01]

Thank you very much Allan I guess I'll never know for sure where the family went from the time they left Corfu to the time I first pick them up in a census all liveing in Edinburgh.
On a separate note if I am trying to find photos of the 88th especially one of my ggggrandfather would you know of any avenues I might tr. I reallise finding one of him is highly remote but even if it was his regiment i could speculate if he was amongst them.

Anyway if you think of anything further I'd love to hear from you.

How hard was it to trace your relatives i.e yr ggg uncle Sylvestor ?

Kind regards and best wishes

[SarahND]

On a separate note if I am trying to find photos of the 88th especially one of my ggggrandfather would you know of any avenues I might tr. I reallise finding one of him is highly remote but even if it was his regiment i could speculate if he was amongst them.

According this timeline of photography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_o ... technology
the first photograph including a person was taken by Daguerre in 1838 or 1839 - so no hope there, I'm afraid. Maybe a painting exists?

Best wishes,
Sarah