Well GGrandfather's militay service record has arrived!!!

And wow - what an eye opener it is. The researcher said it was unusually long - well he did get around a bit... It is a total of nine pages - fascinating - well to me it is

He joined the army as a 4ft 4in 'boy soldier' aged 13!!!. Through his twenty one years of service he seved in:
England, Ireland, Bermuda, Canada, Gibraltar, Egypt, Malta and India!

He wasn't a 'hero' in-as-much as no medals, but his medical records show that in 21 years service he was 'sick' twice. Once for 3 days with 'ague' and another for twelve days with conjunctivitis!!! His conduct sheet is totally clear - not even one 'tiny' misdemeanour! (one wonders how he could have been Naughty Nina's father? LOL). And as a reward for his long service he rose to be a bandsman sargeant and was given a service pension for life of 'thirteen pence PER DAY! - just over £20 per year...not bad. He died in 1939 aged 76 and - it seems - was living with his eldest son who was 'co-habiting' with Nina's step daughter!!!

I'll add a couple of pictures the researcher sent me of the Archives building that Aether mentioned and one of the service record pages and regimental uniform in another post...

Carole wrote:

and - it seems - was living with his eldest son who was 'co-habiting' with Nina's step daughter!!!

HUH?

Congratulations on receiving your GGrandfathers records! I'd give you a banana dance but................I hope you'll like this better.

WOW Carole! OMG! If you get some time can you post maybe the first page just so I can see what it actually looks like? I really am interested in this sort of thing. And 9 pages! I was excited to get my GGF's military record and it was just one!

Well here are some photos for you...

National Archives Building
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National Archives Military Research Dept.
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Royal Irish Rifles Uniform
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Page 1 of Service Record...
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Carole,
Something you may find interesting. The other day I found a biographical entry on a Rear-Admiral Frederick William Beechey, d. 1856. Called my attention the Date being very close to the birth of your F.W.

I found this bit of information while I was reading about the "pressing into the service" at that time and in particular into the Navy , of very young boys of 13 years of age, then considered the start of maturity.

Also, came to my mind that non members of the Church of England are sometimes listed in the "Non-conformists" archives.

That is all for my 2 cents !

Sophia

Thanks for that info Sophia - I didn't know that.

In fact that will be one of my projects later on...to find out about these 'boy soldiers'. Certainly the naval 'press gangs' are well documented, but I imagined that they were seeking able bodied men for duty on the sailing ships of the Nelson and Napoleonic era.

Didn't know the bit about the Non-Conformists! I probably won't get round to these though until I've done a lot more work on trying to find out the "whats, wheres and hows" of Frederick's children and their spouses. Secretly I'm sure they're all still alive, about 130 years old and hiding behind doors ready to jump out on me...

I have been a member of the British 'Genes Reunited' site since early 2005, and have had no luck oin the Edmed side of the family. In fact I had practically given up even checking. But today I got a message on Friends Reunited (sister site) from a girl I went to school with nearly 60 years ago... That WAS a surprise.

Having replied to her I thought 'let's have a look at Genes Reunited while I'm here.... and - yes, you've guessed - there is this guy looking for 'Nina's' father, her grandfather AND her elder brother - all three are Frederick William Edmeds...the 1st, 2nd and 3rd!

I've sent a message to him and am now waiting with baited breath to see if he just might be a real live relative!!!!

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

OMG That is fabulous!!! But if he does contact you, what do I do instead of a banana dance?

Cathy wrote:

OMG That is fabulous!!! But if he does contact you, what do I do instead of a banana dance?

If it's a positive answer...I won't care what you post Cathy. I'll be soooo high on cloud nine that I won't even mind a few of those b**** bananas!!! Honest...

Carole,
Great how you're progressing!
About the "Non-conformist registers, some are still in the congregations , or have been deposited in local or denominational record offices. Most of PRO(RG4 -RG8 are available in the Long Room at Chancery Lane) are in the Mormon microfiche index of baptisms...)
You may find the info. under the proper congregation. And more...

Have one more bit I am saving for later ...

Aether

Carole, what a wonderful stroke of luck to find another relative of Nina's in search of family. I am sure you will get a positive response because that person posted on a site in search of family. Great news!!!! Keep us in the loop!

Quote::

By Carole: On a previous post on this thread.... ".....So far I have not found any trace of the deaths of ANY of the Edmed family whatsoever - apart from that of Muriel Edith (Nina) in 1949! So I am searching for ANY of the following deaths - if anyone has any ideas or can help... 1. Frederick William Edmed (1) b.18632. Mary Ellen Edmed (nee Stapleton) b.1886 Halifax Nova Scotia 3. Frederick William Edmed (2) b. 1889 4. Katie Edmed (nee Savill) b. about 1882 5. Charles Newcombe b. about 1887 Camberwell London 6. Claude Victor Edmed b. 1895 Malta 7. Lily M...A. Tyson b. (Claude’s wife) 8. Richard Henry (or Henry Richard) Gunter b. about 1877 Wiltshire 9. Emily Gunter (Richard’s daughter) b. about 1900 – Islington London I find it incredible that there seem to be no easily found records of these people’s deaths. Their marriages – yes. One or two births too. But their deaths are another matter!

Well this last weekend has been incredible, throwing up twists that even I (knowing Nina's penchant for strange behoviour) found almost unbelievable...

Here's a brief resume of what I (we) found...
(results in red)

1. Frederick William Edmed (1) b.1863.
Died 1939 aged 76 in Battersea, London

2. Mary Ellen Edmed (nee Stapleton) b.1886 Halifax Nova Scotia.
Died 1945 aged 76 in Bath, Somerset.

3. Frederick William Edmed (2) b. 1889
Remarried 1921 to Emily Rose Gunter in Edmonton, London
He died 1954 aged 65 in Chelsea, London

4. Katie Edmed (nee Savill) b. about 1882
Remarried: awaiting details on that.

6. Claude Victor Edmed b. 1895 Malta
Died 1947 aged 53 in Watford, London

7. Lily M...A. Tyson b. (Claude’s wife)
No trace yet - awaiting marriage certificate.

8. Richard Henry (or Henry Richard) Gunter b. 1877 Wiltshire
Died 1946 aged 69 in Brentford, London

9. Emily Rose Gunter (Richard’s daughter) b. about 1900 – Islington, London
Married Nina's elder brother...
Died 1974 aged 74 in Bath, Somerset

So, if you think about it - Nina's step daughter was also her sister-in-law.. Now THAT does take some beating.

There are still some other surprises, but I'm busy writing Episodes 4 and 5 of the 'saga' and a new story line called 'The Edmeds'. That will start with great grandfather Frederick William - the 'army man'!

So now it's a case of 'watch this space'!