Mauritius, East Indies records.

My g/g/grandfather Patrick Timmins was born in Dublin, Ireland and married Ann nee Mullally (Murphy) in 1832, Portsmouth, England.
Patrick served in Mauritius at least from 1839-1843 as 2 of his daughters Ann & Catherine were born there.
Ann 2nd marriage Isaac Taylor in 1848, she was listed as Widow on the marriage certificate, so obviously Patrick had died. Ann was living in the Barracks in Portsmouth at the time of her marriage to Isaac.
I have found Isaac Taylor's military records but cannot find Patricks, any Patrick Timmins that I do find, the birth date & enlistment date doesn't stack up in the time when he was born.
Can anyone explain this please.? His records must be somewhere.?
Thanks.

 

I assume Patrick is the Patrick Timmins shown within Irish Catholic Registers (1655-1915)- Baptised 21.03.1813, St Catherine's, Dublin City, Dublin, Ireland. Parents Thomas Timmins & Judith Lawlor? I also found in British Army Worldwide Index 1841 (Military,armed forces & conflict, Regimental & service records, Great Britain) - Patrick Timmins, Service No. 468, Private, 12th Foot, serving in Mauritius in 1841 (NA Reference: WO 12/2955). Will look further later but pass this on in the hope it is of help.

 

Fern you may find this site useful Forces War Records Community I only browsed the site after following up a Google search and interestingly discovered someone also trying to discover the whereabouts of an ancestor serving in Mauritius at roughly the same period as your own enquiry. The link is to the Community Forum page and requires a free registration to read the many postings. The site proper however offers many other features including a comprehensive Search facility and you can choose a period of history (in your case early 19th Century (1815-1853) . If you get a hit however, not surprisingly, to view further it will ask you to pay, either monthly (£8.95) or yearly (£54.95).

 

Hi Bob, thanks, that's marvellous, I would say that is my Patrick in the British army WW, 1841 records. Ann 2nd's husband Isaac Taylor was in the 12th foot as well. I would love to get more information on Patrick if it's available.
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"I also found in British Army Worldwide Index 1841 (Military,armed forces & conflict, Regimental & service records, Great Britain)"
I have been searching in Forces War records community, and posted on the forum. I did get a reply but the poster said he couldn't give me the information as it was on Find my Past web site and one of their conditions didn't allow him to pass it on, which I found 'strange".

 

Glad to have been of help Fern and as for the comment about FMP I wouldn't give it a second thought to help someone if I had access to detail they did not. I have posted before how I occasionally repay a lady in Birmingham who helped me on Roots Chat long ago, and who later gave her time to help me out with some local research. She does not have, nor can she afford, an FMP subscription so if stuck using research avenues available to her and discovers something using an FMP free search, she will email me and ask me to check out the transcription; which I gladly do.

Did your 'Forces War' poster provide a hint of the details he found in FMP, if so provide the detail and I am sure I or others will help you further.

 

Well said Bob

 

Hi Bob, I can't thank you enough. Patrick must have been killed in Mauritius.
I'ts been quite a challenge to track this side of my family, wife Ann & family led a tragic life after emigrating to New Zealand with the Fencibles. It was very hard to read in Papers Past.
This from the poster on Forces War Records.

 

Don't worry Fern as the earlier information I provided included a search on FMP and found under 'British Army Worldwide Index 1841' you already have the information. I acknowledged the Index & NA Reference and just passed on the information recorded. There was only the one reference to Patrick but I have since checked on Isaac Taylor and sure enough he is there also: Service No. 830 - Private - 12th Foot - 1841 - Mauritius- NA reference WO 12/2955; but you may have this of course.

At least your posting has raised my awareness of the 'Fencibles' as they related to New Zealand and indeed of the New Zealand Wars 1847-1872. I doubt I am not alone in this or that many people outside of New Zealand are aware of this sorry period of British Colonial rule. For those like me who know little I recommend you read these Wikipedia items: Fencibles and New Zealand Wars

PS Just found this also relating exclusively to the NZ Fencibles

 

Many thanks, Bob. I shall never cease to be amazed at all I've learned via Lost Cousins. You got me searching to see if a great-granduncle of mine, a surveyor who emigrated to New Zealand in 1850, might have been involved in the New Zealand Wars and as far as I can tell his only involvement was making a plan of one of the defensive settlements (pa) taken from the Maori; nothing more bloodthirsty than that.

 

Hi Bob, It's not a worry, I can't see where it is wrong to give the info to someone else who is searching, (how would FMP police it for one thing. )
It has to be remembered that Maori chiefs did travel to England to visit Queen Victoria, asking for military assistance with the tribal wars, which were a constant threat. At the time it was either England or France who would 'rule' New Zealand, I doubt very much if France would have had a treaty with the Maori, so there were a lot of positives.