Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Good morning everyone I am new to this forum so I hope that I do it right. Would love help in finding William Rushton from Liverpool he enlisted on the 3/8/1797 aged 21 to the 29th Light Dragoons in Bangalore in Madras he became a Sergeant Major, quartermaster. His death recorded on the 23/1/1823 Madras this entry he as a private in the 69th HM regiment. I have had a lot of trouble with finding him and his ancestors .

Janet

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Your query is about a century earlier than most of those we get and our crew have knowledge of, but I am hoping somebody may be able to make some suggestions. I've also emailed to a gentleman who I know has experience of researching a soldier around that time and have asked him also if he is able to suggest any helpful lines of research.

It is quite likely that any information you need will be at the National Archives, a personal visit might be required rather than just the documents available online.

Hello MaryA thanks for your reply and ideas about searching in the National Archives but this is a bit far when you come from Australia.

Janet

First of all you could do a check of what might be available online http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ and also if you googled there is a possibility there might be an online forum more dedicated to the batallions/India/the dates involved, than we are.

Good Morning MaryA thanks for your help, I have no luck with searching through the Archives I keep going around in circles I will try another way by googling

Janet

I have had a reply from our Society member who I emailed to ask for some advice, below is his response.

I've looked at various sites for Indian records.

On Wikipedia it indicates between 1757 and 1858 The militia in India was licensed to the East India Company. This covers the period when William Rushton was there. When the company was disbanded its records were transferred to the India Office. Their records ( including surviving company records) were transferred to the British Library in 1982 - its says 'these are useful for genealogical & family research'. I do not know if these are accessible via the internet.

There does not seem to be any direct reference to either of the Indian regiments which Janet mentions but as you said the National Archives at Kew are indexed by Regiment and probably have these which have muster rolls of men for each. (whether the East India Co. militia records are there I don't know).

It appears that William Rushton was born in Liverpool c.1776 - have you been able to find the parish register record?

Many men went to India to seek their fortune (like Robert Clive of India) and ended up in the private armies there.

I suggest Janet looks on Wikipedia for East India Company and takes it from there.

I hope this is useful.

Thanks to Neville

Hi Janet,
Have you checked out this site?
Families in India - FIBIS http://www.new.fibis.org/

There's a mention of a William Rushton. Private in the 53rd Foot (Shropshire) Regt.
http://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/sim ... undex&tn=3

There could be others.

Good Morning MaryA & Dickiesam thanks so much for your help I will certainly have a search in the areas mentioned. I have checked Liverpool their a several William Rushton's listed. its a case of finding the right one

Janet

jpritcha44 wrote:Good Morning MaryA & Dickiesam thanks so much for your help I will certainly have a search in the areas mentioned. I have checked Liverpool their a several William Rushton's listed. its a case of finding the right one

Janet

If you have William's enlistment papers do they mention any kin? Or previous employer? And exactly where did he enlist? If it was in Madras what was he doing there prior to joining?

Good Evening Dickiesam what a great question I am afraid I don't have any of this information, I am having a hard time in trying to find out these records I don't have much luck especially in the National Archives I will try tomorrow and see what happens thanks again for your help

Janet