Genealogy Chat

Thank you for your helpful replies; at least now I know that there might be something on him at Kew, even if it's not on the website. It's also reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who can't quite figure out the website lol! Just in case anyone's got a couple of spare minutes to have a look, here are his details (must have been tired and not thinking straight enough last night to include them!): - Peter Purcell (born c1836, probably Ireland) - Married 26.2.1865 in Plymouth, occupation given as Labourer - Second child born 1868, by which time he was a Soldier, and child was born in Belfast Barracks. Her birth certificate also states that he was a Private in the 28th Regiment of Foot (Glorious Glosters) - Died somewhere between 1874 (birth of last child) and 1881 (wife appears as widow on census) Can't find him on any census at all, and can't find any record of his death either in the UK or abroad. Many thanks again for all your help. Mandy

Helen in my case nothing has been indexed

Not every document has been indexed - there are millions of documents at Kew not to mention all the ones stored off-site in salt mines in Cheshire. As they say on the website ' The collection is one of the largest in the world and spans an unbroken period from the 11th century to the present day.' That's a lot of paper/parchment! If your ancestor has been indexed he will appear. If not, it just means the records haven't been indexed, not that he isn't there. (think about the difference between Freebmd and the GRO indexes to bmds). I've found some relatives but not all, and some possibles.

what was his name I just did a bit of googling and there is quite a lot of info on Glorious Glosters

I am the same I have never found a thing on it, I dont know why, and its so annoying when you see all the threads about people finding Wills and such on there, dont know what I do wrong either, be interested to see your replies

If you are searching the catalogue on the site then by putting in his first and last name in the search box should give results of any records with that name in it that they have indexed onto the site (just a fraction of the records they hold at kew). By no means does this mean that they will not have the records. Cant say if they are the correct records you have found as you have nt said when he served, and my knowledge is almost zero on military regiments etc (wouldnt know who the Glorious Glossers were)!!!!!!!!!! From googling I take it they are a foot regiment anything from the 1st to the 60th? Suzanne

I'm not really an expert on the National Archives website, but I do know that some (a lot) of the military records are not completely indexed by name, just by the first and last names in each batch, so there could be information about him there which would not come up on the search. What years was he serving, do you know (at least rough dates)? Kate.

Some of you will know how excited I was last week to confirm that my 2xg/grandfather was indeed a soldier and, thanks to lots of help from Pete in Glos, I have discovered that he was in the ‘Glorious Glosters’. The National Archives site has always been one of my ‘blank spots’, I’ve never managed to quite get to grips with it, so would very much appreciate some help with the following questions. 1. If I put his full name into the main search box, and no items come up, does this mean that there is definitely nothing about him on the site? 2. If there is nothing about him on the website, does this then mean that there are no records held for him at Kew? 3. From looking on various military sites and googling, I think I’ve found the correct ‘WO’ files that I would need to look at. Can somebody confirm that these would be the right ones? Muster Rolls 1732-1878 (WO12), Description Books (WO25, piece 266-688) and War Office Campaign Medal and Award Rolls 1793-1949 (WO100). I do like doing my own research as far as possible, but I can’t seem to get any further on my own and would be grateful for any help! Many thanks Mandy

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