Hi List, I have been helping an American lady with her English ancestry and have found her GGfather Charles Horton, a segeant Instructor in Musketry at the "New Barracks", Alverstoke, 1881. Do these barracks still exist, and if so, does anyone know where they are/were? Second question: The first page of the census for the barracks, where the officers appear, the enumerator has written "Marines", so I am assuming, as he is on page 3, that he too was a Marine. However, having searched the Royal Marines Index on the National Archives Website, he doesn't appear. Any suggestions? Thanks Sandra _______________________________________ No viruses found in this outgoing message Scanned by iolo AntiVirus 1.5.6.3 http://www.iolo.com
Hi Sandra When the Marines were split into two in the early 1850's, the artillery (RMA) stayed at Southsea - current site of the RM Museum and the light infantry (RLMI) moved to the new barracks at Gosport - currently the site of the St Vincents College with it magnificent archway entrance. There is a picture of the entrance under Historic Buildings & Monuments in the Alverstoke & Gosport section of Hampshire Photographs on the knightroots site at http://www.knightroots.co.uk It may well be that 30 years after the move, they were still known as the "new" barracks or perhaps simply, a new barrack block had been built to extend the sleeping accommodation. The fact that your man was involved in musketry definitely points to the RLMI. Not all Marines are in the TNA Online index - they seem mainly to be Plymouth & Chatham Divisions with little from the Portsmouth Division (Southsea and Gosport)- you could enquire at the RM Museum or go to TNA where all Marines original records are available under ADM159 - there used to be a name card index to give the full reference of the record sought (One of out GtGtGt Grandfathers was on the card index but does not appear online). Hope this helps Linda & Tony ... a segeant Instructor in Musketry at the "New Barracks", Alverstoke, 1881. Do these barracks still exist..... However, having searched the Royal Marines Index on the National Archives Website, he doesn't appear.