Can anyone advise me on how I can get information about George HANSON’s career as a Queen’s Messenger? I’ve not been able to find him in the 1841 Census (there are some possibilities but not enough information to be sure) and I’m wondering if he had joined the military by this time. In 1851 he was living in Westminster and was the butler for Fox Maule, then the Privy Councillor’s secretary. Also in the household was Jane Wallace, Lady’s maid who George married at St. Luke’s, Chelsea in 1853. George’s occupation in the marriage entry was ‘Messenger’ and in the 1861 Census at Chelsea, his occupation was Queen’s Messenger, War Office. His probate record in 1869 also gives his occupation as Queen’s Messenger The information I’ve found so far on Queen’s Messengers is that they often had a military background before being appointed. There is a family story that my father who was 6 feet 4 inches tall, inherited his height from his Hanson ‘uncles’, some of whom were reputed to be in the Queen’s Guards, where being tall was apparently a requisite (not sure if this is true or not). My grandmother Edith Emily HANSON, born 1889 at Apethorpe, Northants, but who grew up in Lincolnshire, only had one brother who was never in the military. I’ve not been able to find any evidence so far that any of Edith’s ‘Hanson’ uncles were in the military - Thomas 1861, Charles 1864, and John 1866 were all born at Ashby-de-la-Launde, Lincs. Thomas was a farm servant 1881 – 1901 in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire but I’ve been unable to find him in the 1911 census. Charles went to Yorkshire, initially working as a farm servant, but later becoming a coal miner in the Kilnhurst/Swinton area. John became a flour miller and was in Rotheram, Yorks in 1901, but was back in Lincoln in 1911. I’ve not been able to account for an older brother James born 1850 in Dorrington after the 1861 census. It’s possible that my grandmother was referring to her great uncles who were all born in Dorrington – Thomas HANSON 1790 – 1839, and Ann HOLMES cir 1800 – 1848 had 8 sons, one of whom was the above George born 1821. I am descended from Edward (1824 – 1886). Thanks Janice Morris Wanganui, New Zealand