Saint Vincent to Bengal to Paisley...

[Tom Tom]

Thanks in advance for looking. This is something I keep coming back to, so may have asked in the past but not got anywhere so looking for any fresh ideas...

Known facts...

Florence Georgina Gordon Kerr was born 11 January 1879 in Raniket, Bengal, India.

Birth certificate tells me her parents were Thomas and Olivia Kerr and he was Color Sergant 1/14th Regt.
Birth and baptism of FGG Kerr is also on Family search, as well as three sisters:

Edith Elizabeth, Alice Sophia and Margaret Louisa.

In 1881 the family are in Paisley, Scotland.

Thomas Kerr (Head) age 41, born Ireland.
Olivia Kerr (Wife) age 29, born West Indies, St Vincent.
Alice and Florence are also here. Presume other two daughters died.


Olivia died 21st January 1882 in Paisley.
Death certificate gives the details:
Olivia Newbury Kerr, aged 30,
Parents: James Janaway Barracks Sergeant, dec. and Sophia Ann Janaway Maiden name Abbott.


I have then found the following birth:
Olivia Melvina Newbury January, daughter of James and Sophia January on 21st August 1851 in Kingstown. James is a Private.



I would love to know more about Olivia's parents but have never been able to find anything out about them at all.
Also, there is a marriage of Thomas Kerr to Olivia Meskell on Family Search.

20 May 1871 in Cawnpore, Bengal India.
Thomas Kerr (31), Father = Thomas Kerr (matches with my other info).
Olivia Meskell (19), Father = Henry Shannon

Ages are correct, place is correct, first names are correct (Olivia isn't that common a name) but her Father's name is wrong. Not even the same surname as she has. I suppose I need to go about getting a copy of the original...

Any ideas?

[Tom Tom]

Hmmm, this looks interesting...

There is a marriage in JAS 1869 in Medway Kent.

Olivia Jannaway and Martin Meskell on the same page.


The other couple on the page married each other.

[Phoenix]

Do you know anything about Olivia's mother? Women were in high demand out there and it may be that Henry Shannon was a step father. You might name him on a marriage certificate as indication of a guardian.

[Tom Tom]

All I know about her is what is assumed from Olivia's Scottish death which gives her as Sophia Ann Jannaway (maiden name Abbott). If she had remarried I would have thought the name on Olivia's death would have been Sophia Ann xxxx.
It is something to look into though; thanks for the idea.

I have ordered the Meskell / Jannaway marriage.

[Merry]

For what it's worth, there's a Martin Meskell in the newspapers in 1868 because he was a witness re an attempted murder at Tilbury Dock. He was reported as being a corporal in the 14th Regiment of Foot. Don't know if it's the same man and can't see an army record for him yet.

[kiterunner]

I seem to remember the Medway church records are available to browse through, Tom, in case you can't wait for the cert:
http://cityark.medway.gov.uk/

Though it might take a while to look through all the churches and of course they may have married at the register office.

[Tom Tom]

Thanks Merry.
Thomas Kerr (likely Olivia's second husband) was in the 14th Regiment of Foot.

Hope this marriage certificate arrives quickly!

[Phoenix]

"The 1/14th served in India for 25 years until 1831. A third battalion was formed in 1813 and fought at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The 3/14th was disbanded in 1816. Apart from taking part in campaigns against the French in Mauritius in 1810 and the Dutch in Java in 1811, the latter adding another Battle Honour.

The 14th then were posted to the West Indies, Canada, Malta and in 1855 the Regiment the served in the Crimean war. In 1876 the Prince of Wales, presented new Colours to the 1st Battalion and conferred on the 14th the honoured title of The Prince of Wales's Own. 1858 saw a second battalion raised once more and took part in the New Zealand Wars of 1860-6 and the Second Anglo-Afghan War 1879-80."

Not exactly a quiet, stay at home, life!

[kiterunner]

James Janeway is listed on this medal roll for China, 1860:
Ancestry Medal Rolls#

I think his regimental number is shown as 3391.

[Tom Tom]

Thanks Phoenix. That's interesting reading.

Thanks Kate - another document in the paper chase.

I am having a search through the Medway site but it isn't the easiest to use.