TOPIC:

First,thank you for allowing me to join this forum.

I am researching my late Ggrandfather, James Kenyon, born Bold Nr Widnes Lancashire circa 1857. By 1875 he had enlisted in the 34th Reg of Foor (1st Batt Border Regiment).
He spent nearly 10 years serving in India before returning in or about 1891.
He enlisted again in or around 1898 in the South Lancashire Regiment (source publication on his sons death in WW!). He had died prior to the 1901 UK census as his wife was shown as widowed.

Can any member advise me how I can proceed further with this research.

GeoffW
Welcome to the Forum. Do you think your GGF served during the Boer War? I had a quick look in the Palmer Casualty roll for any J.Kenyons in the South Lancs just in case - but the only faint prospect was one in the East Lancs. It would really help if you were able to supply any relevant info you may have. If you have access to one of the commercial sites, it would be possible to have a search done at a cost. Or have a researcher do it for you.
Good luck with your quest. You might let us know if you have any results.
Regards
IL.

Thank you Linneyl for your quick response.

I at first thought James would have enlisted back into his old regiment and have gone down that path without success. The South Lancashire thread came from a book that was written about men who had died from Widnes in WW1, his son had enlisted, the short statement on his son states that James ,his Father,had died in the Boer War. That at the moment is all I have to go on.

The Kenyon you found was from Blackburn, I came across him the other week.

Thank you once again

Hello Geoff
Welcome to the forum.
Was your Great Grandfather James Kenyon a Shunter at a Alkali works in 1891 aged 34?
Son of William and Elizabeth?
Also, could he have married a Margaret Martin in Carlisle on January 22nd 1877?

Thank you for your response.
Yes the James Kenyon you found was in fact James he had returned from India by then a widower. The Margaret you found again is correct, she died in India 1887, So the 1891 census shwows him as a widower.

He remarried in 1898 to a Catherine Murphy, two sons were born John 1899 (died WW1) and James 1900. The census for 1901 shows Catherine as a widow. The marriage certificate for Annie the daughter shows on her father as deceased.

I did find a death for a James Kenyon died Widnes 1906, but this does not fit with the above.

The information regarding the South Lance Regiment came from a book which was publishes regarding the deaths of men who had died in WW1. Confirmed by a local newspaper which wrote about the men as they had died during that conflict.

Thanks once again

He joined the 34th regiment of foot (Cumberland) on 14th August 1875.
From August to December 1878 he was at Carlisle.
According to his records he left for India on 12th Dec 1878 and returned in December 1888. He was a Private, regiment number 695. 2nd Brigade. The dates above I would suspect include his time in the 34th and as the Cumberland and Westmorland amalgamated in 1881 he was then 1st Battalion Border Regiment. He was promoted to Lance Corporal, Corporal, and even made Sergeant. However, seems he had a dicipline issue and was put on several charges and was busted through the ranks back to a private. As you have mentioned he lost his wife in service in India that might have had something to do with it?
He spent quite a few days in hospital whilst in India, with issues and symptoms that soldiers regularly suffered from.
He returned to England on the 26th January 1888 and was Discharged on the 1st of February 1888. Having served 12 years and 175 days.

PS. Why do you think there may be a Boer War connection? could it be one of his his brothers John or William?