Mystery corps uniform amongst RGA 1909 Bermuda

[aodhdubh]

4 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

You would need to trace his name, but as you can see he had brought his wife and 6 children with him (some may have been born there) and that suggests a posting of some years length.

NB.  It was interesting to see some famous names among the Guards officers, including Wellesley (connected with the Duke of Wellington) and Fitzroy-Somerset (connected with Lord Raglan).  Also Messrs Bagot and Loyd. 

Curiously, the article on the inquest and burial mentions his wife and six children departing on HMS Tamar. The article on the 2nd Battalion's arrival, however, lists departures on the Tamar at the bottom, including one woman and six children of the Army Service Corps.

Checking Church of England parish registers, there are no baptisms for the family, only:

St. George's Burials

Vanse Charles 48y St. George's Parish 1890 August 6 Barrack? Sgt. SgG1

Looking in the Royal Gazette, I see one other mention on the 5th of August, 1890, of Barrack Sergeant Charles Vause in relation to his two year old son escaping death by drowning on the 1st of August, 1890, four days before the father himself died. The site of the near drowning was off the "Commissariat Wharf", which was renamed the "Army Service Corps Wharf" (it is marked on the 1901 Savage Ordnance Survey map). The son was presumably not born in Bermuda as he was not baptised there. His two years of age implies the family had been in Bermuda less than that.

It has been said that the garrison, and to a lesser degree the dockyard, was important to the development of Bermuda as a tourist destination, which began in the 19th Century with mostly wealthy Americans wintering there with their families...including unmarried daughters. Part of the lure was the pool of unmarried, and un-monied titled aristocrat officers Bermuda was believed to hold, and officers were invited to dances and other get-togethers at hotels like the Princess where they might meet their future brides.

Edited 26 October , 2021 by aodhdubh

[FROGSMILE]

5 hours ago, aodhdubh said:

Curiously, the article on the inquest and burial mentions his wife and six children departing on HMS Tamar. The article on the 2nd Battalion's arrival, however, lists departures on the Tamar at the bottom, including one woman and six children of the Army Service Corps.

Checking Church of England parish registers, there are no baptisms for the family, only:

St. George's Burials

Vanse Charles 48y St. George's Parish 1890 August 6 Barrack? Sgt. SgG1

Looking in the Royal Gazette, I see one other mention on the 5th of August, 1890, of Barrack Sergeant Charles Vause in relation to his two year old son escaping death by drowning on the 1st of August, 1890, four days before the father himself died. The site of the near drowning was off the "Commissariat Wharf", which was renamed the "Army Service Corps Wharf" (it is marked on the 1901 Savage Ordnance Survey map). The son was presumably not born in Bermuda as he was not baptised there. His two years of age implies the family had been in Bermuda less than that.

It has been said that the garrison, and to a lesser degree the dockyard, was important to the development of Bermuda as a tourist destination, which began in the 19th Century with mostly wealthy Americans wintering there with their families...including unmarried daughters. Part of the lure was the pool of unmarried, and un-monied titled aristocrat officers Bermuda was believed to hold, and officers were invited to dances and other get-togethers at hotels like the Princess where they might meet their future brides.

It seems that the Vause family suffered a series of misfortunes in the short time they were in Bermuda.  Reading between the lines it appears that he, Sergeant Vause, was probably sent out as part of an advance party to ensure that the barracks was suitably prepared for the arrival of 2nd Grenadier Guards.  Although originally of the 1st Battalion I suppose it’s possible that he was sent out from London or Windsor.  His service record would probably make it clear.  

[aodhdubh]

1 hour ago, FROGSMILE said:

It seems that the Vause family suffered a series of misfortunes in the short time they were in Bermuda.  Reading between the lines it appears that he, Sergeant Vause, was probably sent out as part of an advance party to ensure that the barracks was suitably prepared for the arrival of 2nd Grenadier Guards.  Although originally of the 1st Battalion I suppose it’s possible that he was sent out from London or Windsor.  His service record would probably make it clear.  

Thanks. I'll see if I can find it.

[FROGSMILE]

7 minutes ago, aodhdubh said:

Thanks. I'll see if I can find it.

It’s not a definite, but your pointing out the short time that they (the family) had been there, plus his former regiment being the same, made me think it might be a possibility, especially as the GG did not usually take up colonial postings outside of conflict as mentioned earlier in the thread.  It will be interesting if you find anything in his record, assuming it probably still survives.  As he died in service I imagine that his widow and offspring probably received a military pension too.

Edited 26 October , 2021 by FROGSMILE

[aodhdubh]

3 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

It’s not a definite, but your pointing out the short time that they (the family) had been there, plus his former regiment being the same, made me think it might be a possibility, especially as the GG did not usually take up colonial postings outside of conflict as mentioned earlier in the thread.  It will be interesting if you find anything in his record, assuming it probably still survives.  As he died in service I imagine that his widow and offspring probably received a military pension too.

I cannot find anything for his time in Bermuda, against the ASC, Grenadier Guards or any other corps or unit. His Grenadier Guards service records include a period on Army Staff.

Edited 26 October , 2021 by aodhdubh

[FROGSMILE]

The point at which he “transferred to the staff of the army” (effectively garrison staff) is the time when he ceased wearing regimental insignia and adopted instead the cypher.  It was the equivalent of when an officer is promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel and ceases wearing his regimental badge because he’s on the staff from that point onward. 

[aodhdubh]

8 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

The point at which he “transferred to the staff of the army” (effectively garrison staff) is the time when he ceased wearing regimental insignia and adopted instead the cypher.  It was the equivalent of when an officer is promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel and ceases wearing his regimental badge because he’s on the staff from that point onward. 

Thanks very much. You are a veritable fountain of knowledge.

[FROGSMILE]

3 hours ago, aodhdubh said:

Thanks very much. You are a veritable fountain of knowledge.

Just the military equivalent of an anorak clad, train spotter perhaps, but I’m glad to help.