Hello everybody,I have a genealogy enquiry about George Birt who was born in Gloucestershire in 1863. We are researching the family history of the Birt family and our special interest in George Birt is that George's great nephew still lives in Gloucestershire and has both warm memories of 'Uncle George' as well as a very precious item that I believe to be a Stable Belt. The belt is hand sewn and has the name of George Birt with also the two words East Indies sewn in stitches. We have been able to trace the family quite extensively but the only George we can find may well be a Fusilier in the 1/7th RWF in Pembroke Dock in 1881. The age and the place of birth do fit but as yet there is no definite proof that this is the right George. We cannot find him in the 1891 census but by 1901 he is back in Gloucestershire and married. By the way there are very many George Birt names within the same few miles in Gloucestershire around this time. There were many branches to the Birt tree and they need a good deal of untangling! I am not knowledgeable about military matters at all and would be very grateful to receive any comments / suggestions from your members. Our elderly friend recalls his George telling tales of travel and as a child thought that his uncle was a 'slave-trader'. I realise that this was not the case but I do think the George in Pembroke Dock may well have been the same man and may well have travelled to far flung places having local inhabitants as regimental servants. Would he have been waiting to sail while the census was taken and perhaps then abroad in 1891? And can someone explain in simple language to me the reference of 1/7th in the census as I will need to ascertain his personal number to be able to track his records through sources like The National Archives, won't I?
I'm sure we can help move you a little way forward on your research....couple of questions regarding the stable belt:
1. Can you describe the colours.
2. Could you obtain a picture, and post it on the site, as this would be of interest to a few of our members.
I can tell you that the Regiments 2nd Battalion, was based in Pembroke Dock in 1881. they arrived approx 16th November of that year, travelling by rail from Plymouth.(Source: Regimental Records). Although I have seen other regimental documents that suggest they may have been at Pembroke on the 1st March!!! That poses a further question?
3. What month in 1881 was the Census conducted.
I'm sure there will be further responses and advice from other members
Thank you. The census date for that year was 3rd April. And here is a photograph of the belt. I hope I have understood your technical instructions correctly for attaching it. Do let me know if I have got it wrong. The words East Indies are each set in the yellow stitching on either side of his name. The lining on the back is hand stitched and there is a little pocket with a button made into the lining. The leather work is not hand stitched. The stripe of red at the top and the bottom is actually not all red but a mix of small stitches - I think from memory - of red and yellow. It is not in my possession at the moment.
I may be completely wrong, but I think that George Birt was a member of the 1st Bn The Royal Fusiliers(7th Regiment of Foot). They were based at the dock until 1881 and replaced by the Royal Welch Fusiliers(23rd Foot).
That would account for the 1/7th Title, which became defunct during 1881 when regiments were renumbered and were given a proper title.
The only reference to a George Birt I can find is shown below. However, the George Birt born in 1863 would have been 51 years old in 1914.
I know that men who had previously served in the army would be accepted up to the age of 45 in 1914. Having said that, there are many recorded instances of under-age, and indeed overage, men being accepted into the service. So I suppose there could be a slight possibility, although an improbable one, that they are the same man.
Birt, George Corps:Royal Welsh Fusiliers - Regimental Number: 34611 and Labour Corps - Regimental Number: 126060 Rank:Private
Thank you to Ap1, Richard Ward and Bob Bacon for your replies and comments and I apologise for not writing sooner - I was not too well. I will follow up your suggestions and see where they lead us.
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