The Nosey Genealogist

While I was at the Society of Genealogists recently, you may know from my last posting, that I read a book on the Hays of Hopes. This was my maternal grandmother’s line. In this publication it gave me the detail that my great-grandfather was “at one time Lieutenant in the 17th Leicestershire Regiment”. This revealed the exact name of the regiment and tied in nicely with snippets of information I was beginning to acquire from elsewhere on this gentleman who had been born in 1845 in Tours, France to Scottish parents and died in 1909 in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

His parent’s Janette and Charles Crosland Hay seem to reside in various parts of Britain, mostly south of the border, until they settled in Cheltenham where their children went to school. In “Victorian Legacy”, a book published in 1998 by the Revd Stanley Rudman on the wall memorials in Christ Church Cheltenham, my great-grandfather Edward is mentioned in the write up of his parent’s memorial, along with his brothers. The Revd Rudman attempted, in his publication, to fill in the background to the families of those commemorated in the church and he mentions that Charles and Janette had 5 sons, 4 of whom were attending Cheltenham College when their mother died. For Edward Adolphe Massy Hay, Rudman says that “He became a Lieut. in 17th Regt and subsequently a tea planter in Ceylon wher he died at Kandy in 1909.”

When I had read this, in 2006, I had wondered which 17th Regiment he had joined as one of his brothers, William Wemyss Frewen Hay, had joined the 17th Bengal Native Infantry. Naturally, I had wondered if Edward had joined then as well. This shows how to beware of jumping to conclusions in family history research and to go to the source if at all possible.

I next found mention of Edward in The United Service Magazine, Published by H. Colburn, 1864 Item notes: 1864 pt.2 page 460 showing that he purchased his commission in the 17th Foot. So not the 17th Bengal NI then!

On a visit to The National Archives I spent some time looking at their copies of Hart’s Army Lists and found the 1866 edition. Flicking through the pages to the 17th Foot, The Leicestershire Regiment I found the entry that proved Ensign [2 Ed A Massy Hay, d 31 May 64.

I am yet to understand all but wonder if the “[2″ refers to the 2nd battalion but I believe the “d” may refer to him being posted to the depot in Chatham and not abroad. I excitedly went to Hart’s Army Lists 1867 and turned to the 17th Leicestershire Regt. but alas Edward was not there! Had he left the army by then? If so when had he become a Lieutenant as he is referred to in both the Revd Rudman’s publication and that other book on the Hay’s of Hopes?

Seems my research much go on into this man, as all is not clear!

I next visited the Royal Leicestershire Regimental Museum in Newarke house. I saw here an officer’s uniform that was contemporary to my great-grandfather’s time. As to be expected for the times, the regiment wore a Red coat.

As an aside; In the Hart’s Army List for 1866 the price to purchase a commission as Ensign cost £1200. Using the website Measuring Worth I found that, using the retail prices index, £1200 is worth £78,890.29 in current money. That is some investment great-grandfather Hay!