John A Bennett
New Member
My Great Great Great Grandfather was born around 1771 in Birmingham.
He was a Labourer and no doubt yearning for adventure and possibly a different sort of life, and so aged 18 and measuring 5ft and 4inches, Mordecai enlisted in the St. Helena Infantry on 17th October 1789.
The Regiment’s new draft sailed for St. Helena onboard the East Indiaman Royal Charlotte on 5th January 1790 and on 27th March 1790, the ship reached St. Helena and he joined the 1st Company under the command of Major Francis Robinson.
On 15th April 1791, Private Mordecai or now Maurice as he was known, sailed onboard the Hon. East India Company ship Alfred under Captain James Farquharson to another of the HEIC outposts in Madras, India. Possibly as the ship’s own ‘marines’ to guard against the marauding French and the ship returned to St. Helena on 22nd February 1792.
Maurice was by this time living with a lady called Florella / Flora ( born on the Island in c 1785 and who became a free slave ) and had been transferred from the St. Helena infantry to the St. Helena Artillery and was promoted to Sergeant.
He and Florella / Flora had three children.
Maria C1808
Baptised 30th May 1813 married in 1830 and she produced 6 children.
Jane C1810
Baptised 30th May 1813
Married on 29th December 1828 at St. James’s in Jamestown to Felix Howes / Houze / House ( 1809 – 30th December 1861 ) a Drummer in the St. Helena Artillery. They had one son Felix Jnr born in 1832 who became a Carpenter and who married Phoebe Murray in March 1858.
James C1812 9 My Great Great Grandfather )
Baptised 30th May 1813
Maurice finally married Florella on 20th December 1820 and he died seven years later aged c. 56 on 26th July 1827 in Jamestown, St. Helena. While Florella died aged 88 on 12th January 1853.
Any information on any of the above will be greatfully received!
He was a Labourer and no doubt yearning for adventure and possibly a different sort of life, and so aged 18 and measuring 5ft and 4inches, Mordecai enlisted in the St. Helena Infantry on 17th October 1789.
The Regiment’s new draft sailed for St. Helena onboard the East Indiaman Royal Charlotte on 5th January 1790 and on 27th March 1790, the ship reached St. Helena and he joined the 1st Company under the command of Major Francis Robinson.
On 15th April 1791, Private Mordecai or now Maurice as he was known, sailed onboard the Hon. East India Company ship Alfred under Captain James Farquharson to another of the HEIC outposts in Madras, India. Possibly as the ship’s own ‘marines’ to guard against the marauding French and the ship returned to St. Helena on 22nd February 1792.
Maurice was by this time living with a lady called Florella / Flora ( born on the Island in c 1785 and who became a free slave ) and had been transferred from the St. Helena infantry to the St. Helena Artillery and was promoted to Sergeant.
He and Florella / Flora had three children.
Maria C1808
Baptised 30th May 1813 married in 1830 and she produced 6 children.
Jane C1810
Baptised 30th May 1813
Married on 29th December 1828 at St. James’s in Jamestown to Felix Howes / Houze / House ( 1809 – 30th December 1861 ) a Drummer in the St. Helena Artillery. They had one son Felix Jnr born in 1832 who became a Carpenter and who married Phoebe Murray in March 1858.
James C1812 9 My Great Great Grandfather )
Baptised 30th May 1813
Maurice finally married Florella on 20th December 1820 and he died seven years later aged c. 56 on 26th July 1827 in Jamestown, St. Helena. While Florella died aged 88 on 12th January 1853.
Any information on any of the above will be greatfully received!