Search for content in message boards

Hubbard - French POW in England during Napoleonic Wars

Re: Hubbard - French POW in England during Napoleonic Wars

Posted: 9 Sep 2011 5:28PM GMT
Classification: Query
Dear Adrian,
Britain was not at war with Denmark until the League of Armed Neutrality of 1800-1801 when the Baltic nations banded together to oppose British naval policy. We were at war with Denamrk again from 1807-14. So your ancestor could not have been an official Danish prisoner of war during the early 1790s.

However, if he was a POW, then he may have been taken captive on board a French vessel, such as a merchant ship or privateer, in the early years of the Revolutionary War. If so, he would have been classified as 'French', i.e. taken in the service of the French. His record will be in one of the many General Entry Books for French prisoners for the local depots at Stapleton,Bristol (ADM103/411, 412 and 419),Pembroke (ADM103/103,104 - though these are mainly for the later years from 1797). He would only be on parole if he was an officer.

As a Dane, if he was taken prisoner serving on board a French ship, he could apply to the Admiralty for release as being a subject of a neutral nation, and then decided to settle in the area, hence marrying a local girl in 1796.

The other possibility could be that he was a seaman on board British merchant vessels, as such ships would employ any skilled seaman no matter what their nationality.

The upshot of my reply is that you will need to find positive evidence that he was a prisoner of war before narrowing down the search to the particular ADM record that would shed light on his story.

Hope this is of interest. Good luck with your research.

Regards,
Paul

Re: Hubbard - French POW in England during Napoleonic Wars

Posted: 30 Sep 2011 8:41PM GMT
Classification: Query
I may be able to help as I am researching French Napoleonic POWs. I am looking specially at Wincanton in somerset.
It would help to have rank service (navy? Army? )
Rgds

Re: Hubbard - French POW in England during Napoleonic Wars

Posted: 24 Nov 2011 4:43PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Hubbard
Hi Paul,
Just been looking at your response again and I did think it could possibly be him but now I'm not so sure. Here are results of my research so far:

My Grandfather was Stanley Hubbard. His Father was Frank Hubbard whom I have found on the 1911 census:

HUBBARD, Frank, Head, Married, M, 52, 1859, Lincensed Victualler Out Of Work, Northampton, Kings Cliffe
HUBBARD, Sarah Jane, Wife, Married 28 years, F, 45, 1866 , Norfolk Snettisham
HUBBARD, Harold, Son, Single, M, 20, 1891, Clerk To Coal Merchant, Lincoln, Spalding
HUBBARD, Cecil, Son, Single, M, 14, 1897, Erand Boy School, Lincoln, Spalding
HUBBARD, Elsie, Daughter, Single, F, 11, 1900, School, Lincoln, Spalding
HUBBARD, Stanley, Son, Single, M, 9, 1902, School, Lincoln, Spalding

Subsequently through census I found Frank's father to be James Valentine Hubbard.
I then found James Valentine's marriage and have the certificate:

On 26 May 1844 marriage solemnized at The Parish Church in the Parish of St. Gregory in the City of Norwich.
James Valentine Hubbard, Bachelor, Tailor, residing at time of marriage in St. Gregory. Father James Hubbard, Tailor.
Sarah Johnson, Spinster, residing at time of marriage in St. Gregory. Father William Johnson, Bricklayer.
Married by William Hun PC in the presence of Samuel Scott and Susan Scott.

That is how I came by the name James Hubbard. Although James Valentine is listed as a Tailor at the time of his marriage on all subsequent census he is listed as a farmer or gamekeeper. The census places his birth around 1820 in Great Melton, Norfolk but I cannot find any birth record. The only clue I have as to his parents is from the marriage certificate, ie Father James Hubbard, tailor. If family legend is correct regarding the French POW then I imagine that this would be James Hubbard. Unless my calculations are incorrect and I should be going back another generation to look for the Frenchman?!!

The only birth record I can find that could be a match for James Valentine is to parents James Hubbard and Pleasance Fisher but that James was born in 1786 in Melton, Norfolk, not in France or 'Foreign Parts' so although the census records fit, I don't think that's him. He is also a farmer.

I'm struggling with the National Archives and can't get to Kew and am completely stuck, going round and round in circles so if you can help in any way that would be fantastic!
Kim :)

Re: Hubbard - French POW in England during Napoleonic Wars

Posted: 19 Apr 2012 10:43AM GMT
Classification: Query
I attended a lecture last week on POW from the Napoleonic Wars given by a researcher from English Heritage who is researching POW prisons in Hampshire. in the National Archives in Kew. She also explained that officers were granted parole and lift in villages local to the other ranks prisons. A contact at English Heritage on this research is pam.braddock@english-heritage-.org.uk

Re: Hubbard - French POW in England during Napoleonic Wars

Posted: 20 May 2012 11:55AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Habart
I have just read your article about Jean Marie Phillippe Habart who is my 5th great grand father. I noticed that you said you had a photo of his grave, I know that this is a bit cheecky but would I be able to have a copy of this photo. I have been trying to do my family tree and I keep hitting brick walls. I would really appreciate it if you could email me the photo.

thanks
Julie Fletcher

Re: Hubbard - French POW in England during Napoleonic Wars

Posted: 20 May 2012 3:06PM GMT
Classification: Query
I am happy to provide a photo of Habart's grave. If you would like to correspond outside of this forum on my email address - illustrated.entertainment@ntlworld.com I will send a picture plus some information about Habart and his time in Norman Cross prison depot.

I am writing a book on the subject of this prison, and will be including Habart's story. I would be interested to know of his descendants (I have details of his immediate family in the 19th century). Where have they migrated to? Are they still in the Peterborough area?
Regards,
Paul

Re: Hubbard - French POW in England during Napoleonic Wars

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 12:52PM GMT
Classification: Query
hi the only thing i got on napoleonic war prisoners that was recorded is that they worked on the sea defenses in the severn beach area which is just on the outskirts of bristol hope this can be of some help to you

Re: Hubbard - French POW in England during Napoleonic Wars

Posted: 16 Jul 2013 8:16AM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Egelstaff. Egelsdorff
Adrian John I can only assume that you are the son of Audrey Gertrude & Peter Raymond. Grandfather Walter Hugh & Ethel Mary Seabrook. You are a decedent of Thomas Rawlins Egelstaff & I of Issac Egelstaff both of Clifton Bridge fame. We start at Jeremiah M.Egelsdorff & Martha Rees. That's as far back as I go. Let me know if you find a link to Denmark. Cheers Norm Egelstaff

Re: Hubbard - French POW in England during Napoleonic Wars

Posted: 25 May 2014 12:04PM GMT
Classification: Military
Surnames: Pique
Hi,

I am also looking for POW records but for a man called Louis Francois Antoine Pique in Dover. He too settled and married a local girl in 1815. There is a lot of information about him after 1830, but not before and not why he was in Dover at this time and where he was born, it only ever states France. The National Archives hold records, but hard for me to get there.

Lisa
per page

Find a board about a specific topic