~ labourer, Drum Major, Drummers and Fifers, 46th Regiment of Foot ~
Meaning of the name Marler - English: occupational name for someone who hewed or quarried marl, or a topographic name for someone who lived on a patch of clay soil,
Based on available transcript and copies of records for the British 46th Regiment of Foot:
- After the death of Sergeant Robert Broadfoot in 1824, his widow Ann Carver, married again within the equivalent Regiment ranks and so maintained her position on the strength of the Regiment. This was a common practice offered to women held in high regard, by the officers. Source: FamilySearch transcripts online show one Ann Bradfute married Thomas Marlow in 1825.
My cousin Betty Donohoue nee Fitzgerald (192x - 2018) questioned my reference to Marlow as the surname and suggested that her recollection was that their great grandfather's name was either Marler or Mara and not Marlow.
The British Army in Australia 1788-1870 - index of personnel shows that a Thomas Marler was in Australia with the 46th Regiment.
I checked British Military records for names of those who served with the 46th Regiment of Foot across the years 1811 - 1830 and found a reference which shows Thomas was a drummer, and in 1824 and was appointed to the roll of Drum Major with 46th Regiment of Foot. He served both in Australia and India where he achieved the rank Sergeant and was appointed Drum Major and married the widow Ann Broadfoot nee Carver.
Similar records for military service are available on ancestry.com on World subscriptions as per my local library. This provides access to "Canada, British Regimental Registers of Service, 1756-1900". This series is comprised of scanned copies of original, British War Office Records WO 25 /394 through to 399; which detail men of the 46th Regiment of Foot.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drum_major_(military)
The Drum Major's function was to teach drumming and this was extended to include recruitment and punishment. In some instances they also became the schoolmaster at Regimental schools. Note: Since the 17th Century drummer's uniforms had 'reversed facings'. The normal British soldier wore a red coat with the facings determined by the Colonel. Before 1831 the drummer was dressed in the livery of the Colonel with red collars and cuffs and the drum major's uniform included a broad sash over the shoulder. The elaborate staff carried by the drum major is said to have been a precursor to the cane used by school teachers. My current opinion is outlined below, proposing the most convincing of suitors:-
Drum Major Thomas Marler. His records from 1810 through to 1830 were outlined over five or more documents, however, each document transcribes the original 1810 information, with additions for his overseas service and the date that Thomas died. Important information in that this date matches with the Familysearch record for one Thomas Marlow. Assuming these are the same person then why would Thomas be recorded as both Marler and Marlow ?
Standing Orders applied to soldiers’ families
1810 - Standing Orders stated:
“No soldier is to marry without the permission in writing of his commanding officer. Any man disobeying will be ordered a close prisoner in the barracks, and his wife turned out . . ..Women permitted to live in barracks are to assist in sweeping, dusting and, when circumstances require, cooking . . . Those women allowed the extra indulgence of having their children in barracks, must be particularly attentive to their habits of cleanliness . . . No women are allowed on the baggage wagons; such as are well behaved and unable to march, or having young children, will be excepted”.
Source: Regimental India - also states:
"In India, as elsewhere, soldiers’ wives and their children were a tough, enduring, devoted and remarkably cheerful breed. They cared for their husbands in hospital and on the march when deaths from cholera and fever were all too common. The children were spoiled by the unmarried soldiers who would give them tobacco and old clay pipes to smoke it in. They were part of the regimental family, and women whose husbands died followed the usual practice of marrying again as soon as possible to avoid going off the strength which would otherwise happen after six months of widowhood. Orphaned daughters as young as fourteen were married off too, since a widowed mother had no means of supporting them. To be left alone in India was not a happy situation."
Thomas Marler
Thomas Marler was born about 1798 and baptised on 26th December 1798 in the parish of St Mary Magdalene's Taunton, Somerset, England.
He seems to have been the son of William Edwin Thomas Marler (1762-1810) and Mary Walters (1763-1836), whose marriage banns appear in August 1781 and 29 September 1782, in the - Somersetshire Parish Registers - See: https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_queries/ (www.freereg.org)
The Baptism entry shows: County : Somerset.
Place (with link) : Taunton : Church name (with link) St Mary ; Register type (with link) Parish Register ; Register entry number 955 ; Baptism date: 26 Dec 1798 ; Person forename: Thomas, Father forename: William; Mother forename : Mary ; Father surname: MARLER. William
William Edwin Thomas was the son of Henry Marler and Mary Upton (born 1732) - married 17 Apr 1758 Taunton, Somerset, England
Carver Line contributors
I appreciate the significant assistance of the following persons, in respect of Benjamin Carver, and his descendents particularly the lineage of Marler, Putland, Ryan.
Anne Standen
Greg McCarry
Robyn Allman
Eve Egan
Janice McNeil
Betty Fitzgerald Donoghue
Darren Collins
Geoff Bird
Jay Ryan
Sue Glasson
April (Marlow) Vincent
My apology for anyone I have overlooked
On the 17th October 1810 at Exeter in Dover, Thomas Marler, aged 12, enrolled as ready for military service for an unlimited period. William Marler had died in 1810 which may have been the reason for Thomas enlisting. As his father died at age 48-50 years, he may have been a soldier, no longer in military service or other circumstances giving young Thomas few options for a career, other than military service.
Serjeant Collard was the officer to whom he attested and may have been related to a Sergeant Habacuc Collard, a clothier, born in Wivesliscombe, Sommerset. Habacuc Collard attested in Taunton, on 12th March 1810. and was promoted to Corporal on 25th August and Serjeant on 25th October 1811 and became the Regiment's schoolmaster.
It was in 1812 that all battalions and corps were ordered to establish regimental schools with the aim to both educate young soldiers, soldiers’ children and attested boys under the direction of sergeant schoolmasters. Regimental schools were open to both the sons and daughters of soldiers, and all were taught to read and write and were given some basic arithmetic tuition. Normal recruiting age for enlistment with the Regiment was 18 years.
Record for Thomas Marler
Born
Birth: 1798
Town: Somerset
Parish: Taunton
Occupation: Labourer
Attestation
Place: Exeter
Date: 17 Oct 1810
Period of Service: Unlimited
Enlisted by: Serjeant Collard
O/S Service: East Indies from 3 June 1819
Enlistment height: 4' 8"
At 24 years Height: 5' 5 1/2"
Age at Enlistment: 12 years, enlisted as a drummer
Hair: Sandy
Eyes: Brown
Form of head: Round
Date of Promotion:
Corporal: 12 Sept. 1823
Serjeant: (Drum Major) - 9 Dec 1824
Observations: E 24th June 1827
Deceased: 21 Oct. 1829 Secunderabad, India
Burial: Thomas Marlow - 21 Oct.1829
Burial source: familysearch.org
Thomas Marler aka Marlow served overseas:
Thomas Marler appears in Australia on pay listing dated May 1814 under Drummers and Fifers for the 46th Regiment - from 25 September to 24 December (91 days) -
Thomas Marlow, however in the record above hod overseas service in East Indies from 3 June 1819, and was promoted to Corporal on 12th September 1823, and to Drum Major on 9th December 1824, immediately prior to his marriage. Was he the same person as in Australia in 1814 ?
Marriage
Thomas Marlow and Anne Bradfoot (Broadfoot nee Carver), were married 1 on 4th February 1825 at Bellary, Madras, India. The transcripts are amended in other online information and Anne Bradfoot becomes Anne Broadfoot. Anne Carver was 27 years of age, a widow of Robert Broadfoot and remained on the strength of the Regiment by a suitable marriage to the Drum Major. It is probable that Thomas Marler knew of Ann and her marriage to Robert Broadfoot whilst they were in Australia and in India were accommodated in similar manner.
Children of Thomas Marler (Marlow) and Ann Carver
Mary Anne Marlowe 2 , born 10 Jan 1826 and christened on 28 Jan 1826 at Cannanore, Kerala, South India; daughter of Thomas Marlowe and Anne.
Thomas Marlow 3, born 19 May 1828, Secunderabad, (EIC) Madras Presidency, India, son of Thomas Marlow and Ann. He came to Australia about 1837 and married Sarah Phipps on 21 July 1851, Richmond, New South Wales. Thomas died on 23rd. Jan 1885 at Waterloo Station, Roma, Queensland, which today is a cattle station. Their children may have been the following:-
Charles,
Lavinia,
Thomas Marlow jnr married Sarah Phipps and Elizabeth Ann may have been the only surviving child. (Family Stated: 'Ellen, Letitia and Emma may have been born by a second wife. Ellen' and 'Letitia' I don't believe were born from Sarah. I haven't been able to find Sarah's death.)
Elizabeth Anne maybe the only surviving child and her first born was Edward James on 4th. July 1884. (BDM Qld. B32724). Edward's father was her employer, for whom Elizabeth did some domestic work in Brisbane. Elizabeth Ann married a David Shaw in Sydney some three years later and had several children with him.
Edward James took the surname Marlow, rather than the actual father's name. Edward was said to be a similar build to his grandfather and there is a prisoner record in Brisbane Queensland where he was charged with deserting his then wife c. 1910. NSW prison records:- MARLOW Edward James 1884 Queensland Darlinghurst 24/06/1910 11390
His descendant grandchild April Sandra Marlow, suggests: "The story goes that she was housekeeper for a family of high standing in Brisbane. The wife became ill and continued as such. Apparently, the employer took advantage of the employee, as often occurred."
Sarah Elizabeth Marlow 4, born 9 February 1830, Secunderabad, (EIC) Madras Presidency, India, daughter of Thomas Marlow and Ann. Sarah married Henry Smith in 1850 and he died the same year aged 25; Sarah married again in 1853, one Henry T. Purcell (1817-1908) at St Matthew's, Windsor, New South Wales, Australia.
Notes:
0 Somerset Parish Register: Taunton St.Mary Magdalen Marriages ~ shows one William Marler married Mary Walters on 29 September, 1782.
Meaning of the name Marler - source on ancestry.com
Thomas Marlow and Anne Bradfoot (Broadfoot), Marriage in India - Source: FamilySearch - Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M00057-7; System Origin: India-EASy; GS Film number: 521838 ;
Also See: GRO Chaplains Returns Marriages (1796 to 1880) for the Indian Subcontinent indicate at Station: Madras, Thomas Marlow married in 1825. (Page: 465 - Spouse's last name: Not available for GRO Chaplains Returns Marriages (1796 to 1880)).
It is possible this is another person and some researcher on family search assumes this to be the case and others note one Ann Marlow who died in UK in 1862.
1826 Birth (1) of Mary Anne Marlowe - India, Births and Baptisms, 1786-1947,- Ecclesiastical Returns for the Madras Presidency (BMB) 1825-27 - Film 521 838 p48 Vol.10 - index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FGWK-7HL)
1828 Birth(2) of Thomas Marlow, son of Thomas Marlow and Ann- familysearch.org. Thomas married Sarah Phipps in 1866.
1830 Birth(3) of Sarah Elizabeth Marlow , 9 February 1830, Secunderabad, Madras, India, daughter of Thomas Marlow and Ann.
1829 Death of Thomas Marlow - Burial date 21st October, 1829, index, "India Deaths and Burials, 1719-1948," FamilySearch Burial Place: Secunderabad, Madras, India.
Marler, Thos, Military Records
Military records for the British 46th Regiment of Foot in the years 1811 - 1830 as recorded under the Canada, British Regimental Registers of Service, 1756-1900:-
WO25 / 394 - 46th Foot Soldiers 1811 - 1820 / Thos Marler / Robert Broadfoot
WO25 / 395 - 46th Foot Soldiers 1811 - 1820 / Thos Marler page 25 (49) / Robert Broadfoot page 11 (22)
WO25 / 396 - 46th Foot Soldiers 1820 - 1825 / Thos Marler 24 Nov 1822 page 6 (6) / Robert Broadfoot page 4 (8) / Alex Appelbe page 85 (170)
WO25 / 397 - 46th Foot Soldiers 1825 - 1830 / Thos Marler 24 Nov 1822 page 6 (12) /
Thomas Marler in Australia - AUSTRALIAN JOINT COPYING PROJECT - AJCP Microfilm 3796 - 46th Regiment in Australia May 1814 / WO12-5809_p 241-N1
under "Index of Personnel for the British Army in Australia 1788-1870" (ISBN 1 875770 02 1 - fiche 2 of 2. Source: Tasmania's Linc - These records are available in print and on microfiche at Staterun libraries.
Notes:
History of Bellary - wikipedia - In 1796 AD, Asaf Jah II, harassed by the Marathas and Tipu Sultan, had opted to get British military protection under Lord Wellesley's doctrine of Subsidiary Alliance. As part of this agreement, As If Jah II ceded a large portion of the acquired territory including Bellary, to the British, to be added to the Madras Presidency as 'Bellary District'. This area was also known as the Ceded Districts,[map 7] a term still used for the areas, and was considerably larger than the present district....
Other Military persons of the name Thomas Marlow
Multiple persons of the name Thomas "Mahlow" joined the ranks of various British Regiments of Foot and transcription writers have used variants of the name Marler, Marlow and Marlowe, seemingly to describe the same person. This made his identification challenging.
Military records for a match to Thomas Marlow will reference their enlistments (attestment date) between 1790 and 1825 and service records or discharge documents and pension records 1827 - 1830. Regiments which served on the subcontinent of India between 1825 and 1829 can then be taken into consideration. Thomas Marlow was eligible at 18 years old to join the British army, so he probably enlisted between 1809 and 1817 in England or Scotland. Military records show four such candidates, at least two of whom served in India, one in the Bombay presidency and one in the Madras presidency, where Ann Carver was stationed from 1817 - 1832. I have removed the links to three stories of Military men of the name Thomas Marlow, because they do NOT satisfy the criteria of service with the 46th Regiment nor did their death occur in India. Theinformation on the these three enlisted men of the name Thomas Marlow may be made available through a request by email to (author) at kapjt11@gmail.com.
Refer to the links in highlighted text for the marriage and burial records and birth records of the children of Thomas Marlow(e) and Ann. These records have proven most persuasive, showing Thomas died aged 31 under the name Marlow and was the same person who married Ann Broadfoot (Bradfute) on the subcontinent of India.
An officer Benjamin William Marlow M.D. Appears the British Army lists : See register
An unexplained observations on Thomas's record provides the detail "E 24th June 1827" and another records shows him deceased on 21st October, 1829. It was in 1829 that a General Order was issued permitting soldiers to volunteer to other corps serving in India, and the 46th Regiment had begun the process of being reduced. As there was no military action at that time, Thomas was not killed in action and thereby may have succumbed to an illness.Thomas Marler (Marlow) died 5 in Secunderabad, (EIC) Madras Presidency, India, aged 31, on 20 October, 1829 and was buried on 21 October 1829 in Secunderbad. Widowed a second time, Ann Marlow and her children remained on the strength of the Regiment, within the military community on the Indian Subcontinent, where the children were probably in school.
Other persons of the name Thomas Marlow in Australia
Colonial Secretary Index shows one MARLOW, Thomas. Per "Chapman", 1817 / 1817 Aug 5,9 - On return of convicts arrived per "Chapman" who embarked on the "Jupiter" for Hobart (Reel 6005; 4/3496 pp.272, 288)