LONDON — I woke up this morning and could remember the name missing from my list of in-flight movies: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. Amazing what a good night’s sleep will do!

After the first of what will probably be many full English breakfasts I made my way to Kew to visit the National Archives. The reason for the visit was to try and find my lost 3 × great grandfather Josiah. Lost in the sense that he disappeared from the census records without leaving an easily identifiable death certificate. I have the death certificate for a Private Josiah Hewitt of about the right age who died at the 43rd Brigade Depôt barracks in Chichester, West Sussex in August 1873. Was this soldier my lost ancestor? After five hours of looking through the muster rolls and pay lists for the 107th Regiment of Foot, I found the answer.

Private Josiah Hewitt was born in Stoke-upon-Trent. A potter by trade, he enlisted on 10 April 1853 and became non-effective on 1 August 1873. So he is not my ancestor. Not the answer I was hoping for and I must admit to feeling a measure of disappointment. At least the question has been resolved one way or the other.

After grabbing some lunch mid-afternoon from the Archive cafeteria, I decided to go in search of Kew Gardens. The way was very well sign-posted but I’m sure it was further than the stated 400m. I had been hoping that entry would be free—but it wasn’t, and because it was getting late in the afternoon and I wouldn’t have been able to do it justice, it will come as no surprise to those of you who know of my love for gardening that I decided to give it a miss. Another time maybe when I have a day to spare.

Tomorrow morning it’s back to the British Library to search for Benjamin Coles.

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