Charles Truscott Tapp (1829)

Born 23 Nov 1829 in Stoke Damerel, Devon, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Rebecca Littleton (Hoskin) Tapp — married 1850 in Lewisham ditrict

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Biography

Charles was born 23 Nov 1829 and baptised on 9 Oct 1831, son of John Tapp shipwright and Mary Penwarn Gillard. Charles joined Royal Engineers as a Sapper (Reg No 1325) on 6 Jun 1846. Charles Tapp married Rebecca Littleton Hoskin in 1850 in the Lewisham district. He was then a private Royal Sappers living in Plumstead, son of John Tapp shipwright of Plymouth Dock and Mary Gillard. He signed and she made her mark, witnessed by J McAuley and Maria Ferrell. In 1851 Rebecca was 22 a soldiers wife and dressmaker from Menheniott living by herself in Landrake village. In 1851 the only soldiers found were a Charles Tapp 30 from Middlesex sergeant at Dover Heights Barracks, and another 33 from Taunton serving in the Hyde Park Cavalry. Of course he could have been overseas or otherwise missed. Family legend has it that Colonel Tapp went to New Zealand in charge of convicts for the NSW Corps, about 1861. On 7 Apr 1854 there was a Charles Tapp on Military Trial in Auckland, NZ, Regiment: Sap & Min. (Sappers & Miners).

We know a few things about Charles Tapp, from family legend and her obituary. He was some years older than Rebecca. He was a soldier. One report is that he was a Colonel. "Colonel Tapp went to New Zealand in charge of convicts for the NSW Corps, about 1861," and they or he lived in New Zealand for twelve years before he died. His being older and his status of Colonel both seem to be incorrect. On 19 Nov 1867 in UK, Charles Tapp, Sapper, Royal Engineers aged 39 years, born Stoke Damerel was discharged from the Royal Chelsea Pensioners Hospital. Reg No 1325. On 21 October 1867 a Regimental Board at Chatham reviewed the service of a sapper Charles Tapp of the Royal Engineers at his discharge, aged 39 years and 2 months. They found he had served 21 years and 3 months and of that 16 years and two months were in New Zealand, and had completed 2 years service with the horse guards. His character and conduct had been very good, and he was in possesion of four good conduct badges. He was a carpenter from Stoke Damerel near Devonport , and joined the R S & M at Devonport as a private on 6 June 1846, at the age of 17 years and 11 months. He was promoted to corporal on 23 Feb 1854, but demoted after desertion in December 1862. On discharge he was 5ft 5inches, of fresh complexion, grey eyes, brown hair, marked with the small pox, and was a carpenter intending to reside at St Erney, Landrake. [Find My Past] RS&M regiment is Royal Sappers and Miners, which later became Royal Engineers The only death that fits this was a John Tapp died in 1868 at Kingsclere aged 40. Although he does not seem to have been an officer, and was the same age as Rebecca, he fits in well. It is possible that he then emigrated in 1869 to Australia. One source has him emigrating to Victoria in 1869 aged 39. Another source has him dying in Victoria in 1883 aged 51. In both cases named just Charles Tapp.

Sources

• Research by Anne Harding.