#52Ancestors Week 18 "Close Up"

I am ready for my Close Up now.   This is a copy of an engraving of General Sir Alexander Duff (1777-1851), I wonder how long he had to sit/stand for this ?   

General Sir Alexander Duff formally Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Duff was the second son of The Third Earl of Fife and Lady Mary Skene.   I know, you are wondering why is she writing about a Scot, there are no links to Scotland in her tree.  Wrong !  Well most probably wrong.  Alexander Duff served in the 88th regiment of Foot, 'the Connaught Rangers' who had returned from service in India and Egypt in 1802 and were camped close to Icklesham.  Soon after several local girls were having children and were later claiming parish benefits for their basebourne children.  Absolute proof is not available but it looks as if Elizabeth Butchers (Paternal 4th Great Grandmother) was one of these girls because at the age of 19 she gave birth to Alexander Duff Butchers (1804-1891) the father was most probably the commander of the regiment, Alexander Duff.

The parish records show the birth of Alexander Duff Butchers to a single mother Elizabeth Butchers but what is unusual is that the father was never pursued for payment to the parish accounts, which is in contrast to the way a couple of years later when Elizabeth pregnant again with her second son Joseph, (father being Joseph Mann), and two of her sisters who were also 'in the family way', as they were all were taken to court by the parish to swear who  the fathers were. One baby died but for the others the fathers made payment to the parish accounts for many years - even after Elizabeth married, payment continued for Joseph as she left her son  with her parents!

 

I am hoping sy some stage to confirm this connection using DNA to match to a Duff decendant.  One of the decendants being David Cameron., who if correct would be my 5th Cousin Once removed!!