James Sabatini

Posts : 3379 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

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West Sussex Gazette 05 January 1939

Any information proving him to be in the Zulu War will be appreciated.

I am unable to find him listed on the Medal Roll, he could have used an alias?

Subject: Re: James Sabatini Thu May 31, 2018 8:40 pm

Hi

I would have thought that the servant (possibly RE) to Col Harrison, would be the key. I would have thought that someone would have had record of that...

Cheers

Simon

Subject: Re: James Sabatini Thu May 31, 2018 9:19 pm

Andy & Sime,

Harrison’s servant had the surname of Burdett. Pages 155 & 187 of his autobiography.

Driver C. Burdett, Harrison’s groom was Driver H. Cooke, both of 30th Co. R. E.

JY

Posts : 3379 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

Hi John

Many thanks for the information.

So we have another tall story with Sabatini.

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

It may not be an entirely tall story this time. James Sabatini was living in Haslemere in 1911 with his wife Sarah, they had had no children. He was born in 1849 and came from a quite large Sabatini family in Chesham, Bucks and can be traced in most censuses including 1881 when he was a rivetter (shoes). But interestingly the trail also leads to a James Leverno in the 1871 census who is a driver with the RE at the Gillingham School of Military Engineering, born in Chesham. It looks as though Leverno is also a Chesham family of shoe and bootmakers. I wonder whether Sabatini used the name as an allias? Lots of Sabatinis in the military records.

Steve Reinstadtler

Posts : 3379 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

Hi Steve

Many thanks for the information. Now that is a thought.

There is a J Leverno RE listed on the Medal Roll.

Back to finding out more.

Subject: Re: James Sabatini Thu May 31, 2018 11:10 pm

Leverno was 5th Company R. E. which fits with the newspaper text.

JY

Subject: Re: James Sabatini Thu May 31, 2018 11:23 pm

Andy,

Do you have access to Ancesty? There’s felon named Sabatini on there using an alias of Leverno in the early 19th Century. I wonder if Leverno is a corruption of Livorno, the Tuscan port city?

JY

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Good find John. George Leverno alias Sabatini age 21, Buckinghamshire Assizes March 1848. Charged with larceny and found not guilty. Seems the two families were somewhat interchangeable as required! The Amersham mafia.

PS Convicted in 1843 for larceny (stole a shawl) got 3 months. Great Grandfather Giovanni Sabatini born Livorno 1750.

Steve

Posts : 3379 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

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Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Just to round things off. Here is William Leverno joining the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry in 1893 age 17. Still shoemakers in Chesham. There is also a Sgt. William Sabatini discharged sick in 1919. And so it goes on - every generation serving in the British Army over almost 200 years. It is what annoys me so intensely when people make throw away remarks about immigrants.
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Steve Reinstadtler

Posts : 3379 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

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Surrey Advertiser 04 January 1939

Posts : 3460 Join date : 2021-01-04

Some more info here Andy for his 85th birthday

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West Sussex Gazette - Thursday 10 January 1935

» James Sabatini 5th Company RE Col Harrisons servant
» James ArchBell. James Blaikie
» Mr William James