Lt Col Robert Alexander Bull CB KH
OC Howitzers at Battle of Waterloo

I have found this line back to an Army officer, Captain John BULL, who married Ann KENTISH, daughter of a London Goldsmith and jeweller. As John travelled all over the world with the British Army, it has been hard to find the births of all his children, and I know that there is at least one line missing as one of the older Aunts had an entry for a cousin in her birthday book, that of a J. Aubrey BULL, who was born 21 Aug 1845, unfortunately she did not say where! She obviously had contact with him when she went back to England on holidays.

One of John's sons, Lieut Col Robert Alexander BULL was in charge of the 5 1/2"Howitzers at the Battle of Waterloo where he was awarded the CB and KH. Of his other sons that lived, Thomas Russell and Edward are out there somewhere waiting for me to find them.

This has been an interesting line for me to follow historically, and is peppered with Lords and Ladies, which was a great help as I was able to pick up a lot of the older generations in Burke's Peerage and Landed Gentry books.

Have you ever researched a particular line on your family and got the feeling that you really know and like a particular person on it? Well, this is the way I feel about my Rob Bull. I have copies of some of his diaries and journals from the Peninsular Wars and the Battle of Waterloo, and also quite a few letters he sent to his wife Harriett nee Newell. He sounds such a "sweetie"and devoted to his wife and family which I found hard to imagine from an Army Officer, used to being out with, and in charge of men in war time. He was a really graphic writer, and told his wife all about what was going on around him, about how his friends died, and even about the countryside. One can almost close the eyes and imagine it.

My cousin, Shane Gluskie (NSW,Australia), did a lot of work on the military records of this family, whilst I focussed on finding as many of Harriet Newell's forebears as I was able. (Newell-Hassell-Richardson families from Essex). Mind you, I also tried to find out more on Robert's father Capt. John Bull, but just kept coming to the proverbial "brick wall" with him.

Both my cousin Shane (mentioned above)and I are descended from Robert's son, Col John Edward Newell Bull who came over to Australia with the 99th Regt. of Foot in 1842, and ended up settling here. This man made his mark on Australian history as he was the engineer in charge of the convicts building the Great Western Highway over the mountains in New South Wales and in later years became the Crown Commissioner of Lands for the Victorian Goldfields.

I still need a lot of help, and a deal of luck on this line.If you think you can help me, please write to Bonnie

In particular, I would very much welcome help on the following families - key time frames and places are noted:-