RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: aakarlhamo on Monday 10 August 15 14:09 BST (UK)
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Hi
I have just found out that my 4xgt grandfather was a foot solider about the time of the Nepoleonic War and the Battle of Waterloo and I was wondering if anyone could give me more information.
The family name is Henley although on different records they have been documented as Henley/Henly/Hindley. They are from Holborn.
The only record I have reference to is the Canada, British Regimental Registers of Service, 1756-1900, which shows on the 18 May 1814 Joseph Henly, 46, b Holborn London, formerly a Smith, enlisted in the 3rd Foot, 2nd Batt. He apparently transferred from the 1st Batt.
If he enlisted in the 3rd Foot, 2nd Batt in 1814 does that mean that he was enlisted in the 1st Batt prior to this and was he involved in the Nepoleonic War and what was he doing? Will there be discharge papers? Sorry so many questions ???
Thanks
Carole
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Hi Carole
They spell his surname as Henley. As it says he served previously in the Surrey Fencibles 1798 to 1802. And re-enlisted in the 3rd Foot in 1804. A two page discharge document is on FindMyPast - http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo97%2f0252%2f074%2f001&parentid=gbm%2fwo97%2f252%2f610904&highlights=%22%22
He was discharged in 1815. Men enlisted in the regiment and not the battalion. So technically he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, and not enlisted in it. US (on the second Ancestry page) means unlimited service, ie for life. Normally men would serve 21 years and then be given a medical, after which most were discharged. But they seem to have been discharged after the army was reduced after Napoleon was sent to Elbe.
The 3rd Foot had two battalions from 1803-1815, so he may have moved between them a number of times. This is not shown on his discharge document. You will have to look at the muster books in the National Archives to confirm his battalion, and also where he served. He is not listed on the Peninsular War medal roll on Ancestry. But you had to be alive in June 1847 to receive a medal. The 1st Bn served in Spain; while the 2nd Bn only served at Home. Again only the muster books can tell you if he saw action.
Are you aware of the two entries on the 'Canada' records? One covers two pages, so three pages in all.
Ken
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Thank you Ken that is very interesting info about Joseph.
I put a post on here back in April abt Joseph's son who I had come to a full stop with. I received a reply last wk that also gave me the info on Joseph - good old Roots! I have come off Ancestry for a while so I haven't actually seen the Canada records.
The Root's reply only mentioned the 18 May 1814 record and that Joseph had transferred from the 1st Batt. Very interesting that he was in the Surrey Fencibles 1798-1802 and that he re enlisted in 1804. I wonder whether he was continuously in the army from 1798-1815?
On 22 Oct 1816 Joseph was receiving a pension due to chronic rheumatism - maybe this is why he was discharged? I wonder if he originally enlisted in the army in 1794 and was discharged because he completed his 21 yrs, or maybe he was discharged early because of the chronic rheumatism? There again it might even be something random. Hopefully the discharge papers will say.
He died in the Chelsea Hospital in 1833 so that will explain why he wasn't on the Peninsular War medals' roll.
I have asked my cousin if I can use her Ancestry for the Canadian records then later in the week I'll get a subscription for FindMyPast so I can see the discharge record. FindMyPast have pension records so something just might come up for that as well - fingers crossed.
The Surrey Fencibles sounds very swashbuckling haha!!
Thanks again for all the info.
Carole
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There's another record for him in those so-called "Canada" records. Joseph Henly (sic), 1st Battalion 3rd Foot; Born 1774, Grays Inn Lane; "inlisted"September 1803, joined January 1804, previous service 4 years 3 months with Surrey Rangers.
Colonel Pollen's Regiment of Fencible Infantry, Loyal Surrey Regiment, or Surrey Rangers, or Pollen's Fencibles - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_fencible_regiments
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There is a definate break between 1802 and 1804 - google a timeline in the wars with France or treaty of Amiens.
Ken
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Thanks ShaunJ and Ken.
I managed access my cousin's ancestry briefly and the only record I could come up with is the 1814 Canada record. I tried all different spellings of his name too but nothing.
I'm out today but I will hopefully be able to look again and on FindMyPast on Wednesday.
Carole ;D
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There are two entries on Ancestry under Henley.
Ken
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Hi
Well I now have a mountain of paperwork referring to Joseph Henley and I am getting confused.com as all the dates are slightly different depending which record you look at. Then he keeps coming back after he has been discharged!!
Thanks Ken, I went on the link you put up for his 1815/16 discharge record. What do you think that writing is in the left hand margin? At first I thought it said Mr Armstrong, surgeon but maybe not? Also this discharge record said that Joseph Henley Private was in the Capt Lights when at the top it says it is the 2nd Batt of 3rd Foot or Buffs - it’s all very confusing…
I then found a later discharge record for a Josh Henley, definitely Joseph because his trade is a white smith and other details match, although his eye colour is different. He must have signed up again as the record has him in the 3rd Garrison Battalion from 25 June 1815 – 20 ? 1819. What doesn’t make sense is it says that he did 1 yr 88 days. Would he have been part time as he was getting on a bit and riddled with rheumatism?
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo97%2f1144%2f437%2f001&parentid=gbm%2fwo97%2f1144%2f905428&highlights=%22%22
There is another record for Josh Henley, an Attestation record in the Chelsea Pensioners’ Discharge Documents 1870-1887 :
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo121%2f0207%2f001_037&parentid=gbm%2fwo121%2f121072573
This is a record in a notebook. There were no headings and no other images to compare with:
3rd Garrison Battalion, 3, Josh Henley, 9, 1 (with X thru the numbers 9 and 1)
21 Dec 1822, 24 March 1824, London
ShaunP, I’ve not found the record yet which gives the 1774 birth and Grays Inn Lane address. I didn't download the records very systematically as it was a bit like being in a sweetie shop haha but I will back take and leave no stone unturned!!
Carole
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He must have signed up again as the record has him in the 3rd Garrison Battalion from 25 June 1815 – 20 ? 1819. What doesn’t make sense is it says that he did 1 yr 88 days. Would he have been part time as he was getting on a bit and riddled with rheumatism?
Hi Carole
The date is 20th September 1816. That is the way he did his 6s, like a sloping apple with a stalk. The tail is the top of the extended S of Sept below.
In the second image all I can make out so far is 1/- (ie one shilling a day pension) and that he is paid in London.
"Captain Light's Company in the regiment aforesaid". The regiment would have consisted of 8-12 companies, each under a "Captain of a Company", and he was in Capt. Lights. The LH margin signature is next to the reason he was discharged. So he will be the Surgeon.
Ken
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Thank you Ken, that all makes better sense.
Carole