What would a 70 year old soldier do in 1806?

[trampleasure]

I have the discharge documents for Edward Trampleasure who was discharged from the Royal Veterans Batallion in 1806 aged 70 having served for 43 years.  He was a Tavistock man and appears to have had his discharge in Plymouth by reason of 'old age - worn out'.

What duties would the old boy have had in the Army?  He was a sergeant on retirement.  I know there were French prisoners kept on hulks in Plymouth, but I doubt he would have been much good at stopping a mass break-out.

Vanessa

[willow154]

HI Vanessa,
I'm curious, too, and wondered if this is the explanation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea_pensioner
In my own family history I know someone had a 'pub' in Nottingham called The Chelsea Pensioner - in the 1820/30s - so I thought this must apply to that era. I've also come across 'chelsea pensioners' living in Nottingham, on census details.
Perhaps someone else might tell us for sure, Vanessa.
Kind regards,
Paulene

[PrueM]

Hi Vanessa 

Sorry, I don't know the answer to your question either, but I thought I'd suggest that you post your request on the Armed Forces board - the folks there have great knowledge about this sort of thing 
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,300.0.html

Also, I wanted to contact you because I have Trampleasure ancestors in my tree (waaaaaay back, in the 16 and 1700s) and thought we may have info of interest to each other.   

Cheers
Prue

[trampleasure]

Prue
If you have Trampleasure ancestors then we will be related there just so few of us - the earliest I have come across is a miller in North Petherwin in the late 17th century but with a strong possibility that he connects to a family from the same period in Redruth and a probable link to a family in Manaccan, Cornwall in the 1620s recorded with variations of Templeree as their name.

Vanessa

[willow154]

Wonderful 

[kyt]

http://www.cmhg.gc.ca/cmh/en/image_304.asp?page_id=373

The Royal Veteran Battalions were units of garrison troops, made up of older soldiers still able to stand guard and give other useful service.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/making_history/makhist10_prog2a.shtml

Between 1804 and 1820, 13 royal garrison battalions were raised, taking into service army pensioners and invalids. They were renamed Royal Veteran Battalions in 1804. These battalions worked in depots and stores doing mainly administration and support work, which enabled the more able-bodied soldiers to do the fighting. These veteran battalions were disbanded and re-formed right up until the 1820s..

K

[kyt]

And 70 appears to be rather young for retirement!!

http://www.ensignewart.demon.co.uk/ensign/html/charles_ewart.html

K

[PrueM]

Prue
If you have Trampleasure ancestors then we will be related there just so few of us - the earliest I have come across is a miller in North Petherwin in the late 17th century but with a strong possibility that he connects to a family from the same period in Redruth and a probable link to a family in Manaccan, Cornwall in the 1620s recorded with variations of Templeree as their name.

Vanessa

Vanessa, have sent you a PM 

[griz]

KYT: great story.

One soldier in my tree served for 25 years 1815 to 1841 and retired  described as,  "looking much older than his age, and being 'well worn out' with having rheumatism and bronchitis. " He was 48 at that time.

Life must have been very hard for them. Amazing a 70 year old was still going stromg.