83rd Regiment of Foot

[Dean1]

I have been researching back in the family and have come across a member who was in the 83rd Regiment of Foot.   He was born in 1763 in Wales, although this is not confirmed.    I am wondering how he came to be in an Irish Regiment when he was born in Wales.   I know he saw service and was wounded at Salamanca.

Is this a time when people came from Ireland and possibly joined the British Army and in their case joined an Irish Regiment.   I believe the Regiment may have been based in Dublin but not entirely sure - all children as far as I know were born in Essex, England.

Is there anywhere I can look up a member of this Regiment so far back.   He was James Rowland b 1763.

Sue

[km1971]

Hi Sue

There weren't Irish and English regiments only British ones. They did not have permanent depots so would pick up recruits as they travelled around the UK. Although they were formed in Dublin in 1793, after they left in 1794 they did not return to Ireland until the 1830s. They had a second battalion from 1804 to 1817, and they were raised in Middlesex. It was the 2nd Battalion that was in the Peninsular.

His records do not appear to have survived. You will have to go to Kew and follow his service using the muster books. How sure of you of the facts about Salamanca?

Ken

[Dean1]

Hi Ken,   Many thanks for your reply.

I got the info about Salamanca from a distant relative who is also searching for this family - she got the info from his Pensioner Records I understand - probably "Findmypast" which I cannot access.  Also, someone added a note to my Tree on A.co as a comment and mentioned him being wounded at Salamanca (which I had to look up as I had never heard of it!)

Regarding the Irish Regiment, my husband reminded me (he is from NI) that Ireland was British at that time so I now understand that there was no regiment that was actually Irish.

It was particularly interesting to get some info on this chap because we have known about him for a time and thought he was born in Wales, which he may well have been, but now understand that he and his five sons (one of whom is my GG Grandfather) were all military.   James himself was born in 1763, possibly in Wales and died in 1846 in Great Baddow in Essex.   I understand he married three times.   Not sure of his wife's name, could have been Elisabeth or Hannah and the five sons were Robert, Henry, Walter, William (my GG Grandfather) and Thomas.   Henry apparently served with him (James) in the 83rd and I know William was in the 73rd Essex Foot.   James and William were Tailors by trade and followed this profession in  the Army - don't know anything about the others.

Again, many thanks for responding.   Sue

[t mo]

hi sue i,ve looked at f m p military records and come up with these some are guesses , if the boys were all born in essex i have thomas born chelmsford 1823  73rd of foot essex reg
wlliam 73 essex foot
robert born essex 2nd essex reg henry born chelmsford 1802 73rd of foot no 83rd of foot
nothing comes up for walter in essex

trevor

[Dean1]

I have been going through what I have on the Rowlands.

James Rowland b1763 who was supposed to have been in the 83rd foot had the title "Master Sergeant Tailor" - all the Rowlands were Tailors I understand.   James died in Great Baddow, Essex, on 17.7.1846.   I am wondering if 83rd Foot was a typing error and it should have been 73rd BUT it was the 83rd at Salamanca and this is where where he was supposedly injured.

The boys you found certainly appear to be the correct ones.   I have William's Chelsea Pensioner record and I know he was a Tailor also.   He had a disability allownance on retirement - he was discharged in South Africa and had served in the Mediterranean, Ionian Islands, Gibraltar and Malta as well - quite a long posting to Malta - North America and South America.   He was attested at the age of 16 (1825) at Middlesex for the 20th Foot so must have changed regiments.    I understand that James (his father) and possibly Walter were all medically discharged with chest conditions (surely no asbestos in those days) and in William's case, as well as a chest condition and disastrous for a Tailor, his eyesight deteriorated.   He went on to be a Prison Officer at Forton Prison.   On the 1851 census the family were living at Forton Prison.   The family must have travelled with him to postings because my G Grandmother was born in Williamstown, South Africa.   The record is very difficult to read even with magnification.   However, it is really James who is the mystery.   We are not absolutely sure he was born in Wales.   He also complicated the situation by marrying three times.

I know now how to get hold of existing army pension records and that they become Chelsea Pensioners when they retire BUT how does one get hold of sailors records - I understand it is Greenwhich.   William Rowland's oldest daughter Mary Ann b 1849 SA married my G Grandfather George Foster in 1868 - he was in the Royal Marine Light Infantry for 21 years and I would love to get hold of his Pension records - I have his Service Record but nil else.   I think they may be online with the NA but find that site totally incomprehensible sadly (my fault, not theirs).   On the 1891 or 1901 census he states he is a Greenwich Hospital Pensioner (outpatient).

Thanks for all your help Ken.

Sue

[t mo]

hello sue
re the national archives in  a lot of respects i agree with you , but for once the look up for royal marines is quite easy go into documents online it should come up allowing you to enter the armed forces sec on  the right in popular content is a link for r marines click on that then scroll down to searching service records click on the highlighted search and put in his name and number if you have it you,l get a list once youve got the one you need click it and it should come up with the cost of the download once thats sorted you,l be able to download it
hope this makes sense if you get in a muddle holler
trevor

[Dean1]

Thanks Trevor, I'll give it a go.   Sue

[Dean1]

I somehow don't think the NA have the Greenwich Outpatient Pensions records or, possibly, any In-patient Records.   Much as I enter variations of this it comes up with nothing.    I do have his service record from 1868 - 1881.  I hoped perhaps to find his Will (there is a second on Seaman's Wills) but zilch.   I am actually trying to confirm his date of death which I am not entirely sure of but think is 1911.   Never mind it was worth a try.

Sue

[sirjasper]

I have been researching back in the family and have come across a member who was in the 83rd Regiment of Foot.   He was born in 1763 in Wales, although this is not confirmed.    I am wondering how he came to be in an Irish Regiment when he was born in Wales.   I know he saw service and was wounded at Salamanca.

Is this a time when people came from Ireland and possibly joined the British Army and in their case joined an Irish Regiment.   I believe the Regiment may have been based in Dublin but not entirely sure - all children as far as I know were born in Essex, England.

Is there anywhere I can look up a member of this Regiment so far back.   He was James Rowland b 1763.

Sue