Thomas GRIMES Egypt/Waterloo

[Laotzu]

Hi

I am trying to trace information concerning Thomas Grimes, who had a daughter (Esther) in Repton, Derbys in 1793, and whose wife (Sarah) was removed from the same parish to Sheepy Magna, Leics in 1799.  I have the following from the Yesterday's Journey website regarding Derbyshire Removal Orders:

R58 Sarah wife of Thomas GRIMES soldier in HMS 1799 To Sheepy Magna, Leics.

I have found a reference to a Thomas Grimes serving with the Royal Artillery on the Military General Service Medal Roll (1793-1814) with 1 clasp (Egypt).

There is also a pte Thomas Grimes of the 2nd BATTN. 3rd REGT. OF FOOT GUARDS Lt.Colonel Master's Company on the Waterloo Medal Role.

Could anybody with a knowledge of military history, and/or access to further records help me to ascertain the likelihood that any of these leads are referring to the same man?  I'm guessing that as a progenitor in 1793 he may have been to old for the later campaigns.

Any advice or suggestions of other avenues for research would be much appreciated, as I am probably clutching at straws!

Thanks 

[neil1821]

If you look at the records in class WO at TNA, this is probably the Royal Artillery chap. No mention of him serving in any other unit.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=-4062817&CATLN=7&Highlight=%2CTHOMAS%2CGRIMES&accessmethod=0&Summary=True

Can't see one in the 3rd Foot Guards, so possibly didn't make it to pension.

There are several others of the same name to consider.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/searchresults.asp?SearchType=1&fldSearchNumber=223857&SearchInit=5&hdnSortType=Relevance

[Laotzu]

Thanks neil1821, that's useful.  None of these men spring out as likely candidates, but unfortunately I have little to go on apart from knowing that his family were residing in South Derbys; of course I shouldn't presume that he was from Derbys, but that does seem like the best guess.

I will put these other leads on reserve whilst I try to find out more about his origins.

Thanks for finding the time to look into this for me 

[km1971]

As always with references to soldiers in church records you need to look for other soldiers listed around the same time. If he was the only one he may have been on furlough. But there is a chance a regiment is quoted for other men. And if involving an officer you have a chance of discovering the regiment via an army list. You should certainly look from 1793 to 1799.

Does the removal order give details of any children removed with her? As I understand it the receiving parish will be the home parish of either Sarah or her husband. So researching the church records of both places may come up with something.

Also as the order refers to 'wife of' rather than 'widow of' it suggests he was still alive, so likely to be overseas. There was less control on soldiers marrying in this period so when a regiment went overseas they would draw lots for who stayed and who went with the troops. Soldiers could have remitted some of their pay directly to a wife, and having a wife living on the parish would not have been tolerated for long. So again the parish records in Sheepy Magna may have something.

Are you aware of the marriage in 1818 in St Mary’s, Newington, Surrey between Sarah Esther Grimes and William Wheatley. In 1841 her county of origin is given as Surrey, but in 1851 it is given as Willington – a few miles from Repton. For both she is recorded as Sarah and living in Esher.

Ken

[Laotzu]

Hello again Ken

Thanks for looking into this, and thanks for the background military information; that's very useful. 

The removal order (or the transcript of it, at least) does not mention any children being removed with Sarah, but Thomas and Sarah's daughter Esther had been born in 1793 in Repton (if my deductions from the details on the IGI are correct).  Esther later married William Shipley in Repton in 1822, so she either stayed in the parish, or later returned. (Esther and William Shipley resided in Walsall in 1841, Tatenhill in 1851 and Dunstall in 1861 - all Staffs).

Your information regarding Sarah Esther Wheatley is intriguing, and I shall be pursuing this further as a possible family lead.  The 1851 census has her birth as 1789, so she cannot be the Sarah I was looking for (who I think gave birth to Esther in 1793).  However, the repetition of the name Esther, and the close proximity of Willington to Repton does suggest a possible family connection - maybe sisters or cousins?

I have been given another strong lead regarding Thomas and Sarah's marriage from a Rootschatter in reply to another post, which appears to have taken place at Sibson, Leics in 1781 (which accounts for the Sheepy Magna connection).  If this is correct, then Thomas was from Coventry, so the plot thickens regarding the Repton connection!

However, this does open up new possibilities for the service records held by TNA that neil1821 mentioned, as there is a Thomas Grimes from Warwick, b.1751? that could potentially be the right man - I need to follow this up.

Thank you so much for your help, I now have further research avenues to pursue