Levi Grisdale of Penrith

[stephen lewis]

Did a Cumbrian soldier “save England and Europe” from Napoleon?

In the mid-nineteenth century in the small Cumbrian market town of Penrith there was a public house called the ‘General Lefebvre’. Locals jokingly referred to it as the ‘General Grisdale’, after its publican, an old ex-Sergeant Major called Levi Grisdale. It seems that Levi was quite a character, and we might well imagine how on cold Cumbrian winter nights he would regale his quests with tales of his exploits as a Hussar during the Napoleonic Wars. How he had captured the French General Lefebvre in Spain, as the British army were retreating towards Corunna, or even telling of how it was he, at the Battle of Waterloo, who had led the Prussians onto the field; a decisive event that had turned the course of the battle and, it is usually argued, led to Napoleon’s final defeat.

http://thewildpeak.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/208/

I'm very interested in sharing information with anybody who has an interest in the Grisdale family, originally from Matterdale.

[clearly]

Great story.  Have you been in contact with Cumbria's Military Museum, The Castle, Carlisle?  Although they are universally known as the Border Regiment or Kings Own Royal Border Regiment Museum, they have an interest in all thing military pertaining to Cumbria. I have come across the name Levi Grisdale recently and I am just wondering if I saw this in the museum.
I have relations, by marriage, called Grisdale so I will ask them about this.  They pronounce their name with the long i as in "eye", not the short i as in "is".

[stephen lewis]

Thank you very much for your kind words. No I have been in touch with this musuem though I have with the Royal Hussars' musuem who have quite a lot of information. There's more I could add to the story and when I have a minute I will.
I am descended from the Grisdales - pronounced as yours - if you have an interest in the family and are on ancestry.co.uk you will find it all there under the user name slewis571. Also I've just started a new blog for people with an interest in the family to which anyone can add: http://grisdalefamily.wordpress.com/
Which Grisdale line are you related to?
Best wishes
Stephen Lewis

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