'Out Chelsea Pensioner'

[SandyMcJ]

My 3xgreat grandfather, James Johnstone. is shown in the 1851 census as an 'Out Chelsea Pensioner' living with his daughter and son-in-law in Baker St Stirling. Does any one know how / where he would have collected this pension (at the Castle?) and whether or not there might be any accessible records showing how he qualified? In the previous census he was listed as a woollen weaver and in his daughter's marriage record (1843) he is referred to as just a 'pensioner'. Both the 1841 and 1851 census records indicate he was born in Stirlingshire (around 1778) but presumably he died before 1855 as I have not been able to find a death record for him. His wife's name was Mary Denniston.

Thanks

Sandy

[GrahamSimons]

There's lots of advice and starting points here:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/british-army-soldiers-discharge-and-pension-records.htm

I think I might have found him, with this guidance, in piece WO 121/188/237:

JAMES JOHNSTONE alias JAMES JOHNSTON Born STIRLING, Stirlingshire Served in 3rd Royal Veteran Battalion; Royal Artillery; 9th Royal Veteran Battalion Discharged aged 47 after 23 years 4 months of service Residence or place where pension paid stated in document. See film image 670 Covering dates    1816

These records are not on line as far as I know.

This guide gives you other routes in to the paper trail:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/britisharmysoldierupto1913.htm

[SandyMcJ]

Graham

Thanks for this. I was able to find this and agree it seems a likely candidate, though I'm a bit confused by the significance of the 1816 date. If this is his discharge date he would appear to be older than suggested by the census info. If the census info is right, his discharge would be around 1825 which would fit with the birth of his daughter (ca1827). In any case the info you provided will enable me to do bit more digging on the National Archive web site.

Thanks again

Sandy