Thomas Burrell, Private Marine, Kent

[Soubeyran]

PS I just realised I screwed up on the search just now, and if this is the right Thomas it means the Burrells were originally from Ireland! :-)

[Soubeyran]

Blimey!: just did a birth search on ancestry.com for Thomas Burrell born Ireland 1778-88 & got a Chelsea Pensioner record for one born in Galway 1784!

I know that Chelsea was for ex-army, but I just found a reference on Rootschat thread (http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=663581.0) mentioning another Marine listed as a Chelsea Pensioner, so this *might* be him..

Funnily enough Galway is the ONLY town in Ireland I've ever been to (stag weekend), and I did feel strangely 'at home' there..

I'll let you know.. :-)

[Kevin Burrell]

Funnily enough I believe he is my 4G grandfather and he spent time in the Chelsea Hospital and also the one at Greenwich as he was a Greenwich pensioner (or there were 2 Thomas Burrell's born in the Parish of St Nicholas in Galway in the same year who both became Marines!)

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

I can see an Ancestry record of Chelsea Pensioner Thomas BURRELL, I think it says that he was from the 11 Foot so I think he might be this man instead of your Thomas, Royal Marine.

This one is age 33 in 1821 so born abt. 1778 so maybe not the one you have found I can't find one born 1784

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C8829407

FindMyPast has these details,

Private Thomas BURRELL
Born:  St Nicholas, Galway
Enlisted at:  Plymouth, Devon
Date:  03 November 1811
Age:  24
For Unlimited Service
He served for 9 years and 68 days
11th Regiment of Foot from  03 November 1811 to 09 January 1821   
That in consequence of Chronic Affection of the Lungs - six months - At Gibraltar
Discharged

General conduct:  Good
Age:  33
Height:  5ft 5in
Hair:  Sandy
Eyes:  Grey
Complexion:  Fresh


I think there must be two Thomas BURRELL's as Chelsea Pensioners were Army and Greenwich Pensioners were Navy, Marines, or from the Naval Dockyards.

What makes you think that Thomas BURRELL, Marine was born in Galway?

Daisy

[Daisypetal]

Hi again,

Just to confuse matters further   I found another Thomas BURREL in 1851,


1851  HO107/1587  f.435  p.42  Greenwich
Greenwich Hospital

Thomas BURREL    Private pension?  S    Married    Male    67    In Pensioners?    Ireland Armagh   


I wonder if this is the same Thomas BURRELL that is enumerated with his wife Elizabeth in 1851, I've seen double entries before.

[Kevin Burrell]

Hi
I have found 2 discharge papers for Thomas on Ancestry - one in 1820 and one in 1821 - both are listed as coming from St Nicholas Parish, Galway, both have the same 9 years 68 days service with the 11th Foot Regiment - with the second 1821 discharge paper including an extra 98 days with the 6th Royal Veteran Battalion (discharge due to this Battalion being disbanded). Both papers list the man as 5' 5" sandy hair, grey eyes and fresh complexion - the only difference is age is given as 24 years in 1820 and 33 in 1821 - and I don't believe in coincidences like that:). There is also a (Greenwich pensioners who served in Canada) record of Thomas stating his age as 33 with 9 years and 2 months service. His 1911 Census identifies him as a Greenwich Pensioner born in Ireland.
Whether the discharge papers relate to the Thomas Burrell I am interested in isn't proven of course and this post has other records in it suggesting there is a Thomas Burrell with 20 years service also from Ireland.

Just noticed your latest post as I went to post this - I have not spotted that record before - it may well correspond with Thomas and Elizabeth in the 51 census - thanks for that I will follow up on it

Cheers

Kev

[Kevin Burrell]

Oh, and I forgot to mention that the 11th Foot Regiment served as Marines in the early 1800's particularly during the French revolution

[Daisypetal]

Interesting to know about the 11th Foot/Marines, I don't know much about military history.

I hope you don't mind me summarising but I'm starting to get confused  

I agree that the two Thomas BURRELLs from Galway are the same one as the records seem to show a continuation/re-enlistment.

The first one as previously posted, that shows he enlisted in 1811 at Plymouth aged 24 then finished his service on 09 Jan 1821.

The second one shows he enlisted in Sheerness on the 10 Jan 1821 aged 33, so that would be right.

They also both give his occupation as Cordwainer.

The Chelsea Pensioner record also seems to be him as the April 1821 date and the reason of being there, chronic infection of the lungs, matches the first reason for discharge.


There does seem to be a small discrepancy in the age of the Thomas BURRELL above who says he is born abt. 1787 and the age of the Thomas with Elizabeth in 1851, born abt. 1784 but this often happens so doesn't mean they are different people


I can see the baptism of Thomas jnr in 1824 when Thomas Snr is called a Royal Marine, would he still be called that if he had been discharged?

Have you found the marriage of Thomas and Elizabeth?

What happens to Thomas jnr after that?


Sorry, so many questions but it is a very interesting puzzle   


Daisy

[Regorian]

1st Battalion, 11th Regiment did supply detachments of troops for use as marines on board ship in the 1790's, in the Mediterranean, but that's too early for your purposes isn't it. West Indies 1800 to 1806. Then Peninsular War. A 2nd Battalion was formed in 1809 for the Walcheren expedition.

Better keep army and marines separate, still a wealth of information.