Chelsea Pension for Widow??

[Earlsdau]

Wondering if anyone could cast light on whether a Chelsea Pension would have been paid to the widow of a Sergeant who died of influenza/pneumonia whilst serving in the military (R.A. Woolwich) in 1899?

If so, where would I access those records?

Thank you kindly for any assistance.

[Christine53]

It's my understanding that pensions were only paid to those retiring after a minimum of 12 years service , with no provision for the dependants of those who died in service. You might want to try having this moved to the Armed Forces board , where those more expert than I may see it and respond.

[km1971]

Pensions for widows were introduced in 1901 (added... for those killed on active service) backdated to 1899. They only lasted for six years, and if the widow remarried in that time they received a year's pension in lieu and the pension stopped. Before this soldiers may have joined a private scheme or applied for assistance from the Royal Patriotic Fund, for which some records exist in the National Archives. But you will have to visit, and although some widows are mentioned it is not a complete list.

First try a search for the surname in PIN in the NA online Catalogue.

Ken

[Earlsdau]

Thank you for your reponses km1971 and CB53.

As I have reached an impasse with this person I was hoping I could glean some other small amount of information from another source.

Therefore to find a FamilySearch notation attributed to this ancestor suggesting there was a 'Chelsea Pensioners Service Record(s)' provided me with some hope of finding more clues. I already have his attestation and subsequent army service records so that is not what I need.

It is puzzling therefore under the circumstances as to why the above would be named as such if he never became a Chelsea Pensioner? Is this just misleading wording or is everyone who was in the military considered a Chelsea Pensioner 'candidate' whether they became a reciprocant of the pension or not?

[km1971]

You have his service record. It starts with the attestation form, things were added to it, and after he left the army they have been culled over the years to save space. Are you certain he was in the RA when he died? Do you have his death certificate for example.

Ken

[Earlsdau]

What appears to be the final entry in his service record - 'Died at Woolwich 17/08/1899 (Acute Bronchitis). Signed by: Edward BLUNT Major RA.

He had been with the service almost ten years.

[km1971]

'Normally' before WW1 they would destroy service records 20 years after the death. Here is another one they missed who also died in Woolwich.

 - http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo97%2f2283%2f136%2f001&parentid=gbm%2fwo97%2f2283%2f201098&highlights=%22%22

Ken

[Earlsdau]

Oh!!!

So are you saying that I am fortunate to EVEN have these service records??? Goody....something has gone my way in regards to this enigma of a man!

Certainly his service records gave me a number of facts I didn't have, such as place of birth, mother's name (between two possibilities) and city of attestation.

So if there is a relative dirth of these particular service records perhaps that may explain any assumption on the part of a transcribing outfit that surviving records could be associated with the Chelsea Pension....or is that far fetched?

Earlsdau

[km1971]

Chelsea hospital looked after army pensions. So all records were probably sent there. and they forgot to destroy the ones for men who had died 20 years before. They had other things to worry about in 1919.

Ken