Author Topic: Peninsular War question  (Read 1326 times)

Offline Winterbloom21

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Peninsular War question
« on: Friday 29 December 17 12:47 GMT (UK) »
My cousin has an ancestor named William Clark born in 1811, who is shown in all the census records as being born in Spain and, on one occasion, as Almadas, British Subject, Spain.

He lived in Lancaster, so I am guessing that his father (whose name may be Thomas Clark) may have been in the Army in Spain during the Peninsular War.     I know that the 47th Regiment of Foot, or Lancashire Regiment was sent there in 1807 and stayed for some time.

Can anybody help to flesh out this little story?   I've looked for a Thomas Clark with a military record, but to no avail.    I do know that if William's father was a soldier, he survived his time there and returned to his occupation of shoemaker in Lancaster.

Any help would be gratefully received.
Toomebridge, County Antrim: Devlin
Toomebridge and Cavan:  McCormick
Glasgow, Wolverhampton, Shropshire:   Hill
Lurgan Co. Armagh:  Malone, Dumigan, McCourt, McGill
St. Pancras, and Poplar, London: Serjeant, Heald
Brookborough Co. Fermanagh:  Carmichael, Tierney
Staffordshire:  Cook
Isle of Wight:   Parkman
Warwickshire:  Kinchin
Cork: Kennedy, Ahern, Deliere

A British Islander, born Dublin of Irish/Anglo roots. Ancestors have crossed and recrossed the Irish sea in every generation.

Offline ciderdrinker

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Re: Peninsular War question
« Reply #1 on: Friday 29 December 17 13:02 GMT (UK) »
Hi
There is a Thomas Clarke about the right date on FindMyPast,
Born 1791 in Lancaster ,enlisted 27 Mar 1810 ,pensioned 28th April 1813 as result of wound to elbow at Salamanca 22nd July 1812.
Pension 1813 from the Royal Fusiliers (City Of London Regiment) -  7th foot a former shoemaker age 22 years
5ft 5 1/2 pale grey eyes light hair.
he signs to acknowledge the amout ,so he can read and write.
Then there are details of the pension which I don't understand.

He would seem to fit your man.

Ciderdrinker

Offline Winterbloom21

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Re: Peninsular War question
« Reply #2 on: Friday 29 December 17 13:20 GMT (UK) »
Wow, Cidermaker, that's fantastic!    It certainly looks like him all right.  So many things fit!    I wonder what he was doing in London.     Or did different recruiting officers just roam around the country, I wonder?     What an amazing amount of detail to have.    Is the pension stuff just numbers, or illegible?      This makes me feel even sadder now that he apparently died in Preston workhouse.    Obviously the pension didn't quite do the job!
Toomebridge, County Antrim: Devlin
Toomebridge and Cavan:  McCormick
Glasgow, Wolverhampton, Shropshire:   Hill
Lurgan Co. Armagh:  Malone, Dumigan, McCourt, McGill
St. Pancras, and Poplar, London: Serjeant, Heald
Brookborough Co. Fermanagh:  Carmichael, Tierney
Staffordshire:  Cook
Isle of Wight:   Parkman
Warwickshire:  Kinchin
Cork: Kennedy, Ahern, Deliere

A British Islander, born Dublin of Irish/Anglo roots. Ancestors have crossed and recrossed the Irish sea in every generation.

Offline ciderdrinker

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Re: Peninsular War question
« Reply #3 on: Friday 29 December 17 13:32 GMT (UK) »
Hi
The pension details are letters and numbers
If you pm me your email I can send it to you but I'm not back online till the New Year.

Examples
Preston 20/7/1864 (is presumably a date).
F87061 increased to 1/2 B23. 864 
Ciderdrinker


Offline John915

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Re: Peninsular War question
« Reply #4 on: Friday 29 December 17 13:33 GMT (UK) »
Good afternoon,

Just so you look in the correct places, 1st batt 47th foot were in Uraguy in 1806/07 getting battle honours for Buenos Ayres and Montevideo. They were then in Calabria, Italy from 1808 at the battle for Scylla Castle getting the battle honour for that plus Ionian Isles in 1809. They went to the peninsular in 1809 joining the 2nd batt who may have already been there for a while.

7th (Royal Fusiliers) regt were also in the Peninsular War gaining battle ho ours for every major battle. They didn't become The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt) until 1881 in the Cardwell  reforms. So any references to that title before then are incorrect.

John915

Added; just read your last and yes, recruiting was carried out nation wide depending on where regts were based at the time or where they sent their recruiting parties.
Stephens, Fuller, Tedham, Bennett, Ransome (Sussex)
Rider (Fulham)
Stephens (Somerset)
Kentfield (Essex)

Offline Winterbloom21

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Re: Peninsular War question
« Reply #5 on: Friday 29 December 17 13:41 GMT (UK) »
Thank you Ciderdrinker, I shall do that.        And thank you, too, John, for confirming that information, and clarifying about the title of the regiment.    I'm so pleased to have this information.  Regards, Siobhán
Toomebridge, County Antrim: Devlin
Toomebridge and Cavan:  McCormick
Glasgow, Wolverhampton, Shropshire:   Hill
Lurgan Co. Armagh:  Malone, Dumigan, McCourt, McGill
St. Pancras, and Poplar, London: Serjeant, Heald
Brookborough Co. Fermanagh:  Carmichael, Tierney
Staffordshire:  Cook
Isle of Wight:   Parkman
Warwickshire:  Kinchin
Cork: Kennedy, Ahern, Deliere

A British Islander, born Dublin of Irish/Anglo roots. Ancestors have crossed and recrossed the Irish sea in every generation.

Offline Winterbloom21

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Re: Peninsular War question
« Reply #6 on: Friday 29 December 17 14:55 GMT (UK) »
One further little question.     I am wondering about Sarah, the wife.     I can't find a marriage for a Thomas Clark and Sarah before he signs up in 1810.     I'm wondering whether he might have met her 'on manoeuvres' as it were.  Yes, I've watched Sharps Rifles, I know what goes on!     

But seriously, what was the usual form for wives at that time?     If they had been married, could she have gone with him?     Or is that ruled out?      Any theories?
Toomebridge, County Antrim: Devlin
Toomebridge and Cavan:  McCormick
Glasgow, Wolverhampton, Shropshire:   Hill
Lurgan Co. Armagh:  Malone, Dumigan, McCourt, McGill
St. Pancras, and Poplar, London: Serjeant, Heald
Brookborough Co. Fermanagh:  Carmichael, Tierney
Staffordshire:  Cook
Isle of Wight:   Parkman
Warwickshire:  Kinchin
Cork: Kennedy, Ahern, Deliere

A British Islander, born Dublin of Irish/Anglo roots. Ancestors have crossed and recrossed the Irish sea in every generation.

Offline GR2

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Re: Peninsular War question
« Reply #7 on: Friday 29 December 17 16:12 GMT (UK) »
A certain number of wives were allowed to accompany their husbands overseas. One of my ancestors from north east Scotland joined the 10th Foot in 1807. His wife gave birth to a son at Messina in Sicily in 1808 and a daughter was born in France (probably on the way back to Britain after the war). They had married in Scotland about the time he enlisted.

Offline Winterbloom21

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Re: Peninsular War question
« Reply #8 on: Friday 29 December 17 17:59 GMT (UK) »
Thanks very much GR2.   
Toomebridge, County Antrim: Devlin
Toomebridge and Cavan:  McCormick
Glasgow, Wolverhampton, Shropshire:   Hill
Lurgan Co. Armagh:  Malone, Dumigan, McCourt, McGill
St. Pancras, and Poplar, London: Serjeant, Heald
Brookborough Co. Fermanagh:  Carmichael, Tierney
Staffordshire:  Cook
Isle of Wight:   Parkman
Warwickshire:  Kinchin
Cork: Kennedy, Ahern, Deliere

A British Islander, born Dublin of Irish/Anglo roots. Ancestors have crossed and recrossed the Irish sea in every generation.