Jersey Military 1820's

[Ashtone]

I have FMY and Fold3. Just haven't mastered using it yet and find it daunting.

Actually the John Shields I mentioned above appears to be a WW1 soldier. So disregard him. I thought he might have been with the 18th Royal Irish, but it turns out the "18" was part of his service number.

[debA]

Found the Baptism entry for John Shields b1820 that confirms his mother was Mary Cleeves (Cleaves?) Also found Pallots marriage doc on 1823 between John Shields and Mary Cleeves.

However on 1841 Census, Mary (Cleeves) Shields is living alone and on 1951 Census, Mary (Cleeves) Shields is a widow and has 2 grandchildren at her address. They must have stayed overnight as they also appear on the 1851 census with their father and step-mother.
Therefore her husband John Shields could not be the one born in Handridge, Lancashire who died 1861.

I did find a John Shields d1830 in Westminster and would fit with Mary Shields 1841/1851 Census.

But cannot find yet which Regiment he was connected with as that might reveal the father of Mary Cleeves.
Perhaps Mary Cleeves was of Irish descent and thats the connection?

[ShaunJ]

Some jottings from the military records that I've been able to find for the John Shields who served in 81st Foot and various veteran battalions:

John Shields appears on the muster roll of 1st  Battalion 81st Regiment  for 1Q 1814 (then in the Peninsula). Regimental number 443.  Had served more than 7 years.

Peninsula medal roll: present at battle of Maida (1806).  This medal was only awarded to claimants still surviving in 1847. This would have been 1st Battalion, 81st Regiment.

7th Veteran Battalion: discharge records shows that he had served 13 years and 3 days with 81st; an out pensioner from 25 May 1817 to 3 November 1819. Attested for VB at Keith on 4 November 1819 and served with 6th & 7th. Discharged from 7th VB on 17 April 1821 as a consequence of its disbandment.  Born Hanbridge, Cartmel, Lancs, circa 1778.

3rd Veteran Battalion: Discharge record shows “7th Service” from 18 April 1821 to 24 May 1824; 3rd  VB from 25 May 1824 to 14 February 1825 (attested at Sheerness).  Discharged in consequence of “chronic catarrh, increased since last brought up and unfitting him for guard duty”

81st regiment locations:
Assuming he was in 1st Battalion throughout his time with 81st regiment, he would most likely have served in:

Italy 1804
Sicily 1806-1812
Spain 1812-1814
Canada (Quebec) and USA expedition 1814-1815
France 1815-1817.

7th Royal Veteran Battalion: various online histories assert that this unit was disbanded in 1814 or earlier but contemporary newspapers locate it in Guernsey and Jersey in 1820/21.

3rd Royal Veteran Battalion: was in Jersey 1824/5.

Pension records:
1845 transferred from 1 Divi North London to 2 Western London
1849 South London
1855-1864 residence South London - there is an annotation in 1862 which I can't quite decipher
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO23%2F55%2F00161&parentid=GBM%2FWO23%2F55%2F00161%2F1217416

Although pension records place him in London until 1862, I haven't been able to find any census entries for him. Did he perhaps die earlier and his widow failed to notify Chelsea?

[debA]

Thank you for researching this as it is most helpful.

Did you find all of this on Fold3? I'm trying to figure it out to do thorough digging in order to get screen shots of those documents.

Researching the Maida medal, sources state only a handful of senior officers received that medal, which appears not accurate information. You have much better sources.

I so appreciate you taking the time to find all of this for me. THANK YOU!!

[ShaunJ]

I don't have a sub to Fold 3. Ancestry has the 1814 muster and the Peninsular War medal roll. FindMyPast has other records.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_General_Service_Medal re the medal awarded in 1847/8 to survivors of the Peninsular War.

[debA]

Thank you