chelsea pensioner research

[weggyg]

I have just discovered that my ancestor George Grayburn (born c1789 Hull area) was a Chelsea Pensioner. How do I go about finding more about where he served etc?

[liverpool annie]

Weggyg!

This will give you some ideas - for research!

http://www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk/links.asp

Annie

[weggyg]

Thanks - I will try it.

wendy

[casalguidi]

Pension records are at the National Archives, Kew, London.  See their information leaflet: 

http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=15

Casalguidi

[Monks]

Hi Wendy

Try Kevin Asplin

Here is his website

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/KevinAsplin/home.html

I found him very helpful, he did a lookup for me not long ago.

David.

[NigelG]

I have two relatives (brothers to my Gx5 Grandfather James Hancock) who are both recorded as being Chelsea Pensioners on the 1851 & 1861 Census.

Richard Hancock born 1787 (Chelsea Pensioner - Blind) & William Hancock born 1792 (Chelsea Pensioner) - both born Herbrandston, Pembrokeshire

Both still resident in Pembroke at time of census.

Can anyone recommend a site or resource to try and find out some more information? How they qualified as Chelsea pensioners, what conflicts they would have fought in, what the "pension" consisted of etc etc

Cheers 

Moderator Comment: Topics merged

[rebekahm28]

     I have Thomas Fennell from Grandborough, Warwickshire born 1797, he served in Canada during 1821 and fathered a child there (Catherine, my husbands ancestor). He then came back to England with his wife Sarah and baby daughter.  Is there any way I can find his records, or his wife's birth records? That Chelsea pensioners link at the bottom of the page says 'error, not found' and Kevin Asplin's site isnt working either.

[km1971]

Could this be him? - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=-3921229&CATLN=7&Highlight=%2CTHOMAS%2CFENNELL&accessmethod=0

This refers to a record on microfilm in Kew. If you cannot visit you can order a copy at 40p a page. There will not be many pages, and the army did not record FH information in this period.

Chelsea Hospital managed the pensions for the army, and you will probably find that he was an out-pensioner, or just pensioner. In-pensioners are the men in red uniform who have exchanged their pension for board and lodgings. Usually only senior NCOs were admitted as the pension of a Private would not cover the charges.

Some army BMDs from before 1837 were recorded separately. You will need someone with a Findmypast account to do a lookup for you. Failing that just about the only way to find an army marriage or birth place of a child is to use the Muster Books (WO12 in Kew). These record where each man was on the first of each month. You can then look up the parish records in the places he visited.

If the man in the 15th Foot is yours you can also look for a 'Historical Records' for the 15th Foot. These were produced in the mid 19th Century and record in great details the movement of the regiment. Again it is only for telling you where the man could have meet his wife.

Ken

[rebekahm28]

   Eeek, Im certain thats him, 'Granby' doesn't exist so it makes it all the more likely it was Grandborough.  I've requested an estimate, am impressed at how easy the site is to use, at least for ordering copies of documents anyway.  Thanks so much Ken, I'm keeping fingers crossed its him!

PS, are the covering dates particular to Thomas only, or is it the general coverage of the whole record file?