Genealogy Chat

I have found a Chelsea Pensioner in my tree-has anyone got any ideas on how I could find out details about him it must have been around 1810 ish when he joined the army. Patricia

Patricia What was his name and which area did he live in?

try putting his name in the search box on National Archives site. You may get lucky and his army record is available. I got my grt grt grandfathers Army record through that site. he was in the Army from 1825-1847 and came out on a pension. If the records are there you will get an estimate by email for the copying and despatch and a link in the email to go back and order. The copies will be sent by snail mail. Shirley

Do you mean he was actually resident at the Royal Hospital Chelsea? Every soldier who received a pension in the 19th Century received it from the Royal Hospital in Chelsea (or Kilmainham up to 1822). Only a certain number of Army Pensioners were actually resident at Chelsea (or Kilmainham) - these are usually called In-Pensioners. For In or Out-Pensioners all their records are held at the National Archives. Below is the link into how find the records. http://www.nationalarchives(.)gov.uk/catalogue/rdleaflet.asp?sLeafletURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enationalarchives%2Egov%2Euk%2Fcatalogue%2Fleaflets%2Fri2006%2Ehtm&lBack=-1 Remove the brackets around the full stop. I found my G-Grandfathers Pension Documents at Kew. They are not really a Service Record but do show where he served and his Regiment Number and also his next of kin. He got a whole 1s 9d a week for life when he left the army in 1896 after about 27 years of service! David

I actually got the Army records showing where he served and when he was a naughty boy!! and lost some good conduct badges which were later restored to him . Is a 10 page set. I only found him becuase he was described on the 1851 as an army pensioner. he came out in 1847 and promptly got married and started a family so there were two children with him and his wife on the 1851 . the girl was my paternal side grt gran. Shirley

He was called Thomas Williams in the 1851 census he was aged 72, living in Bradford (sub registation district Bradford East End. He did marry probablyaround1825 and was living with some of his children as it seems his wife was dead, she was there in1841 but not in 1851. Patricia

Go the the National Archives site and click search archives, then the Catalogue, put in his name, in the department or series put WO97 that will bring up a list of Thomas Williams. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/?source=home The two most likely ones are WO97/1126/342 and WO97/217/109 You will have to decide which one you think is yours. Good luck. Jennifer

Thanks for the National Archives details but I'm not sure which-is there any possibility of looking in 1851 or 41 census for bith place of Thomas Williams,aged 72 Head. Bradford sub reg distrct of Bradford East end ED, institiution, or vessel 23. in 1841 Registration district Bradford, sub dist. Bowling. in this one William 's age is 55 his wife Nancy 45. can anyone assist so I can find which N/A's detail is correct. Patricia

Unfortunately the 1841 census only says whether or not they were born in the County. in the 1851 census I think the abreviation Be- north probably stands fo Bridgnorth. I have compared the birth places in the National Archives in relation to Bridgnorth, I have discounted the first one Baschurch as being too far away. I can't find a STOTHERTON, I think it is a corruption of STOTTESDON a small village not far from Bridgnorth. So, by that process of elimination I would go for the second one WO 97/1126/342. Only you can decide if you want to risk ordering that record, I can only say that if I were you I would go for it. Good luck Jennifer

Thanks Jennifer every one has been so helpful, I think i will give it a go nothing ventured nothing gained. sometimes you have to go with that gut feeling don't you? Regards Patricia