Genealogy Chat

Can anyone please guide me to research on this subject? Were payments made via Banks, were payments made by vouchers, were they posted to addresses or were they collected at Courts possibly? Some books touch briefly on pensions, but there seems to be little 'in depth' information. Grateful for any help, Trevor I now have the Act of Parliament to hand. In runs to four pages of not very easy to read English. Some interesting items: Brought in for the more convenient Payment of Half Pay Pensions and other Allowances to Officers and Widows of Officers, and to Perfons upon the Compaffsionate Lift. (sic) Payment by the War Secretary would be made to Perfons Places of residence after the 24th December 1807. ( Not in time for Christmas ) !! Orders and Vouchers would not be subject to Stamp Duty. Justices and General Receiver's could check ' Truth of Certificate ' under oath. Impersonations or other felonious acts would result in punishment of ' fourteen years transportation '. Hope you find this interesting Kath and O.C. Trevor

I don't really know the answer to this, but as most people then would not have had a bank account, I would imagine they would have collected the money from an Agent, or Remittance man, or a Solicitor. I am sure the Army would have had an efficient system set up for this purpose, but how you would find out about it, I don't have a clue! OC

Have a look at this item on Ebay:- Item number 110148403469 It is 4 pages from an original document about:- 'An Act for the more convenient Payment of Half Pay and Pensions, and other Allowances to Officers and Widows of Officers, and to Persons upon the Compassionate List [1st August 1807]' I don't know whether it would give you the information you need but might be worth the price if it does. At the moment it is £2 plus 80p postage. Kath. x

Trevor And if you buy it, come back and tell us what it says!!! OC

O.C and Kath. I will put in a bid on e-Bay. If successful, I'll certainly come back to you and thanks very much.

I know there were around 100 offices around the country, so for example, one in Manchester, one in Dublin, Inverness etc. Records are at Kew - in fact I've been looking at them today. But what sort of offices they were, and how people were physically paid, and what sort of offices they were, I'm afraid I don't know!

'Prior to 1842 it would appear that soldiers' pensions were ditributed by local officials;1842 saw the institution of the army's own system of payment in 59 districts in England 2 in Wales 12 in Scotland and 33 in Ireland ' Quote taken from my Ancestor was in the English Army My gt grandfather served in the Cheshire regiment and was discharged to Liverpool in the 1860's on a pension of 11d per day after 21 years service Bren

I would have thought the Army Museum was the place to apply for the information. Peter

My grt-grt grandfather was awardwed a pension of half a crown a week after he helped to rescue his colleagues after an explosion in the coal mine where he worked. He used to collect it every week from the coal board. I imagine there was something similar setup for army pensions.

My 3rd great grandfather is shown on 1841,1851 and 1861 as a Chelsea Pensioner - living in a small village in Scotland - and I often wondered how he got paid. So have found this thread fascinating. Maureen

Hi My ancestor was in the 17th Lancers for 25 years as a Private and never got promoted but often got good conduct pay. Upon discharge in 1856 he was described as 'Servant L Chelsea Pensioner' in the 1861 census but later became a labourer, soap boiler and shoe black by the 1880s when he lived in London. I dont know what rate of pension he would have got but obviously his pension wasnt enough to live on though. Ben

For O.C and Kath please see addition to the opening thread after my receipt of the Act of Parliament. (The item on e-bay ). Many thanks again, Trevor