Nelson & His World

I am sure I have mentioned before that James Eaton, midshipman signaller on H.M.S. Temeraire at Trafalgar is buried in the churchyard at the end of my road.

I have now discovered that there is at least one, probably two, Waterloo veterans also buried there.

The National Archive has musters for their regiments for 1815 and at some point I would like to get copies of their entries for the date of the battle.

But in the meantime I am wondering what is the layout, and what information is contained in these Army musters?

Any information or guidance much appreciated.

MB

Mark,

You may find www.genuki.org.uk and click on Military Records for some useful help.

Good luck.

Stephen

Oh wow - thanks Steve!

I found my way from that site through to the appropriate page at the National Archive.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cata ... afletID=16

As you can see it has an image of a somewhat later muster book - but I am guessing it will be fairly similar to the earlier ones.

Unfortunately I can't read the headings but I can tell that it is very different from the naval musters from the Nelson era. It will be very interesting to find out how they worked.

But the thing that really interests me is lower down the page - these Description Books.

As regards the Navy I know that descriptions were taken of all the men recruited under the Quota Acts - and I think also all Marines.

But I had no idea that this applied to all the Army men.

I'll find out if Description Books exist for the 2 regiments and the dates I am interested in and then set about getting some copies.

I am sure that this graveyard here is by no means unique in having veterans of both Trafalgar AND Waterloo. But to be able to name the men and delve into their lives is feeling somewhat SPECIAL at the moment.

Oh well - here we go on another unanticipated research project!

MB

Mark,

Do you have any names of these Waterloo Veterans and dates ? And the gaveyard involved?

This may be of help, www.Waterloocommittee.org.uk

Steve

I have the details but at the moment not sure if there is any evidence of them in the graveyard.

I came across the info from a local newspaper of 1878 when, by coincidence, they both died (3 weeks apart). The newspaper says that their graves are almost adjacent.

I followed the details through to the Burial Register just to ensure the names were there and - can you believe it - in both cases a mention of Waterloo has been added against the burial details.

This is Elijah Pagett's entry from the Register where you can hopefully see it says, Waterloo Veteran, 44th foot, wounded.



I have found both of them on the Military General Service Medal Roll but only Paget(t) on the Waterloo Roll. So still a bit of uncertainty about the other individual - named William Judge.

I'll take a good look at the Waterloo website later. Even if I can't find a gravestone I might send them copies of the Burial Register entries as I would think such references would be fairly unusual.

So far so good - and thanks again.

MB

This must be his death

Elzah Pagett,
Birth Est - 1792
Registration - 1878
Quarter Registration - Jul,Aug,Sept
Age - 86
District - West Bromich
County - Shropshire, Staffordshire,Warwickshire,Worestershire
Vol 6b Page 448

--------------------------------------------------------------

This may be of interest

Name Elijah Pagett
44th Regiment of Foot

Sub Unit-- Captain George Crozier's Company

Fate Sick in Flanders


I can only find a George Judge and a Thomas Judge on the Waterloo Medal Roll.

Steve

That's definitely our man.

I imagine his wound must have been fairly serious as it is mentioned in the Burial Register 63 years later.

I found him on the 1851 census and it says on there that he was a Chelsea Pensioner - so I am guessing this means there are some more papers at the NA that I can get someone to delve into.

As you say - no William Judge on the Trafalgar Medal Roll. Not sure what to read into that at the moment but I will keep digging around and see where I end up.

If you do any searches on Paget(t) be careful as sometimes his name is spelt with one "t" and sometimes with two.

I was going to pop down to the church this evening and see if I can spot any area that has graves from this period (1870's) - but just my luck it has started pouring down with rain. Anyway over the next couple of days I will check it out and also see if the gravestones/memorials have ever been formally recorded.

Before too long I need to check if the local History Society is aware of these guys. I am not a member myself but I do know people who are and nobody has ever mentioned anything to me about Waterloo veterans. This might be a nice story for them in advance of the Waterloo bi-centenary in 2015.

MB

I'm afraid that I am away from my records today, but will check later this evening.

I must say I envy you with some rain in your part of the world, not having seen that type of stuff here since the beginning of March !

Blxxdy hot here in fact with it at 43 degrees today and the rest of the week, every one must have suffered here in Malta in their uniforms during the French siege.

And that means HOT

Steve

Overall it has been quite a dry summer - as compared to 2009 when it seemed to never stop raining.

Sorry I can't blow a bit your way.

Meanwhile grateful for any more info. or leads you can help with.

Since my last post I popped out for half an hour and by a wonderful coincidence spotted a lady I know to be in the Local History Society. She said she had not heard of any Waterloo veterans buried in the churchyard here. So hopefully this will be a brand new story for them.

MB

Service Records of Army out-pensioners 1760-1913 are in series WO97.

Discharged records of Pensioners including invalid and Veteran Battalions, 1782-1887 are in WO 121/1-136

At the National Archives of course.

Mark,

Here is his National Archives Reference.

Elijah Paget alias Elijah Pagett Born Kingswinford, Staffordshire Served in 44th Foot Regiment Discharged aged 24

Covering Dates 1811-1816

Item Reference WO97/595/87

Cheers

Thanks Steve

I hope to get somebody to check out these documents in the NA for me.

This afternoon I had a mooch around the graveyard down the road - the first time I have had cause to understand how it is laid out.

Regretably the earliest graves I could find in the area that is still intact were from 1880, just shortly after the date I am interested in (1878). That does make sense as I am sure I saw in one of the newspapers I was going through that around that time the local landowner donated a new piece of land to extend the graveyard.

The area that was seemingly used prior to this is now completely turfed over and a small number (maybe 50) of the gravestones from that area have been moved close to the church Some are positioned along a dividing wall, and some are actually laid flat to make a pathway. They range in date from 1696 up to the 1870's. Of course I had a look along the ones that are still legible but no sign of a Paget(t) or a Judge. That did not surprise me at all as it is quite unlikely that they would have had any kind of memorial stone in the first place.

So it looks like the newspaper report and the inscription in the Burial Register is their only "military memorial" - but at least it is something!

Going right off the subject now but as I was looking around the different areas I came across a couple of poignant inscriptions.

One man who was killed at Hamstead Colliery - obviously a mining accident. And a couple who were "killed whilst boating at Matlock."

And there was one inscription to an "amiable, virtuous and endearing" woman. Would loved to have met her!

Next step I think is the NA, which might be a while off. But I will report back if anything new/interesting turns up.

MB