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  1. #1

    Default 36th Regiment of Foot



    I found the attached newspaper cutting in my grandmother's bible and am trying to work out its significance. My grandmother's mother's maiden name was Graham, the surname of the person detailed in the article and I can date it to 1815 as I have found the record of the banns in the Carlisle Archives. I have found various other possible records but with it being such a common name I can't be sure that it's the right person. I'd love to find out more.

    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

  2. #2
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    I haven't tried to decipher that cutting but have you searched the service records (WO97) on Findmypast? It might be useful first to check the campaign medal rolls (WO100) on Ancestry.

  3. #3

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    Thanks for that Peter. Findmypast has 2 similar records that could be the right person though neither regiment is correct. Likewise, Ancestry has a record (of which is the same as one of the Findmypast records) that I'm certain would be the right person if it wasn't for the regiment. That record is for a William Graham in the 61st Regiment, not the 36th as it states in the cutting. This record states that the soldier was wounded in the Battle of Salamanca and his arm was disabled. The cutting calls him 'The Hero of Salamanca' and refers to him as being an invalid. The birth place is almost right (It states Carlisle as opposed to Dalston which is a small town near Carlisle) but that might be down to registration districts. This particular record is in the Chelsea Pensioners' discharge documents and I've also found a record of a William Graham on the 1851 census, in Carlisle, of the right age, born in Dalston and the occupation is stated as a Chelsea Pensioner. My problem is that I still don't know for sure that this is the right William Graham because the regiments are different and I haven't been able to get that far back on the Graham side of the tree to make the connection as yet due to it being a common name. Any further thoughts would be appreciated.

  4. #4

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    To confuse matters and an addition to the above - I found a further record at the National Archives in a book called The Military General Service Roll 1793-1814. Only one William Graham is listed under the 36th Regiment as having fought at P N N O (Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive and Orthes) but no mention of Salamanca which was before those listed anyway!

  5. #5
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    My apologies if you already have this.

    There is a record on ancestry (WO120)
    UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Registers of Soldiers Who Served in Canada, 1743-1882
    They are records of soldiers in the regiments of Foot 29 to 43.
    William Graham of Dalston, in the 36th was admitted on 16 November 1814, age 29, was wounded in the right leg ( at Toulous?)
    Note says - 4 years OP 14 June 1821
    Another note- ??B 27 Jan 1817
    Some other numbers which I can't relate to anything.

    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  6. #6

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    Thank you Christina! I don't already have that information so that's fantastic. I'll be honest, it never occurred to me that he'd been in Canada as everything pointed to Europe and I was focussing on the Salamanca part of the story. I'm sure his marriage banns were July 1815 so I guess if he went home after he was wounded that would fit. I don't understand the other information though. What does OP stand for? I have a Findmypast subscription at the moment but my Ancestry subscription has expired so I can't look in detail to see this particular record. I have had a quick look though and it says zero results to my search criteria! The Ancestry records I do have I saved previously on my computer but I never saw this one. Is there more information to see? If your find is the correct William Graham (and it does seem promising), then my 1851 census find would match. It says he's a widower so that does give me something to work on in terms of descendants. Do you think it's a safe assumption (though I know you should never assume) that the William Graham in the 61st Regiment of Foot is a different person? I was thinking that regiments did sometimes amalgamate but I can't find any information that suggests that might have been the case.

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    Did you look in WO100 (campaign medal rolls) as I suggested? There is a William Graham of the 36th Foot who fought in the Napoleonic Wars but there is no clasp listed for Salamanca.

  8. #8

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    Thanks to you both for your advice/suggestions. I have now managed to locate all of the records that you were referring to. I am wondering if it's possible that my William Graham joined the 61st Regiment of Foot first as there is a record that shows a William Graham as being at Salamanca, and only Salamanca, (which is referred to in the article) and then joined the 36th! The flaw in this theory is that he appeared to have been discharged as unfit for further duty after Salamanca because "his right arm is disabled". Is it plausible that he recovered and then joined the 36th about a year later? I need to take a further look at the dates to see if it all ties in. He is clearly referred to as the Hero of Salamanca in the newspaper article but there is no mention of that battle for the William Graham in the 36th. It's odd that he might be the hero of his first battle and not the subsequent four!

  9. #9
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Narnie View Post
    Thank you Christina! I don't already have that information so that's fantastic. - but my Ancestry subscription has expired so I can't look in detail to see this particular record. I have had a quick look though and it says zero results to my search criteria!
    I have sent you a private message(pm) which you can access by clicking on 'Notifications' in the blue bar at the top of the page.

    In ancestry's UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949 There is a William Graham of the 61st Regiment of Foot, his troop/company being Hawk.
    In the same record list is your William Graham troop/company 'Blakener" There is also a hand written note which I find difficult to read : Irish or ? ? Legionare? at turn/time of Toulouse?


    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  10. #10
    thewideeyedowl
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    Default Ancestry have a 'thing' about Canada

    Hi there

    Having quickly skimmed through this thread, I can see some similarities to an earlier one where we were led on a 'Wild Canada Goose' chase simply because Ancestry have got this 'thing' about Canada . Take a look at this thread: https://www.british-genealogy.com/th...ment-1805-1823, in particular #4-6.

    And I too had a relative who, according to Ancestry, served in Canada during the Peninsula War. Rubbish! He was at Ciudad Rodrigo, Vittoria and San Sebastian (a two-month siege). So I'd say believe the evidence of the Pension/Admission Document/Medal List or whatever. It will be accurate (as long as you can decipher it!) and the research will be much quicker, too.

    Owl

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