Royal Welch Fusiliers

My 3x great grandfather George Lywood was in the 23rd Regiment of Foot better known as the Royal Welch Fusiliers. After discovering on the census that he was a Chelsea Pensioner and on his marriage registration (26 Oct 1817 at Milston Wiltshire to Martha Peck) that he was a veteran of Waterloo, I then investigated on Find My Past to see if he had any service records and indeed he does. His statement of service record is available. He was discharged due to asthma after over 11 years of service on 26 Oct 1816. There is a description of him on the certificate and he has dark colouring including his eyes and is of short stature. He also received a bar for Martinique and a medal for Waterloo. Where these particular medals have gone I have absolutely no idea but he did have two sons and likely the descendants of one of these two families have the medals. I descend from his only daughter and his fourth child died at the age of 17 years. Whilst we were in England in 2008 and on our tour we stopped at Cardiff Castle. They have a Museum to the Royal Welch Fusiliers and I was able to see what the clasp that he received looked like which was really keen. They also had for sale a book on the Royal Welch Fusiliers by A.D.L. Carey and Stouppe McCance and illustrated by Gerald C Hudson. One of the illustrations shows the uniform of a private about 1689 and 1791. Very nice pictures to have. It is Volume 1 1689 - 1815 and printed by The Naval and Military Press Ltd. Title of the Book:

Cary, ADL and McCance, S. 2005. Regimental Records of the Royal Welch fusiliers (Late the 23rd Foot). 324 pages. Illustrations. Uckfield, East Sussex, UK: The Naval and Military Press Ltd. ISBN: 1-845742765

It can be ordered online at: www.naval-military-press.com

George Lywood was indeed the first of my ancestors (to the best of my knowledge) to come to Canada. He (according to this book and his military records) was stationed at Halifax, Annapolis 16 April 1808 having embarked for Nova Scotia from Portsmouth January 1808.

Unfortunately I acquired a migraine headache trying to do too much transcription on the burials. They are very closely compacted on the page and a bit of eye strain is needed to read them quickly whilst continuing to type! Hence today I am reading. The burials at Andover are now at 7314 as of the end of May 1719. I have found Thomas Blake's burial 29 January 1714 and the priest at this time was noting if this was an infant/child burial by giving the father's name. One could wish that a notation might have been made husband of but at least the wives did get that notation. By family lore I believe this to be my Thomas as my grandfather remembered this very old story about his ancestor living with his widowed mother at Foxcott. One day I may be able to prove that particular item but in the meantime I keep it on the back burner hauling it forward every once in a while as I acquire new data of interest.