East Lothian Cavalry 1795/1800

[scooter]

Hello All,

Having looked in all the usual places, would anyone have any clues as to where I might look for records related to the East Lothian Cavalry for the period 1795-1800? I've had a possible breakthrough on my research, and finding any kind of muster roll etc. might just prove my theories. I notice that in 1800 they were stationed in Deal, Kent, which could explain why one member of the family was born in England in 1800.

Any advice is much appreciated,

Scott

[Currie]

Hello Scott,

There seem to be a number of military units with Lothian in their title running about at the end of the 18th century. The Mid Lothian Fencible Cavalry (probably the one under the command of the Earl of Ancram) appear to have spent some time around Sunderland in 1796. The same for the West Lothian Fencibles but they went to Ireland in 1798.

According to the book “The History of Dunbar, etc.” 1859, it was the East and West Lothian Fencible Cavalry, commanded by Colonel J. Hamilton, who were stationed at Deal in the year 1800. At the time the book was written there appears to have been a roll of officers and privates in the East Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry in the possession of a Mr. P. H. Hume.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=MSo ... 22&f=false

Here’s a bit of a paper trail for the East and West Lothian Fencible Cavalry.

Telegraph (London), Thursday, July 7, 1796
Edinburgh, June 28.
“The East and West Lothian Fencible cavalry are to go to Piers Hill barracks.”

Courier and Evening Gazette (London), Friday, October 13, 1797
“Military.— ……. On Saturday ****night, the Royal Horse Artillery marched into Newcastle from camp, and went into barracks; and the East and west Lothian Fencible Cavalry came in the Monday following, and went into quarters.”

London Chronicle (London), Saturday, January 27, 1798
“Distribution of Military Forces.
At Newcaftle upon Tyne—Eaft Middlefex militia, Eaft and Weft Lothian fencible cavalry, …….”

True Briton (1793) (London), Monday, July 23, 1798
“The East and West Lothian Fencibles have lately been reviewed on Dedham Heath, by Sir Wm. Howe, by whom they were much applauded.”

At the bottom of this page they seem to be saying that officers of the East and West Lothian Fencible Cavalry were in attendance at Tendring Heath, Essex, in August, 1898.
http://www.colchestermetaldetecting.co. ... etails&a=0

London Chronicle (London), Thursday, February 21, 1799
“The Eaft and Weft Lothian Fencibles, commanded by Col. Hamilton, have offered their fervices to his Majefty, to act in any part of the Kingdom”

Observer (London), Sunday, February 23, 1800
“The Lothian Fencible Cavalry at present at Bury are under orders for the North, there to be disbanded.” (This may not be the East and West)

Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh), Saturday, July 12, 1800
A birth notice mentions “Lieutenant and Adjutant john Henning, of the late East and West Lothian fencible cavalry.”

Lists of soldiers? Maybe at the National Archives of Scotland but I’m not sure there’ll be anything useful .http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue/

GD51/6/555 John Hamilton; commissions in the line; Cornets William Sleigh and Robert Hall, East and West Lothian Fencible Cavalry 1 May 1800
RH15/119 Hamilton of Pencaitland Papers 1659-1813
RH15/119/34 Papers relating to the East and West Lothian Fencible Cavalry under Col. Hamilton 1797-1798

All the best,
Alan

[scooter]

Hi Alan,

As usual, BIG thanks and sterling research! Based on what you've discovered, and what I've been looking at, what do you make of this? (my nine year brick wall).

As you may remember, I've been looking for the origins of my bigamist convict ancestor, John Wishart, who based on the records I've seen, was born in Glasgow during 1796/1797. I've looked in detail at all the Wishart families who were having children in Lanarkshire during this period and have ruled out all, bar the family of David Wishart and Helen Scadlock (who had a John baptised in 1800, but also a daughter Jean born in 1797 so unlikely) and also Peter Wishart and Jean/Margaret Gardner who have children recorded from 1801 but who were married in 1795. I believe Peter to be the son of John Wishart (a Cook) and Margaret Jamieson, born in Glasgow in 1773. In the record for Peter's marriage he is recorded as a soldier in the East Lothian Cavalry, his wife residenter in Glasgow.

Based on the fact that Peter's father is likely to be John, I'm thinking that the couple probably had a child named John between 1795 and 1800, and that the Henry Wishart living in Glasgow in 1841 (born England about 1800) is also a child of the union. From the articles you sent, it appears as if the East Lothian's left Scotland between 1796 and 1797 which perhaps would be why a child named John might not have been baptised in Glasgow. I read someplace that it was often the practice that wives accompanied their husbands when they were stationed elsewhere, and certainly this is born out with ancestors on my mothers side who were in the Fifeshire Militia during this period and had children in England as well as Fife. Being that the Cavalry were apparently in Deal in 1800 (or England in general) this might explain why Henry Wishart was born there, and again seeing as they were ordered to disband in 1800, why the next child, William, was born back in Glasgow in March 1801. After the cavalry Peter set himself up as a tinsmith (which coincidentally his son Henry became) and was listed as working on Main Street, Anderston in local directories. Although I don't have proof, does this sound like a good line of attack?

Thanks again!

Scott

P.S. I notice that muster rolls for the East Lothian Fencibles are kept down south in Kew in WO13, so I may have a look at those.

[Adam Brown]

Telegraph (London), Thursday, July 7, 1796
Edinburgh, June 28.
“The East and West Lothian Fencible cavalry are to go to Piers Hill barracks.”

Although it's not part of your research it's probably worth pointing out that Piers Hill or Piershill barracks was the cavalry barracks for Edinburgh until Redford Cavalry barracks was opened in the early 20th Century. Piershill had a stay of execution because of the First World War but they were demolished in 1930s.

The stone was re-used for flats built in the 1930s and the two squares of flats on the site near Jock's Lodge have a 'barracks' look to them.

You can find graves to soldiers from the barracks in nearby Restalrig churchyard and also Portobello Cemetery.

Cheers

Adam

[Currie]

Hello Scott,

As Peter married in 1795 and was then in the East Lothian Cavalry I guess that rules out the East Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry which was, according to the book, enrolled in 1797, and leaves us with the East and West Lothian Fencible Cavalry commanded by Colonel Hamilton. There’s a list of officers here http://books.google.com.au/books?id=R_E ... AJ&pg=PA18

They’ve left off ‘West’ in the name in this item in the Sun (London), Tuesday, July 19, 1796, about a General Court Martial at the Camp at West Barns, near Dunbar. Colonel John Hamilton and Major Alexander Maclean of the “East Lothian Fencible Cavalry” were members of the Court.

This book appears to have the East Lothian Fencible Cavalry at Newbiggin camp in Northumberland on 21st August, 1796. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=6rs ... 22&f=false

You’ve given your line of attack a lot of thought and it sounds pretty good to me.

All the best,
Alan

[scooter]

Hi Alan,

You are correct in thinking that it's the East and West Lothian Fencible Cavalry that Peter Wishart was part of. I had some spare time this morning in London, and couldn't resist taking a peak at the muster rolls for the aforementioned. Smelly and filthy as they were, I found out the following:

Peter Wishart attested 6 January 1795, aged 21 and assigned to Major MacLean's troop and based in Montrose for much of 1795 before heading to Piershill in 1796 and then onto Northumberland that summer. From there they seemed to spend much of their time in Bury St Edmunds, Sudbury and various other Suffolk towns (no record of them in Deal). Peter was promoted to Corporal in 1798 and then Sergeant in April 1799. After promotion he seems to have been given a monthly allowance to reside in lodgings of his choosing (which is perhaps when his wife came to join him?) and remained with the unit until all were discharged in May 1800. From there a detailed description of the E & W Fencibles march back to Haddington is given. There was a great also deal of information given from 1798 onwards about the movements of the troops within the pay books, including a note at the end of one year that records the deaths of four horses, three of which were struck by lightning! It's clear from the monthly expenses that personnel other than the soldiers were travelling with the Fencibles, and although not mentioned by name, I can only assume some of these were wives etc.

So, bearing the above in mind, I suppose it could be plausible that Peter's wife bore a son called John in 1796/7 in Glasgow and was then sent for in 1798 when he gained promotion and headed south where she bore him another son, Henry in 1799/1800. The Fencibles were back in Haddington at the end of June, which if you fast forward another nine months, puts a third son, William, being born about the correct time in March.

I wonder if the first child was not baptised in Glasgow shortly after birth because the father was 'away'? If so, maybe he was baptised someplace else along the route, maybe even with his brother? More questions and hopefully more answers somewhere down the line!

Thanks again,

Scott

P.S. Adam, I love the fact that Redford Barracks was the replacement for Peirshill. My Grandfather lived very near them in Colinton (just off the Redford Road) and we used to hear the pipers all the time when we spent our summers there. If Peter Wishart is my 5th G Grandfather, then things rather came full circle so to speak!

[AndrewP]

P.S. Adam, I love the fact that Redford Barracks was the replacement for Peirshill. My Grandfather lived very near them in Colinton (just off the Redford Road) and we used to hear the pipers all the time when we spent our summers there. If Peter Wishart is my 5th G Grandfather, then things rather came full circle so to speak!

The Army school of Bagpiping is still at Inchdrewer House, now part of the Redford Barracks complex, and the piping can often be heard more than half a mile away (on my route home, probably about ¼ mile from your grandfather's home).

All the best,

AndrewP

[Currie]

That’s not a bad morning’s work Scott.

When I was going through the newspapers looking for stuff about the E & W I saw something about lightning or a fire and horses stampeding down the main street of some town or other. It may have been the same occasion you mentioned.

All the best,
Alan