Chelsea Pensioners.

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Orlaith17
Posts: 196
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2011 10:50 pm
Location: Highlands

Chelsea Pensioners.

Post by Orlaith17 » Sat Feb 14, 2015 1:32 am

Hope someone here can point me in the right direction. My 2 x great grandfather was listed on census returns as a soldier. I also have received information from someone also researching this lineage that he was a Chelsea Pensioner. He was apparently blind in both eyes, but they had stopped his pension and he died before it could be re-instated. My knowledge of Chelsea Pensioners is limited I'm afraid, though I had the privilege to meet a few some years ago now. First question is, how would he have become a Chelsea Pensioner? Would this have come about if he was unable to be cared for in his family home? Why would his pension have stopped? Anyone know of a list of names of Chelsea Pensioners down the years? Hoping someone can help, thanks.

SarahND
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Posts: 5631
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:47 am
Location: France

Re: Chelsea Pensioners.

Post by SarahND » Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:12 am

Hello Orlaith,

Findmypast has Chelsea Pensioner records. If you don't have a subscription, perhaps you could give us the name of your ancestor and someone could have a look.

All the best,

Sarah

Orlaith17
Posts: 196
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2011 10:50 pm
Location: Highlands

Re: Chelsea Pensioners.

Post by Orlaith17 » Sat Feb 14, 2015 11:41 am

That would be great thank you. I have full subscription to Ancestry but not to Findmypast. Is that worth a subscription too? Do they have different records to Ancestry? Person I am looking for is Henry Matthews. My great grandmothers name was given as Matthews on her marriage certificate but on other ducuments has come up as Mathies or once as Mathieson.Scottish 1841 census shows Henry as Henry Mathias aged 30. He is named there as a Chelsea Pensioner.

SarahND
Site Admin
Posts: 5631
Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:47 am
Location: France

Re: Chelsea Pensioners.

Post by SarahND » Sat Feb 14, 2015 12:36 pm

Okay, I think I have found him: Henry Mathews born abt 1809 in Whitehorn, Wigton, Galloway. Enlisted at Kilmarnock age 16 on 7 Nov 1825, went blind and was discharged in 1830. There are quite a few pages, much repetitive, but you never know when a valuable nugget will be found. You even get a physical description, etc.
Check your email.

Some of the records at Ancestry and Findmypast are the same, some different. It really depends on what you are looking for and where your ancestors are from. It might be worthwhile to browse Findmypast to see if there is anything that is useful to you.

All the best,
Sarah

Orlaith17
Posts: 196
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2011 10:50 pm
Location: Highlands

Re: Chelsea Pensioners.

Post by Orlaith17 » Fri Jul 15, 2016 2:56 pm

Thank you very much for this information. I have been following other lines for a while, but returning to this one again now. Think it probably worth a subscription to Findmypast as I couldn't find any of this in Ancestry. Thanks again.

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