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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => London and Middlesex => Topic started by: chrisos on Friday 14 February 25 06:49 GMT (UK)
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Hi
Not sure if this is the correct forum for my enquiry, so apologies if not. I have a marriage in Fleet St, London dated 1746 which confirms that the groom Samuel Chevalier was a soldier in John Coles Regiment of Foot Guard. This does not appear to have been a well known Regiment (not Coldstream apparently). Does anyone know anything more about it?
The marriage took place 1 week before Culloden. I have placed Samuel & his wife in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1749 and wondered if the regiment had been posted there as a precaution.
Any help would be very much appreciated.
All the best
Chris, NSW,Aust
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There was a John Cole's regiment but it was disbanded in 1653.
Looking at the marriage record I don't see "Guard". And is the name Cole? The first letter looks more like an S.
The marriage took place at "Wittyatts" - have you discovered anything about that?
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This falls under FindMyPast's clandestine marriages.
"Fleet Register. Wyatt's Register. Jun 1744. Officiating Minister probably Wyatt"
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https://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol2/pp404-416
See William and Walter Wyatt,, and "marrying houses"
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There are a couple of records for him on Anc*. He was in the 11th Regiment of Foot and was admitted as a Chelsea Pensioner on 15 November 1763 having completed 21 years service. The records say he was 42 years old at the time and had been born in "Owswestry" (i.e., Oswestry in Shropshire).
The naming convention of regiments changed shortly after his marriage in 1746. Up to that point regiments were usually known by the name of their colonel or by their royal title.
From 1738-1746 the Colonel of the 11th Regiment of Foot was Col Robinson Sowle ("Robn Sowl's Regiment" as per the marriage record).
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"Robn Sowl's Regiment"
That's more like it. Looks like it's been written as Robn Sole's.
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According to the Wikipedia article on the Devonshire Regiment (11th Regiment of Foot), his full name was Col Robinson Sowle and he commanded the Regiment 1743–1746.
As for the theory that the Regiment might have been stationed in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1749, this seems not to be the case, based on the book by Richard Cannon (1845). Historical Record of the Eleventh Regiment, Or the North Devon Regiment of Foot: Containing an Account of the Formation of the Regiment in 1685, and of Its Subsequent Services to 1845 (https://archive.org/details/cihm_48489/page/n47/mode/1up) (Parker, Furnivall and Parker) which is the source for much of the early part of the Wikipedia article. Here is an extract from pages 32-5.
[1745] Meanwhile Charles Edward, eldest son of the Pretender, had arrived in Scotland, and being joined by the clans, he was making a desperate effort to overturn the existing Government. This rebellion occasioned the regiment to be withdrawn from the Netherlands, to confront the insurgent clans, and on its arrival in England it was ordered to form part of the force assembling under General Ligonier, near Lichfield. It was afterwards under the orders of the Duke of Cumberland, and on the retreat of the clans from Derby, it marched in pursuit. The Pretender having left a garrison in Carlisle, the Eleventh formed part of the force which invested that place, and obliged the insurgents to surrender before the end of December.
1746. After the flight of the rebels to Scotland, the regiment remained a short time in the north of England.
Colonel Robinson Sowle having been appointed to the Third Marine Regiment (disbanded in 1748), the command of the Eleventh Foot was conferred on Colonel William Graham, from a newly-raised corps, since disbanded, by commission dated the 7th of February, 1746,
The rebel army having been overthrown at Culloden on the 16th of April, and the insurrection suppressed, the Eleventh Regiment received orders to return to the Netherlands, and, after landing in Holland, it joined the allied army, which was not sufficiently numerous to prevent the French capturing several fortified towns. After some time spent in defensive operations. Prince Charles of Lorraine arrived and took command of the allied army, and the Eleventh Regiment was employed in several movements to check the progress of the enemy.
[...]
During the summer of 1747 the regiment was employed in garrison duty in Holland, and it took part in some defensive operations, but was not engaged at the battle of Val.
[...]
In 1748, when preliminary articles for a treaty of peace had been agreed upon, a suspension of hostilities took place. The regiment remained in the Netherlands until the winter, when it returned to England.
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From 1738-1746 the Colonel of the 11th Regiment of Foot was Col Robinson Sowle ("Robn Sowl's Regiment" as per the marriage record).
According to Cannon op cit, Maj-Gen Stephen Cornwallis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Cornwallis) commanded the 11th Foot from 1738 - 1743.
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Hi everyone
I have just seen the incredible overnight response to my enquiry.. it certainly makes it worthwhile when you ask the right people. I haven’t had a chance to look at each reply in detail yet but will do so shortly (I need to digest the information and potentially what it means to my research).
Rootschat Researchers Rule
Chris
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Shaun, Hanes
Thank you all very much for replying to my enquiry.
Shaun, Hanes - I have located 3 variations of the marriage entry, one referred to Coles Regt of Foot Guards, another simply as soldier and the third and most likely the original mentioned what I thought was John Coles but was actually Robin Swoles. My sincere thanks for clarifying this for me. It was suggested to me sometime ago that "Willyats" or "Wittyats" was the name of the minister and Hanes has now confirmed this (thank you).
Dave, Andy – Samuel’s military records are a definite bonus, especially now that I know that Col Robinson Swole was the correct name to research. Third Marine Regiment connection is interesting as Samuel ultimately set up a very lucrative fishing tackle business in London about 1763. This date appears to coincide with his discharge from the army. The birth place of Oswestry is intriguing and somewhat confusing though. The line of Chevaliers I am interested in were Huguenots. Working backwards I have traced the line back to 1749 when Samuel & Elizabeth had a daughter Elizabeth bpt at Newcastle upon Tyne & a son James in 1754 at Berwick upon Tweed. I thought these locations would correspond to approx. placements of the 11th but apparently not. However, it does look as though Elizabeth Godfroy was an army wife.
So why Oswestry if the family were Huguenots? I believe both Newport and Gloucester were Huguenot enclaves specialising in textiles so it is possible Samuel’s family spread out from there but it is still quite a distance between Oswestry & Gloucester, let alone Newport. This is something I need to look at more closely.
I have done a separate DNA study on shared matches for 3 of Samuel & Elizabeth’s descendants. The matches, all from Quebec, Canada are pointing to an origin area around Coutances and St Lo, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France. Coutances is near the coast quite close to Jersey, Channel Isles.
All very interesting.
Once again, my sincere thanks Chris
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With the influx of Huguenot refugees money was raised to support them and lists of recipients published (from 1693 - early 1700s). The entries could range from name only to identifying from where they fled in some instances.
"Liste de protestans Francois refugiez en Angleterre, qui etant dans le besoin ...." published 1703/1704 by Robert Roger
Among those listed -
Samuel Chevalier & sa femme.
Possible link - I believe these lists may be held by a Huguenot Society?
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Hi Hanes
Very useful information in your last post. I will definitely follow this up.
Many thanks
Chris