25th Regiment of Foot 1798 - 1841

[Mofamily]

Hi

I wonder if anyone could help me. 


1. What was the 1st Battalion of 25th Foot doing in Jersey in 1798 - 1799.

2. What did they do between then and arriving in the West Indies.

3. When in the West Indies, what was their purpose (I understand they were there for 16 years or so) and how would they have lived.

4. When they left the West Indies what was their movement until 1841 (my relly was discharged due to ill health at that time).

Thanks
Mo

[KGarrad]

This website might answer your questions:
http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/Britain/Infantry/Regiments/c_25thFoot.html

Jersey was garrisoned for most of modern history - presumably because of the threat from the French?

The Caribbean was a hotch-potch of islands, administered by different countries. England/GB/UK needed forces there to defend their islands against others (French, Spanish, etc) and pirates.

[Tyrannosaurus]

Here’s a history of the regiment to c.1870.
http://archive.org/stream/cihm_06993#page/n229/mode/2up

Rex

[Mofamily]

Thank you so much KGerrard and Rex.

The history of the Regiment is fantastic and answers a lot of questions.

Thanks again.

Mo

[Tg1tg2tg3]

Hi - can anyone tell me where the 25th Regiment of Foot was stationed on or around 10th February, 1789 please?  I am trying to ascertain where my ancestor came from but the only information I can find is a Chelsea Pension record which states he joined the regiment on that date - there seems to be no attestation papers for him, just discharge. 
many thanks
Theresa

[km1971]

Hi Theresa

They arrived in Plymouth on 21st April 1792 having been in Gibraltar since 1782. While the service companies were overseas they would have kept a Depot somewhere in the UK. Alternative names include the Edinburgh and York Regiments, as they spent time at each location and taken on recruits from both places.

In this period the 25th Foot comprised ten companies. The size of each company changed a lot in this period due to tension within Europe, from 33 to about 50 rank and file per company. Of the ten companies one comprised grenadiers – usually the biggest and best men, one light company – usually the best shots, and eight line companies. When on campaign, the grenadier and light companies of many regiments were often formed into separate battalions.

In 1793 at the start of the war with France the 25th was one of three regiments that were used to make up a shortage of marines. 

Can you post his name? And when was he discharged?

Ken

[Tg1tg2tg3]

Hi Ken - many thanks for your reply, greatly appreciated.  His name is William Tennant, b1768 and the problem is I don't know where!  His Chelsea record states "Abbey, Suffolk" but that disagrees with all that I know of this family which we always believed were inherently Scottish.  Besides that, there is no such place as Abbey, Suffolk - having made exhaustive enquiries, and commissioning research at Suffolk Record Office who confirmed that.  I had an idea if I could discover where he signed up, it might be an indication of his birthplace.  The KOSB Museum sent me the following information about his service but they had no further data on where he was born:

10.2.1789 - 24.6.1796         25th Regiment of Foot [KOSB]
25.6.1796 - 24.12. 1801      53rd Regiment of Foot [53rd (Shropshire) Regt. of Foot; later, 1881, The King's Shropshire Light Infantry, and, 1968, 3rd Bn. The Light Infantry]
25.12.1801 - 24.6.1802       1st Garrison Battalion [an Invalid battalion]
25.6.1802 - 24.8.1808         26th Regiment of Foot [The Cameronians or Scottish Rifles; disbanded 1968]
25.8.1808 - 1.10.1808         2nd Garrison Battalion [an Invalid battalion]
2.10.1808 - 12.8.1814         9th Royal Veteran Battalion [an Invalid Battalion]
 
3 years' service in the West Indies is noted between 24.5.1794 and 2.2.1801.

A big thank you for your time, greatly appreciated.

[km1971]

3 years' service in the West Indies is noted between 24.5.1794 and 2.2.1801.

This is actually 3 years and 12 days bonus for twice that length of service in the West Indies while with the 25th and 53rd Regiments. It was called 'half period'. It was given due to the high risk of death by contracting a tropical disease in the West Indies at the time. It also applied to the 'East Indies', ie India. Soldiers enlisting before 1818 were eligible. Overseas service includes time at sea.

Ken

[Tg1tg2tg3]

 Thank you Ken.  I was unaware of that.  He seems to have been incredibly lucky to have survived at all after 25 years service that must have been quite an achievement.

thanks again, any input gratefully received!
Theresa