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| St Andrew Street, Tiverton cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Jaggery geograph.org.uk/p/6242815 |
Richard and Mary Land had five children:
- Mary Land b. 26 Jun 1812, bap. 20 Sep 1812 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton
- Sarah Land bap. 8 Oct 1815 in Tiverton
- Richard Land bap. 25 Dec 1817 in Tiverton
- Elizabeth Land bap. 24 Apr 1820 in Tiverton
- Fanny Land bap. 16 Feb 1823 in Tiverton
The baptisms from 1815 onwards list Richard's occupation then as Labourer and so many were just that, but this certainly doesn't reflect his whole story:
The records of Royal Navy Allotment Declarations - seamen and marines were able to send (allot) part of their wages to support next of kin at home - lists Richard Land from Bampton, Drummer, in 1805-10 with HMS Hibernia (1804) at which time he allotted part of his pay to his mother, Sarah. Then, when he was with HMS Ocean (1805) in 1811-12, to his wife, Mary.
"Royal Marine Drummers were first mentioned in the 1664 Convening Order, at the formation of Corps and so pride themselves as being the oldest Branch in the Corps." - Royal Marines Band Service
Marine Drummer Richard Land served at the Battle of Trafalgar (confirmed here), being a drummer serving on HMS Royal Sovereign (1786), the flagship of Admiral Collingwood and the first ship of the fleet in action at Trafalgar on 21 Oct 1805. She led one column of warships; Nelson's Victory led the other. Royal Sovereign lost her mizzen and mainmasts in the battle. Richard Land's station on the ship will have been up on the poop deck, an exposed spot (in a bright red uniform), probably to one side of the [by then missing] mizzen mast, so it's pretty much a bloody miracle he survived.
On his pension records, Richard Land's service in the Royal Marines is listed as being 14 years, 1 month, 2 weeks and 6 days. If he left the service in 1816, it's possible he had enlisted in 1802 at 18. He was granted a pension, at the age of 32, from 16 May 1816, of £8 8s per year, for life.
In 1841, Richard Land (55), Mary Land (50), Mary Land (3) and Thomas Rooks (80) were living in St Andrew Street, Tiverton. The three year old was their granddaughter, born Mary Elizabeth Gould Land bap. 29 Apr 1838, in Tiverton, the illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Land (and someone whose surname was Gould?). Thomas Rooks, clearly, was Mary's father.
Mary Land died, aged 58, and was buried on 10 Jun 1849, at St Peter's.
In 1851, Richard Land (66) Masons labourer (Greenwich pensioner) was still in St Andrew Street, Tiverton, with Mary Land (12) Grand child, Scholar.
Richard Land (72) 5' 4", Widower from Bampton Devon, Labourer, last ship HMS Ocean, Marine was admitted to Greenwich Hospital, London on 21 Dec 1855. (Just in time to be "regaled with plum pudding and roast beef" on Christmas Day.) The Royal Hospital for Seaman, as it was originally called, now the Old Royal Naval College, once described as the "poshest pensioners home that ever was". Life as a Greenwich Pensioner. In the column, "If wounded", it said NO, but underneath was written "Trafalgar".
This Description In 1855 is fascinating in describing their diet, clothing and facilities. It boasts that, "Their food is of the best description, varied daily by a new and liberal arrangement of diet introduced in 1853." (If a bit heavy on roast or boiled beef and mutton.) "Two pints of excellent beer is the daily allowance throughout the year, except on four days set apart as festival days, when each man is supplied with two quarts of strong ale."
Also in 1855, it was said, "The clothing has been somewhat changed of late. The original dress corresponded with that in common wear at the beginning of the last century; but the knee-breeches have been exchanged for trousers, and round hats have been allowed for daily wear. Cocked hats are issued, however, as before, and are worn on Sundays and on ceremonial occasions."
"By all accounts the ‘Greenwich Geese’ as locals referred to them were a rowdy bunch and barely resembled our modern image of elderly pensioners." (Not resembling any image of elderly pensioners is a good aim, IMHO!)
Richard Land died, at 82, his death registered in 1866, in Camberwell.