James Henry Tubb and Susannah Bussey

HMNB Portsmouth and HMS Victory
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © David Dixon - geograph.org.uk/p/4091430

James Henry Tubb (b. 1 Apr 1834), son of William Tubb and Sarah Ruff, married Susannah Bussey, daughter of Benjamin Bussey and Elizabeth Bowen, on 10 Nov 1857, at the second, St. Mary's Church, Portsea. 

James and Susannah had six children: 

1. Sarah Elizabeth Tubb b. 1858 S Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 337, bap. 6 Feb 1859 at St Mary's Church, Portsea. (Sarah Elizabeth Tubb married Alfred Burgess Tregurtha on 12 Feb 1883. Sarah died on 25 Feb 1946. Both are buried at Williamstown Cemetery.)
2. James Alfred Tubb b. 24 Dec 1861, GRO Reference: 1862 M Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 424, bap. 23 Feb 1862 at St Mary's Church, Portsea. (James Alfred Tubb married Evelyn Winch. James Alfred Tubb died on  23 Nov 1918 (aged 56) and is buried at Williamstown Cemetery, Williamstown, Victoria, Australia.)
3. William Henry Tubb b. 1863 D Quarter in SOUTHAMPTON Volume 02C Page 8, bap. 1 Jan 1865 at All Saints' Church, Southampton (regularly attended by author Jane Austen while she lived in Southampton and Pre-Raphaelite painter Sir John Everett Millais was baptised there.) Not included in the family grave in Australia, there was, a William Henry Tubb of the right vintage, who may have returned to Portsmouth.
4. George Ernest Tubb b. 1866 J Qtr in SOUTH STONEHAM Vol 02C 65, bap. 8 Jul 1866, as George Emett Tubb, in Freemantle. Married Margaret Curtis, in Victoria, Australia in 1891. George Ernest Tubb, son of James Henry and Susan Tubb, died in Rylstone, New South Wales, in 1938.
5. Nelly Tubb b. 1868 M Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 471. (Nelly Tubb married Walter Beverley Wood in Victoria, Australia, in 1890. Nelly Wood died, aged 25-26, on 12 Apr 1895.)
6. Minnie Beatrice Tubb b. 1877 in Australia. (Minnie Beatrice Tubb married Henry John Manderson. Minnie died on 6 Jul 1967.)

James Tubb, from Landport, Hants, born 1 Apr 1834, 5ft 8in tall, with fair complexion, brown hair and grey eyes, had enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy First Class at 16, in 1850. James Tubb (16), Sailor was listed on the 1851 census in his parent's house, in Marylebone Street, Portsea.

James Henry Tubb's Naval Career: 

• HMS Victory - 15 Mar 1850 to 21 Jun 1851. Not the obsolete ship, but the Shore Establishment that was given her name.
• HMS Retribution (1844) - 22 Jun 1851 to 14 Dec 1851. A a wooden paddle frigate. [Naval Database] 21 Jun 1851 Orders received to prepare to take troops to the Cape of Good Hope with HMS Sidon (1846). 30 Aug 1851 Cape of Good Hope.

The Russian (Crimean War) War of 1854 - 1856:

• HMS Britannia (1820) - 15 Dec 1851 to 13 Mar 1855. Oct 1853 Circa. At the Dardanelles 970 men, Vice-Admiral J. W. D. Dundas. Captain T. W. Carter, with rest of Mediterranean Fleet. 17 Oct 1854 1st Bombardment / Siege of Sevastopol (1854–1855)
• HMS Nile (1839) - 14 Mar 1855 to 20 Apr 1857. [Naval Database] Crimean War in the Baltic: On 18 September 1855, Nile's boats boarded and burnt some Russian vessels, reportedly near Hammeliski (possibly Humaliski on the island of Björkö, now called Primorsk, Leningrad Oblast) 20 Sep 1855 Nile and 3 gunboats detained the vessels Victoria and the Ottawa. 4 Feb 1856 Devonport. In Harbour. 24 Feb 1856 Devonport. 26 Feb 1856 arrived at Spithead from Plymouth to join the Baltic Fleet. 23 Apr 1856, Present at Fleet Review, Spithead; under Captain Mundy

This is the second of my relatives to have served in the Baltic during the Crimean War and also the second to have taken part in the 1856 Royal Fleet Review, Spithead. At the review, the HMS Duke of Wellington was at the head of the Port line, while, according to the report in the The Illustrated London News, 26 April 1856, "Abreast of the Port line the Royal George led the Starboard [...] Then came the Nile ..." So not only were both sides of my family represented at the 1856 Royal Fleet Review, they were on both sides of the line and their ships were almost side-by-side. Incredible.

• Still with HMS Nile until 20 Apr 1857, on the North America and West Indies Station. 29 Jan 1857 arrived Havana (Cuba) from Port Royal (Jamaica). 3 Feb 1857 departed Havana for Bermuda.
• On 21 Apr 1857 until 8 Feb 1858, James was assigned to HMS Excellent (shore establishment), the "stone frigate", sited on Whale Island near Portsmouth. (Again, not the only family member to have spent time at HMS Excellent.) It was while he was stationed here that James Henry Tubb had married Susannah Bussey.

HMS Marlborough in Valletta harbour, sometime between 1858 and 1864.

• From 9 Feb 1858 until 22 Mar 1861, HMS Marlborough (1855) which will have taken him back to the Mediterranean. Feb 1858 Commissioned, Delayed sailing 128 days due to a lack of men. 1860 Flag Ship, Mediterranean. 22 Mar 1861 Paid off.

In 1861, James Tubb (27) Seaman RN, was listed as living in Landport View, Portsea, with wife Susan Tubb (26) and daughter, Sarah Tubb (2).

• From 23 Mar 1861 to 14 Apr 1862 back at HMS Excellent.
• From 15 Apr 1862 through to 7 Aug 1866, James was with HMS Boscawen (1844), which from Feb/Mar of 1862 had been hulked as a Boys training ship in Southampton Water. (This explains son William Henry Tubb's baptism taking place in Southampton, in 1865.)
• A third stint at HMS Excellent from 8 Aug 1866 to 5 Oct 1867.

Taken at Williamstown, Victoria,
between 1870 and 1879.
Port broadside view of the wooden
steam battleship HMVS Nelson.

Then from 6 Oct 1867 to 14 Feb 1868, James was with HMS Nelson (1814). Given his history, I'd first thought they'd mean the shore establishment of the same name, but it was, in fact, an actual ship. Nelson was given to the colony of Victoria, and sailed for Australia in October 1867, thus James was on that handover voyage. Clearly, this also gave him the opportunity to see that part of Australia that the family would later make their home.

Back in Portsmouth between 15 Feb 1868 and 1 Mar 1869, James was, once more, assigned to HMS Victory shore establishment. 

James' final assignment, from 2 Mar 1869 until his retirement from the Royal Navy on 31 Dec 1870, was with HMS Duke of Wellington (1852), at which time she replaced HMS Victory as flagship of the Port Admiral at Portsmouth (with Victory becoming her tender), her duties consisting of firing salutes to passing dignitaries, such as Queen Victoria on her way to Osborne House. As a Gunner's Mate since 6 Sep 1860, James may even have helped fire those salutes.

In 1871, Susan Tubb (37) Seaman's wife, was living at 11 Besant Terrace, Portsea with Sarah (12), James (9), William (7), Ernest (5) and 'Millie' (Nelly) (3).

''Queen of Nations'' by Richard Ball Spencer

On 19 Mar 1873, Susan Tubb (38), Sarah E (14), James A (10), Wm Hy (9), George E (6) and Nelly (4), departed from Plymouth, Devon, England, on the clipper, Queen of Nations. They arrived in Melbourne after a journey of around 140 days. (I've [so far] not seen a record of how James Henry got back to Australia, but I wouldn't mind betting he worked his passage.)

Susan Tubb (née Bussey) died on 20 Aug 1912 and is buried in Williamstown Cemetery, Williamstown, Victoria, Australia. She will have been 80.

James Henry Tubb died on 8 Nov 1922, and is also buried in Williamstown Cemetery, Williamstown, Victoria, Australia. He will have been 88.

The Family Grave of J H Tubb at Williamstown Cemetery, Victoria, Australia Photo: Suzy & Rob

Frederick William Penfold and Harriet Mary Tubb

Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda SeanMD80 (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 3.0

Frederick William Penfold (b. 20 Jul 1863 in Hartfield, Sussex), son of William Penfold and Mary Ann Charlotte Gunn (m. 1851), married Harriet Mary Tubb (b. 21 May 1867 in Sheppey), daughter of Edward Tubb and Sarah Elizabeth Joy at the Wesleyan Chapel, Tottenham on 12 May 1888.

Frederick and Harriet had five children:

1. Harriet Mary Penfold Tubb b. 1884 Q4 in CHELSEA Vol 01A Page 338
2. George Edward Penfold b. 7 Mar 1889 in SHEPPEY Vol 02A Page 892
3. Grace Joy Penfold b. 27 Aug 1892 in DOVER Volume 02A Page 982
4. Frederick William Penfold b. 8 Oct 1896 in FULHAM Vol 01A Page 305
5. Bert Penfold b. 14 Aug 1898 in ISLE OF WIGHT Vol 02B Page 599

Looking at this succession of birth locations: i. Frederick's mother, Mary Ann Penfold (55) died in in Chelsea, in 1886, so it may well have been to her that Harriet had gone; ii. Sheppey makes sense that Harriet was able to return to her own mother for the birth of her first legitimate child; iii. this is the year after Frederick left the navy, so unsure why Dover (Harriet's mother's family, perhaps); iv. Fulham is where Frederick's younger brother Charles lived and makes sense to go to his family for this birth, her own mother having died in 1895 and v. the Isle of Wight is where they'd moved in 1898.

Frederick William Penfold, had enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1878, at 15, as a Boy 2nd Class. His father had died in 1873, which may well have been motivation for going to sea. At that time he was 5ft tall, had dark brown hair, brown eyes and fair skin. He'd previously worked as a Gardener. Later, he grew to the lofty height of 5ft 5in and his complexion became ruddy. On 20 Jul 1881, his 18th birthday, Frederick signed up for a further 10 years.

Frederick William Penfold's Naval Career:

• 3 Sep 1878 - 27 Sep 1879 - HMS Boscawen training establishment, then in Portland Harbour with training ship, HMS Trafalgar (1841). Promoted to Boy 1st Class on 10 Sep 1879.
• 28 Sep 1879 - 15 Dec 1882 - HMS Northampton (1876), joins Signals and is working his way up the signals levels from Sig 3 to Sig 2 on 3 Jan 1882. HMS Northampton was brand new at that time, completed 7 Dec 1879, so Frederick must have joined the crew in preparation and in 1879 was at Chatham. She then became the flagship of the North America and West Indies Station.

In 1881, Frederick William Penfold (18), Signal boy from Hartfield, Sussex, was listed under Royal Navy At Sea, Ships and Overseas Establishments with HMS Northampton, in Camber, Bermuda (Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda)

• 16 Dec 1882 - 2 Apr 1884 - HMS Duncan (1859) which had been flag ship at Sheerness since 1879. (Exactly the right time and place for Frederick to meet Harriet, who was born and lived in Sheerness. Harriet's father, Edward Tubb, died in Jan 1884. We might conclude that Harriet, 16, sought solace in Frederick.)
• 3 Apr 1884 - 30 Jun 1886 - HMS Carysfort (1878), which in 1884 and 1885, landed men for the naval brigade at Sudan (during the Mahdist War, which claimed the life of Gordon of Khartoum). During this time, there is a note on Frederick's service record saying "Mily Gaol Alexandria 42 days" (Gabbari military prison, Alexandria, Egypt). Doesn't give the exact dates or what for, but 42 days is unlikely to be too serious. Drunk maybe? Apr 1886 Mediterranean. 8 May 1886 Serving in Greek Waters. 19 Jun 1886 Malta.

Crossing Malta's Grand Harbour by Water Taxi

• 1 Jul 1886 - 2 Apr 1888 - HMS Hibernia (1804) which, from Apr 1886, had been in Malta - she became the flagship for the Royal Navy's base at Malta and stationed in the Grand Harbour. 
• 5 Apr 1888 - 14 Apr 1888 - HMS Duke of Wellington (1852), in Portsmouth. (Three of my relatives have served on this ship, including my 2x great-grandfather, Thomas Jones and James Henry Tubb, who was Harriet Mary Tubb's uncle; her father's brother.)
• 15 Apr 1888 - 31 Mar 1889 - HMS Duncan (1859), back at Sheerness. On 10 Aug 1888, Frederick became a Qualified Signalman. He and Harriet married in the previous quarter.
• 1 Apr 1889 - 17 Oct 1889 - HMS Wildfire shore establishment established at Sheerness in 1889.
• 18 Oct 1889 - 26 Nov 1889 - HMS Royal Adelaide (1828), depot ship at Devonport, Plymouth. On 18 Oct 1889, Frederick was promoted to the rank of Ship's Corporal 2nd Class.
• 27 Nov 1889 - 8 May 1890 - HMS Iron Duke (1870), which had arrived in arrived Plymouth Sound, from the Baltic in the October. 13 Dec 1889, departed Plymouth for Portland, to join up with the other part of the Channel Squadron, arriving from Portsmouth. It was then planned that the Squadron would depart Portland for winter cruise, via Arosa Bay (Ría de Arousa), Vigo (Galicia, Spain), Port Mahon (Menorca), and Morocco, returning in April. On 18 Jan 1890, Frederick attained the rank of Leading Signalman. 20 Apr 1890, arrived at Plymouth from Arosa Bay (18th), having been sent home in advance of the rest of the Channel Squadron, having a case of scarlet fever on board. 8 May 1890, paid off at Portsmouth.
• 9 May 1890 - 14 Jun 1890 - HMS Duke of Wellington (1852).
• 15 Jun 1890 - 12 Nov 1890 - HMS Serapis (1866), in Portsmouth.
• 13 Nov 1890 - 25 Nov 1890 - HMS Duke of Wellington (1852).
• 26 Nov 1890 - 9 Jul 1891 - HMS Excellent (shore establishment), the Royal Navy "stone frigate" sited on Whale Island in Portsmouth Harbour. (The third relative - James Henry Tubb and William Henry Middleton - to have spent time here near the end of their careers.)
• 10 Jul 1890 - 20 Aug 1891 - HMS Duke of Wellington (1852).

In 1891, Frederick W Penfold (27), Qualified signalman, married, is a 'Member of crew' of HMS Excellent in Portsmouth Harbour. Harriet Mary Penfold (26), Harriet M Penfold (6) and George E Penfold (2) were visiting Harriet's mother, Sarah E Tubb (61) in Trinity Road, Minster in Sheppey.

In 1898, George Edward Penfold, son of Frederick William Penfold, Commercial Agent, of 22 West Street, Newport, was enrolled at the Newport Board School in Newport, Isle of Wight. His previous school was Board School Southsea. But the next record we find, is on 22 Sep 1899, when George Penfold, aged 9, from Barnardo Homes, sails to Toronto, Canada on the vessel Arawa. We also read that, "According to the Barnardo records [Grace Joy] was admitted to the Barnardo's Homes in England on July 22, 1899 at the age of 7 with her brother George." [Source]

In 1901, Harriet M Penfold (32) listed as married, was at 49, Trafalgar Road, Newport, Isle of Wight, with Frederick W Penfold (4). George E Penfold (12) was listed as a Domestic in the household of a David White from Scotland, in Assiniboia East, Northwest Territories, Canada.

Frederick William Penfold, house painter (journeyman) of 2 Seagrave Rd, Fulham, died, aged 37, on 7 Apr 1901, of a cerebral hemorrhage (stroke) in Fulham Infirmary. His elder brother, John Robert Penfold of 52, Hogarth Buildings, Westminster is listed as the informant and was in attendance.

We read here that, "According to family hearsay Fredrick left the family at some stage prior to his death and Harriett could not keep the family together and it seems that her son George was put into a Barnardo’s Home and sent to Canada in 1899 at the age of 10." Sadly, the records do bear this out.

On 31 July 1904, G J Penfold (11) Female (Grace Joy) from Barnardo Homes sailed to Toronto, Canada on the vessel RMS Southwark.

Then on 3 May 1907, the youngest, Bert Penfold (8) from Barnardo Homes sailed to Toronto, Canada on the vessel SS Dominion.

So it wasn't just George who was sent to Barnardo Homes, but George, Grace and Bert, who became Home Children sent to Canada: "​From the late 1860s right up to 1948, over 100,000 children of all ages were emigrated right across Canada, from the United Kingdom, to be used as indentured farm workers and domestics. Believed by Canadians to be orphans, only approximately 12 percent truly were". "For the most part, these children were not picked up from the streets but came from intact families, who, through sickness or even death of one of their parents, had fallen on hard times."

In Oct 1910, Harriet Mary Penfold (40) Domestic and Frederick William Penfold (13) at School, make their way to Quebec, Canada (and apparently on to Bracebridge, Ontario) on the vessel Lake Manitoba, travelling steerage from Liverpool. Next to Harriet's name is the stamp, British Bonus Allowed, which was a commission paid by the Canadian government's Immigration Branch to steamship booking agents (not to the immigrants themselves).

In 1911, Fred Penfold (listed as born 1897 and immigration year 1910) was in Guelph, Wellington South, Ontario, Canada in a household with two English ladies: Letia Camocott (b. 1865) and Alice Merridon (b. 1873) Lodger. It doesn't say in what capacity, but as he would then be 15, presumably Fred was either working for them or elsewhere and boarding there. Meanwhile Bert Penfold (12) that year was a Boarder in the household of Canadian couple, George Gilbert (b. 1873) and his wife, Etta, in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada.

All three boys: George Edward, Frederick William Jr and Bert, it seems served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, during World War I.

Grace Penfold (23) married Benjamin Folie (24), son of George Folie, on 10 Aug 1914 in Toronto, Canada. On the marriage record however, in the space where her parents names should be, it has 'unknown' written across the space, so I think we have to assume that her mother had not reencountered her.

In 1916, H M Penfold (48) Female (Harriet Mary) - immigration year 1910 - was in the household of Englishman, Charles M C Westaway (32) in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, seemingly employed as Housekeeper.

Harriet Mary Penfold (née Tubb) died, aged 67, on 27 Aug 1934 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon.

• George Edward Penfold married Anne Jenette Stuart. George died on 24 Sep 1972, aged 83, and is buried at Cupar Cemetery, Cupar, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
• Grace Joy Fowlie (née Penfold) died, aged 61, on 11 Aug 1954, in Arthur, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada and was buried on 14 Aug 1954 in Greenfield Cemetery, in Arthur Ontario.
• Frederick William Penfold Jr married Lula Pearl Deacon in 1923. Fred died on 15 Dec 1985 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
• Bert Penfold married Marjorie Anne Aspin on 11 Aug 1926, in Regina. Bert died, aged 69, on 28 May 1968 and is buried at Riverside Memorial Park Cemetery, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Their name liveth forever

William Henry Middleton and Alice Maud Osmond

Admiralty Mews, Deal
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Philip Halling - geograph.org.uk/p/1407334

William Henry Middleton (b. 4 Nov 1888), son of Emma Middleton, married Alice Maud Osmond, in Tiverton, on 21 Sep 1918. Alice Maud, known as Maud, (b. 2 Nov 1888, bap. 23 Dec 1888 at St. Mary, Willand), was daughter of John Osmond (son of Henry Osmond from Halberton) and Annie Osmond (daughter of John Osmond of Willand).

In 1891, John Osmond (29), Annie (34) lived in a cottage in Kentisbeare, Devon along with daughters Alice M (2) and Emily M (0). At that time, William Henry (2) was living with his grandmother, Jane How at Habridge Cottages, Steart Road, Stoodleigh, Tiverton.

By 1901, however, when Maud (13) was still at home with her family, then living at 1, Crosslands [Cottages], Halberton, William Henry (13) had already left home and was employed as an Agricultural Labourer by John Hussey (38) Farmer at Wood & Honeyland, Tiverton. (Honeyland Plantation?)

William Henry "Bill" Middleton, giving his birth date as 10 Dec 1889, then enrolled in the Royal Marines on 4 Nov 1907, at Exeter (record says was underage between then and 9 Dec 1907), and was sent to Royal Marine Depot, Deal, until 2 Oct 1908, before Plymouth Division. William Henry was promoted to Corporal in 1911, and Sergeant in 1916 while serving on HMS Roxburgh (1904), which he was with from 4 Jun 1912 until 13 Aug 1916 - she was hit by a torpedo on 20 Jun 1915 but escaped with serious damage to her bow - latterly at the North America and West Indies Station.

From 13 Apr 1917 until 26 Nov 1918, Bill was with HMS Highflyer (1898), which means that he was present in Halifax, Nova Scotia during the Halifax Explosion on 6 Dec 1917. 

"Royal Navy cruisers in port sent some of the first organized rescue parties ashore. HMS Highflyer, along with the armed merchant cruisers HMS Changuinola, HMS Knight Templar and HMS Calgarian, sent boats ashore with rescue parties and medical personnel and soon began to take wounded aboard."

From 27 Nov 1918, Bill was transferred back to Plymouth Division, with a brief sojourn at HMS Excellent (shore establishment) near Portsmouth on 23 Dec 1918, but was Invalided on 25 Sep 1919. While I don't know the nature, can only surmise it may have been as a result of the Halifax blast.

Remarks on his marine's record say, "Has a good knowledge of semaphore ..."

In 1921, William Henry Middleton (32) Road Chargeman for Devon County Council, and Alice Maud Middleton (32) were living at Lower Trickey Cottage, Ash Thomas, Halberton, Devon.

In 1939, William H Middleton, Road Chargeman for Devon County Council, and wife Alice Maud were still at Trickey Cottage, Ash Thomas, Devon. Lodging with them was Frederick H Kerslake (20) Railway Clerk, nephew, son of Maud's sister Emily and her husband, Frederick James Kerslake.

Bill and Maud didn't have children, for what reason I'm unaware, but they had a cat named "Stripy" (a tabby, obviously), who, I was told, used to drink milk out of a jug on the windowsill, by dipping his paw in the jug (like Arthur from the Kattomeat ad). In our family, if you cleaned your plate at the end of a meal, someone would exclaim, "Poor old Stripy!", intimating that the poor cat, fed on scraps, would therefore go without. I only hope this was in jest!

Bill Middleton died in 1967, aged 78. Alice Maud Middleton of Tidcombe Hall, Tiverton, died on 21 Sep 1982, only a few weeks short of her 94th birthday. 

Tiverton : Tidcombe Hall
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Lewis Clarke - geograph.org.uk/p/6337380
Early 19th century house, shown as Tidcombe Rectory on late 19th century Ordnance Survey map. Much altered in late 20th century. The building was also once a Marie Curie daycare unit.

Richard Land (Trafalgar veteran) and Mary Rookes

St Andrew Street, Tiverton
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Jaggery 
geograph.org.uk/p/6242815

Richard Land (bap. 24 Oct 1784 at St Michael & All Angels, Bampton, Devon) son of John Land and Sarah Melhuish, married Mary Rookes (b. 7 Jan 1791, bap. 15 May 1791 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton), daughter of Thomas and Mary Rooke, at St George's Church, East Stonehouse, Plymouth, Devon on 18 Apr 1811.

Richard and Mary Land had five children:

1. Mary Land b. 26 Jun 1812, bap. 20 Sep 1812 at St Peter's Church, Tiverton
2. Sarah Land bap. 8 Oct 1815 in Tiverton
3. Richard Land bap. 25 Dec 1817 in Tiverton
4. Elizabeth Land bap. 24 Apr 1820 in Tiverton
5. 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.