KG7 Major William Kingdom Rains and The Doubleday Family

The Doubleday Family

Many stories have been written that Major William Kingdom Rains, went to America with two wards, Frances and Elizabeth Doubleday, who were born in Wales.  Children of his friend Mad Jack Doubleday.  Well that is not correct.   In order to get the facts correct, about these prior statements, comprehensive research into the family was undertaken.  After all they were the mothers of the Kingdom Sister's great nieces and nephews, - lots of them, and our cousins.

There are no birth records in Wales for any person of that name, particularly sisters, in a ten year period between 1810 and 1820.  There are no records which show anyone of their name, travelling to Canada or New York, which poses the question, how did they arrive in America?

Clearly they were not orphans.  No doubt a likely story handed down over the generations, and which often becomes embellished along the way.  Perhaps the answer lies in his attempt to lose himself in another country, far from the comments or laws of England.  He would not be the first one to do so.
The role of a family historian is to find facts, to support misinformation that is prevalent in numerous stories.  Often those stories cast aspersions about a family member's character, and when these mistakes are found, it is my belief, that we owe it to our ancestors to set the records right.

A saying that is relevant - "You cannot change history - you can only change a person's perception of history".   Such is the story of Major William Kingdom Rains.  He was no doubt an embarrassment to his family.  For the Kingdom family, he certainly was the proverbial "Black Sheep".


While this is a puzzle, and has taken a long time to put together, it is very relative to who the girls were.  The lynchpin is John Doubleday, who died in 1832.  He was not the father of the girls, rather we was the brother, and by reading his will, some interesting points arise.

His executor was Henry Woolcott, who had married his sister Ann Maria Doubleday. Ann had died earlier in 1832.

John made mention of her in his will, along with his executors realising his assets, and to distribute them to his sisters, Frances and Eliza Doubleday.

His will can be found in the National Archives in London:

Will of John Doubleday, Statuary and Mason of Queens Parade in Bristol , Gloucestershire                  Date: 07 November 1832.  His brother in laws, Henry Woolcott and Edmund Watson are his executors, and was written in July 1832.

Edmund Watson had married Catherine Ann Woolcott who was the sister in law of his wife.

The funds were to be used by the girls individually and not by any husband.

There is no contact address for the girls, but he had saleable property and his estate, to sell and to distribute to them.

Were they ever given their money?  Did Henry and Edmund ever find them?   Serious questions.

John's parents were John Doubleday b 1774 and Elizabeth Sarah Woolcott 1779 

John Doubleday b 1774 was the son of Franks Doubleday b 1747 - 1818 and Anne Cowley 1752 -

The Doubleday family had their origins in Ashfordby Leicester, and they were buried in the cemetery there.  Franks Doubleday was a cheese and cordial merchant in London.  They had nine children and all were baptised in St Pancreas Old Church in London, as well as having records at Ashfordby.

The Doubleday family followed the naming patterns, with their daughter Jane Cowley Doubleday, having the family name as her second name.

John married Elizabeth Sarah Woolcott, known as both Eliza and Sarah, in 1797 at St Pancreas Parish Church in 1797 in London and had four children.

1. John 1798 d 1832 in Bristol

2. Anna Maria 1799 d  1832 m Henry Woolcott

3. Franks 1801

4. Mary 1802

No records other than birth can be found for Franks or his sister Mary.

Anna Maria died in May 1832 and left young daughters Emma Elizabeth Woolcott b 1825, and Ellen Woolcott who was born in 1829.  Henry remarried in October 1832, Mary Evans.  In 1833 they had a daughter Catherine Ann Woolcott.

Henry died in 1842 and he left as his executor his sister Eliza Ann Betts.  His will was written January 1842.  His witness were Ellen James a spinster and William George Woolcott were witnesses.  No doubt Ellen James was his sister on one side of his family.

Henry Woolcott was born in 1797 the son of William Woolcott b 1769 - 1821 and Catherine Ann Corbett 1775 - 1832.  He was baptised at St Marlybone in London.

What now becomes apparent is the Henry and Ann Maria are most likely first cousins.

Elizabeth Sarah Woolcott b 1779, is the daughter of William Woolcott 1742 - 1811 and Mary. 

               (Mary is a derivative of Maria, depending upon who wrote the records, as is Margaret)  

William Woolcott married Ann Maria Baker.  1742 - 1796

Two birth records to be found are:

1. William Woolcott     c 1769 - 1811 who married Catherine Ann Corbett  1775 - 1832

2. Catherine Woolcott  c  1779 who married John Doubleday in 1797.

Their descendants also followed the naming patterns, as in Henry's children, with Ann Maria, Catherine, Franks, Eliza all featuring. 

There are still no records for a Frances Doubleday or an Eliza Doubleday, who could be deemed to be the sisters of John Doubleday as per the will.  There are two children with unaccounted records Franks and Mary.   

Some questions to pose 

While Elizabeth and Frances were the sisters of John and Ann Doubleday, were they full sisters, or were they the illegitimate daughters of their father John Doubleday born 1774 who died in Haverfordwest in 4 January 1831?  Haverfordwest and Lambston are close villages.  

What was the relationship between William and John Doubleday? Was he the same John Doubleday who served in the  British Royal Navy & Royal Marines Service?  Or was he on Malta and both girls born there?

Tudor Maddoc Rains was baptised at Lambston Pembrokeshire on 5th April, 1830.  William must have met Frances at least by June 1829.  However he was still serving in 1829.  

Why was Frances and William at Lambston, and why live at the house Sutton Lodge? This was the same property he and Ann were in 1819, and he returned to it in 1829, with Frances, who is pregnant.

He didn't own the property, and he was still serving in the Military prior to 1830.

The girl's father died January 1831, were they looking after him?  Their father John must have been aware of the second pregnancy and the birth of Tudor Maddoc Rains.   Was it the home John Doubleday?

The second son, Owen Roland Rains is attributed to being born 25 March 1831 in Canada.  His mother was Frances Doubleday.  However, perhaps he also was born in Haverfordwest, and they emigrated after his birth.  If so, the arrival in Canada was sometime later 1831.

Their brother John who lived in Bristol, died in 1832, and lived quite a long way from Haverfordwest, in those times.

On what ship did they board, and what name did they use, and when did they arrive in either Canada or America?  

The only record of a William Rains arriving in the United States, at New York, was 25th May 1832.

The fellow Rains passengers follow.

There is a James Rains in his family, he was his nephew.  He was born in 1813, and no other records can be sourced. 

Agnes Doubeday Rains is attributed to being born 25 May 1832 in Canada, her mother Elizabeth.

Walter Williams Rains is attributed to being born 31 July 1832 in Canada, his mother Frances.

Would he have travelled with two heavily pregnant girls?

• Allan Wilfred Rains is attributed to being born 14th February 1841 at St Josephs Island, mother Frances

• Arthur Morgan Rains is attributed to being born 18 th April 1841 at Rains Point, mother Frances.

That cannot be correct, and as Allan is listed in census records as Allan Wilfred Doubleday with Eliz Doubleday.  Eliza was no doubt, his mother, not Frances.

The boys enlisted in the Volunteer Militia in 1874.

The area they settled in:

Among the first to see this potential was Major William Rains. A veteran of British wars in Europe, Rains resigned the military in 1830 to start a new life in British North America. In 1834, Lieutenant Governor John Colborne allowed Rains to purchase over 2,200 hectares to start a colony on St. Joseph Island. Rains, his family and a company of investors established Milford Haven - named after Rains' hometown in Wales - complete with a store and saw mill in the southeast of the island. 

However, few settlers came to the island and by 1839 the community consisted of only eight houses. Rains became estranged from his fellow investors and relocated to a point of land not far from the site of Fort St. Joseph. Rains' wife Frances and her sister Eliza bore nineteen of Rains’ children, many of whom remained in the area 

His son Tudor Rains would go on to establish a successful store at Sailors Encampment on the northwest of the island.

The children's names?  Apart from references back to family, his children with Ann were named after his engagement in the Napoleon Battles.  

Lissa, was the battle,  Numa (Nura)  was the ship he was on, Hoste (Hoel) the commander in 1810, Melita was a family name, Fletcher, was an officer from the RE who married Mary Mudge, from his uncle Thomas's family, he fought at the same battles in the Napoleonic Wars. Rupert was his brother. 

British fears of French expansion in the Adriatic and Balkans led to the detachment of naval forces to the area. Although the local population was generally anti-French, initial British operations were limited by the lack of a permanent base in the region where ships could be resupplied.

The solution was to seize the island of Lissa (now known as Vis), situated off the Croatian coast south of Split. Occupied in 1807, Lissa became the base for a growing British naval presence, and its elimination became a key French goal. During 1810, Dubordieu was able to decoy the British squadron – commanded by Captain William Hoste of the frigate HMS Amphion – away from Lissa long enough to get a landing force ashore: however, the island’s garrison simply retreated into the hills and Dubordieu was unable to successfully occupy the place before the British squadron returned. As a result, the British were temporarily reinforced by the 74-gun HMS Montagu, and the presence of this powerful warship presented any further French action. By early 1811, however, Montagu had been withdrawn for other duties and the remaining British ships were scattered: this gave the French their opportunity and a powerful expeditionary force was assembled to capture the island.

.

The Doubleday Family in England  -  No relation

there was an extended Doubleday family in Newcastle, Henry and Ann Doubleday.
The first record of a Doubleday in Wales, is of Henry and Ann's youngest son Martin, who obtained his Masters Certificate of Service for British Merchant Service, Certificate number 72041
The Doubleday family were merchants and soap manufacturers in Newcastle, in England.  They were also Quakers.
Henry was the son of Henry Doubleday 1769 - 1808 and Frances Brough who died in 1808.
He was married 29th October 1805 to Ann Pearson, and they proceeded to have a very large family.
In 1807 a Henry Doubleday was serving for a time in Canada, and then in  1809 they were living at the Hilsea Barracks in Portsmouth, where Ann was born

1. Humphrey Doubleday b1806 d 1806
2. Elizabeth Doubleday b 1808
3. Ann Doubleday b 1809
4. Charles Doubleday         b 1810 rebaptised in 1841 living with parents
5. Frances Doubleday b 1813
6. Harriett Doubleday b 1814 in 1851 was a teacher     d 1884
7. Jane Doubleday b.1816  m 1841 in Sutherland
8. William Doubleday b 1818
9. Mary Doubleday         b.1819  m James Branscombe    d 1897
10. Isabella Doubleday    b.1821
11. Martin Doubleday          b.1822 d 1877

Unfortunately after leaving the Militia, he worked as a postman, but then was declared insolvent in  1839.  He was not living with his wife Ann and son Charles, and daughters Jane and Isabella at their home at King William Street, Gateshead, in 1841.

 Their son Charles became an apprentice in the Merchant Navy in 1838, aged 16 on the Neptune
He made regular trips to Australia on various ships, In 1868 on the Armistice; the Marquis of Argyle in 1876, Omagh in1867, the Alma in 1872, the Rita in 1873 the Marquis of Argyle in 1874
Records for Martin Doubleday show he was the Mate, on to New South Wales, he died onboard the Marquis of Argyle from Singapore in 1877

KG6 The Children and Relationships of William Kingdom Rains

Children and relationships of William Kingdom Rains

Historical Attribution list the following children as being his progeny

Anna Eve Williams the mother of:

1. Archer Morgan Rains
2. Lissa Martha Rains
3. Melita Katherine Fletcher Rains
4. Nura Dorothea Rains
5. Eva Sophia Rains
6. Conrad Benjamin William Rains

Frances Doubleday as the mother

1. Tudor Maddoc Rains April 1830 Lambston Pembrokeshire Wales
2. Owen Roland Rains 25 March 1831 Simcoe Ontario Canada
3. Walter William Rains 31 July  1832 Simcoe Ontario Canada
4. Edith Doucher Rains 3 Aug 1835 Sutton York Ontario Canada
5. Alicia Gray Rains 5 Nov 1838  St Joseph Is  Algoma District Ontario
6. Allen Wilfred Rains 14 Feb 1841 St Joseph Is  Algoma District Ontario
7. Arthur Morgan Rains 18 April 1841 Rains Point St Joseph Island Ontario
8. Hoel Doubleday Rains 6 May 1844 St Joseph Is Algoma District Ontario
9. Constance Heating Rains 15 May 1845 St Joseph Is Algoma District Ontario
10. Rupert Raymond Rains 12 Sept 1847 St Joseph Is Algoma District Ontario
11. Linda Rains 11 Oct 1850 St Joseph Is Algoma District Ontario
12. William W Rains 12 Oct 1852 St Joseph IS Algoma District Ontario
13. Alma Maria Rains 4  Mar  1855 Rains Point St Joseph Island Ontario

Tudor Madoc Rains was baptised 27th April 1830 in Lambston Pembrookshire Wales

Elizabeth Doubleday as the mother

1. Agnes Doubleday Rains 25 Mar 1832 Rains Point St Joseph Is Algoma Dist.
2. Evan Ernest Rains 10 June 1838 St Joseph Is Algoma District
3. Ellen Rains 1841
4. Rosee Rains 1848
5. Norman William Rains 8 Nov 1849 St Joseph Is. Algoma District Ontario
6. Xavier Rains 8 Jan 1851 St Joseph Is Algoma District Ontario



1. Children with Anna Eve Williams

1. Lissa Martha Rains           15 Jun   1812
2. Nura Dorothea Rains   1 May 1814
3. Archer Morgan Rains      7 Jan   1815
4. Melita Katherine Fletcher Rains   7 Jul    1817
5. Eva Sophia Rains          11 Apr  1819
6. Conrad Benjamin William Rains     Born 1827 in Malta

Of those six children, there is only one who can be confirmed as being born with that name.

Previous research provides that the above Rains children were all born in Malta. There are a lot of Malta records of British Residents born overseas available through genealogy services and births can be checked over the world, providing source documents to verify the births.  Perhaps they are still in the records in the National Archives to be digitised, as is the case with some Chinese overseas births, as despite extensive research the source documents have not been found, as yet.

Likewise there is no marriage source record for William Rains and Anna Williams.  From the birth of the first daughter, they perhaps married in 1811.

 However, there was a notice in the Cumberland Pacquet, and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser 24 December 1811.

At Mcffina, W.K. Rains, Esq, of the royal artillery, to Ann, second daughter of John Williams, Esq, clerk of the works at Malta, and grand-daughter of the late Lieut-General Archer of the Royal Engineers.

The assumed dates of birth for Nura and Archer, could not be correct.  There is less than 9 months between the births and he was in Europe during those years on active service.

It is interesting that all the children carry a name from her family - William, Katherine, Archer, Fletcher, Morgan. however not one person carries the name of William's family.  No Stephen, No Ann, which would be expected in established naming patterns, particularly as her own name is Ann.
Tracing his Army records provides a timeline of where he was stationed during the years 1809 - 1819.

The five children were all baptised in Lambston, in Pembrokeshire, on 27th July 1819.  That would match the birth date of Eva Sophia Rains. 

Why would Ann Eve Williams be living in Lambston in Wales, in 1819?  The purpose of the baptism is no doubt to allow them to later marry within the Church of England.   The naming of her first son as Archer Morgan Rains, is significant as her brother was named John Archer Williams, and he died at Waterloo.

However there is another son, who was born in 1821, and not included in the previous research.

William and Ann were also the parents of Conrad Bingham William Rains.  He was born in 1821, and died 1826, as per the records from the 38th Regiment:

1 Aug Conrad Bingham William Rains son of Brevet Major William Kingdom Rains and Ann Eve, born on 6 March 1821 was buried on 1 August 1826.

After the death of Conrad Bingham William Rains, they had another son Conrad Benjamin William Rains in 1827. The birth of this son Conrad Benjamin William Rains was recorded in the Army returns from 1796 to 1880.

Lissa who died in 1827, may also have died in Malta, as he was back in the 51st Regiment in 1827.

Conrad Bingham William Rains sailed to New Zealand in 1847 on board the John Wickcliffe, in 1847 and was granted land in Otago Province.  He married Mary Eliza Blatch in 1860 and they had three sons before he died in 1877.

The boys were William Henry Alfred Rains, Edward Thomas Rains and Arthur Archer Rains.


The question is now, where was he between 1827 and 1847, and who was he living with?

Nura Dorothea Rains married Walter Rose in 1840, he died 1844, and Robert John Turner in 1846.

He was a barrister in Toronto, and his family came from Yarmouth.  In census and marriage records with Robert Turner, Nura become Nora.

Melita Katherine Fletcher Rains married Kenneth McKay Sutherland, c 1846 in Toronto.  He died prior to 1871 and she died in 1899.  Kenneth was from Scotland and they lived in York in Toronto.
Archer Morgan Rains - no information.

Eva Sophia Rains married James Sutherland and she died in 1906.  She stated the year of immigration was 1835.

There has to be a logical answer for the lack of records and places where Ann lived.

There are two children whose death records cannot be found, Archer Morgan Rains and Leesa Martha Rains.

Perhaps they died on Malta, and Ann remained there with the children, while William returned to England.
 

The Family of Ann Eva Williams

Ann Eve Williams was born in 1790, and baptised at Soho in London.  She was the daughter of John Williams b 1760 and his wife Katherine Archer.   Katherine Archer was the daughter of Lieut General Archer.

John ARCHER

Regimental Service: Colonel 1 January 1783
Brevets & Staff Service: Brevet Colonel 20 November 1782; Major-General 12 October 1793; Lieutenant-General 1 January 1798
Died: Antigua 1807.

1810 John Williams Esq was Secretary to the Commissioners for inquiring into Abuses in the Naval Department. 

(There was a John Williams 1730 who married Jane Morgan in London, maybe parents, given the surname Morgan)

At the time of marriage, John was living at Portsea, which was the Navy Barracks.  They were married in 1786 at St Mary's Portsea in Hampshire.

They had three children born in England, and two born in Malta.

1. John Archer Williams b 1786 at Portsea d   1812  in Spain at the Seige of Burgos.
2. Katherine Williams    b 1787 at Portsea
3. Henry More Williams b 1789 at Portsea     in Malta or 1829 Kensal Green
4. Ann Eve Williams      b 1790 at London
5. Frances Williams      b 1793 at Malta
6. Eliza Louisa Williams   b 1795 at Malta d 1874 m Sir Fairfax Moresby Adm Fleet

Both sons joined the military.

1.   John Archer Williams became a 2nd Captain in the Royal Engineers in 1807. His father purchased his commission.  He trained at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. He died at Seige of Burgos in 1812.  The Royal Engineers loss was heavy at this battle.

WILLIAMS, John Archer 2nd Captain. Royal Engineers. Named on the Regimental Memorial: Rochester Cathedral, Rochester, Kent 2nd Lt 1 Jan 1804. Lt 1 Mar 1805. 2nd Capt 24 Jun 1809. Served in the Peninsula Aug 1808 – Sep 1812. Present at Torres Vedras, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz (severely wounded at the third siege ..

2.  Katherine Williams married Henry Fletcher on 22nd April 1810, as per the newspaper notice.
Married  On the 22nd ult at Malta, Mr. H. Fletcher, Secretary to the Committee of British Merchants there, to Miss Catherine Williams, granddaughter of the late Major-General Archer, formerly commanding the Royal Engineers at Portsmouth.

3.  Henry More Williams joined the Royal Navy in 1812, and became a Lieutenant.
Henry married Patty Hussey at Gosport in Hampshire 1817.

They had several children

1. Katherine Elizabeth Williams 1818 At Gosport
2. Michael Buxton Henry Williams 1823 - 1861
3. Marcia Williams         1826
4. Thomas Lawson Williams 1827 - 1913 At Malta

In following the linage, some interesting points evolve.

3.1  Katherine Elizabeth Williams married Rev Bencer Richardson Browne in 1838, and they lived at Bakewell in Derbyshire.  Bencer died prior to 1851.

3.2   Michael Buxton Henry Williams married Frances Raymond Buxton and they had three children.  He died in 1861.

Walter Bruxton Williams, Eva Melita Williams and Fanny Emily Maria Williams.

Her father was also rather important in the Royal Navy, his biography -

RICHARD BUXTON was born, in June, 1795, at Redenhall, co. Norfolk.

This officer entered the Navy, 3 Sept. 1808, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the MAJESTIC 74, flagship in the North Sea of Vice-Admiral Thos. Macnamara Russell; removed, as Midshipman, in Jan. 1809, to the LYNX 18, Capt. John Willoughby Marshall; and, until the conclusion of the war, became in succession attached to the ROEBUCK 44, Capt. Richard Curry, QUEBEC 32, Capt. Chas. Sibthorp John Hawtayne, SHELDRAKE 16, Capt. Jas. Gifford, and FORTH 40, Capt. Sir Wm. Bolton, on the Home, West India, and American stations.

 During that period he was engaged on various harassing services; took part in several cutting-out expeditions, particularly, under Capt. Hawtayne, in capturing four French gun-boats; acted on many occasions as Prize-Master; was twice cast away, and once taken prisoner; and, in the FORTH, aided at the blockade of New York. He passed his examination 1 Feb. 1815, and from Dec. following until the receipt of his commission, 27 March, 1826, was employed, as Admiralty Mate, chiefly on that arduous service the protection of the Revenue, in the ACTIVE 38, Capt. Philip Carteret, GRECIAN schooner, Lieut.Commander Henry Jewry, the boats of the QUEEN CHARLOTTE 100, Capt. Edm. Boger, SEVERN 40, Capt. Wm. M‘Culloch, QUEEN CHARLOTTE again, Capt. John Baker Hay, BASILISK 4, Lieut.-Commander David John Dickson, SEVERN again, Capt. M‘Culloch, DIAMOND 38, Capt. Lord Napier, PRINCE REGENT 120, Capt. Wm. Henry Webley Parry, and HYPERION 42, Capt. Wm. Jas. Mingaye.

He continued to serve, as Lieutenant, in the last-mentioned ship until 15 April, 1829; was then transferred to a station in the Coast Guard; and, from 1837 until 1846, was next employed in the Quarantine service at Standgate Creek. He is now on half-pay.

Lieut. Buxton is married, and has issue seven children. AGENTS – Messrs. Goode and Lawrence.


3.4  Thomas Lawson Williams married Henrietta Mc Kittrick in 1853, and had a daughter Ida Augusta Williams.  In 1854, he joined the Lodge at Malta, giving his occupation as engineer.  He appears to have been in the Merchant Navy, as he is recorded as landing in Australia in 1864 as ship's crew.

5. Frances Williams was born in Malta in 1793, and in 1815 she married Peter Paul Joseph Zohrab.
Peter was born in Persia in c 1780 and was educated in Scotland with his brother. When the Napoleonic wars broke out, he was appointed secret British Minister to Constantinople and sent to Malta in the ship "Isis".  He settled in Malta.   He had married Elizabeth Hitchens, in London, and then Frances around 1816.  He worked from 1830 in Turkey for 8 years .

They had a large family, all born in Malta

1. Peter Henry Thomas Gordon 1817 m  Marianne Walker at Bakewell                                                                            Derbeyshire, and the family emigrated to New Zealand.
2. Edward John Paul Zohrab 1818 m  Emily Busby Lohrab  Col in 17th Lancers
3. Cecilia Alexander Sophia Zoharb 1821
4. Adela Harriet Louise Carmella Zohrab 1824 m Sir William Holmes British Consul
5. Evalina Ann Marie Zohrab 1825 m James Brant CB  Consul at Damascus*
6. Matilda Nura Eliza Thurburn Zohrab 1829     m Capt George Rawstone Gibson to Canada
7. James Ernest Napolean Zohrab 1830

5.4  Adela Zohrab married Sir William Richard Holmes, of the Manor-house, Kilrea, Co. Londonderry, formerly of the Consular Service, which occurred on Thursday, at Yewshurst, Belvedere, Kent. He was the son of the late Mr. William Holmes, of Kilrea, by his marriage with Harriet, daughter of Mr. Richard Brant, and was born in 1822. He entered the Consulate at Erzeroum in 1841. and in 1846 was appointed Vice-Consul at Samsoon, in Asia Minor, and served at Batoum, Monastir, &c.

He was appointed Consul at Bosnia in 1860, acted as British delegate to the European commission for the pacification of Herzegovina in 1861, and retired in July, 1877. He was thereupon knighted by the Queen in recognition of his long services. Sir William Holmes was the author of a work, entitled "Sketches on the shore of the Caspian." He was a magistrate for the county of Londonderry, and married in 1847, Adela Louisa Zohrab, daughter of Mr. P. Zohrab, of Malta. [The Times, obituary, 21 Jan 1882]

*5.5  Evalina Zohrab married James Brant who produced maps and books - "By James Brant Esqr. H.M. Consul at Erzrum 1836. Published for the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, by John Murray Albemarle Street, London 1836."  Evanlina and James had a son Commander James Brant in the Royal Navy.  He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 22 December, 1874. In February, 1887, Brant stranded Firm on the Northumbrian Coast, for which he was severely reprimanded by a Court Martial. Brant was placed on the Retired List on account of age with the rank of Commander on 20 May, 1895

5.6 Matilda Nura Eliza Thurburn Zohrab m Capt Gibson

Obituary: The Ottawa Free Press (Hand dated Date: 17 Jul 1903) By Lorraine Gibson Head SERVED HIS COUNTRY Capt. George Rawstorne Gibson Died on His 79th Birthday. His Career, Death on the 79th anniversary of his birth came today to Captain George Rawstorne Gibson, an old and respected resident of Sandy Hill. He was born in the Madras Presidency on July 17, 1824, and he died early this morning at the family residence, 243 Wilbrod Street.

The late Mr. Gibson during his eventful life had seen service in many quarters of the British domains, and by executive ability and gallantry won mention in dispatches and promotion on several occasions. At the time of his death he held the position of Deputy Assistant Commissary General H.M. forces and was on the retired list. Deceased was the son of Lt. Colonel George Washington Gibson, Royal Madras Artillery, E.I.C.S..

As a boy he was educated at St. Paul's Church Yard, London and later became a fellow of Oriel College, Oxford University. He joined the Austrian imperial service as a cadet, served in several engagements and was wounded at the action of Moreno and was mentioned in the despatches. At the outbreak of the Crimean War he volunteered for service and was in the commissariat department until the close. He received a commission and held the Crimean and Turkish medals and clasps. Later he served in the West Indies and twice on the coast of Africa and Canada, putting in the full term of ten years foreign service.

In 1850 the deceased married Matilda Zohrab, daughter of the British consul at Erzurum, Asia Minor, by whom he had two daughters, Mrs. W.A. Gaetz, of Lunenburg, N.S., and Miss Nina Mary Gibson, in the post office department, this city. Later he married Harriet, daughter of the late George Reading, prothonotary, Truro, N.S., by whom he leaves one son, Charles Godfrey Rawstorne Gibson, of the Dominion Coal company's works, at Glace Bay, C.B.

5.7  Zohrab, James Ernest Napoleon (1830-1860)

Herbarium Natural History Museum (BM)
James Ernest Napoleon Zohrab
Western Asia: Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Armenia Europe: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania
Associate(s) Brant, J. (fl. 1839)(brother-in-law)Calvert, Henry Hunter (1816-1882)(co-collector) Lindley, John (1799-1865)(specimens to)
Biography

Son of a merchant, interpreter and refugee Peter Paul John Zohrab (-1852), who became naturalised British in Malta, and Frances (Fanny) Williams (fl. 1816). The Zohrab family had been important and influential in Persian controlled Armenia but escaped from the political assassinations of Aga Muhammad Khan (1742-1797). J.E.N. Zohrab was born on Malta and worked as an interpreter for the British army in the Crimean War (1855); a painting showing him is in the National Army Museum, Chelsea, London. James later became a British consul, best known for his report from Sarajevo in 1860 on treatment of Christians in the Ottoman Empire. Both of his sons also became diplomats and worked in Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, and the Near East or Middle East. Specimens at BM are from collections made H.H. Calvert who was Vice-Consul at Alexandria. They also sent material to J. Lindley. Crocus zohrabi Maw was named in his honour in 1881.
References Jackson, B.D., Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew (1901): 71; Lanjouw, J. & Stafleu, F.A., Index Herb. Coll. A-D (1954): 112;

6.   Eliza Louisa Williams m Fairfax Moresby

Eliza was born in 1795, and baptised in London in 1807.  That indicates that her parents had returned to London, for some time.

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Fairfax Moresby GCB (1786 – 21 January 1877) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he took part in the unsuccessful expedition to capture Ferrol in Spain during the French Revolutionary Wars. He later saw action during the blockade of Brest during the Napoleonic Wars before becoming commanding officer of a sloop which was sent to the Aegean Sea to defend the population of Malta from pirates; the grateful people presented him with a sword. He then sailed to the Adriatic Sea where he led a naval brigade providing artillery support to the Austrian forces during the siege of Trieste. He went on to be senior naval officer at the Cape of Good Hope and then senior officer at Mauritius, with orders to suppress the slave trade: he concluded the Moresby Treaty with Seyyid Said, the imam of Muscat restricting the scope of local slave trading and conferring on English warships the right of searching and seizing local vessels.

Moresby later became Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Station. His main responsibility was to protect British commercial interests in Valparaíso in the face of unrest among the people of Chile. He also took an interest in Pitcairn Islands at this time and planned the emigration of the islanders to Norfolk Island

Born the son of Lieutenant Colonel Fairfax Moresby and Mary Moresby (née Rotton), Moresby joined the Royal Navy in December 1799. He was assigned to the second-rate HMS London as an able seaman but was promoted to midshipman and took part in the unsuccessful expedition to capture Ferrol in Spain in August 1800 during the French Revolutionary Wars. He transferred to the first-rate HMS Royal George later that year, to the sixth-rate HMS Alarm in the Channel Squadron in March 1802 and to the fifth-rate HMS Amazon in the Mediterranean Fleet in November 1802.

In HMS Amazon he took part in the pursuit of the French Fleet, under the command of Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve, to the West Indies and back in Summer 1805. He became mate in the third-rate HMS Puissant at Portsmouth in December 1805 and then transferred to the first-rate HMS Hibernia, flagship of the Earl St Vincent, and saw action during the blockade of Brest during the Napoleonic Wars.

Promoted to lieutenant on 10 April 1806, Moresby was appointed to the first-rate HMS Ville de Paris and, after transferring to the third-rate HMS Kent in 1807, took part in the blockade of Rochefort.[3] He subsequently transferred to the third-rate HMS Repulse in the Mediterranean Fleet and later to the third-rate HMS Sultan. He was then made acting commanding officer first of the sloop HMS Eclair and then of the sloop HMS Acorn observing French and Venetian ships in the Adriatic Sea in Spring 1811.

Promoted to commander on 18 April 1811, he became commanding officer of the sloop HMS Wizard and was sent to the Aegean Sea to defend the population of Malta from pirates; the grateful people presented him with a sword. He then returned to the Adriatic Sea where he led a naval brigade providing artillery support to the Austrian forces during the siege of Trieste in October 1813.
 He was appointed a Knight of the Austrian Military Order of Maria Theresa on 23 May 1814 and, having been promoted to captain on 7 June 1814, was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 4 June 1815.

Moresby became commanding officer of the sixth-rate HMS Menai in April 1819 and went on to be senior naval officer at the Cape of Good Hope early in 1820 and then senior officer at Mauritius in 1821, with orders to suppress the slave trade: he concluded the Moresby Treaty with Seyyid Said, the imam of Muscat in September 1822 restricting the scope of local slave trading and conferring on English warships the right of searching and seizing local vessels. In one action he boarded the schooner Camilla and freed 140 slaves. Moresby became commanding officer of the third-rate HMS Pembroke in the Mediterranean Fleet in January 1837 and commanding officer of the third-rate HMS Canopus in the Channel Squadron in March 1845.

Promoted to rear admiral 20 December 1849, Moresby became Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Station, with his flag in the fourth-rate HMS Portland in August 1850. His main responsibility was to protect British commercial interests in Valparaíso in the face of unrest among the people of Chile. He also took an interest in Pitcairn Islands at this time and planned the emigration of the islanders to Norfolk Island which took place in 1856. Moreover, he proposed the establishment of the Esquimalt Naval Base on the West Coast of Canada, a recommendation which was taken up by the Admiralty in 1860.

Moresby was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 5 July 1855, promoted to vice-admiral on 12 November 1856 and promoted to full admiral on 12 April 1862. He was advanced again to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 28 March 1865 and appointed Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom on 20 April 1867 and then Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom on 17 July 1869. He was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 21 January 1870.

Moresby died at his home near Exmouth in Devon on 21 January 1877 and was buried at St Margaret and St Andrew's Church, Littleham. After his death Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea and Fairfax Harbour on which it stands were named after him, as was Moresby Island in British Columbia.

In August 1814, Moresby married Eliza Louisa, daughter of John Williams of Bakewell, Derbyshire: they had two daughters and three sons (including Commander Fairfax Moresby (1826–1858) who died in the wreck of the brig HMS Sappho off the coast of Victoria and Rear Admiral John Moresby who surveyed the coast of New Guinea).

HMS Sappho was a Royal Navy brig that gained public notoriety for causing a diplomatic incident over the slave trade with the United States of America and then went missing off the Australian coast in 1857–58.

Sappho left Portsmouth in March 1856 with a crew of about 140 under the command of Commander Fairfax Moresby, eldest son of Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby, to be part of a British squadron patrolling the coast of West Africa to suppress the slave trade.

On 9 May 1857, Sappho seized the American barque Panchita at Porto de Lenha on the Congo river, commanded by Captain Sladden. Lieutenant Ireland and 12 men were transferred to Panchita and she was sailed to New York under arrest, arriving on 9 July. On the following day, the owner – J. P. Weeks – brought suit against the prize crew on the grounds of unlawful seizure, as a result of which they were arrested, and held in bail to $15,000.

Ultimately, the American courts found for the owners, although compensation had not been settled over two years later. The incident was also raised in the United States Congress.

On 10 September Sappho legally intercepted a 150 long tons (150 t) schooner preparing to board slaves, and burned her. On 18 September Sappho legally engaged a much larger slaver, the 1,088-long-ton (1,105 t) full-rigged ship Charles of New Orleans, about 40 mi (64 km) from Loanda, Portuguese West Africa, and drove it ashore – about 380 slaves were rescued but about 150 were drowned. The Royal Navy later awarded prize money to the crew of Sappho for this capture.

Commander Moresby was censured for his handling of the Panchita incident and Sappho was ordered to proceed to the Australian Station. She sailed from the Cape of Good Hope for Sydney on 8 January 1858 but failed to arrive. As she was not expected in Sydney, her non-appearance caused no concern until late in the year. In October 1858, Admiral W Loring in Sydney was informed that Sappho had been seen by the crew of the schooner Yarrow off Cape Bridgewater, Victoria at the western entrance to Bass Strait on 18 February. Extensive searches by a number of vessels including HMS Elk and HMVS Victoria failed to find any trace of the missing vessel.

Late in 1858, rumours began spreading in England that the vessel had been wrecked on "an island off the coast of Australia," that some survivors had been rescued and that Capt. Moresby had gone insane. These rumours did the rounds of the international press for over a year as they were picked up and passed along. There was no truth to any of these rumours.

(Near Cape Otway, presumably wrecked on rocks one of 775 shipwrecks in the same area).
In 1816 Eliza Louisa Moresby was living in Wales, as her daughter Ellen was baptised at Swansea.  Ellen married James Charles Prevost, the Naval Superintendent at Malta in 1864.

4.  Ann Eve Rains died in 3 March 1883 and is buried at the Saint James Cemetery in Toronto.

What an amazing rich history that those in Ann Eve William's family possess.  When she married William Kingdom Rains, he followed the family traditions of marrying "well".  She was no exception, with impeccable credentials.

When her father died in 1843, he left her £15 in his will.  She was named as the wife of William Kingdom Rains, and the money was for her own use.

Her father, at least, had no idea of what was the truth with regard to her marriage to William Kingdom Rains.

Perhaps William Rains met John Williams at the Royal Military Academy where they both studied.

KG5 The Military Career of Major William Kingdom Reins.

The Military Career of Major William Kingdom Reins.

William Kingdom Reins was born in 1789, in Milford, in Pembrokeshire in Wales.  At the time of his birth the town was only known as Milford, later it was renamed Milford Haven, which was how then the online records were transcribed.

From online resources, not a very nice picture emerges  of William Kingdom Reins.  It was so out of character, and there must be a lot more to the story than can be uncovered?

In today's society he would no doubt wear a "label" for his behaviour, and that is so far removed from his family background.  What made him follow the path he did?  His mother died in 1853, and left him £15 in her will.  

She left her son James, not a penny, and it follow that she would have made the same reasoning about William, if he was aware of his life.

There are two options  -  accept what has previously been written

                                    or to seek to find the facts, not innuendos. 

There is no question as to which path to follow.  It should be pointed out here, that William Rain's second cousin, was also a "black sheep".  Served in the Boer War, then was cashiered out for theft, he stole an identity and escaped to Australia.  Finding the answers to his indiscretions, was the only way to proceed with his life story, so that the family and his descendants could know the truth, and not an innuendo.  While the reason for Harold Sedgwick's fall from grace have been found, not so for William Rains.

William Kingdom Reins, was an Army Officer.   He served in the 55th Foot of the Royal Artillery, and he was quite a brave man.  He was in the thick of battle in the battles of the Napoleonic Wars, including the Battle of Waterloo, various battles in all parts of Europe, and the precursors to 1815.

He was awarded the Waterloo Medal, at the conclusion of the war.

But more importantly he was one of a handful of British Military to be Awarded the Austrian Imperial Order of Leopold. 

Whitehall, Oct. 9, 1815.     London Gazette

His Royal Highness the Prince Regent hath been pleased, in the name and on the behalf of his Majesty, to grant unto Lieutenant William Kingdom Rains, of the royal artillery, his Majesty's royal licence and permission, that he may accept and wear the insignia of the Imperial Austrian Order of Leopold, with which the Emperor of Austria has been pleased to honour him, in testimony of the high sense which his Imperial Majesty entertains of the distinguished conduct and services of that officer in the field, during the recent operations in Italy.





















 The Austrian Imperial Order of Leopold (German: Österreichisch-kaiserlicher Leopold-Orden) was founded by Franz I of Austria on 8 January 1808. The order's statutes stipulated only three grades: Grand Cross, Commander and Knight. During the war, in common with the other Austro-Hungarian decorations, crossed swords were instituted to reward bravery in the face of the enemy.

No doubt his family would have been quite proud of his achievements.


A Military Timeline of William Kingdom Rains

Reference is made to the book written of his life, as to military records.  The researcher, Mr Bayless records from entries in the Muster Roll of the Earl of Chatham's Company of Gentlemen Cadets, of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, which shows that he was admitted on October 18, 1803 as No 137 of 140 cadets.  Six months later he was No 91, and joined the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich.  After graduation in June 1805, he ranked No 34 in the class of 245 cadets.  On June 14, 1805 he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Regiment of Artillery.  He was 15 years and nine months of age; and at the age of sixteen, he was in charge of a battery.  (Bayliss 88 - 9

That was confirmed in an article in the Caledonian Mercury of 25th July 1805:

Gentleman Cadet William K. Rains to be Second Lieutenant, vice Woolcombe promoted, 16th June 1805.

A list of Promotions appeared in the London Gazette 3rd June 1806.

2nd Lieut William K. Rains to be first Lieut vice  - Cowley

The Morning Post of 7th June 1813, printed a Supplement to the Gazette, from Lord W. Bentinck to Lord Bathurst from Palermo, dated April 9th, informing him of the surrender of the islands of Lagosia and Curzola to Lieut. Colonel Robertson, Commandant of the Island of Lissa, and enclosed Col. Robertson's letter to his Lordship on the subject, which is dated February 23, 1813.
In the letter, he made honourable mention of  Lieut Rains of the Artillery and the troops in general.

The Kentish Gazette of 14th December 1813  Reports

Of the British land troops, the Calabrassa had the most opportunity to distinguish themselves, Captain Ronca, a brave officer, was wounded after which the command devolved upon Lieutenant Butler, who showed bravery and activity.  Col Robertson was destined for the right of the attack if it had been continued.  Lieut Rains of the Royal Artillery, directed the fire of the mortars with great effect and intelligence.  Captain Angelo of the 21st Regiment, who with me during the operations that preceded the siege, had rendered very essential service.

Belfast Commercial Chronicle 24 January 1825 reported

The Office of Ordnance Jan 17 1825
Royal Regiment of Artillery - Second Captain William Kingdom Rains, from half-pay to be 2d Captain  vice Atkinsons, dismissed the Service.   (vice = following)

8th December 1825  Enniskillen Chronicle and Erne Packet announced that Captain William Kingdom Rains of the 51st Foot to be a Major.

Enniskillen Chronicle and Erne Packet 22nd June 1826 reported he was permitted to come off half pay in the 88th Foot . The regiment was deployed to the Ionian Islands in late 1825 and returned in July 1836

14th June 1830, he was allowed to retire as he sold his commission. Notice that Major William Kingdom Rains Downing St., had been permitted to sell his half pay and to settle in British North

April 25.
The Army regularly reorganised the troops, and often placed them on half-pay when the need for strength numbers was not required.  It should also be noted that his father paid for his commission into the Army, and he was only permitted to retire, after he sold that commission.

William Kingdom Raines Regiment   -   The 51st Regiment

The 51st Foot was raised in the West Riding of York, in December 1755, at the start of the Seven Years War. It was renumbered 51st in 1757, after two intervening regiments were disbanded.
The 51st Regiment became a Light Infantry Corps in 1809 when it was designated the 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding Light Infantry) Regiment.

In 1821, it added the title The King's Own to its name to become The 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding The King's Own Light Infantry) Regiment.  It did go to Malta.

Regiments of the Malta Garrison The King's Own Light Infantry (South Yorkshire Regiment)
The records of the Regiment are available, and excerpts of those records are included here in order to provide a timeline of events in the military life of William Rains.

"A RECORD OF THE SERVICES OF THE FIFTY-FIRST (SECOND WEST YORK,)
THE II KING'S OWN LIGHT INFANTRY" REGIMENT   BY W. WHEATER.

" The Regiment has not forgot that it shared in the glories of Minden."

Printed in LONDON: LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO. 1870.

While these excerpts are only a snapshot of the soldier's life, they are of interest, particularly in relation to the conditions in which they served.  This begins in 1808.

In the early part of 1808 it was stationed at Gosport, and about April went to Guernsey, where it continued until the 26th of July, when it landed at Portsmouth. On the 1st of August it returned to Chichester, marched to Portsmouth on the 18th, and embarked in three transports to join the army assembling under Sir David Baird at Falmouth for Corunna. At the head of a division of eleven thousand men, Baird sailed from Falmouth October 8th, and after a favourable passage anchored at Corunna on the 13th. Instead of being welcomed with the enthusiasm expected from a people whose freedom and national honour they came to fight for and maintain, the British were received with coldness amounting almost to aversion ; their presence it was urged was not necessary, and the Junta of Galicia positively refused to sanction their disembarkation without orders from the central Junta established at Madrid. They were therefore compelled to remain in their transports until an extraordinary courier should return from Madrid with the necessary order.

This courier returned on the 22nd with an order permitting the British to land at Corunna in the event
of it being found impracticable for them to go by sea to Santander; and should they land under these
circumstances, it was only to be in detachments of two or three hundred men, who were to be immediately sent on to Castillo without waiting for their baggage.

By the 28th of October the whole army was landed, and the light brigade under Craufurd on its march towards Astorga, where the 51st, six hundred rank and file under Lieutenant-Colonel Darling,* arrived about the 20th November, confused and reckless multitude, the 51st embarked on board several transports during the night of the 16th and morning of the 17th, and disembarked at different ports in England between the 20th and 25th. Early in February most of the men had assembled at
head-quarters, Sandown barracks, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Mainwaring.



It appears by a return that at this time the regiment consisted of upwards of eight hundred rank and file, including nearly one hundred men missing during the retreat. On the 2nd April it left Sandown Barracks under Colonel Mainwaring and marched into Devonshire, continuing in Kingsbridge Barracks from the 2nd May until 19th June, when it moved to the barracks at Berryhead.

By a general order, obtained by Lieutenant- Colonel Darling, and dated in May, 1809, the regiment was made a light infantry regiment, and first reviewed as such by Major-General Browne at Berryhead............................

On the 2nd of July the 51st, six hundred and twenty-five strong, after leaving behind the men unfit for duty, embarked at Berryhead in several small vessels and sailed for Portsmouth. At Spithead it sailed for the Downs where the fleet of warships and transports for Walcheren was assembled, and on the 29th arrived off the island, disembarking on the following day. On the morning of the 1st August the troops advanced to invest Flushing, an operation resolutely opposed by the French who were, however, compelled to retire. The left column under Brigadier- General Houston, consisting of the 51st and first battalion 82nd regiment, had been ordered to march through Middleburg to East Zouburg to communicate with Lieutenant-General Lord Paget at West Zouburg, and to observe Ramakins on the left. Houston found the enemy in the village of Abeylen, about a mile and a half from Middleburg, protected by a breastwork and abattis armed with three six-pounders, the enclosure on each side of the road being also lined with chasseurs. The village was immediately attacked and carried with great gallantry by the advanced guard, consisting of the 51st regiment and a battalion company of the 82nd. Three pieces of cannon were captured. The column then proceeded to Bast Zouburg, when the French again made a stand, but Houston having prepared to turn the village, pressed vigorously forward at the same time along the road and forced them to retire with the further loss of one six-pounder, and many killed, wounded and prisoners. ..................

The martial history of the regiment finds no illustration in this woeful campaign, where the baffled mind of a general whose incompetency almost rendered him criminal in retaining the command, allowed forty thousand British troops to fret in inaction during the period they should have been employed with vigour, and whose love of health and ease caused him to desert them when their camp was converted into a monstrous hospital by the pestiferous air of the marshes in which they were quartered. The 51st was more fortunate than some of the regiments in leaving Walcheren on the 7th September : it arrived at Portsmouth on the 16th, and during the remainder of the year was stationed at Horsham and Steyning barracks, except a detachment under Major Dunkin* which marched to Portsmouth on the 4th November, and a second time entered the Scheldt but rejoined at Horsham before the expiration of 1809.........................

The regiment remained in Steyning barracks during the whole of 1810.

On the 26th January, 1811, it marched from Steyning to Portsmouth, and on the 28th embarked for
Lisbon on board H.M.S. " Danemark," " Vengeur " and " Revenge." The " Danemark " with three companies under Major Rice separated from the fleet in a gale of wind; she reached Lisbon on the 19th February, where by the 29th, the whole regiment, six hundred and fifty strong, was assembled in barracks under Lieutenant-Colonel Mainwaring. Early in March the 51st left Lisbon to join Wellington's army then in pursuit of Massena, and passing through Leyria while the flames that consumed it still raged and presented a frightful picture of ruin and desolation, the young soldiers continued their march to the army along a path broadly marked by the putrifying carcases of dead French soldiers stretched beside the wreck accumulated by their wanton, shameful outrages.

The regiment joined Wellington at the village of Carripinar, and first bivouacked on the heights
beyond it. " Here," says Major Mainwaring in his sketch of the regiment's services in the Peninsula, " we suffered most dreadfully from want of food. We were nearly a week without either bread or spirits,
having but the lean and tough ration of beef killed and served out instanter to the troops, popped half
alive into the pot ; and happy was the individual who could add thereto an onion, or the slightest vegetable .....................

The 51st was next called into action at Fuentes d'Onor on the 3rd May. This was the first occasion on which the regiment was assembled with the rest of the army. During the night it had been on outpost
duty, and throughout the day, when the French attacked the village it remained under arms in reserve,
but was not engaged. Next night it moved to the right with the rest of the division. The 7th division,
occupying the hill of Nava d'Aver, supported Julian Sanchez the partisan chief. At this point, Wellington's position was peculiarly open to an attack from Rodrigo, and was here first assailed.
The left wing of the division was driven from Velho with loss, when the riflemen of the light division being sent to Houston's assistance, restored the fight. After defeating Sanchez, General Montbrun attacked and turned the right of the 7th division, and having defeated by his superior squadrons the British cavalry sent to its relief, then hurled his victorious horsemen upon the 7th division with such impetuosity that a portion of it was surprised and suffered accordingly. An immense column of cavalry burst upon the 51st while in line, but the regiment, though mostly composed of young soldiers, " stood like a solid rock," and giving a withering volley, repulsed them with great loss, then retired from the right by companies through a small wood and reformed its line beneath a heavy cannonade on some rising ground......................

The 51st was distinguished for judicious skirmishing, as well as for its able retreat in the presence of a large force of cavalry and infantry, eager for its destruction. In his dispatch, Wellington remarks that " the movement of the troops upon this occasion was well conducted, although under very critical circumstances." Having crossed the river, the regiment was ordered to occupy the village of Frenada, and defend the ford below the bridge to the last extremity.

This failure compelled Wellington to convert the siege of Badajoz into a blockade, and turn his attention to Soult, who having collected nearly the whole of his force was now menacing the British. On the 13th June, Wellington retired to Albuera staying there until the 17th, when he crossed the Guadiana and took up a strong position between Aronches, Elv's and Campo Mayor, where the 7th division bivouacked until the 1 8th July, when the French having broken up from their position on the Guadiana and occupied Truxillo, the British were quartered in the healthy towns along the frontiers, their right at Estremoz, their left across the Tagus at Castello Branco.

The 51st proceeded from Campo Mayor to Sabugal, Alfayates and Villa Mayor, where- it arrived on the 9th August and remained until the 22nd September. Wellington had intended to invest Ciudad Rodrigo, and for that purpose caused the 7th division to occupy Guinaldo, a town only three leagues from the fortress ; but learning that the place had been reinforced his intentions were abandoned.....

The division then went into winter quarters ; the 51st being stationed at Pena Macor where it remained during the rest of the year.*

1812.

On the 10th January the regiments of the 7th division assembled at Pena Macor, its head-quarters, and the division having proceeded to Sabugal and Alfayates, on the 13th reached Guinaldo whence it started for Rodrigo. Sent to cover the siege of Rodrigo by occupying the passes of the Sierra de Gaeta, the division had no opportunity of taking an active part in the actual struggle. The regiment was cantoned in the village Pajo in Spain, whence it sent four officers' pickets to the front; the two most advanced being posted on the top of mountain passes, which were covered with snow, several feet deep, were especially exposed to very harassing service. " We suffered most dreadfully from cold, having to dig deep into the snow to make our fire, and then sitting crowded round it with our toes burning and our backs freezing; these picket nights were most dismal....

The 7th division being ordered into cantonments at Castello Branco, the 51st left Borba, a pretty Portuguese town on the frontier, and passing the Tagus at Villavelha, it crossed the Spanish
frontier on the 4th June.

On the 6th it marched to Pedrogos, on the 6th to Sabugal halting until the 8th, when it marched to Albergeria. The heat of the weather rendered these marches so exhaustive that many men fell out from fatigue. On the 10th, Wellington, attended by the Prince of Orange, Marshal Beresford, General Hope, and numbers of inferior officers reviewed the 7th division. The 51st formed the right, the German brigade the left of the infantry line, and on the right of the whole were the brigades of cavalry and artillery. The line extended more than three miles. 

Taking post in the centre of the division his lordship received a general salute, all the officers remaining uncovered while the bands of the different regiments were playing " God save the King." 

While encamped near Rodrigo, the division was joined on the 12th June by the remainder of the British Army, which, early in the morning of the 13 th crossed the Agueda and marched upon Salamanca. On the 16th, the French were discovered drawn up on the heights in front of the town...

On the 16th we moved off, it being a fine morning, and soon had to encounter the worst road I ever saw : the whole of our baggage and part of our army having passed along, had made it like a quagmire. I have known some of our men sink in to the mud and stick as fast as possible, others have gone to their assistance and have stuck fast also ! This was frequently the case : hundreds of the men lost their shoes, and were obliged to walk barefoot the remainder of the retreat. I had a strap buckled tightly over each instep and under each shoe, so that I did not lose mine ; but I stuck fast in the mud.

1813. 

This retreat concluded the campaign of 1812. The 51st took up its winter quarters at Meno, Miemento 

and the neighbouring villages under the command of Colonel Mitchell. Lieutenant- General Lord Dalhousie had his head-quarters at Miemento.*  In December, 1812, and in the early part of 1813 the regiment suffered considerably from sickness. From February to April there were frequent division and brigade field days, for Wellington was anxiously bent upon restoring the health and discipline of the Army before taking the field. In April the men were ordered to send their great-coats into store ; on the 29th the tents and field equipage arrived from Celerico ; and next day Lord Dalhousie inspected the principal part of his division. The Hussar brigade, the 1st division of Infantry and various other troops had been for some time preparing to take the field in advance. On the 14th May, the 51st marched with its brigade from cantonments, and crossed the Douro on the 18th near 

Villa Nova...

The health of the division at this time was excellent, although provisions were scarce, and the rapid pursuit of the enemy would not admit of the shortest rest. Of the 6,000 men composing it, after marching 250 miles, there were only 120 sick, and they were able to follow their regiments. On the 16th it crossed the Ebro and marched towards Vittoria, On the evening of the 20th it encamped about sixteen miles from that place, and next morning was hurried forward at the top of its speed, for Lord Dalhousie was anxious to take the lead in the attack ; but despite a most fatiguing double quick march of three miles, it did not arrive at Vittoria until the action had commenced

St. Sebastian having fallen, the 51st returned to its former encampment on the Pyrenees close to 

Santa Barbara, whence it removed early in October to the Puerto de Bchallar, to relieve Giron's Andalusians. In the afternoon of the 8th October, a detachment of the regiment with other detachments of the division descended from the Puerto upon the fort of St. Barbe and the other outworks covering the advanced camp of Sarre. The attack was successful and the French, afraid of being cut off from their main camp abandoned their position on the impregnable works of the Hermitage and returned in the night to the Smaller Rhine......

The allies started in the invasion of France on the 14th February, 1814. Hill's corps forming the advance was relieved in front of the Adour by the 7th division. On the 16th a skirmish occurred while Wellington was repairing the broken bridges of St. Palais, after which the 4th and 7th divisions occupied the Bastile de Olerence, where they remained until ordered to advance upon the Adour. 

The 7th was at Came on the 22nd ; on the 23rd, Marshal Beresford at the head of the two divisions, and Colonel Vivian's brigade attacked the enemy in his fortified posts at Hastingues and Oyergave on the left of the Gave de Pau, and obliged them to retire within the tete-de-pont at Peyrehorade. The 51st assisted in carrying the village of Hastingues ; its losses were one rank and file killed;

In this advance, the 51st was engaged in several trifling skirmishes with small bodies of retiring French, and in a more serious affair at Etauliers on the '4th April, where it assisted in defeating L'Huillier and capturing and dispersing his band. Later in the same month the regiment returned to Bordeaux, and remained in barracks until the abdication of Bonaparte and the embarkation of the army for England, where the 51st arrived in July in H.M.S. "Zealous," and was landed at Plymouth.

 In August it marched from Plymouth to Portsmouth and continued doing garrison duty there until the 23rd March, 1815.  

1815. 

Bonaparte's escape from Elba called the 51st again into active service; it and the 23rd Royal Welsh 

Fusiliers being suddenly embarked at Portsmouth for Belgium, and landed at Ostend on the 30th March. In the evening of that day it was conveyed in canal barges to Bruges, where it halted all the next day, and at night being again embarked in canal boats was sent forward to Ghent. In this grand old city, then the residence of the King of France, it remained two or three days and marched thence to Brussels where it halted for a week. It was afterwards ordered into cantonments at Grammont, under Lieutenant-Colonel Rice; 

Colonel Mitchell being in command of the 4th brigade of the army consisting of the 3rd battalion 14th, 23rd, and 51st regiments. Whilst at Grammont Lord Wellington reviewed the three regiments of the brigade, and in riding through the ranks of the 51st, he gratified the regiment by observing that " he well remembered the faces of his old Peninsula friends." 

On the 16th June the regiment consisting of 539 men,* was suddenly ordered to march with its brigade from Grammont to Braine le Comte, where it encamped in the evening. Early on the 17th it marched for Nivelles, and upon its arrival about nine a.m., the brigades there assembled were ordered to the front ; but in consequence of the army having been obliged to fall back, Wellington ordered those brigades of the 4th division at Braine le Comte, as well as those on the road to Nivelles, to collect and halt at Braine le Comte. At noon the 61st was marched back by the Brussels road to Braine le Lend ; and in the evening, Colonel Mitchell led his brigade into position near the scene of action. The confusion of this day's retreat is beyond description, on account of the sudden flight of the Belgian cavalry, galloping furiously towards Brussels, intermixed with artillery, baggage waggons, columns of infantry and the debris of a broken army ; and the miserable condition of the troops was increased by a violent storm of thunder, lightning and rain in the afternoon.

On the 22nd the regiment arrived at Cateau, and on the 24th the brigade was ordered to Cambray, with the remainder of Sir Colville's division, to attack the works of that town. The 51st and 23rd regiments were among the first to assault and take possession of Cambray. They entered by first forcing the outer gate of the Couvre Port, and after failing in their attempt at the main Paris gate, by carrying a breach on that side, which was in a state of reparation. The citadel still remained in the hands of the French, but surrendered on the evening of the 26th. The loss of the 61st on this occasion was two killed and ten wounded. Colville's division joined the main body of the army on the 26th... 

The advance from Cambray to Paris was performed by the brigade left in front, the 51st being the leading regiment. The advance guard was formed of one or two companies of the 51st, and the light company of the 14th.....

The chief part of the 51st remained in bivouac until the capitulation of Paris had been signed ; the army then moved to St. Denis and in advance of that town. On the 5th, Montmartre being occupied by the British troops, on the 7th great part of the British army was encamped in the Bois de Boulogne. The 51st remained in this encampment until the whole of the army went into cantonments, the order for which was issued on the 28th October. On the 30th, the regiment marched from the Bois de Boulogne to the village of Verrieres, Colonel Mitchell's head-quarters, about ten miles from Paris near the road to Orleans, in the neighbourhood of which the whole of Colville's division was quartered.

On the 6th December it left Verrieres, having received a route on the 4th to proceed towards the coast to embark for England. The march to Calais by Abbeville, made in continuous bad weather, was attended by many difficulties arising from the necessity of quartering the troops in various scattered villages, frequently several miles from the high road.

On the 2nd January, 1816, the 51st embarking at Calais, arrived at Dover. It disembarked on the
following morning and occupied the Castle barracks. It left Dover on the 4th for Blachington barracks ;remaining there until August, it marched to Chichester barracks whence a detachment of 200 men under Colonel Mitchell marched to Brighton on the 5th December. On the 24th December, the regiment received an order from the Horse Guards to bear the words "Vittoria" and Nivelle" on their colours, &c.

On the 27th January, 1817, the detachment which had been doing the Pavilion duty, marched from
Brighton to Sheerness under Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Keyt. It arrived on the 1st February. Shortly afterwards the remainder of the regiment moved from Chichester to Chatham barracks. Upon the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Mitchell, 20th April, Brevet Lieutenant-Rice succeeded to the command of the regiment, which continued to be divided until the beginning of May, when it marched from Chatham and Sheerness to Portsmouth, where five companies were quartered at Fort Cumberland and five in Hilsea Barracks. They continued in these quarters until the embarkation of the 36th regiment for Malta. On the 30th July the regiment marched into garrison, occupying Fore House and Culvert barracks. ...

The regiment commenced its march in four divisions from Portsmouth to Plymouth on the 4th May, 1818 ; the whole had arrived on the 19th of the same month. Major-General Browne, the lieutenants-governor, inspected the regiment on the 9th October following, when its effective strength was seven hundred and twenty- three rank and file. By an order dated "War Office, 24th October, 1818," the establishment of the regiment was reduced to four field-officers, ten captains, ten lieutenants, ten ensigns, five staff, thirty-five sergeants, twenty- two buglers, and six hundred and fifty rank and file.
The reduction took place on the 14th November, when the half-pay list of the regiment was as follows : — ......

1819. 

On the 28th May Major-General Brown again inspected the regiment, six hundred and twelve rank 

and file, and was pleased to express his approbation of its movements and appearance. 

In the beginning of July, the regiment embarked a detachment of one hundred rank and file for Harwich, and in a few days afterwards a company for Heligoland ; the remainder of the corps proceeded at several times by transports to Chatham and Sheerness.

The head-quarters landed at Chatham on the 21st, where they remained, the regiment still being detached, until March 3rd. When they proceeded to Eomford, and thence to. Brighton where they arrived on 10th, and were joined by the detachment from Sheerness, by that from Harwich on the 30th, and by the company from Heligoland on the 3rd May.

The whole regiment was now assembled at Brighton. On the 12th and 13th July, three hundred and eighty men were detached to Chichester under Major Thwaites; and on the 1st August the regiment left Brighton and Chichester (leaving one hundred rank file at Brighton) for Croydon and neighbourhood; and on the 18th left these quarters for Woolwich, Greenwich and Deptford to relieve a detachment of the Guards. The companies at Greenwich soon proceeded to Woolwich, whence three companies were sent to Bow and Stratford. On the 20th September the detachment from Brighton joined at Woolwich. On the 5th October the regiment marched from its several stations to Teddington, Twickenham and Isleworth. From these places it removed to Winchester on the 20th and 21st of November.

On the 21st February, 1821, the regiment removed from Winchester to Portsmouth to relieve the 1st
battalion 3rd Guards. ....

The following letter was received at head-quarters on the 14th April, and by it the officers were allowed to wear the oak-leaf embroidered lace upon their coatees. ......

On the 18th the following garrison order was issued for the regiment to hold itself in readiness for
embarkation :

"Garrison Order, Portsmouth, 18th April, 1821.
" The 51st Light Infantry will hold itself in readiness to embark for the Mediterranean at the shortest notice. The commanding officer is ....

Previous to its departure, the regiment was inspected by Major-General Sir George Cooke, K.C.B., on the 7th May, 1821, its strength being then six hundred and forty -eight rank and file. The head-quarters with four companies, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Keyt, embarked on board the transport "Star" on the 18th May, 1821, and arrived at Malta on the 14th June, and Corfu 21st ; they marched into the citadel and occupied Fort Neuf.

The remaining six companies embarked on board the " Chapman," and "Thomas and Mary," on the 24th May; they disembarked in Corfu on the 3rd July, occupying the citadel and Fort Neuf. On the 4th December the regiment was minutely inspected by Major-General Sir Frederick Adam, K.C.B., who expressed his perfect approbation of its appearance and effective state. Its strength was then six hundred and forty- nine rank and file, under Brevet Lieutenant- Colonel Keyt, during the absence on leave of Lieutenant- Colonel Rice who rejoined on the 14th February 1822.

In May, 1822, an order was issued by Major-General Sir Frederick Adam for three companies to be detached at Santa Maura, and in June another company was sent to Paxo ; small detachments were likewise sent to Fano Lazaretto, and on board the flotilla employed in the lonian Islands. In September another company was sent to reinforce the detachment at Santa Maura. Sir Frederick again inspected the regiment at Corfu on the 18th October, 1823 ; it then mustered five hundred and fifty-nine rank and file, and had been reduced in obedience to an order which fixed its establishment at one colonel, one lieutenant- colonel, two majors, eight captains, nine lieutenants, seven ensigns, five staff*, twenty-nine sergeants, twelve buglers, and five hundred and twenty-six rank and file.


The head-quarters and four companies embarked at Corfu for Cephalonia on board the " Loyal Briton," 22nd May, 1824, and disembarked on the 28th. The four companies stationed at Santa Maura, embarked on board the " Joseph Green " transport, 26th May, 1824, and disembarked at Cephalonia on the 6th June following. One company marched from Cephalonia to Ithaca on the 29th May, to be stationed there.

 During the months of July, August, and September, 1824, the regiment suffered considerably from remitting fever which prevailed to a great degree in Cephalonia, as well amongst the inhabitants as the troops...

In the latter end of the year 1824, several parts of the island were alarmed by some Greeks, who had
broken quarantine, making their escape to the interior.

By an order dated 14th May, 1825, the regiment was augmented to four field officers, ten captains,
ten lieutenants, ten ensigns, six staff, forty-two sergeants, fourteen buglers, and seven hundred and
forty rank and file ; and instructions were afterwards received to send home four sergeants, four corporals, three buglers, for the purpose -of forming the depot companies. These non-commissioned officers embarked on board the " William Harris " transport, 31st October, 1825.

The head-quarters and three companies of the regiment embarked at Cephalonia on board the " Vittoria " on the 23rd,' and disembarked at Zante on the 25th January, 1826. The "Vittoria" disembarked the remaining three companies at Zante on the 1st February. A detachment consisting of one subaltern, one sergeant, three corporals, and forty-three privates, arrived at Zante on board the " Numa," from Ithaca where they had been stationed. Except detachments sent to Cerigo the regiment remained stationed in Zante, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Rice until the 31st of May, 1827, when, he having obtained leave of absence, the command devolved on Major Ross.

During its stay in the Ionian Islands, the regiment was very frequently complimented by the Inspecting and Commanding officers for its meritorious conduct in every situation where duty called it; order and regularity in cantonments were the features of its .......................

The head-quarters and two hundred men of the regiment embarked at Zante on the 5th January,
1828, for Corfu, where they disembarked on the 12th. The regiment was now being assembled for service in Corfu. The detachment from Cerigo, under Captain Elliott, arrived at Zante on board the  "Joseph Green " on the 29th ; on the following morning the remainder of the battalion embarked on board the same ships and arrived at Corfu on the 4th February. On the 4th April a detachment was sent to garrison Santa Maura; and on the 8th another, comprising three sergeants, and seventy-five rank and file, proceeded to Vido to assist the Royal Engineers in constructing the fortifications.

On the 16th this party was increased by one captain, four subalterns, six sergeants two buglers, and one hundred and fifty-eight rank and file. The whole remained at Vido until the 1st of June, when they were relieved and joined headquarters at Corfu. The regiment was inspected by Major-General Woodford, C.B., in Port Raymond Barracks, Corfu, on the 25th June, 1828.

Its strength was four hundred and fifty-five rank and file, including the relief commanded by Major Ross. Various parties of the regiment continued to work at the fortifications, the last being sent on the 15th February, 1829; it was commanded by Major Ross, and consisted of two captains, six subalterns, eight sergeants, one bugler, and two hundred and sixty-seven rank and file.

The regiment was inspected by Major- General Woodford on the 1 4th December, 1828 : its strength was twenty-eight sergeants, ten buglers and four hundred and eighty-eight rank and file, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Rice.


The Major- General again inspected it on the 9th June, 1830 : its strength was thirty-one sergeants, ten buglers, and four hundred and ninety-nine rank and file commanded by Major Campbell

In early 1800 the East Indiaman Earl Cornwallis, transported the regiment to Ceylon, where it saw action in the Kandyan Wars. After returning home in 1807, it embarked for Portugal in October 1808 for service in the Peninsular War and saw action at the Battle of Corunna in January 1809 before being evacuated from the Peninsula. It became a light infantry regiment as the 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) in May 1809. It then embarked for the Netherlands in summer 1809 and saw action in the disastrous Walcheren Campaign.

The regiment returned to the Portugal in 1811 and took part in the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro in May 1811, the Second Siege of Badajoz in summer 1811 and the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812. At Badajoz Ensign Joseph Dyas, a junior officer in the regiment, distinguished himself by twice leading the storming party on the San Cristobal Fort. The regiment went on to fight at the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812, the Siege of Burgos in September 1812 and the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813.

 It then pursued the French Army into France and fought at the Battle of the Pyrenees in July 1813, the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813 and the Battle of the Nive in December 1813 as well as the Battle of Orthez in February 1814.[6] It then returned to England in June 1814.
 Following Napoleon's escape from Elba in February 1815, it embarked for Ostend in March 1815 and fought at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. At Waterloo the regiment prevented 100 French cuirassiers from escaping the field of battle.

However he transferred for some time to the 38th Regiment in Malta.  The following notices from the Gazette confirm his movements.

Office of Ordnance, 17th January 1825 Royal Regiment of Artillery.Second Captain William Kingdom Rains, from half-pay* to be Second Captain, vice Atchison,.dismissed the Service. Dated 16th November 1824.

51st Ditto.To be Captains.Lieutenant Benjamin Buck Hawley. Dated 7th April 1825.
Captain William Kingdom Rains, from the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Dated 8th April; 1825

Brevet Major William Kingdom Rains, from 38th . Foot. Dated 1st June 1826.

38th Ditto.. Brevet Major William Kingdom Rains, from the 51st Foot, vice Woodward, who exchange Dated. 8th April. 1826.

MEMORANDUM.

The under-mentioned Officers have been allowed to retire from the Service, by the sale of unattached commissions : Major William Kingdom Rains, half-pay Unattached, Dated 11th June 1830


The 38th Regiment on Malta.

On 12 May 1826, the British Government decided that as the Maltese were subjects of the Crown, they were entitled to volunteer for military service. Those regiments stationed at Malta, the Ionian Islands, and Gibraltar were to enlist men in the proportion of 5 Maltese forever 100 men present on the regimental establishment.

Commanding officers had to apply to the Secretary at War for authority to charge from time to time the established rate of bounty for such Maltese recruits as were enlisted.

On 1 Jan 1826, work commenced on converting the Floriana Market into an Officers' Mess. The market covered an area of 145 by 105 feet, and overlooked the granaries.

The Floriana Officer's Mess was completed on 31 July 1826. The work was superintended by Col George Whitmore RE, and was completed on budget. Its estimated expense was £1300 9s 10d; its actual expense £1301 4s 6d.

The Board of Health, which had been suppressed by the first Colonial Governor Sir Thomas Maitland, was re-established on 28 Feb 1826.

On 5 Apr, the Government vested the exclusive control of the Sanitary Laws of Malta in the Board of Health, which met for the first time on 6 Apr 1826.

In 1826, the old burial ground on the Floriana Parade was broken up. It had been closed for over 20 years, and the few British tombs were taken to the lower burial ground which was then in use.