Army Pensions for Privates in Army?

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Member Since: July 2004 Posts: 1,401 Send Message	Benjamin	Report	2 Feb 2008 09:42
Member Since: July 2004 Posts: 1,401 Send Message	Hi My ancestor was described as "Servant L Chelsea Pensioner" in 1861 census. I dont know what the L stands for though. He was in the 17th Lancers for 25 years from 1831 to 1856 and I obtained his discharge records from PRO at Kew. He was never promoted and was always a Private 17th Lancers. He was discharged due to being too unfit for service. The 1861 is the only reference to him being a Chelsea out pensioner as in 1864 and 1865 he was still a servant, then he became a soap labourer, beer house retailer, night watchman (very ex army) and a carman. Obviously that meant that his pension alone was probably not enough to live on or would it have expired after a while? He died in near poverty in London in 1889 as in 1878 him and his family fell upon hard times after running the beer house. Ben