Shewsbury Cavalry date 1803

[michael callaghan]

hello, I have a sword of the Shewsbury cavalry dated 1803 as being a gift to a Mr Richard Davies. As the use of Mr which is a none military rank is used it would look like the Mr Richard Davies was not at the time a member of the military but was a young man about to join.

can anyone give me further information on this cavalry unit. thank you. michael

[Keith Oliver]

Michael

The Shropshire Yeomanry: The Story of a Volunteer Cavalry Regiment by E W Gladstone (1953) is your first port of call, which will give you a general history of the yeomanry cavalry in the county at that time..

 

Shrewsbury appears to have formed 2 troops in 1798 both of which continued to 1814 when they merged to form the Shrewsbury Yeomanry Cavalry.

 

In 1808 it is recorded that they presented a sword to the Adjutant "as a token of their respect for and obligation to him for his attention and instructions in the sword exercise." Unfortunately he is not named.

 

For lists of those serving in these units you will need to check the pay records at the National Archives at Kew, or check the list of officers gazetted in the London Gazette for that year.

 

Finaly you could check through the local paper - this may mean a visit to Shrewsbury library - but you can now subscribe to www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk which allows you access to a myriad of local newspapers of the period including the Shrewsbury Chronicle.

 

Hope this is of some help

 

Keith Oliver

[michael callaghan]

thank you Oliver, I do have the Gladstone book, However there is not much on this re the year 1803. The sword is to a Mr and not to a serving person, so its hard to figure out. Its a rankers sword so it may of been to someone who was leaving the unit and was no longer serving, so he became a Mr. I do plan to look further into this and thanks for the news paper link. michael