Pte John Waddington (Warrington) (1787.... 1855)
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Children :
1 Child Only
1 . H . Alice . Waddington . (1815....1872) m 2/9/1833 H . Charles . Johnson . (1799...1875)
History & Achievements :
There are two explainations of John's enlistment . We find that the first explaination to be far more feasible. This is more likely to be correct
- It was until recently a belief by those of us researching the family history that our John Waddington was the one born in 1783. It would now appear this is not the case. John did join the Army , that is not disputed, the way he enlisted though is now a matter for discussion and much speculation.
- John stated in his petition for discharge in 1823 he had , l quote "served in the above corps for the space of nineteen years and four months" Now, the problem.
- Information received from the Army Museum, Victoria Barracks, Paddington N.S.W. 1) Enlisted: Manchester
- 2) Date : 15th August 1803 . aged 23years
- 3) Occup : Sweeper
- 4) Discharge : John Was Transfered to the 3rd Regiment East Kent (The Buffs) on the 25/12/1823 and discharged from this unit and the British Army on the 13th November 1824 Sydney, 13th November 1824
- 5) Medals : M.G.S.M. with 10 clasps
- A) If John was aged 23 years on enlistment in 1803, his year of birth would be 1780, quite feasible.
- B) If John joined the Army in 1803 & discharged in 1824, that equals 21 years service, not nineteen as stated above.
- It would appear that John used his dead, same named brother's baptismal certificate to enlist. This would have presented no problem as they had the same name. The only difference being that John (1) was 4 years older than John (2).
- It would now appear that John (2) was only 16 years old when enlisting. There is no way now that we can find out the exact circumstances of John's enlistment other than by speculation. John's death in 1855 ended the lie he had been living all his life. He could neither read or write and even if he could have, it would be highly improbable that he would have kept any documents that may have shown his real age.
- Just imagine in those days how his life would have been had his deception about his age been discovered. He would have certainly been court marshaled, possibly flogged,or perhaps even sentenced to Transportation to the Colony he applied to discharge in.
- Below is a copy of his application to remain in Australia after discharge from the 48th Regiment. The actual date was unreadable but has 1823 written on the top by Archives. Note the spelling , often listed as Warrington instead of Waddington, the town of Waddington close to where J.W was baptised
- This Info Supplied By a Lily Crittenden
- John Waddington (Warrington ) was born in or near the village of Livesay England. When John was not quite 20 he joined the 48th Regiment of foot claiming he was 23 years of age. The town of Warrington was close by in the county and so through out his military career and most official records of New South Wales his name is recorded as John Warrington . The exception being on the Marriage certificate of his daughter and only child ,Alice, to Charles Johnson in Sydney in 1833. The memorial inscription on his head stone in Morpeth Cemetery bearing silent testimony to John Waddington of the 48th Regiment of Foot .
This section is from confirmed Items . Pay Muster's of the 48th , PRO England, Reference Books Records of the 48th . Mitchel Library Sydney, The Colonial Garrison 1817-1824 ( Clem Sargent ) published 1996, Wellington's Military Machine( Philip J. Haythornthaite) published 1995
Pte John Warrington (Waddington) arrived with the North Hamptonshire Regiment (48th Regiment of Foot) . in Sydney on Board the "Barque..Matilda 13/11/ 1817 . He took his discharge in 1824 after serving 21 years & 91days with the 48th . He enlisted on the 15/8/1803 from the Army Reserve . For his military life he was awarded the General Service Medal . The medal has 10 bars attached , naming the battles in which he fought with distinction . He fought in the Peninsular War under the Duke Of Wellington . The Service Medal represent the following Battles : Talavera -28/6/1809 : Busaco 27/9/1810 : Ciudad-Rodrigo 19/1/1812 , Badajoz May 1812 : Salamanca 22/6/1812 :Vittoria 21/6/1812 : Pyrenees 9 days July 1813 :, St Sebastion Siege 22/7/1814 ( Bombardment 26/8/1813 Fell 31/8/1813 ; Orthes 27/2/1814 : Toulouse 10/4/1814 :) . Battles fought in but no medal issued America and Canada 1812-1815 Sorauren was the first battle or the Pyrenees . As part of the 2/48th John was captured at Albuera only to escape with most of 193 men captured . Even though at the battle of Albuera 16/5/1811 no clasp for those captured was issued . Soon after his discharge he returned to England and reunited with his wife and only child and returned to Sydney . His Medals are on display in the Naval & Miltary Club in Melbourne . According to the pay sheets of the 48th regiment the pay period was 91 days ,a total of 4pounds 10 shillings & 4 pence was payed for each 91 days of service. John Waddington was recorded on pay musters as Warrington ,Willington , and one listed as Weatherington .
- We know from the pay musters The following . On the 6th of December 1815 John was transfered from
- general service and was under the command of Henry Thomas Budd. On the 7th of August 1816 John was attatched to the recruting division at Saulsbury. John was Transfered to the 3rd Regiment East Kent (The Buffs) on the 25/12/1823 and discharged from this unit and the British Army on the 13th November 1824
The following is an application to His Excellency Sir Thomas Brisbane for John Warrington to remain in Australia after his retirement 1823
To His Excellency, Sir Thomas Brisbane
K.C.B' Captain General, Governor and Commonwealth
In Chief in over His Majesty's Territory New
South Wales and its Dependencies
The Humble Petition of Private John
Warrington 8th Company H.M. 48th Regiment Most
Respectfully Thowath,
That Petitioner served in the above Corps for the space of
nineteen years and four months, had the honor to be present at
many glorious Achievements on "the Peninsular", and was
wounded in the head at the Battle of "Orthes", and in
the Thigh at "Salamanca". On which several occasions he
has now the pleasing Consciousness of having "done his
duty", as a British Soldier.
That Petitioner
having devoted so long a period to the Military Profession is now
anxious to retire from, and to settle in this rising Colony with
his Family consisting of a Wife and one female child where he is
convinced he could maintain them in a decent and reputable
manner, as he is well aquainted with the management and
cultivation of land and the rearing of stock. Under
these circumstances, Petitioner humbly presumes to approach your
Excellency in the earnest hope that as his conduct in the
regiment has ever been irreproachably, you may be graciously
pleased to permit him to be discharged, in which case he would
hope that his past services, his wounds received in fighting the
battles of his country, and his having a family might induce your
Excellency to grant him some other indulge as in your
Excellency's goodness, you may think him worthy of.
And Petitioner shall as in duty bound. Ever pray.
- This appeared in print "The Maitland Mecury"under the heading Unclaimed Letters
- John Waddington. Unclaimed mail Paterson District 8/3/1845
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- Last revised: September 10, 2000.