His father was No. 218 Maxwell Crawford, who was born in the parish of Glasgow, Lanarkshire, on the 28th of April 1796 and had enlisted into the 27th Foot at Omagh, Co. Tyrone, on the 27th of April 1807, aged 11 years.
He was 5' 0" in height, with a sallow complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His trade was that of a Labourer. He is shown as being "under age" until the 26th of April 1814, and was appointed Drummer on the same day. He was discharged on the "Reduction of the Regiment" on the 17th of June 1817, with a service to count of three years 52 days.
He re-enlisted as a Private into the 68th Foot on the 27th of June 1817 and was appointed to Bugler on the 29th of June. He was finally discharged at Portsmouth on the 15th of June 1837 with a total service to count of 23 years 67 days:
"Cause of discharge — Chronic Catarrh and Dyspepsia. -This man has been thirty years employed as a musician. At the present time the bugle which he has blown for twenty-four years occasions pain of the left side and induced cough on increased exertion. His hernia operation also causes him much distress. His disability may be attributed to his long service as a bugler. The pain induced by the bugle joined to the state of his respiration with a servitude of thirty years renders him unequal to the active duties of the corps...His conduct in hospital has been "Good."
Opinion of the Principal Medical Officer at Chatham Invalid Depot:
After examination at the General Hospital I am of the opinion that Maxwell Crawford is unfit for service and likely to be permanently so incapacitated for military duty by difficulty of breathing and impaired strength... General Conduct and character: "Has been very good". Aged 41 years at the time of his discharge. Served 11 years 6 months in Canada with the 68th. and the remainder at home. Served with the 27th Foot in the following actions: Siege of Badajos, April 1812, Salamanca, 22nd of July 1812, Vittoria, 21st of June 1813, Pyrenees, 26-28 of July 1813, Nivelle, 10th of November 1813, Orthes, 17th of February 1814, Toulouse, 10th of April 1814 and the affairs with the Americans at Platsburgh, under Sir George Provost in September of 1814.
Maxwell Crawford, was to live in Glasgow, Scotland, after discharge, with a pension of 1/1d. per day, and died in the No. 1 Edinburgh Pension District on the 30th of March 1868. He received the M.G.S. medal with clasps for Badajos, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Orthes and Busaco. He had served in Captain Gedde's Company.
His brother, Robert Maxwell, enlisted into the 68th Foot at Dublin on the 27th of July 1833, with the regimental number of 1082. Born at Quebec, Lower Canada, he was aged 14 and 3 months. He was promoted and reduced from Private to Bugler no less than six times during his service of 21 years 138 days, finally being promoted to Corporal on the 27th of January 1858. At the time of his discharge on the 22nd of December 1858 he was serving on the Permanent Staff of the South Mayo Militia and was living in Wexford, Co. Mayo, at this time. Five times tried for Court-martial, on each occasion for "Habitual Drunkenness" and on one occasion receiving 100 lashes, his conduct and character rating on discharge was "Latterly good". He had served 13 years 3 months on foreign service — in Gibraltar, the West Indies, North America and Natal, South Africa. His pension was increased to 1/2d. per day from the 20th of December 1864.
Three girls were also born to his parents when in Canada, Eleanor, at Quebec in 1824, Elizabeth in 1826 and Mary A., at Quebec in 1829.
His Crimean medal, said to be "well worn," is in the possession of his great-grandson, a Mr. Hugh Crawford Davies, of Manchester, (1980). It was given to him by his grandmother (Crawford's daughter) over fifty years ago, on the understanding that it would remain in the family. Hugh Crawford had two sons and two daughters. (See later information on a Robert Crawford.)
Contact was made with the Mr Hugh Crawford Davis, who had his great-grandfather's medal, and a considerable amount of new information was gained from him. He states:
"I had my great-grandfather's medal (given to me by my grandmother) over 60 years before I gave it to my eldest son. I have now given it to my younger son who has just joined the Army, and I feel it is now secure. The medal is well-worn and has Hugh Crawford's number, rank and name [sic] on the edge. Although I have been researching his history for many years I always seemed to end up with a dead end, until I received the information which you had passed on to a third party for me. About four years ago we decided to change our home and chose the one we have now for no special reason, but imagine my surprise when looking at Census Returns to find that my flat was less than 100 yards away from where Hugh Crawford had once lived. In what was the next street we had a Robert Crawford, who was born in Canada two years before Hugh. [This was 1082 Robert M. Crawford of the 68th Foot and Hugh Crawford's brother. See his record.] Robert was married to a Bridget Crawford, who was born in Ireland. You will see from the 1871 Census that Hugh and Elizabeth had parted company, as he is not shown on it. Only Elizabeth, his eldest daughter, and William, his eldest son, are shown with their mother. His youngest son, Hugh Maxwell, had been put in the Army (no trace of him can as yet (1986) be found of him) and my grandmother, Sarah Jane, was married in June of 1871. Hugh's name appears on her wedding certificate, as does Robert Crawford and his wife Bridget.
Census Return of the 27th April 1861. Hurst Mount, Old Road, Parish of St. John's, Ashton-under-Lyne.
Hugh Crawford. Married. Aged 39. Musician. America.
Elizabeth Crawford. Wife. 37. Housewife. Ashton.
Mary Ann. Daughter. 17. Cotton Operative. Scotland.
Sarah Jane. Daughter. 12. Scholar. Ireland.
William J. Son. 7. Scholar. Kent.
Hugh Maxwell. Son. 2. Hants.
Census Return of the 15th April 1871. 5 Marland Street, Parish of St. John's,
Elizabeth Crawford. Head of Household. 49. Housewife. Ashton.
Mary Ann. Daughter. 26. Cotton Worker. Scotland.
William J. Son. 18. Piecer. Canterbury.
Census Return of the 15th April 1871. 13 Marland Street, Parish of St. John's.
Robert Crawford. Married. 47 Card Room Worker. Quebec.
Bridget Crawford. Wife. 37. Housewife. Ireland.
Ditto for 1881.
Robert Crawford. Married. 59. Card Room Worker. Quebec,
Independent America.
Bridget Crawford. Wife. 47. Housewife. Ireland.
You mention a Robert Crawford who had also been a Trumpeter in the 4th L.D. as well. I am sure he was a son of Robert and Bridget. [This was not so — see later record of 462 Robert Crawford, 4th Light Dragoons.] There seems to have been a break-up of Hugh Crawford's family between 1861 and 1871. Just why, could be anybody's guess, but he is said to have taken his younger son, Hugh Maxwell, with him. None of Elizabeth's family were living in Marland Street in 1881, there being another family there entirely. Joshua Hill, whose address was given as Hugh's intended place of residence after discharge, lived about three-quarters of a mile from where I do now. It was a row of about eight houses and a store.
I had known of Robert Crawford (senior) from my eldest sister, but I never knew that he too had been a soldier. You will notice that Elizabeth Crawford was born at Ashton and probably Hugh Crawford met and married her when he was stationed at the barracks here. The latter was opened in 1841, and the 68th must have been one of the first regiments there, but my grandmother told my sister that she lived in the barracks when a very young girl.
I must look for old records of churches in the area to see if I can come up with Elizabeth's birth — and marriage. It was always said in the family that "on Elizabeth seeing the dishevelled state of her husband at some time or other it drove her insane — the same thing was said of her when he was missing after the Charge, she was so certain he was dead..."
As for Hugh's death, from his taking of the youngest son with him, and his going into the Army, the knowledge of where he lived before doing this, and we should have the place where his father lived — and died, no doubt. I still go for Ellenborough and the man of the same name who died there. I think the trade of stonemason could have been so said to deceive, or he could have at least learnt it in the Army. (Most unlikely. The person with him was a Thomas Crawford, no mention of a wife.) A certificate of burial would be just as vague as a death certificate. If only a mention of a military nature had been noted, or his wife's name. If this was not "our" Hugh Crawford, then whose death certificate have I got?"
No 462 Robert Crawford was born at Portsmouth (according to the musters) and enlisted at Birmingham into the 4th Hussars on "Boy's Service" on the 30th of November 1858. Aged 14 years, he was 4' 5" in height, and had "No Trade".
From Private to Tptr. 9th of March 1866, and discharged from the Canterbury Cavalry Depot on the 30th of November 1874 on the "Expiration of his first period of limited service." Conduct and character: "very good", and in possession of two Good Conduct badges. To live at Ashton-under-Lyne on discharge.
The Army Chaplain's Register of Baptisms shows him to have been baptised in the Garrison Church at Weedon on the 8th of February 1846, the son of Hugh Crawford of the 68th Foot and his wife, Elizabeth. The ceremony was performed by the Reverend Bucknill, Chaplain to the D.M. Military Prison. (See copy of the baptismal certificate in the "Certificates" file.)
No. 462 Robert Crawford is shown in the musters as attaining "Man's pay" on the 1st of December 1859, upon reaching the age of 15 years. He embarked for India aboard the "Serapia" at Portsmouth on the 15th of October 1867, and was "invalided" to England on the 3rd of March 1873.
(A No. 429 William Crawford was also serving in the 4th Hussars in 1873.)
