Record Masterclass ON THE COVER
Find out how to use Chelsea Pensioners’ records to uncover soldiers’ service before the First World War
Completed in 1692, the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, West London, was built as a home for ex-soldiers “broken by age or war”. A similar institution opened in Ireland in 1684, the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin.
The Royal Hospital Chelsea was the administrative centre for British army pensions until 1955, hence the term
‘Chelsea Pensioner’. If this phrase appears on a census entry, or a marriage or death certificate, it means that your ancestor was receiving an army pension. Before 1822, some pensions were administered by the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
Army pensions were awarded to soldiers who were injured or disabled during service; who were ‘worn out’, chronically ill and not fit for duty; or who had served an agreed term of service. In the 18th and early 19th centuries this was usually 21 years, but later soldiers could receive a pension after 12 years. The amount depended on the length of service.
There were two categories of pensioners: in-pensioners at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, and out-pensioners living elsewhere in the UK or overseas. In-pensioners had to surrender their pensions, and have
no dependants. When it opened, there was room for 476 in-pensioners.
However, the majority of retired soldiers were out-pensioners. In 1703, there were just 51 but this number rose to 36,757 by 1815, and to 85,834 in 1828. In 1852, there were still 66,730 out-pensioners.
Locating The Records
The original ‘Royal Hospital Chelsea Soldiers’ Service Documents’ (WO97) for 1760–1913 are held at The National Archives (TNA) in Kew. This is the main set of records for ordinary soldiers (not officers) discharged from the Army between 1760 and 1882, and receiving a pension. They also include those discharged and not killed while in service between 1883 and 1913.
Start off by searching for your ancestor’s name within WO97 using TNA’s online catalogue Discovery: bit. ly/discovery-chelsea. The enhanced descriptions include place and county of birth, regiment served in, and age at discharge. You can then look at the WO97 documents on Findmypast ( bit.ly/fmp-search-army-records then select ‘WO97’ in the series) or Ancestry ( bit.ly/ancchel-reg or bit.ly/anc-chel-serv).
These records were created by the soldier’s last regiment as proof of his pension entitlement. They incorporate discharge papers, pension information and sometimes attestation papers. Generally, the level of detail increases from the middle of the 19th century. As a minimum, the particulars include full