Mentioned in "Society of Colonial Wars, 1705-63."
He was a Major in the Army and organized a regiment to protect settlers from privateers/pirates who sailed up the rivers and pillaged villages, taking sheep, cattle, pigs and sometimes slaves.
She was his wife according to John T. McCrea of Miami.
Probably also the widow of a man named Chambers.
He fought on the Loyalist (Tory) side in the American War of Independence, and was a Captain in the 1st American Regiment (Queen's Rangers) until 1782.
At the age of only 22 he was severely wounded, losing the use of his right hand, at the Battle of Brandywine on 11th Sept 1777, probably in the fighting around Chad's Ford, and subsequently received "a pension of £300 a year for wounds". One of
his great grandsons remembers a silver appliance he subsequently used for holding a pen.J.G.Simcoe in his 'Journal of the Operations of The Queen's Rangers' (1787) says that the regiment "had suffered materially in the action at Brandywine, and was too much reduced in numbers to be of any efficient service; but if the loss of a
great number of gallant officers and soldiers had been severely felt, the impression which that action had left upon their minds was of the highest advantage to the regiment; officers and soldiers became known to each other; they had been
engaged in a more serious manner, and with greater disadvantages than they were likely again to meet with in the common chance of war; and having extricated themselves most gallantly from such a situation, they felt themselves invincible."After the British surrender at Yorktown in Oct 1781, he and his brother Creighton went to Canada, along with many Loyalists, the two of them settling in St John, New Brunswick. Robert received a grant (#1057) for Parrtown in St John, but it is
believed that he lived with his brother in nearby Kings County until in 1785 the two of them decided that their military careers would be better furthered in England. (See E.C.Wright, 'The Loyalists of New Brunswick'). In 1785 he and Creighton
were on the Half-Pay List and they had presumably been so since 1781.Around Sept 1785 he went to Guernsey as Captain of one of the six Companies of Invalides being quartered there from after 1782, when the building began of Fort George above St Peter Port, to strengthen the British garrison in order to better
defend the island against the threat of French invasion. He married his first wife there the following year.In March 1789 he moved to the Chester garrison as Captain of one of the two Companies of Invalides there. He returned to Guernsey in Dec 1791 in his previous role. With the reorganisation of the Invalides in Dec 1802 he became Major commanding
the 5th Royal Veterans Battalion until they were disbanded in 1814. He continued to receive full-pay for some time.At some time around 1800 he is believed to have built a house called Montville at Les Vardes; this house was subsequently sold to Major Bourne and then to Thomas Priaulx.
He is mentioned as a man of fine presence, being 6'4" tall and at the age of 75 is said to have looked like a man of 50.
The Guernsey Star reported his death as having been on the 15 July, rather than the accepted 2 July, but perhaps this was his burial.
His grandson, Major F.B.McCrea, had in his possession "an old and large water-colour painting of the McCrea Coat of Arms and Crest which belonged to my Grand-Father Major Robert McCrea." Below this, he writes, the following statement was
written: "McCREA. Beareth for his achievements & ensign armorial argent a LION RAMPANT. Gules between three amulets azure - on a chief assure, three millets or stars azure of the field. The CREST is an arm embowed in armour, holding a broken
lance & placed upon a wreath above the shield. Signification of the Arms. The FIELD being WHITE, denoteth the Bearer's vigilance in his Sovereign's Service. The LION, the most courageous and generous of all beasts, the emblem of strength and
valour, represents the greatest heroes who have been endued with these qualities. The LION being RED, signifies justice, virtue and defense. AMULETS are rings of mail or armour of defense given to the first bearer to keep him in mind of great
achievements. The CHIEF betokeneth a Senator or Honourable Personage & is given as a reward, to those only whose high merits have procured them the chief place, esteem & love amongst men: being BLUE, signifieth the bearer there of good
disposition & to merit perpetual renown. The MULLETS or STARS. In Heraldry are supposed to represent some divine quality bestowed from above, whereby men do shine in virtue, learning, piety & good works. The LIVERY is a light grey lined with
scarlet."
On 17 Feb 1794 "on a mis un tuteur" (guardian), both her parents being dead. Her mother was first cousin to Major Robert McCrea's first wife, Jeanne Coutart, which had the strange effect of making Sophie the second cousin of her own
step-children.In 1851 she was living at 8 Amherst Terrace, St Peter Port with her unmarried daughter Charlotte.
Named after his godfather Major General Sir Henry Torrens K.C.B. (1779-1828) a native of Londonderry who was in 1798 ADC to Lieut.General Whitelock, (2IC to the Earl of Moira at Portsmouth), and Secretary to the Duke of Wellington during the
Peninsular War; his grandfather was the Rev. H. Torrens. The other sponsors at his baptism were his sister Sophia, brother Robert and Susannah Perchard. Died by drowning in Bombay, India.
Named after his godfather Sir Hale Sheaff.
The sponsors at her baptism were Robert Coutart McCrea, Charlotte Dobree and Louisa Creighton McCrea.
She adopted the 3 orphan children of her younger brother.
He and Sophia were living in Tours, France in 1838 when they were visited by J.C.L.Carter.
A possible ancestor was Sir Charles Payne, Major General of His Majesty's Forces in the Leeward Islands, who died on 21 Dec 1744 aged 63 and is commemorated in the church of St Thomas, Middle Island, St Kitts.
Sponsors at her baptism were Lieut. Rawdon McCrea, Jane McCrea and Catherine McCrea.
She had one son who died young.
He was privately baptised and "had afterwards for sponsors Major Robert McCrea, Craton McCrea Esq and Miss Carteret Perchard." These were respectively his father, uncle and great-aunt.
He joined the 44th Foot as an Ensign on 16 Jan 1824, aged 16. This was the regiment of his half-brother-in-law, Major J.C.L. Carter (ibid.)
He probably left Gravesend with the Regiment in June 1822, arriving in Calcutta about 5 months later. In 1824 the 44th moved to Chittagong in S.E. Bengal, in preparation for war against the Burmese who were threatening the plains of Bengal from
Assam. He was with a force of 11,000 men under Brig. Gen. Morrison of the 44th, who were to move south down the coast to Arakan province and then eastwards over the mountains to the upper reaches of the Irrawaddy River near the capital Ava,
where they would meet up with the main army under Sir Archibald Campbell. In Jan 1825 the 44th, commanded temporarily by Major Carter, left Chittagong travelling south-east and storming the fortress of Ramoo and attacking Ramree Island. In
March the Burmese positions on the Padawa Hills were taken, followed by the fords of the Mahattee River and then Arakan itself, defended by 9000 Burmese. Before returning to Calcutta in December, on 6th of that month he was promoted to
Lieutenant.He returned to England c.1829 and appears, from his 1832 marriage licence affidavit, to have been living in Southampton where he probably met, and certainly married, Margaret, before returning to India in 1832/3 with her as his wife. On 11 June
1836 he was promoted Captain.In 1840 the 44th left India for Afghanistan to relieve the Army of the Indus, arriving at Kabul in June 1841. Whilst there the Afghans rose against the puppet-king imposed by the British and prior to forcing a total British withdrawal, McCrea
was killed during an attack upon a nearby fort which the Afghans had been using to enfilade the cantonments. His head was split in half by an Afghan cavalryman wielding a tulwar sword. Carter, the regimental historian, wrote that he "was cut to
pieces."Lady Florentia Sale who was present in the British cantonments wrote that he was "in the fort all but one arm, by which they seized him and dragged him out..... he was dead when found, with, I believe, his skull cloven." She went on to
speculate that the "dreadful slaughter of our men is attributable to a desperate rush of Affghan cavalry. It is supposed that some very influential person was in the fort, and has been killed. A body, richly dressed, was found, but the head was
carried away....... A horse was taken, and a sword that was much bent; both are said to have been recognised as having lately been in possession of Moollah Mobend of Zoormut."Two months after McCrea's death the army retreated from Kabul and were massacred with some 16,000 deaths. (See "Signal Catastrophe" by Patrick Macrory.)
Her marriage licence affidavit says she was a spinster of the parish of All Saints, Southampton.
In a letter to his wife, written from captivity in Afghanistan on 21 April 1842, Lieut. Souter of the 44th who had been captured with the Regimental colours wrapped round his chest (see painting by W.B.Wollen) wrote that he and Lieut. Evans
(another officer of the 44th who had been wounded on 23 Nov 1841 and left in charge of the sick and wounded at Kabul when the retreat started) "were also on the committee to award passage money, and a provision to take Mrs. McCrea to England,
the sum, I forget what it was, but it was everything we could give her; the papers were made out and signed to be sent to Calcutta, but we were never able to send them." As Souter and Evans did not meet between January and September 1842, this
committee had obviously met in Kabul in Nov/Dec 1841. It remains almost certain that she personally was never in Afghanistan. She was certainly back in Southampton by 1851. In 1861 she and her sister Josephine are at 9 Blechynden Terrace,
described as proprietors of railway shares, with their servants Sarah Dare and Jessie Ramshaw.There are two pictures of her. One as a young girl, shortly before her marriage, painted on shellac. Secondly as an old lady, in black and white.
She died of senile decay and exhaustion.
Her will of 9 Feb 1898 was proved at London on 16 May 1903; her effects being valued at £363-5-8. In it she released her son Frederick from a debt of £100 and left £200 to her younger son Osborn. There were also bequests to her maids, including
Henrietta Tarver "in recognition of her long services the sum of £50."
Frederick Bradford McCREA Major
He was born on a houseboat on the River Ganges near Futtehghur, while his father's Regiment was marching from up-country to Chinsurah near Calcutta.
He was educated at Lancing College, where he was an Original Boy, and subsequently privately at Woolwich.
In 1854 he was commissioned as an Ensign in the 14th (Prince of Wales Own) Regiment, transferring on the 27 June 1854 to the 8th (King's) Regiment by appointment.
On 20 July 1855 he was promoted Lieutenant.
He served through the Indian Mutiny 1857-9 and was present at the two days fighting at Delhi on the 19-20th September 1857. He was also present in the following actions: Bohundshur, Ackabad, Mynpoorie, Battle of Agra, actions of Karonge and
Alumbagh, relief of the garrison of Lucknow under Sir Colin Campbell, battles of the 2nd and 6th December 1857 at Cawnpore and the action of Fattehghur.He was promoted Captain on 26 June 1858.
During the Oude campaign he was watching Calpe rebels in June 1858 and from August to October was stationed at Meerun-ka-Serai in command of detachments consisting of the Grenadier and 'A' Companies and upwards of 1500 native troops. During
this period he was employed in watching about 16 miles of the Ganges to prevent rebel bands under the Nana Sahib and Feroh Shah, the last-remaining son of the King of Delhi, each, on two occasions, from crossing the Ganges from Oudh and so
getting into the Agra District of Central India. For the services rendered on these two occasions he was thanked by the General Officers of three Divisions. To Hale's Column he acted for some time as Brigade Quarter-Master.He was awarded the India Mutiny medal, with clasps for Delhi and the Relief of Lucknow.
His memoir of his time in India during the Mutiny is in my possession.
On the 20 May 1868 he was promoted to Major in the 2nd Battalion of the King's Regiment, based at Aldershot, selling-out from the Army on 24 March 1869.
In Sept 1871 he founded the Army & Navy Co-operative Society and became its first Managing Director. This was in response to the high prices then being charged by West End stores. The aim was to sell only for cash at popular prices, with the
profits benefitting the shareholders. With an initial capital of only about £15,000, the business rapidly developed a turnover of several £millions.Later he invested poorly in coal mining.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and of the Horticultural Society and of the Indian Institute.
During his life he lived in India, Malta, Southampton and Aldershot (whilst Battalion Commander). Also at Carlton Lodge, Uxbridge Rd, Ealing, at 42 Lowndes Street, Knightsbridge and at 137 Ebury Rd, Belgravia, London. He also owned a summer
residence which it is believed was left to his daughter, The Guard House, Mylor, Falmouth, Cornwall.In the 1881 Census he and his wife were at Carlton Lodge, Ealing, with two domestic servants (Fanny Kingshott and Mary Cobb), whilst the children, with the exception of Robert, were at 24 Waterloo Street, Hove and staying in lodgings with the
Ramon family; with them was their Governess, Emma Dutton, aged 34 from Dover.In the 1891 Census he and his wife and children, again except Robert, were still at Carlton Lodge with four domestic servants (Mary Ann Sharpe, Alice Chiverton, Blanche Bunson and Hannah Flatman).
In 1912 he published his 'Tree & Services of the Wetherall Family' and he contributed the chapter on the McCreas of Guernsey to the 'History of the Clan Macrae' by the Rev. Alexander Macrae in 1899.
He died of valvular disease of the heart and cardiac dilation. Following his death in London, there was held a service at Christ Church, Ealing, before his burial beside his wife at the cemetery.
In the 1881 Census for Bromley, Kent he was living at 68 & 69 High Street with his wife Elizabeth age 45. His age was wrongly given as 55, and should have read 45. His occupation at that time was a Greengrocer.
There is no trace of their marriage in the General Register Dec 1855 to March 1881, nor do they appear in the 1861, 1871 or 1891 Censuses for High Street, Bromley. Nor are they in the 1891 Census for Barking (RG/12/1371-2), nor in Barking's
1891 Electoral Register.At the time of his wife's death in Barking he was described as a Bank Clerk. As a widower he moved from Coverdale Road in Barking to 17 Heath Street in the same town.
He died of senility and gangrene of the prepuce (foreskin) and scrotum; his occupation being shown as formerly a Public House Manager.
One suspects that he and his brother Frederick didn't get on too well, as the latter never referred to him, other than mentioning his birth, in his notes and letters.
He fought on the Loyalist (Tory) side in the American War of Independence, and was a Captain in the 1st American Regiment (Queen's Rangers) until 1782.
At the age of only 22 he was severely wounded, losing the use of his right hand, at the Battle of Brandywine on 11th Sept 1777, probably in the fighting around Chad's Ford, and subsequently received "a pension of £300 a year for wounds". One of
his great grandsons remembers a silver appliance he subsequently used for holding a pen.J.G.Simcoe in his 'Journal of the Operations of The Queen's Rangers' (1787) says that the regiment "had suffered materially in the action at Brandywine, and was too much reduced in numbers to be of any efficient service; but if the loss of a
great number of gallant officers and soldiers had been severely felt, the impression which that action had left upon their minds was of the highest advantage to the regiment; officers and soldiers became known to each other; they had been
engaged in a more serious manner, and with greater disadvantages than they were likely again to meet with in the common chance of war; and having extricated themselves most gallantly from such a situation, they felt themselves invincible."After the British surrender at Yorktown in Oct 1781, he and his brother Creighton went to Canada, along with many Loyalists, the two of them settling in St John, New Brunswick. Robert received a grant (#1057) for Parrtown in St John, but it is
believed that he lived with his brother in nearby Kings County until in 1785 the two of them decided that their military careers would be better furthered in England. (See E.C.Wright, 'The Loyalists of New Brunswick'). In 1785 he and Creighton
were on the Half-Pay List and they had presumably been so since 1781.Around Sept 1785 he went to Guernsey as Captain of one of the six Companies of Invalides being quartered there from after 1782, when the building began of Fort George above St Peter Port, to strengthen the British garrison in order to better
defend the island against the threat of French invasion. He married his first wife there the following year.In March 1789 he moved to the Chester garrison as Captain of one of the two Companies of Invalides there. He returned to Guernsey in Dec 1791 in his previous role. With the reorganisation of the Invalides in Dec 1802 he became Major commanding
the 5th Royal Veterans Battalion until they were disbanded in 1814. He continued to receive full-pay for some time.At some time around 1800 he is believed to have built a house called Montville at Les Vardes; this house was subsequently sold to Major Bourne and then to Thomas Priaulx.
He is mentioned as a man of fine presence, being 6'4" tall and at the age of 75 is said to have looked like a man of 50.
The Guernsey Star reported his death as having been on the 15 July, rather than the accepted 2 July, but perhaps this was his burial.
His grandson, Major F.B.McCrea, had in his possession "an old and large water-colour painting of the McCrea Coat of Arms and Crest which belonged to my Grand-Father Major Robert McCrea." Below this, he writes, the following statement was
written: "McCREA. Beareth for his achievements & ensign armorial argent a LION RAMPANT. Gules between three amulets azure - on a chief assure, three millets or stars azure of the field. The CREST is an arm embowed in armour, holding a broken
lance & placed upon a wreath above the shield. Signification of the Arms. The FIELD being WHITE, denoteth the Bearer's vigilance in his Sovereign's Service. The LION, the most courageous and generous of all beasts, the emblem of strength and
valour, represents the greatest heroes who have been endued with these qualities. The LION being RED, signifies justice, virtue and defense. AMULETS are rings of mail or armour of defense given to the first bearer to keep him in mind of great
achievements. The CHIEF betokeneth a Senator or Honourable Personage & is given as a reward, to those only whose high merits have procured them the chief place, esteem & love amongst men: being BLUE, signifieth the bearer there of good
disposition & to merit perpetual renown. The MULLETS or STARS. In Heraldry are supposed to represent some divine quality bestowed from above, whereby men do shine in virtue, learning, piety & good works. The LIVERY is a light grey lined with
scarlet."
She died three days after the birth of her third son.
Named after his godfather Francis Rawdon, Marquis of Hastings (Lord Rawdon), Lord Moira and 2nd Earl of Loudoun (1754-1825), who in 1798 was nominated Adjutant General to the British Army in North America. Descended from Sir Arthur Rawdon of
Moira, Co. Down, mentioned in the "History of the Siege of Londonderry and Eniskillen" by the Rev. John Graham, Curate of Lifford, pub. 1823.The other sponsors at his baptism were Robert Bourne and Pierre and Marguerite Coutart.
He was made Ensign in the 77th Foot in 1797. Lieutenant in the 35th in 1799. Appointed Captain, 87th Foot, 11 July 1807.
Capt. McCrea was one of the storming party at the taking of Monte Video on 21 February 1807 where he had been five times severely wounded. He was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, then quartered in Guernsey and went with the Regiment to
Portugal in 1809. At Talavera on the evening of 27th July this gallant young man, a veteran in conduct and example, in the act of encouraging his men at the head of his light company was wounded and taken prisoner. A rifle ball pierced both
cases of his watch, and with part of the works, lodged in his groin. He was sent into Talavera under a flag of truce on the morning of the 30th. His wound looked well and he was in good spirits, having been treated with the greatest of humanity
and attention by the French; but unexpected bleeding, caused by some parts of the watch having been carried deeper into the wound and among the large blood-vessels almost instantaneously put an end to his life. He was buried in the field of
battle among the heroes of Talavera.(See, The Gentleman's Magazine, Sept 1809, p.886).