Footnotes - Click number to read the note - clik note number to return to place in the text
Of the units of Volunteers referred to in the preceding chapter, the first to be raised was the Penllyn Volunteer Corps, the year of formation being 1803. The moving spirit was Lieut. Colonel Richard Watkin Price,1 of Rhiwlas, Bala, who became its first Commandant.
In a letter dated 31St October, 1803,2 to the Right Honourable Mr. Secretary Yorke,3 Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, the Lord Lieutenant, asked leave "for the acceptance of 200 Volunteers raised in the neighbourhood of Bala to be called the Penllyn Volunteers and for "authority to engage a Sergeant-Major on permanent pay," adding that this Corps was the only one that had been so far raised or was likely to be raised. On the face of it the last statement appears to be inconsistent with the proceedings of the General Meeting of the Lieutenant and Deputy Lieutenants held at Bala. on the 3rd September, 1803,4 where it was stated that the number of Volunteers enrolled in the County had already exceeded the quota.. The explanation probably is that, although individuals had enrolled themselves as Volunteers, no steps had been taken to weld them into Units.
In another letter to the authorities dated. 23rd November, 1803, the Lord Lieutenant asked for permission to increase the Corps. from 201 Rank and File to 260.
The following were the Officers5:
Lieut. Col.
Commandant.
Richard Watkin Price 28th Nov.
Major.
Robert
Williams 28th Nov.1803..
Captains.
David Anwyl 5th Nov
1803..
Griffith Richards 5th Nov.1803.
John Jones 28th
Nov.1803
Gabriel Davies 15th Dec1803
.Lieutenants
Thomas
Anwyl 5th Nov. 1803.(Adjutant).
David Davies 5th Nov.
1803
Thomas Charles6
28th Nov. 1803
John Jones
15th Dec 1803
Ensigns.
Robert Williams 5th Nov
1803
William Evans 5th Nov 1803 (Lieutenant)
Quarter
Master
Benjamin Chidlair7
5th Nov
1803
Surgeon.
-- Jones8
5th Nov. 1803..
The last column is the date of the Commission.
The Sergeant-Major was John Evans, who had previously served ten years in the Militia.
The Corps had its headquarters at Bala, where the annual inspections took place. In 1805 there were as many as five inspections. The route marches always took the Corps beyond the confines of the County. In 1804 and 1805 "to Machynlleth 9 and return," but the records do not state whether the Corps marched over the romantic pass of Bwlch-y-Groes and thence-through Dinas Mawddwy or took the longer route by way of Dolgelley and Corris.
The records are silent as to the route march in 1806.
In 1807 the march was Oswestry10 and return. The Corps was evidently not idle when quartered at that place, as a sum or £11:11 : 6 was paid for the use of a drill ground.
The last march took place in 1808 and was "to Denbigh11 and return. The sojourn of the Corps here also involved certain exercises for there was paid to One Robert Green the sum of £11:11 : 0 for the use of a field as a drill ground.
The Corps was divided into Four Companies.
The strength of each Company was :-
3 Officers.
2
Sergeants.
3 Corporals.
1Drummer, and
59 men,
making a total of 68
The Headquarters staff was composed of the following
Lieut. Colonel
Commandant.
Major.
Paymaster.
Adjutant.
Surgeon
Quarter
Master.
Sergeant Major.
this made a total of 283 of all ranks.
The Corps was disbanded in 1808.
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
Born 1780. High Sheriff of
Merionethshire, 1846. Died, 14th June, 1860. He was well-known as an
agriculturalist, and is credited with having pursued and brought to
justice the last two felons ever hanged for sheep stealing. (See "
Rulacc Ruedok, and the Valley of the Welsh Dee," by an F.R.A.)
2
I.D.M.H.O. 50 Sub. No. 6b.
1803.
3
Yorke (Charles Philip),
1764-1834. Secretary at War, 1801-3.
4
See page 59.
5
W.O. List.-
6
Thomas Charles, BA. (Charles o'r
Bala), one of the founders of the British and Foreign Bible
Society.
7
This should be "Chidlaw."
8
His Christian name was Thomas.
9
In Montgomeryshire
10
In Shropshire
11
In Denbighshire
|
|
|
|
|
|