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Facts and Events
William Keyte was baptised on 22nd January 1762 at Shipston-on-Stour, which was then in Worcestershire. He was the son of Mary Keyte, formerly Higgins, and her husband John Keyte. William was the eldest of ten children, although five of his younger siblings died young.
William’s father died in 1781.
Around the start of January 1785, aged about 23, William enlisted in the army, becoming part of the 5th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. His service records note that in civilian life he had worked as a carpenter.
William had a long career with the Royal Artillery. He served as a private for eight years, then a corporal for just over a year, before being promoted to sergeant, which rank he held for over fourteen years.
Serving in the Royal Artillery, William would have been posted to a variety of locations at different times. By the mid-1790s he had married a woman called Sarah. They had three sons baptised at Chatham in Kent between 1796 and 1798. It has yet to be established when Sarah died.
In November 1809, aged 47 and after about 25 years in the army, William was discharged. At the time he was described as being 5 feet 10½ inches tall with brown hair and grey eyes. He was described as suffering with rheumatism and deafness. He was awarded a pension of two shillings per day, which was administered by the Royal Hospital at Chelsea.
It is not clear where William lived after leaving the army, but two of his sons married back in Worcestershire: Richard married at Shipston in 1818, whilst William married at Broadway in 1820. He had several grandchildren born in his lifetime.
William’s mother died at Shipston in 1828.
In 1830 William’s pension was reduced by a halfpenny a day to 1 shilling 11½ pence.
By 1845, William’s pension records show that he was living at Epsom in Surrey. What took him there is unclear. He died there on 7th July 1845, aged 83.
References
- ↑ Shipston on Stour, Worcestershire: Parish Registers (Warwickshire County Record Office, Warwick).
Baptized A.D. 1762 / Jan[uar]y 22 / William Son of John & Mary Keyte
This baptism has been linked to the William Keyte who married Sarah and joined the Royal Artillery on the basis of his service records, which indicate that he was born around 1761 at Shipston-on-Stour. No evidence has been found of the William baptised in 1762 dying young at Shipston.
- British Army Service Records (The National Archives, Kew)
Piece WO97/1241/56.
By Major General William Archer Huddleston Commanding the Fifth Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Artillery
THESE are to certify, that the Bearer hereof, Serjeant William Keyte of Captain Clason’s Comp[an]y said Battalion has served faithfully & Honestly for the Space of Twenty five Years and One Months, in the abovesaid Regiment, but by Order of the Hon[oura]ble Board of Ordnance is to be placed upon the Pension at two Shillings P[er] day On the 1st Nov[embe]r 1809 is hereby discharged from any further Service - he having first received his Pay, Cloathing, and all just Demands, from the Time of his Enlisting to the Date of this Discharge, as appears by his Receipt on the Back thereof.
And to prevent any ill Use that might be made of this Discharge, by its falling into the Hands of any Person whatsoever, the Description of the said Sergeant William Keyte is as follows: He is aged 48 Years, 5 Feet, 10½ Inches high - born in the Parish of Shipstown and County of Worcester is of a Brown Complexion, Brown Hair, and Grey Eyes - by Trade a Carpenter
Given under my hand, at Woolwich this 31st Day of October 1809 W. Archer Huddleston Maj. Genl. R.R. Artillery
Services as amended by the Board of Engin[ee]r[in]g Private - 8 years 115 days Corporal - 1 year 335 days Serjeant - 14 years 214 days [total] 24 years 299 days
Pension reduced from 2/0 to 1/11½ Board Order 12 March 1830
I do hereby acknowledge to have received of the within-mentioned Regiment and Company, my Pay, Cloathing, and all just demands; from the time of my Inlisting to the Date of this Discharge.
As witness my Hand, this 31st Day of October 1809 Wm Keyte S.P.A.
Witness J. Edwards, Sergt.
- British Army Service Records (The National Archives, Kew)
Piece WO23/144.
Serjeants
Regiments: 5 Batt[altion] Art[iller]y
Names: Keyte, W[illia]m
Date of Admission: 1 Nov 1809
Statement of Service:
Age: 48 [1760/1]
Serjeant: 14.214
Corporal: 1.335
Private: 8.115
Total Service: 24.299
Rate per day: 1/11½
Complaint, or Cause of Discharge: Rheumatism & deafness
Where born: Shipstown, Worcester
Height: 5ft 10½ins
Hair: brown
Eyes: grey
Complexion: brown
Trade or Occupation: Carpenter
Remarks: pensioned at 2/0 p[er] day1 Nov 1809 reduced to 1/11½ Board Order 12 Mar 1830
- British Army Service Records (The National Archives, Kew)
Piece WO22/62.
MONTHLY RETURN of Changes which have taken place among the Out-Pensioners of Chelsea Hospital, in the Southern Division London District, from the 1st July to the 30th September 1845, inclusive…
VI. Pensions ceased by death
Reg[imen]t: 5th B[attalio]n Artillery
Rate of Pension: 1s 11½d
Rate of Poundage: None
Rank and Name of Pensioner: William Keyte
Pension, whether permanent or temporary: Permanent
Date of Decease: 1845 / 7th July
Age at Decease: 84 [1760/1]
- ↑ British Army Service Records (The National Archives, Kew)
Piece WO23/28.
5 B[attalio]n of Artillery
Name: W[illia]m Keyte
Rate: 1.11½
Date of Admission: 1 Nov 09
Residence: Epsom, S[outh] London
1845 Died 7th July
- ↑ Deaths index, in General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration. (London: General Register Office).
d. William KEYTE, September Quarter 1845, Epsom Registration District, Volume 4, page 89, aged 84 [1760/1]
Modern GRO index (from which age taken) has mistranscribed surname as Reyte – original index gives Keyte.
- ↑ Burials register, in Epsom, Surrey: Parish Registers (Surrey History Centre, Woking).
| BURIALS in the Parish of Epsom in the County of Surrey in the Year 1845 | | No | Name | Abode | When buried | Age | By whom the Ceremony was performed | | 305 | William Keyte | Epsom | 11th July | 84 years [1760/1] | B. Bradney Bockett, Vicar |
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