Uniform ID

[Stuart Bates]

Well a friend told me that the colour is glaucous! That is, of a pale grayish or bluish green.

This tends towards my second Thomas Hayes. Now Prue is going to investigate him on Ancestory and it appears that her man went to Tasmania.

To be continued...

[Stuart Bates]

A summary to date given to Prue,

Details in the painting

1. The sword is of the 1796 Infantry Officers' pattern which was superseded by the 1822 pattern. This therefore dates the painting to roughly 1796 – 1822

2. A single epaulette to the right shoulder was introduced for Battalion Company officers in 1768 but the gold or silver bullion was added in 1810 or 1811. Battalion Company officers were Ensigns, Lieutenants and Captains. This dates the painting to say 1810 – 1822

3. The shoulder belt plate would have identified the regiment precisely but no details can be definitely determined from the painting

4. However the uniform facings i.e. the collar, cuffs and lapels are a glaucous colour. Glaucous being a pale grayish or bluish green.

Given the name of Thomas Hayes this could be the 2^nd Ceylon Regiment formed in 1807 and disbanded in 1822.

Thomas Hayes

1809 Army List

March - Ensign 18th Feb 1808, in Royal South Gloucester Militia

April - Lieutenant in Royal South Gloucester Militia

London Gazette 1^st August 1809

Gazetted as Lieutenant 3^rd Feb 1809

London Gazette 24^th July 1810

Exchanged into the 2^nd Ceylon Regiment as 2^nd Lieutenant

2^nd Ceylon Regiment

Uniform: scarlet; facings: light green (later dark green, 1801-1818), yellow (1818-1822);

This then dates the photo to 1810 – 1818. The regiment was renamed the 2^nd Ceylon from Ceylon Native Infantry in 1807.

London Gazette 11^th May 1811

102d Ditto, Second Lieutenant Thomas Hayes, from the 2d Ceylon Regiment, to be Ensign, vice Wharton, who exchanges.

This means that Thomas Hayes left the 2^nd Ceylon and joined the 102^nd Regiment who were in England at this time. This then dates the photo to 1810 – 1811.

102^nd Regiment

Uniform: scarlet: facings yellow.

London Gazette 11^th July 1812

102d Ditto, Ensign Edmund Champion, from the 4th Garrison Battalion, to be Ensign, vice Hayes, who exchanges

This means that Thomas Hayes left the 102^nd Regiment and joined the 4^th Garrison Battalion.

1814 Army List to February 1814

Does not appear.

General

The 102^nd Regiment was serving in New South Wales, and possibly Van Diemen's Land, up to 1810 when it was sent home in disgrace, although some elected to stay in Australia.

It was not uncommon for officers to take leave in Australia from India and presumably Ceylon. This may explain why he exchanged into the 102^nd having made friends among the officers and others.

The New South Wales Corps (renamed to the 102^nd Regiment in 1808) was formed in England in 1789 as a permanent regiment to relieve the marines who had accompanied the First Fleet. The regiment, led by Major Francis Grose consisted of three companies to begin with and due to the remoteness and unpopularity of the posting they were comprised of officers on half pay, troublemakers, soldiers paroled from military prisons, soldiers enlisted from general prisons such as Savoy Prison, ex convicts in New South Wales and Marines who wished to remain.

If we assume that Thomas Hayes having left the army, say in 1813 a relatively short stay, emigrated to Australia then the proximity to the East Indies and Ceylon would have made his entry into the spice trade easier.

PS. I use Australia to avoid repeating New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land.

Edited February 18, 2010 by Stuart Bates

[Mervyn Mitton]

Stuart - I think you have made a very cogent arguement for the painting to be this man. Amazing what can be worked-out from a damaged painting and the Army List. I think the location of the two regiments at similar times , also helps. The Forces serving overseas did seem to move around with different postings - and as you say - if you made friends in a mess, then you would transfer if they had a vacancy.

A very fascinating post.

[Stuart Bates]

Just received the 1813 Army List and Thomas Hayes resigned from the army in November of that year.

[Cathey]

Hi Stuart

A nice piece of detective work Stuart or should I say Sherlock

Cheers Rex

Edited August 19, 2011 by Cathey

[jf42]

I hadn't seen this before. An enjoyable piece of detective work. 'Ceylon, 1810-1811' is not a bad margin of error!- but what about that jacket?