178
NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. iv. JULY, win.
That at the early age of seventeen in the year
1773 he obtained an Ensigncy in the 54 th Regi-
ment with which he served in America during
the whole of the War and at the close of whict
being much debilitated by wounds and bac
health, he retired from actual service, and settled
(with your memorialist a native of America) in
New Brunswick still serving his Country in a
Civil Situation from the Peace after the year
1783 to the commencement of the present war
in 1793.
That he then again came forward and procured a Commission in the New Brunswick Regiment in addition to which he served several years in the Engineer Department in Nova Scotia.
That at the Reduction of the above Regiment in the year 1802 he was appointed a Deputy Assistant Comm 7 Gen 1 and continued in that situation until his Decease in June last then closing a period of thirty eight years in the Service of His King end Country, after having gained by his zeal and integrity the entire approbation of the Heads of the different Departments in which he had the Honor of serving.
That, before his decease he had been appointed an Assis* Com' General and had some prospect for providing for his numerous family, but being engaged thro' the whole of last winter on service in the severe Climate of New Brunswick he then contracted a Disorder which deprived your memorialist of a most affectionate Husband and his children of their only support.
That haying so large a Family he had it at no time in his power to provide for their future maintenance and from [his] sudden decease your memorialist is left with three Daughters (Catherine Eliza and Jane) and one son (Benj n Mason) totally unprovided for and without the means of any immediate subsistence. Your memorialist therefore most humbly presumes to submit the forlorn condition of herself and family to your Excellency's humane consideration, imploring your influence to recommend her and her destitute Children to the benevolent bounty of the Army Compassionate Fund or to grant such other Relief as to your wisdom and Goodness shall seem fit. And your memorialist as in Duty bound will ever pray.
(Signed) MARY GOLDSMITH. Halifax, 7 Feb. 1812.
Prince Edward continued to take an Interest in the widow, as is shown by the following letter addressed by him a couple of months later to Lord Palmerston, the Secretary at War :
Kensington Palace,
27 April, 1812. MY DEAR SIR,
Having reason to believe that your Lordship will very shortly receive a Memorial from the Widow of an old and worthy Servant of the Public, the late Mr. Goldsmith who was for many years in the Military Service of his Country but died one of its Civil Servants in North America, and left his wife with 4 young Children totally destitute, praying that in consideration of her peculiarly unfortunate and unprotected situation phe may be placed with her Children on the Compassionate List, I think it due to the merit which I had an opportunity of knowing her late husband to possess in his Military Capacity,
to state that I consider your Lordship will be
serving a most deserving object, by paying all
the favorable attention in your power .to the
request which [it] is expected will come before you
and allow me to add that it will afford me much
satisfaction to learn that your Lordship is
enabled to grant the relief so solicited from your
benevolent consideration.
I remain with sincere regard My dear Sir,
Yours faithfully,
EDWARD. The R Hon ble Lord Palmerstone.
Henry Goldsmith's youngest child, bom 1798, wrote from Plymouth in November, 1817, stating that he had but lately arrived in England, and petitioned that the 121. hitherto allowed him might be continued in spite of his having reached the age of 18 years, as he was dependent upon his mother, who was unable to support him ; but the allowance was granted for only a year longer.
As a child in Dublin, I remember hearing the old 54th Regiment referred to as the Popinjays," and no doubt they obtained this sobriquet from the officers' uniform, a description of which is as follows :
" Scarlet Frocks Looped with narrow Silver Lace, Two and Two, Lapeled to the Waist with Popinjay Green and Looped, a Green Collar and Round Cuffs, Buttons Numbered, Cross Pockets, White Waistcoat and Breeches, Silver Epaulets and Silver Laced Hatts."
E. H. FAIKBBOTHER.
MARY WATERS, LADY TYNTE :
WATERS OR WATKINS OF SCETHROG.
MARY WATERS was the last representative of the family of Waters of Scethrog and Brecon. The name was originally Walter, a not uncommon Christian, name in Brecon- shire, of which Watkin is a diminutive ; and frequently in Welsh pedigrees it takes the form of Water. The last three genera- tions of this family wrote their name as Walters, Waters, and Waiters with a fine indifference to consistency. The old Welsh custom of which their pedigree is a good example is that the son should bear his father's Christian name as his own surname, formerly with an " ap " before it, but generally without that prefix after the 5ixteenth century. Hugh Thomas, a mem- aer of an old Breconshire family, was deputy-herald to Garter King of Arms, and "ived in Brecon during the end of the seven- eenth century and later. He was a per- sonal friend of John Wa+ers the elder, and he following pedigree of Watkins of Scethrog
