William Durie

William Durie, son of George Durie and Mary Elisabeth Taylor, was born on November 20, 1820, in Inveresk and Musselburgh, Scotland. He was the oldest of six children: William Durie, James Durie, Agnes Durie, Elizabeth Durie, John Durie, and Robert Durie. William is my husband’s 3rd great uncle, with their nearest common relatives being his parents—my husband’s 3rd great grandparents.

William was baptized on Christmas Eve 1820, at Inveresk and Musselburgh. At the time, his father was employed as a weaver.

1821 Scotland birth register

On February 13, 1837, William was registered as a private by Sergeant David Henderson with the 72nd Regiment of Foot (The Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders) in Edinburgh, Scotland, under age as a boy. He was just 14 years and 9 months old and living in Inveresk. Because he was below the standard age for enlistment, his case was forwarded to the Horse Guards for review. An extract from a letter dated February 20, 1837, shows that Lord Hill, Commander‑in‑Chief of the British Army, approved his enlistment, noting that William was “of a very promising description.” His age meant he entered in a non‑combat role, with the expectation of becoming a full soldier at 18.

Extract of a letter from the Horse Guards, February 20, 1837

William had a fair complexion and grey eyes. His hair was described as flaxen—a pale blond shade often seen among Highland recruits. At nearly 15, he stood 5 feet 5¼ inches tall, noticeably above average for boys his age in 1830s Scotland. Before enlistment, William’s trade was recorded as grocer.

William (bottom line) in the Edinburgh, Scotland Army Attestation Register

Although vaccinated as an infant in 1823, William contracted a mild form of smallpox in April 1837, shortly after his enlistment. The illness left no lasting effects, though the small vaccination mark on his arm remained.

During his time in the military, William served eight years and five months abroad, including one year and two months at the Cape of Good Hope, three years and two months at Gibraltar, three years and four months in the West Indies, and nine months in North America (Canada). William received Good Conduct Pay beginning in April 1847, but it was withdrawn in January 1849, likely due to a disciplinary infraction.

William would have worn an interesting uniform during his military career. Between 1837 and 1853, the 72nd Regiment wore a red jacket, trews (tight‑fitting tartan trousers), a Highland bonnet, and the usual soldier’s gear. The tartan used for their trews during this period was the Prince Charles Edward Stuart pattern—a bright, distinctive sett of reds and blues that the regiment adopted when it regained its Highland status in the early 19th century. It gave the unit a recognizable Highland appearance and remained the standard trews tartan throughout William’s years of service. You can see an example of the uniform here. 

Although the 72nd Regiment was stationed across the British Empire during William’s years of service, these were peacetime postings rather than wartime campaigns.

I have not located William in any of Scotland’s census records, likely due to his early entry into the military and long periods stationed abroad.

In the spring of 1852, William fractured his left ankle when his foot was accidentally stuck between the bars of his bedstead in Barbados. He was not on duty when the fracture occurred. A doctor examined him in early September and determined that he was unable to march any considerable distance and that his left ankle would not be able to bear fatigue. His discharge was approved on September 28, and he completed the formal process at the military depot in Chatham, the usual point where unfit soldiers were examined and released from service. At the time of his discharge, William was 31 years old and had served 12 years and 131 days.

 

UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Admission and Discharge Records

In September 1852, William was admitted to the Royal Hospital Chelsea pension rolls as a former soldier of the 72nd Regiment of Foot. At the time, he was living in the 2nd Glasgow District, likely having settled there after discharge. His pension was temporary—scheduled to last 29 weeks into 1853—and payments began on October 20. The limited term was tied to the ankle injury that led to his discharge. He remained on the rolls until his death the following spring.

UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Returns of Payment of Army and Other Pensions

UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Register

William died on April 8, 1853, at the age of 32, and was buried at Sandymount Cemetery in Glasgow. The cemetery burial register identified him as a pensioner of the 72nd Regiment. The entry lists his father, George Durie of 230 Holm Street, as the individual responsible for arranging the interment, and the burial order was placed the same day William died. His cause of death was recorded simply as “lungs,” a common shorthand for pulmonary disease such as tuberculosis or chronic respiratory illness. William’s funeral took place on April 12 at 3 p.m., and he was buried in Lair No. 56, a plot owned not by the Durie family but by N. W. Bell. The nature of the relationship between the Durie and Bell families is unknown. The burial was classified as Class No. 20, a modest category within the cemetery’s fee structure, with interment costs recorded as 7 shillings and 6 pence.

Sandymount Cemetery Burial Register

 When I started my research to write a sketch for James Durie, William’s brother, I knew almost nothing about William. I discovered his burial entry during that work. The register contained the names George and William Durie, both of which I was already researching for James’s sketch. The deceased man was listed as William Durie, son of George Durie of 230 Holm Street—a familiar address from past research. Although I have not yet located William in any Scottish census, the 1851 census shows his parents and several siblings living at that same address. This confirmed that the William in the burial register was indeed the son of George Durie and the brother of James. The notation that William was a pensioner of the 72nd Regiment also provided a valuable clue, allowing me to locate his military records and further document his life. William never married and had no children.

William’s signature

References

• 72nd Regiment of Foot (The Duke of Albany’s Own Highlanders), National Army Museum; https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/72nd-regiment-foot-duke-albanys-own-highlanders. 
• Agnes Durie, Census 622/87/2, National Records of Scotland, 1851.
• Glasgow, Scotland, Burial Records 1850–1854, images 207–208, FamilySearch.
• William Durie, Edinburgh, Scotland, Army Attestation Registers, 1796–1857.
• William Durie, Old Parish Registers Births 689/Inveresk and Musselburgh, National Records of Scotland, 1821.
• William Durie, UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Admissions and Discharges, 1715–1925.
• William Durie, UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Returns of Payment of Army and Other Pensions, 1842-1883
• William Durrie, UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Service Records, 1760–1925.
• Wm. Durie, UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Admission Books, Registers and Papers, 1702–1980.