Eighth Generation

65. Benjamin BLABER^{33,120,151,213,214,215,216} was born about 1776 in Southover, Lewes, East Sussex, England.²¹⁷ He was christened on 14 July 1777 in St John the Baptist's Church, Southover, Lewes, East Sussex, England.^32,73,122 He served in the Army between 13 November 1805 and 30 March 1816.^218,219,220 Benjamin was a Gunner in the 3rd Battalion, Royal Artillery. He served at Waterloo. He was admitted to pension 2nd April 1819. He served 1805-1816 and was discharged at the age of 36 (?). Benjamin lived at Norwich Barracks in Norwich, Norfolk, England from 1806 to 1808.²²¹ He lived at Colchester Barracks in Colchester, Essex, England in June 1809.²²¹ He served in the Army between 1809 and 1816.²²² He served as a Gunner in the 3rd Battalion, Royal Artillery. In 1815, he was involved in the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium and in 1815 was awarded the Waterloo Medal. Benjamin lived at Walcheren in Netherlands from August 1809 to September 1809.²²¹
The Walcheren Expedition was a farce. Nearly 40,000 men under Lord Chatham (Pitt the Younger) and Admiral Sir Richard Strachan were embarked to capture Antwerp and the Scheldt, with the twofold aim of opening a third front against Napoleon (his armies were already engaged against the Austrians and in Spain) and of breaking the Continental System, an economic blockade designed by him to starve the British into submission.

The expedition set sail far later in the year than originally intended; the fleet was still in the Channel on the 21st of July, well into the campaigning season, and over a fortnight after the Austrian armies had been decisively beaten at Wagram.

The port of Flushing was not taken by the British until August, and the subsequent dilatoriness of Chatham enabled Louis Bonaparte and Marshal Bernadotte to reinforce Antwerp, with the consequence that Chatham refused to advance, and in fact withdrew the majority of his forces from Holland, leaving a garrison of 15,000 on Walcheren Island. A third of them were to die from Walcheren Fever, a form of malarial dysentery. Of a total of approximately 35,000 officers and men who returned to England, 217 officers and 11,296 men were sick. Of these a large number died soon afterwards as a result of the Fever, and the majority of the survivors were broken in health for the rest of their lives. A contemporary medical report stated, "Men who have suffered from this fever have their constitutions so shattered that their physical power will for the future be materially diminished." Casualties as a result of enemy action amounted to perhaps 200.

He lived at Colchester Barracks in Colchester, Essex, England from October 1809 to May 1812.^217,221 He lived at Weedon Barracks in Weedon Bec, Near Daventry, Northamptonshire, England in June 1812.^218,221 Benjamin lived at Sutton Camp from July 1812 to October 1812.²²¹ He lived at Weedon Barracks in Weedon Bec, Near Daventry, Northamptonshire, England from November 1812 to November 1813.²²¹ He lived at Colchester Barracks in Colchester, Essex, England from December 1813 to March 1815.²²¹ Benjamin lived at Waterloo in France from April 1815 to December 1815.^221,223 He was awarded the Waterloo Medal in 1815. He was a Gunner in the Royal Horse and Foot Artillery. He was serving in Captain and Battalion Major Unett's Company. He lived at home in Brighton, East Sussex, England in 1819.²¹⁴ Between 1822 and 1841 he was a Labourer.^126,178 Benjamin lived at St James' Lane in Southover, Lewes, East Sussex, England in 1841.¹²⁶ In 1851 he was an Agricultural Labourer.²²⁴ He lived at at The Union All Saints Workhouse in Lewes, East Sussex, England between 1851 and 1852.^224,225 He is described as a 'pauper'. Benjamin died on 1 May 1852 at the age of 76 in Lewes, East Sussex, England.²¹⁹ He was buried on 9 May 1852 in Southover, Lewes, East Sussex, England.^117,122 He has Ancestral File Number 2XBF-KQ.³⁷ This person needs more research. Dates don't tie-up correctly. JAB 23/1/2000. LDS FamilySearch Ancestral File has birth as about 1785 (i.e., father of Rebecca and Rhoda).

Benjamin BLABER and Sarah CULPET were married on 28 June 1809 in All Saints' Church, Colchester, Essex, England.²²⁶ Sarah CULPET^33,218,227 was born between 1787 and 1791 in Lewes, East Sussex, England.^37,151 LDS Database has birth as about 1787. She lived at St James' Lane in Southover, Lewes, East Sussex, England in 1841.¹²⁶ She has Ancestral File Number 2XBF-LW.³⁷

Benjamin BLABER-853 and Sarah CULPET-837 had the following children: