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Samuel-William WELFITT was born on September 2nd,
1806, the son of John NEED of Blidworth near Mansfield, Notts., colonel
of Notts. Militia.
He was educated at Rugby, matric. from Trinity
College at Oxford on May 16th, 1825.
He joined the 17th Light Dragoons as a Cornet
on May 20th, 1826.
He became a Lieutenant, by purchase, on March 29th, 1827, and sold out
on August 7th, 1837.
He was granted Royal Licence to take his
mother's maiden name of June 6th, 1844 (as per a request contained in
the last will and testament of his late uncle William Welfitt).
He was appointed Sheriff for Nottinghamshire on January 30th, 1855.
Samuel-William (then still styled "Need")
was appointed a Captain in the Mansfield Troop of the Sherwood
Rangers on November 3rd, 1835.
It is most certainly in that capacity that he attended "a
meeting of the magistrates acting in and for the county of Nottingham,
held at the house of Mr. Charles Neal in Mansfield Woodhouse on the 12th
day of August 1839", chaired by the Duke of Portland, and in
the presence of his father John Need, when it was resolved "that
the magistrates, with the assistance of the police and military, if
necessary, do disperse the present, or any future chartist meeting at
Mansfield, Sutton in Ashfield, on the forest, or elsewhere (...)",
and to "search the houses of certain suspect parties suspected
to be members of an unlawful combination, and of having in their
possession arms for unlawful purposes, and against whom informations
have been already made and warrants granted, and that such search should
be conducted by such body of the civil power as shall be sufficient for
the purpose, aided by the military force, if necessary (...)" -
further to which many houses were searched for concealed weapons, and
people arrested.
Welfitt was promoted to Major on May 10th,
1853.
The Times related on May 12th, 1854 :
"THE MILITIA
(...)
Yesterday the Sherwood Rangers, under the comand of his Grace the Duke
of Newcastle, completed their eight days' training at Newark. At noon
the regiment was reviewed in a spacious field at Kelham, about two miles
from Newark, and near the residence of Mr.Manners Sutton, one of the
captains of the corps. The reviewing officer was Lord Francis Gordon,
Colonel of the 1st Life Guards, who, accompanied by Sir Thomas
Woollastom White, of Walling-wells, the late commanding officer of the
Sherwood Rangers, and attended by an orderly of the regiment, arrived on
the ground at 1 o'clock, when the troops were put through about 20
movements. On the conclusion of the evolutions, they formed into hollow
square, and Major Welfitt proceeded to address them, telling them
that they had gone through their duties to the entire satisfaction of
the reviewing officer. Major Welfitt concluded by cordially
thanking the men for the manner in which they had discharged their
duties, and their admirable conduct in quarters. After several rounds of
cheers had been given for the Queen, the Duke of Newcastle, Sir T.White,
the reviewing officer, &c., the regiment formed into marching order,
and returned to Newark."
He was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel-Commandant,
"vice the Duke of Newcastle,deceased", on January 13th, 1865.
He resigned his Commission as Lieutenant-Colonel, and was appointed
Honorary Colonel on August 20th, 1879.
He died at Longwith Lodge, Mansfield, on April 25th, 1889. |
