Longstanding Clan Society life member, Anthony
Pye, who appears on this tree, has also has also provided the
following background information regarding “the licentious”
William Thom.
Prior to
25th December 1759, William Thom (A1 on the Tree) was a
Private in the Company of Captain McNab (who was promoted out
of the Regiment that same day, being replaced by Captain
Charles Ross) in the 32nd (General Leighton’s) Regiment. In
the autumn of 1760, his Company was quartered in Greenock,
Thom being one of a party of three Sergeants, a Corporal, a
Drummer and twenty five Privates which had been patrolling the
Clyde coast since June that same year. It was at about this
time that he seduced Margaret, the 17 year old daughter of
Gabriel Young, in Daff, Inverkip, Renfrewshire. By the end of
1760, his Company had moved into Glasgow and, by July 1761,
the whole Regiment had been relocated to Fort Augustus and
Fort William in the Highlands. By September 1762, Captain
Ross’s Company was back at Greenock. Thom was out of the
Regiment by 2nd May 1763 (the Seven Years War having ended on
10th February that same year).
Note: After the outbreak of the
Seven Years War, the 32nd Regiment was divided late in 1756 in
order to form a 2nd Battalion. Both Battalions would have been
energetically recruiting throughout 1757 and 1758 in order to
make up their full establishments. During this period, the 1st
Battalion was quartered in Aberdeenshire and it is likely that
Thom was recruited at about this time on the wartime (5 years
or the duration) terms.
