Few people born in Northamptonshire in the 18th century had the opportunity to go overseas. It is therefore surprising that Jackson’s index to the Brixworth parish register states that Joseph Howcutt died in Germany (1).
Joseph had been christened at Brixworth on 6 June 1731, a son of James and Mary (Ward) Howcutt. There is no other record of Joseph in the parish register and Jackson’s index does not record any marriage or offspring for him. Rev James Jackson, who compiled the index, was vicar of Brixworth from 1735 until his death 35 year later. His index includes much information in addition to that from the register itself. Therefore, it is probable that Joseph was still single when he died. Also, it is likely that Joseph’s death took place quite some time before Jackson himself died in 1770, as it would be unusual at that time for a man to remain a bachelor until his late 30s.
One of the most likely reasons for an Englishman to die in Germany in the middle of the 18th century was as a soldier in the Seven Years War (1756-1763). Joseph would have been between 25 and 32 years old at that time. The only pitched battle in which British troops fought during this conflict was the battle of Minden, which took place at a heath outside the town of that name on 1 August 1759, when the French Army were defeated by a combined force of Prussian and British troops. The fight was remarkable as it included a successful attack by the British infantry on some 7,000 French horsemen. Despite heavy losses, the infantry forced the French to retreat and ultimately to flee from the field. Of 4,434 British soldiers involved, 78 officers and 1,252 men were killed or wounded (2).
None of the six British regiments that fought at Minden have titles obviously connected with Northamptonshire. However, circumstantial evidence suggests a regiment that Joseph may have belonged to and how he could have been recruited. James Money (1724-1785), a landowner who lived at Pitsford and later in his life built Pitsford Hall, had been a Captain in Colonel Stuart's Regiment (the 37th Regiment of Foot) since 1754. He was promoted to Major in 1759, the year in which his regiment fought at Minden (3). It is quite feasible that Major Money recruited some of his troops locally and that these may have included James Howcutt, as Brixworth is only about two miles north of Pitsford.
The surviving muster rolls for the 37th Regiment of Foot start on 25 December 1759 (4). They do not include Joseph Howcutt, indicating that if he did serve in that regiment he had died beforehand, quite possibly as one of the 73 members of the regiment who fell at the Battle of Minden itself (5).
Notes
(1) Northamptonshire Record Office: ML380
(2) From “Minden Band History”
http://www.minden-band.co.uk/history.html (consulted 30 March 2003)
(3) From “Early History of Pitsford Hall” by William Miller
http://www.ngs-school.com/pages/hist1.html (consulted 30 March 2003)
(4) Public Record Office: WO12/5100/1
(5) From “The Royal Hampshire Regiment – 37th & 67th Foot” by Paul Jerrard
http://www.pauljerrard.com/37th/37thfoot.html#min (consulted 30 March 2003)