In 1681, Charles II initiated plans for a hospital for disabled soldiers, to be built at Chelsea, which was intended to house all Army pensioners. The Chelsea Royal Hospital was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, and the first pensioners were admitted in 1692. The accommodation proved inadequate for the large number of pensioners, so a system of in-pensioners and out-pensioners was created.

Officers were not normally entitled to a pension. Those wishing to retire either sold their commissions or went on half-pay (indicating that, theoretically, they were available for future service). The surplus from half-pay was used to pay pensions to officers unfit for service.

The records in the Regimental Out-Pension Registers (PRO WO 120) contain information on pensioners arranged chronologically by regiment. The information contains the name, age, length of service, trade, place of birth, "complaint", and date of admission.

By inspecting the records concerning the 64th Regiment of Foot, with admissions from December 1757 to June 1796, we find details of 236 individuals, aged between 20 and 64. From this data, the following information has been extracted.

Trade	Number
Labourer	98
Weaver	36
Shoemaker	14
Taylor	8
Butcher	5
Carpenter	4
Cordwainer	4
Smith	4
Brassfounder	3
Bucklemaker	3
Woolcomber	3
Baker	2
Barber	2
Buttonmaker	2
Dyer	2
Hatter	2
Pavior	2
Stocking Weaver	2
Turner	2

There were also a miscellany of other trades, including:
Basketmaker, Brass Lockmaker, Brewer, Bricklayer, Cutler, Gardener, Hingemaker, Lastmaker, Mason, Netmaker, Potterymaker, Ropemaker, Sawyer, Scribler, Stonemason and Wheelwright.

Complaint	Number
Wounded	56
Worn Out	53
Rheumatick	40
Lost Limbs/Eyes	12
Consumption	7
Deaf	7
Disabled	6
Ruptured	5

Among the various other reasons for being granted a pension were:
Epilepsy, Dropsy, Asthmatick, Lunatick, and Hypondriack [sic].

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