Robert Hutchinson Ord (1789-1828)

He was born at Bradfield Combust, Suffolk, and grew up for the latter half of his childhood at Greensted Hall. He was commissioned into the Royal Horse Artillery in 1805 and rose steadily through the ranks until reaching the rank of Captain in 1816, and holding the temporary rank of Brevet Major in 1819. He served in Spain and Portugal during the Napoleonic Wars and in 1813 was appointed Brigade-Major on the Staff of the Army. Officially, he was ranked as a Major in His Majesty's Service and a Captain in the Royal Artillery. He was placed on half-pay in 1821 and was given the military decoration of Knight of the Hanoverian Order that entitled him to use the initials "K.H." after his name. In 1817, he married Elizabeth Blagrave and they lived at Woolwich Common, then classified as being in Kent. He was survived by three children who were orphaned by 1830 and were brought up from then by their uncle, Harry, at Woolwich.