Blue Regiment of Foot of the London Trained Bands

Flag Illustration	1)
Active	1642-
Country	England
Allegiance	Parliamentarian
Conflicts	First Civil War
Type	Foot
Colonel	Thomas Adams
	William Underwood
	John Ireton
	William Bolton
	William Vincent
Coat Colour
Area Raised	Bridge, Walbrook, Bread Street
	Candlewick, Dowgate, Vintry
	Cheap & Queenhithe: London
Flag Colour	Blue
Flag Design	White Plates
Field Armies	Essex 1643
	Essex 1644

Regiment of foot of the London Trained Bands

• 13th November: Standoff at Turnham Green

• 8th September: Relief of Gloucester
• 20th September: First Battle of Newbury
• September: Skirmish at Aldermaston and Padworth

• 27th October: Second Battle of Newbury

• Adams relinquishes Colonelcy, replaced by Underwood

• John Ireton made Colonel

• William Bolton replaces Ireton as Colonel

• William Vincent Colonel until 1661

The regiment carried blue flags with white plates in April 1642 and September 1643 ²⁾.

From The Cromwell Association Online Directory of Parliamentarian Army Officers ³⁾

Thomas Adams (baptised 1586, died 1668). Baptised at Wem, Shropshire, on 6 Dec. 1586, second son of Thomas Adams (baptised 1559, died 1607) of Wem, yeoman, and his wife, Margaret, daughter of John Erpe of Shrewsbury. He married Ann (1592-1642), daughter of Humphrey Maptide (or Mapstead) of Trenton, Essex. Became a prosperous London woollen draper, with premises on Gracechurch Street. Admitted to the Company of the Artillery Garden (now the Honourable Artillery Company), 10 Mar. 1639.

Successively common councilman for Bridge Within Ward, 1639; sheriff of London and Middlesex, 1639-40; alderman for Bridge Within, 1639-49 (deprived in 1649, restored in 1660); lord mayor of London, 1645-6. Knighted and created baronet, 1660.

Colonel of the Blue regiment (London Trained Bands), Apr. 1642 and Sept. 1643. He did not lead the regiment at the first battle of Newbury. (By Oct. 1646 the regiment was commanded by William Underwood). He played a more prominent role in City politics and administration during the 1640s and in providing administrative and financial support to parliament’s war effort. References: Oxford DNB; Overton 1642; Thrale 1642; BL, Harl. 986, p. 25; Cardew-Rendle.

Grocer and alderman, he commanded the regiment in 1645 and was still in command in December 1647, evidently satisfying both Presbyterians and Independents.

Clothworker and alderman, Colonel 1658-1659.

Merchant Taylor and alderman, Colonel in 1659

Grocer and alderman, commanded from 1660 to 1661.

4th Regiment, The Blue Regiment “The Distinctions Plates”⁴⁾

• Colonel: Alderman Thomas Adams
• Lt-Col Edmund Foster; Lt Ralph Cotsforth; Ens John Cousins
• Major Samuel Carleton; Lt Daniel Clarke; Ens Josiah Ente
• 1st Capt Francis West; Lt John Stoneing; Ens Thomas Drinkwater
• 2nd Capt John Blackwell; Lt Henry Hickman; Ens John Blackwell
• 3rd Capt Richard Hacker; Lt Andrew Bidgood; Ens Humphrey Gould jnr
• 4th Capt William Underwood; Lt Edward Rogers; Ens Richard Wilson
• “Colonel's Captain” Edward Bellamy ; Lt George Hurlock; Ens Humphrey Gould snr
• Quartermaster: Thomas Cox

The London Bands Alarm Places⁵⁾ The Blue Regiment of the London Trained Bands

• Colonel: Thomas Adams: The Poultry
• Lt Colonel: Edmund Foster: St Allhallows Church
• Major: Samuel Carleton: Watling St by Bow Lane End
• Captain: Francis West: South end of Bread Street
• John Blackwell: Queen's Heath
• Richard Hacker: Whittington-College Hill
• William Underwood: Lower End of Wallbrook

The Blue Regiment of the London Trained Bands (7 companies) It was the biggest Regimt of ye Trained Bands 1400 of them at Brainford Turnham green. This Regiment was not at this Muster, but came from Newbery. on Thursday September 28.⁶⁾

• Colonel: Thomas Adams
• Captain-Lieutenant: Edward Cleggatt, Thames St
• Lieutenant-Colonel: Francis West, a Silk man living in Bread St
• Major: William Underwood, a Tobacco seller in Bucklersbury
• Captain: Edward Bellamy, a Vintner at the Rest on Fleet Bridge
• Captain: John Booker, Registrar to the Comms in Bankruptcy
• Captain: George Dipford, a linen Draper against Bow Church
• Captain:

Officers granted arrears in the final hours of the Presbyterian Militia Committee’s existence on 23 July 1647 ⁷⁾.

City Blue Trained Band

• Col William Underwood
• Lt Col Edward Bellamy
• Major William Coleson
• Capt Thomas Cox
• Capt Thomas Gellibrand.
• Capt Robert Deane

Officers after re-organisation under the dominance of the Independents⁸⁾.

City Blue Trained Band

• Col William Underwood
• Lt Col ?
• Major ?
• Capt Richard Rogers
• Capt Coe

• April 1642: 7 companies
• November 1642: 1400 allegedly
• September 1642: 7 companies

The Blue Regiment are re-enacted by The Blew Regiment LTB of the Sealed Knot.