James Ryder Mowatt, was Barrack Master at Romford Barracks for a few years until his death in January 1823.

But over forty years earlier he'd been very far from Romford, fighting in the American War of Independence (1775-1883). In September 1773, whilst a Lieutenant in the 38th Regiment of Foot, he was tried by the General Court Martial at Flushing Fly (New York), charged with 'staying Out of New York without Leave and Saying before a Regt Court Martial that he had his Lt Colo Leave for two or three Days absents as well as for his Direct Breach of his Orders Given Out the 19th of July 1778'. He was found guilty of the first two charges, but was acquitted of the third, and was and sentenced to be 'Reprimanded by his Commanding officer at the Head of the Regt'.

This episode appears to have done him little harm, however; for as his Last Will and Testament shows, he went on to become Captain of the King's American Rangers. On 17th May 1780 he received orders from Captain Henry Mowatt (no known relation) of His Majesty’s Ship the Albany and Senior Officer in Penobscot Bay:

You are hereby impowered and directed to take by Force of Arms, all Vessels and Craft that may fall in your power, belonging to the Subjects of the Kings of France and Spain, as also those belonging to the Rebells of America, and you are to order all Captains to this Port or to some other place in Nova Scotia.

When the war was over Ryder Mowatt returned to England, and in 1796 may have been living at 9 Upper Marylebone Street, London. By 1805 he had moved to Eastbourne on the Sussex coast, where he became Captain of the Eastbourne and Langney Point Artillery Volunteers, as well as purchasing for himself an estate that included land near to the Infantry Barracks. He remained in Eastbourne until at least 1809, and by 1819 may have relocated to the Mint Barracks in the Tower of London.

So it appears that Ryder Mowatt's spell as Barrack Master at Romford lasted for just three years at most. Sadly it seems that this brief time in Romford was not an entirely happy one. A letter from Walter Burrell of Knepp Castle in Sussex, sent to Ryder Mowatt in January 1823, refers to 'distressing circumstances', and was clearly a response to a request for help. Quite what these circumstances might be is not made clear, although it appears that Ryder Mowatt was hoping for patronage of some sort. Given that he had made his Will just five months previously, perhaps he was suffering from poor health and was unable to continue as Barrack Master. Or perhaps he had been informed that the Barracks were due to close (they were demolished around 2 years later) and was looking for an alternative position.

Whatever the truth of the matter, Walter Burrell was unable to offer Ryder Mowatt any assistance. But it wouldn't have mattered; he never received the letter, having died six days earlier. He is buried in St. Edward's churchyard.

¹ Orderly Book of the First Battalion of Maryland Loyalists, Head Quarters Flushing Fly, September 13th 1778
² King's American Rangers Orders, given on board the Albany in the River of Bagaduce, 17th May 1780