59th Foot
| 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1755–1881 |
| Country |
 Kingdom of Great Britain (1755–1800) United Kingdom (1801–1881) |
| Branch |
 British Army
|
| Size | One battalion (two battalions 1804–1816) |
| Garrison/HQ | Burnley Barracks, Lancashire |
| Nickname(s) | The Lily Whites |
| Colors | White facings |
| Engagements |
Napoleonic Wars Second Opium War Second Anglo-Afghan War |
The 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1755 in response to the threat of renewed war with France. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot to form the East Lancashire Regiment in 1881.
The regiment was raised in the counties of Leicestershire and Northamptonshire by Sir Charles Montagu as the 61st Regiment of Foot in 1755 for service in the Seven Years' War. It was re-ranked as the 59th Regiment of Foot, following the disbandment of the existing 50th and 51st regiments, in 1756.
Shortly after its formation, the regiment moved from England to Ireland, where it performed garrison duty until 1763. In that year the 59th Foot sailed to Nova Scotia where they remained until 1772 when they stationed in Boston, Massachusetts. The 59th were in Boston when the American War of Independence broke out, and suffered severe casualties. The remains of the regiment returned to England in 1776 to reform.
In 1782, the closing stages of the Anglo Spanish War, the 59th were assigned to the Gibraltar garrison, remaining there for ten years. From 1792–1794 the regiment was based in England and the Channel Islands. In 1782 all regiments of the line without a royal title were given a county designation and the regiment became the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot (the 45th Foot being designated the 1st Nottinghamshire).
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