29,540
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
no edit summary
=====Chelsea Pensioners=====
Discharge papers ([http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14305?v=r'''WO 97''', (to '''1913''')]), usually containing service/attestation information, and pension records ([http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14231?v=r '''WO 22''']) may also be found at TNA. Records in WO 97 are usually only for men discharged with a pension (i.e. for long service or having been invalided <ref name=Skel > ''Victorian Wars Forum'' thread [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=5904#p23104 Pension?] quoting from ''The Victorian Army at Home ''by AR Skelley</ref>) as these were the papers sent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea and preserved, but from 1883, most causes of discharge, (apart from death (with a few exceptions)<ref>There are WO 97 records for a few men who died in the Anglo- Boer War (and papers in the Ancestry "WWI" series for men who died during the Anglo-Boer War) according to this [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=3511&start=15#p23904 Victorian Wars Forum post] dated 1 October 2011 by Meurig. This further Victorian Wars Forum [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=7112#p30127 post] dated 30 May 2012 by Mark A Reid also mentions a few other deaths. George Francis died in the Tochi Valley in 1897, yet his papers appear in the WO 363 WW1 records on findmypast.</ref>) were included. Note however, '''the survival rate of discharge papers appears to be low for men discharged overseas<ref>''My Ancestor was in the British Army'', page 63 by Michael Watts and Christopher Watts 2009</ref> [ie not in Britain, and therefore low for India]. If a man went on to serve during World War 1 then his records would normally have been removed from WO97 and placed with his WW1 service records<ref> ''My Ancestor was in the British Army'', page 64 by Michael Watts and Christopher Watts 2009 and [http://newsarch.rootsweb.com/th/read/DEVON/2010-03/1269096802 Chelsea Pensioners] dated 20 March 2010 from Rootsweb Devon List.</ref>. WO 97 records are also unlikely to include men who immediately went on active service with a Milita unit, (whose discharge papers may have been transferred to the Milita unit)<ref>India List user. [httphttps://archiverlists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/thhyperkitty/list/readindia@rootsweb.com/INDIAthread/2011-061315499/1308580161 postFrederick PAGE And WO 97 records] dated ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 20 June 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2018.</ref>'''. The records often contain a wealth of genealogical information, including birth date and location, physical description, service locations, medical history and medals. Records after 1883<ref>The National Archives record description [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14305 Royal Hospital Chelsea: Soldiers Service Documents]</ref> usually contain fuller particulars, such as next of kin and details of marriages, births of children or deaths of family members. '''Note''': There are examples of records to 1913, which are located in the WW1 records, rather than in the WO 97
records, even though the man did not serve in WW1.
Another useful TNA source is the now available online '''WO 22''' subseries "Army and other pensions paid out locally in India, Ceylon and China" detailing names and payments made, including [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C168751?v=r '''WO 22/228-230'''] Bengal, [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C168760?v=r '''WO 22/237-238'''] Bombay and [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C168789?v=r '''WO 22/266-270'''], mainly Madras.
'''WO 120''' and '''WO 121''' records may be helpful.<ref> Murphy, Sylvia. [httphttps://archiverlists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/thhyperkitty/readlist/INDIAindia@rootsweb.com/2011-04thread/1315759/1303469139 ThomaSs Pittmans pension record] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 22 April 2011. Retrieved 24 July 20163 September 2018.</ref> Catalogue references are:
*[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C14328?v=r '''WO 120'''] "From about 1812 dates of death have been noted and in the last series these dates extend to 1877" The WO 120 records do not appear to be available online but are available on [[LDS|FamilySearch]] digitised microfilm, [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/315468 catalogue entry]. See [[FamilySearch Centres]] for details.
**The book ''British Army Pensioners Abroad, 1772-1899'' by Norman K. Crowder includes all British Army pensioners who retired to any place outside of Great Britain for which records are available (1772-1899). There are 8,934 entries, transcribed from [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C1923393?v=r WO 120/35] and [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C1923427?v=r WO 120/69-70]. Each entry has one line, in the form "51st Regiment of Foot; Josh ABBOTT; pension awarded 27 Sept 1842; residence - Hobart Town, Australia; died 22 Apr 1871. Source WO120 Volume 69 page 206". <ref>[http://grthom.info/cpindex.html Chelsea Pensioners - Out Pensions] by Grahame Thom</ref>
From '''1878 to 1898''', all muster rolls are in [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/details?Uri=C14227 '''WO 16''']. The majority of the records for the years 1878 to 1888 contain detailed pay lists with names. From 1888 onwards (WO 16/2917-3049) the series consists of company muster rolls only, and these do not contain pay lists.
The Muster Rolls for the 63rd Regiment of Foot in the period 1819-1840 are known to contain Officers names<ref>Tilley, Megan [httphttps://archiverlists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/thhyperkitty/list/readindia@rootsweb.com/INDIAthread/2017-0787403/1499083135 Troopships] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 3 July 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2017September 2018.</ref>, but generally the rolls are of enlisted men.
Muster roll records are unfortunately NOT available on [[LDS]] microfilms. If you are a FIBIS member and are unable to visit Kew, the [http://www.fibis.org/research/ FIBIS Research team] should be able to assist.
**[[Newspapers]]
**[[Subscription websites-online newspapers, journals and directories]]
:A number of newspapers in the United Kingdom from 1824 into the 1860s contained a Monthly Military Obituary, being a list of names of officers. Includes deaths overseas or in transit (for example on board ship). Available in online newspaper collections including [[findmypast]].<ref>Clark, Noel. [httphttps://archiverlists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/thhyperkitty/readlist/INDIAindia@rootsweb.com/2016-03thread/113649/1458986087 The "Monthly Military Obituary"] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List '' 26 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 20163 September 2018.</ref>
====Miscellaneous online sources====
From the end of the Napoleonic Wars until 1847, men were enlisted for twenty-one years, practically for life. From 1847 enlistment was for ten years, later increased to twelve; with a pension after twenty one years for extended service. From 1870, as part of the Caldwell Reforms, “short service” was introduced, where men enlisted for a period of time in the Army, the balance of time in the reserves (total twelve years). The standard term varied over time, including six and six, seven and five, three and nine, nine and three years, <ref> grumpy. [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=6122 1870: Short Service] ''Victorian Wars Forum'' 17 October 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2016. <br> Guest (previously QGE). [https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/243429-cavalry-terms-of-engagement-1902-1914/?do=findComment&comment=2448106 Cavalry: Terms of Engagement 1902-1914] ''Great War Forum'' 27 September 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2018.</ref> but terms may have been modified for regiments going to India.<ref>[http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TS19000303.2.59 The British Army. (By The Right Hon Sir Charles W. Dilke)] ''The Star'' , Issue 6734, 3 March 1900, Page 7 Papers Past, National Library of New Zealand.</ref>
===Wives and families travelling to India===
For soldiers deployed from Britain to overseas garrisons only a proportion of men were allowed to be accompanied by their wives. For most countries the proportion was six wives per one hundred soldiers. However for India, and Australia, the ratio was twelve wives per one hundred men, including NCOs. The number of children was unlimited.<ref>Fuller, Tony [httphttps://archiverlists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/thhyperkitty/readlist/india@rootsweb.com/2000-08thread/12906952/0966007649 Women on ships – again] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 11 August 2000. (The author was researching at the Tower Hamlets Library). Retrieved 17 February 20153 September 2018.</ref> There are thought to be very few wives in India who were "off the strength", however, for one marriage in India ([[76th Regiment of Foot|76th Regiment]]) see External links below. An 1870 Cork newspaper advertisement sought a passage to India for a soldier's wife.<ref>[https://www.thesocialhistorian.com/part-one-james-and-laura-mackie/ "James and Laura Mackie, Part 1"] Scroll down. thesocialhistorian.com</ref>
===Harrington Prayer Rooms===
