Berwickshire militia during Napoleonic war period

[SK4SK]

I'm trying to piece together the movements of the Berwickshire Militia during the Napoleonic war period (abt 1800-1815).  Wondering if anyone has successfully traced one of their Berwickshire militia men during this period and can tell me where (and when) he was stationed.  From my reading about Scottish militia, it appears they moved around the British Isles regularly, travelling as far away as Kent, Suffolk and Ireland.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Siroli.

[kettleburger]

Hi Siroli.I have only just recently joined this excellent site and seen your request. I did quite a bit of work on Napoleonic Suffolk while working for a diploma and as far as I can tell wihout delving too deeply into my uncatalogued notes, The Berwickshire Militia arrived in Suffolk during 1809 and embarked by boat from Walton near Felixstowe on 29th June 1811 "to Scotland"  This information comes from the local newspaper The Ipswich Journal and church registers.The regiment was often split between Ipswich Barracks,their H.Q And another barracks at Woodbridge some eight miles N.E They were probably only in barracks November until February and to limit the spread of disease they then went into bell tents on one of the heathland areas,Rushmere or Broomeswell.There is a crude sketch of the Broomeswell encampment although not neccessarily when the Berwickshires were there. The paper of April 20th 1810, mentions that a Major Moncrieff of the regiment died in Woodbridge barracks. The Dumfries Militia were here about the same time it being an army principle to station troops a long way from their homes to limit desertion. I hope this is of some help and please feel free to contact me if you think I can help. Kettleburger 

[excel]

Hi Siroli,
Sorry, I can't help with the movements of the Berwickshire Militia but I have traced my ancestor, William Thorburn from Coldingham.  He was in the Caithness Highlanders in 1796 until 1800 and then the 79th Regiment of the Foot from 1800 to 1816 and then received a pension. As he was a Chelsea Pensioner out-patient I found his pension details on the National Archives, Kew  website. This was because he was injured at the Battle of Quatre Bras, 16 June 1815 and that meant that he missed the Battle of Waterloo on the 18th.
Rae

[CRJ45]

  Hi, I have a list of postings for the Berwickshire Militia 1803/1813.
I also have copies of 2 muster rolls for 1803 and 1809 but they are very difficult to read.
If you want any specific information I will do my best to help.

[hdw]

  Hi, I have a list of postings for the Berwickshire Militia 1803/1813.
I also have copies of 2 muster rolls for 1803 and 1809 but they are very difficult to read.
If you want any specific information I will do my best to help.

Some men seem to have moved from one militia regiment to another, I'm not sure why. I had a relative called Isobel Keay in my home parish of Kilrenny in Fife, who in 1801 married James Dickson, "a private Soldier in the Aberdeen Shire Militia presently Quartered in St. Andrews".

The next mention of this couple in the Kilrenny OPR is in 1809 -

"James Dickson, Soldier in Berwickshire Militia and Isobel Keay his wife had a Son born Augt. 11th 1809, and baptised on the 16th of same month named John and while out of this corner in Same Service had a daughter named Mary born July 11th 1801 and another named Janet born August 10th 1803, and were not registered at the birth owing to himself & wife being out of the place."

Tantalisingly, we are not told why James Dickson transferred from the Dumfriesshire Militia to the Berwickshire Militia, nor are we told where he was posted with the latter regiment.

Harry

[CRJ45]

Hi Harry,
I'm sorry but my records aren't much use to you at present.  My ancestor joined the 5th battalion of the Berwickshire militia in 1803 at Dunse.  The muster roll for this battalion, the grenadiers and John Bathes company for 1803 don't appear to mention your relation. During 1803 they were also stationed at Ayr Barracks, Kilmarnock, Dundee and Port Seaton.

The next roll I have is 1808 for Haddington Barracks and Dumfries - again no Dickson listed.
In 1809 I only have a muster roll for  drummers and fifers at Woodbridge so no Dickson there either.
It might be relevant to you, for me to say that before Woodbridge my man was stationed at Glasgow, and Edinburgh castle in 1809.
As I said, my man mainly travelled in Scotland but by 1813/14 he was also in Newcastle on Tyne and Coldstream so it might be worth your while having a quick look at in north east England for your ancestor.

I have Charles Graham,drummer and fifer with the Berwickshire militia who joined at Dunse in 1803.
If you ever come across him in your research I would be delighted to receive anything you might find. (1803/1814)

For the record, my information is from the Berwickshire Militia Muster Rolls (TNA References WO13/154-165).

Sorry I haven't been much help.
Cath.

[hdw]

Thanks very much for doing those look-ups. James Dickson and his wife Isobel Keay weren't ancestors of mine, but his wife's sister Christian Keay was. So they are on the outer reaches of my family-tree.

There has been a lot of interest in militia and fencible regiments on these forums. I've posted before on Rootschat about my Fife ancestor William Myles who joined the Dumfriesshire  Militia but never seems to have left his native county as his wife continued to regularly have children to him in their native parish in the East Neuk of Fife, to judge from the OPRs.

And I only know that my ancestor Thomas Welsh was a soldier in the Hopetoun Fencibles because I've read the Wanted notice about him that was published in some Scottish newspapers in July 1808, years after the regiment was disbanded. Naughty ancestors are great because they left definite traces in the records, unlike the good-living ones.

Harry

[dumork]

Hi Kettleburger.

I was interested in your reference to the Dumfries Militia being stationed in Suffolk during the Napoleonic Wars. My wife's ancestor John Fraser was born March 1805 to Alexander Fraser and Mary Ritchie, who married in Fife in 1796, when Alexander was a corporal in the Dumfries Fencible Cavalry. They were disbanded before 1805, and I have been unable to find any information about Alexander or his military career. John was registered in Gt Yarmouth (not quite Suffolk, I know, but maybe your interest extends a little way into Norfolk). John had a sister born in Fife in 1803, so it may well be that Alexander rejoined the Army around 1804. On John's death certificate, Alexander is described as a "Soldier", so it seems likely that he remained in the Army. Do you know which regiments might have been in the Yarmouth area in early 1805, and what facilities there would have been for wives, especially pregnant wives?

[kettleburger]

hi Dumork, I'm afraid my study was confined to Suffolk so I have no records for Norfolk. On more general points the fencible cavalry regiments were formed to be a deterrent to the local poor in case they followed the French example and revolted there being no organised police force as we know it. They appear to be from what we would now refer to as middle class, as to join in Suffolk you had to have a horse. There were exceptions and some well trusted lower class men had a horse provided by someone like the local vicar. Like the militia they were not classed as regular soldiers although they were encouraged to train and attend big parades with the regular units. After the first few months of hostilities, the funds raised by the public ran out and most units served in an unpaid capacity. Regarding pregnant women, they got on with it with the help of other women. All these women were classed as "camp followers" and a few were prostitutes but the majority were wives. When a battallion moved, six wives were officially allowed transport and they belonged to senior N.C.Os. In reality women who were in difficulty managed to "hitch" rides with the baggage train. There were no Scottish regiments stationed in the Ipswich/Woodbridge area 1n 1805/6. As there was no censorship in those days, it is likely that regiment movements would be mentioned in the Norwich local news paper, which might well be your best bet of linking Alexander to a regiment. Sorry I can't be of more help, regards, Kettleburger.