Pontefract Barracks

[Glenpenny]

Could anyone tell me what artillery regiments would have been based at Pontefract, Yorkshire in 1818?

[gortonboy]

according to this,,,the barracks werent built until the late 19th century?

Built in the later 19th century, Pontefract Barracks was historically the regimental headquarters of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, which engaged in such famous actions as the Peninsula Campaign and the Battle of Waterloo.

[Glenpenny]

Someone doesn't know their history then or is no good with centuries. The Peninsular Wars (from memory) were around 1809-12.  Waterloo was in June 1815.

The reason I am asking is that my 3x g.grandfather married in Pontefract in 1818 and a note on the marriage record says "soldier artillery".

[km1971]

There was only the Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1818. The 1819 Army List confirms there were no barracks or manned castles in Pontefract. Most RA batteries were on the coast - say Hull or Scarborough, so he may have been on leave. You should check the parish registers further to see if there were other RA men mentioned.

If you post his name I will show you how you can check to see if his record  is in Kew.

ken

[Glenpenny]

Thank you Ken.

His name was James Collins.

Glenys

[km1971]

Hi Glenys

Surviving records for men discharged before the end of 1854 are on microfilm in Kew. Fortunately the Friends of the NA have indexed the films and you can search for them on the NA Catalogue - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp?j=1

Enter john collins AND artillery and WO as the series code. There are a few in the RA serving in 1818. The dates given are when they served. If you want to pay the NA for printed copies, start by pressing REQUEST THIS. Findmypast have scanned these microfilms and will be putting them online 'by 2011'.

If you don’t find a likely man the only files left are the muster and pay lists. Although for the artillery there will be a large number for each year, as the RA were spread throughout the rest of the army. These are original documents in Kew, so you will need a reader's ticket.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/britisharmysoldierupto1913.htm


Ken

[Glenpenny]

Thank you Ken.  Looks like yet another item on my list to check up on at Kew, if I ever manage to get there!

Glenys

[Samueller]

Although it is incidental to the search for this artilleryman's regiment, I can't leave unchallenged Ken's comment that there were no castles in Pontefract in C19.  What about the one that has been here since 1070 and where King Richard II was murdered in 1399?  With apologies, Sam. 

PS.  The fact that, like me, the man wisely chose to marry a lass from Pomfret doesn't mean that he was permanently stationed there.  As a further digression, when marriage registration shows the occupations of the couple, Pomfret girls are often recorded as 'sweet girl' because they worked in the liquorice factories making Pontefract cakes.

[km1971]

To keep Sam sweet I have amended my first reply. With 'manned' meaning not occupied by persons employed by the War Office that they deem necessary to list in the 1819 Army List. And until it is reviewed by 'Cold Case' the death of Richard II has to be considered by natural causes - no marks being found on his body.

Ken