Lew Trenchard, Devon - Army Barracks

[Brentor boy]

Is it possible that 11th Devonshire was a part time/territorial unit, and soldiers followed their civilian  occupations between periods of military service?

[Jaznjjj]

I confess I don't know anything about part-time/territorial units - but I do know that the 11th served in Canada and other overseas posts.  I have details of many of the postings of the regiment but it is very hard to determine whether these postings just refer to detachments.  Richard Bruce was recruiting for the regiment around the time of the census, mostly in Ireland.  The census took place on the 6th June, 1841 and Richard, according to regimental records, was in Devonport on that date (between March and August).  The previous year he is shown as being based at Devonport, but recruiting at Hillsborough, Northern Ireland.  I am getting ready to check sources for this information, which has been gathered by a number of people over many years and subject to error.  If I can locate the pay musters for the regiment for this time it will indicate whether or not he was in receipt of payment for his services - but it seems unlikely there would be a gap in his enlistment which spans 1831 to 1848.  I have information about pay musters 1845 to 1848 and regimental movements 1839 onwards - though so many detachments were deployed it is hard to track.  Thanks.  J

[MaecW]

I can't offer much help with Jaznjjj's query but in the period concerned the regiment was the 11th Regiment of Foot, a regular Army unit, known as the "North Devonshire Regiment of Foot". It only became "The Devonshire Regiment" under the Childer's reforms of 1881.
Militia were not directly connected to the regular army at this time and largely existed only on paper.

Maec

[Jaznjjj]

Thank you Maec,  I am focused on the regiment between about 1831 to 1848 and I just think of them as "the 11th".  I have an interest in the wives and children of soldiers when serving, particularly when posted overseas.  I can recommend a book "Following the Drum" which explores this. It appears while serving in Devonport in 1841 the married soldiers were in rented accommodations in the town which may have been a normal practice when recruiting. When the regiment was on Norfolk Island it looks like the wives and children were in barracks with the soldiers - but this is something I need to research further. There was a ratio of women to soldiers allowed to travel with British army regiments which meant many wives possibly left behind.  There was also a limit on the number of children permitted to accompany married soldiers - and it is thought this could be why this family's eldest daughter was left in the U.K. when the regiment sailed for Van Diemen's Land.   J