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I was lucky enough to be given what I believe to be Muster Roll entries the period 1854 to 1855 for my ancestor Private Abraham Pollard 1193 who served with the First Royal Dragoons.  The last two entries are below.  All of them have the marginal note “6th Dn Gds No. 421”.

• Apr to Jun 1855: with Service Troops entire period; paid 91 days ordinary pay and 91 days at 2d additional pay with stoppages for 91 days at 4 1/2d per diem; marginal note adds “6th Dn Gds No. 421” [55-2-5]; remittance on 4 Apr of £2-5-0 to Elizabeth Pollard [55-2-21].

• Jul to Sep 1855: with Service Troops 1 Jul through 26 Sep; 7 days in Regt or Genl Hospital; paid 88 days ordinary pay and 88 days at 2d additional pay and 81 days additional pay with stoppages for 81 days at 4 1/2d per diem; marginal note adds “6th Dn Gds No. 421” and “died on the 26th Sep” [55-3-5]; remittance on 6 Jul of £1-0-0 to Elizabeth Pollard [55-3-21].

Can anyone shed any light on what this might mean? 

Could it be that he had transferred to the 1st from the 6th?

Is the number 421 his service number while with the 6th? (Did service numbers change at that time on transfer?)

He is recorded as a First Royal Dragoon on the birth certificate of his daughter in 1852 and also in Roy Duttons book Forgotten Heroes – The Charge Of The Heavy Brigade.

An explanation would be gratefully received.

Hello all,

I am trying to trace my paternal grandmothers Pollard family tree and have hit the wall so to speak.

The earliest proven census record I have is the 1861 Census for Church Street, Thornham, Norfolk (RG9/1248/160/11/78) and it records:

Pollard Elizabeth, Head, age 45, Soldiers Widow, born Thornham, Norfolk.
Pollard Mary Ann, Daughter, age 8, Scholar, born Dorchester, Dorset. 
William, Son, age 6, Scholar, born Thornham, Norfolk.

Frustrating is the fact that Elizabeth is likely to be one of those named below, but which one?

Thornham Baptism Project – Individual Given Name Elizabeth 1815 -1819
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tinstaafl/Church_Pages/thornham.htm

Elizabeth Allen   Birth 31/1/1815     
Elizabeth Thompson   Birth 13/5/1815     
Elizabeth Rumbelow   Birth 25/5/1815     
Elizabeth Jickling Bunn   Baptised 9/7/1815
Elizabeth Evetts   Birth 31/7/1815     
Eliza Dodman   Birth 18/8/1815   
Elizabeth Johnson  Birth 28/8/1815    
Elizabeth Robinson   Birth 6/9/1815    
Mary Elizabeth Ivy   Baptised 31/3/1816
Elizabeth Colvey Howard   Birth 12/5/1816       
Elizabeth Spanton   Birth 9/10/1816   
Eliza Simmons   Baptised 22/6/1817
Elizabeth Platten   Birth 20/02/1818   
Elizabeth Auker   Birth 22/06/1818   
Elizabeth Brunnell   Birth 18/12/1818   
Elizabeth Dade   Birth 11/02/1819   
Elizabeth Cook   Birth 23/05/1819   

I believe that Mary Ann is recorded in Free BMD Births Jun 1852 as:
Name: Mary Ann Pollard   District: Dorchester   Vol 5a Page 344

I also have Williams baptism From FreeReg & Thornham Baptism Project but I can’t positively identify him in FreeBMD:
William Pollard   Baptised 27/8/1854 All Saints, Thornham, Norfolk.  Fathers Name: Abraham Occupation: Soldier Mothers name: Elizabeth.

And that is my lot!  I can find no birth that I can link directly to this Abraham and I can find no marriage for Abraham and Elizabeth? I can find no positive record in the 1841 or 1851 census.  Considering Elizabeths age I do not know if there were perhaps other children of this marriage or maybe a previous marriage? I can find no death record for Abraham who should have died between Nov 1853and 1861 and importantly, I do not know in which regiment he served.

So, if anyone has managed to stay with all the above and could expand on the information or give help towards tracing this couple and their families further back in time I would be very grateful indeed.

Regards to all,

Nick