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I cant help you specifically with Dorset but I'd thought I'd share some info as I have a brickwall in my wife's tree who was in the Pembrokeshire Militia. He was from possibly from Pembrokeshire but married in Norfolk. Militia marched everywhere across the south of England and Wales. We had to to take a trip to the National Archives to get further info (see: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/militia/). Though you can gain a lot of information from old newspapers.
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Thanks, that's really useful, now I know what to do, unless someone has already done this for the Dorset men!

I am clutching at straws here but would appreciate input from anyone who has knowledge of the movements of the Dorset Militia between 1794 and 1801.

Here's the outline. John Kerley was born in Edmondsham 1776-7 so would have qualified for the militia in about 1794. His first daughter was christened in Maidstone, Kent in 1800 when he appeared to be married to an Elizabeth. All their subsequent children were christened in Cranborne. I am having difficulty finding their marriage.

Now there is a marriage in Sidmouth, Devon of a John Kerley and Elizabeth White in July 1800. He is described as being with the Dorset Militia.

Was the Dorset Militia in Sidmouth, Devon and Maidstone, Kent in 1800?

If there are any specialist sources (websites, books) for the Dorset Militia too, I would be grateful to know of them.

Many thanks.

Thanks for this, hopefully there is another copy out there that does work. I guess you have tried rebooting your pc?

Thank you. Always good to have a second view on challenges like this.

I wonder if someone has access to the christening and burials for Alconbury-cum-Weston for 1776 to 1780?

Here is the little mystery. A Frances Goodwin daughter of William and Elizabeth Goodwin was buried in July 1779 and apparently, another Frances was christened in June 1780. This suggests there were two Frances, but there is no christening for the first Frances, so is it a transcription error? I have seen date errors by one year before when the transcriber misinterprets the date range stated in the page header.

Could someone check for me please?

Thanks.