2nd Edmonton Rifle Militia/Celsea Pensio

[coffeeaddict]

In 1871 my g/g/grandfather (Joseph Nicholls) was living in the barracks of the 2nd Edmonton Rifle Militia in South mims. At the time he was 52 and gave his occupation as Staff Sarg/Chelsea Pensioner.

Does anyone know how i can find out about the 2nd Ed/Rifle Milita or any details of Chelsea Pensioners from then.?

Many thanks
c. A.

[km1971]

Hi CA

There is very little on the web about the Edmonton Rifles. There is a mention in Hansard that gives (in 1856) their full title as the Edmonton Royal Rifle Regiment of Militia. They were also known as the 2nd or Edmonton Royal Middlesex (1862 Army List) so I think the officer in charge in 1871 was using an old name to fill in the census. In 1862 their HQ was Barnet, which fits the 1871 Census. I cannot find them in the 1883 Army List, so they may have disappeared once the Militia came under the War Office.

Regarding his service, here is a link to researching the Militia in Kew - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=26. It looks as if he was discharged (with a pension) from a regular regiment and then enlisted in the Militia, probably on the permanent staff. The problem is that you need to know his regular regiment in order to look for his papers for his first period of service. His Militia papers (WO96) should give his previous regiment. You can then look for him under that regiment.

Researching regulars - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/step4.htm

Failing that, I think his children are the key:

= Joseph Nicholls, 52, Staff Sergt (and) Chelsea Pensioner, born: Spitalfields, Middlesex
= Ellen, 33, born: Ireland
= Mary E, 13, born: Jersey
= Ellen C, 11, born: Shorncliffe, Kent (a well known garrison town)
= Elizabeth B, 6, born: Barnet
= Sarah A, 4, born: Barnet
= Martha J, 2, born: Barnet
= Louisa T, 5 months, born: Aldershot

I think you can discount the last four as these look to be while he was in the Militia. I could not find the birth of Ellen on FreeBMD, so you may have to visit Kew and look in the Army Lists and see which regiment was in Jersey abt 1857 and Shorncliffe (abt 1860).

There is a marriage on FreeBMD of a Joseph Nicholls in Sep (qtr) of 1856 in Lambeth, either to an Ellen Kirk or Ellen Crawley. If this is his marriage the certificate may give his regiment.

Ken

[coffeeaddict]

Wow  Ken
Many many thanks.
I have been trying for many, many months to track this side of my family and in the last 24 hrs it has suddenly fallen into place.
Your help is fantastic .

Thanks again
C. A

[km1971]

There are a few concerns about his wife. The gap in ages between Ellen and Elizabeth and the age difference may indicate that she was her second wife. Have you got a birth certificate for any of the children?

It is also possible that he completed his 12 years to receive a pension at the age of 30, so everything you find will say 'pensioner'.

Ken

[km1971]

Just read that BMD registration started in Jersey in 1842 so you should be able to get Mary's BC from them.

Ken

[Valda]

The Milita records held at The National Archives would track him back to his regiment

Auxiliary Army Forces: Volunteers, Yeomanry, Territorials & Home Guard 1769-1945
'Local Militia
There are registers of pension payments to Local Militia during the period 1868-1882 in WO 23/89 , WO 23/90 , WO 23/91 .'

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=147

and then his army pension records at the National Archives

British Army: Soldiers' Pensions, 1702-1913

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=15

and his army discharge papers

British Army: Soldiers' Discharge Papers, 1760-1913

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=14


Army birth registrations often appear in the army registrations in the GRO overseas indexes (whether they occurred overseas or not). The overseas indexes are not indexed on FreeBMD. You can find them at subscription sites such as Findmypast (people have credits so you can request lookups).

http://www.findmypast.com/home.jsp


Regards


Valda