What is Army Pensioner Customs Officer

[leo]

I have identified a relative living in Cardiff in 1911 and he is listed on the census as the above.  He is 45 years of age and lived in the district of Canton. He was in the army on previous censuses .

Does this mean he had left the army but happened to be a Customs Officer in his civilian life or was still in the army but was a Customs Officer for the army, if you understand what I mean?

Thank you.

[km1971]

Hi Leo

The army did not have customs officers, so he was an army pensioner having served a minimum of 12 years in the army (after the age of 18), who later joined HM Customs. Most men were discharged between the ages of 30 to 35, depending upon when they enlisted. The pension for a 12-year service Private would not be enough to live on - probably about 4d a day - so he had to find other work.

If his army papers survive they will be in Kew, in series WO97, in the section for men discharged 1883 to 1900 (or maybe 1900 to 1913). They are in alphabetical order, so you do not need to know his regiment. If you cannot get to Kew you will have to wait for Findmypast to put pre WW1 papers online ‘by 2011’.

If you cannot find his papers you may find him either in the muster books or on a medal roll. But both are filed by regiment. The last muster books end 1888 to 1898, depending upon the regiment or corps.

I am sure there will be a HM Customs archive somewhere.

Ken

[leo]

Thanks for your very concise reply.  He was a sergeant so not sure what his pension would have been like.  I know in 1901 he was still in the army in Aldershot as a reserve so looks like he was reaching retirement then.

Will try for the HM Customs archive as I am not sure when I can visit Kew.

[Mean_genie]

Records of customs officers are also likely to be at Kew. Have a look at this for starters

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/customs-officer.htm?WT.lp=rg-3174

Mean_genie

[leo]

Thanks mean_genie at least it gives me a starting point.  It also shows that his records should be at Kew.