Enquiry on a Muster Roll entry

[N1ck]

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.

[jds1949]

My reading would be as follows:

The first entry states that for the quarter April - June 1855 he was paid at the rate of 4 1/2 pence per day - after the normal stoppages for food, clothing etc. On the 4th April £2 5s 0d of his pay was sent to Elizabeth Pollard. Men had the right to designate some of their pay to be sent to dependants - usually their wives or widowed mothers, presumably Elizabeth comes into one of those categories. The marginal note would seem to suggest that his Regimental number was 421 and that he was a member of the 6th Dragoon Guards.

The entry for the next quarter shows that he spent seven days in the hospital - his pay would have been reduced for that period. There was a further allocation of his pay to Elizabeth Pollard on 6th July 1855.

I'm not sure about the [55-2-21] and [55-3-21] references, but I would hazard a guess that 55 was the year - 2/3 the relevant quarters and 21 the code for that particular allocation of pay to a dependant.

I would agree that he would seem to have transferred to the 6th Dragoon Guards - always assuming that you are sure this was the same man. There should be a note against his name in both the 1st and 6th Muster Rolls at the time of his transfer - the one marking his departure, the other recording his being taken on the strength of the new Regiment.

jds1949

[km1971]

I believe it is the stoppages that were 4 1/2d a day. The basic pay would be about 1s 4d or 1s 6d a day, plus 2d extra for long service, less 4 1/2d stoppages. You need to ask the person who sent it to you to send you a page from the Private's section. This will tell you the basic pay plus maybe if the 2d extra was for 7 or 14 years service, or 2d for 'good conduct', or because they have elected to extend their service. You also need to see the section dealing with men being discharged, as it may tell you when men with numbers near 1193 were enlisted. As he died in service his record would not have been kept.

Also he might be mentioned in the 'leaving the roll' section. It is important when you look at that musters that you copy all sections as men are often mentioned more than once. Likewise with 55-x-y. Other sections may give you clues. They are probably vouchers summarized at the back of the book. You need to see if the same number was used elsewhere, or if they are unique. The individual vouchers were sent loose to the War Office and have not survived.

He would have a different number in the 6th Dragoons. Did this take place at the Depot in the UK? It will say on the cover of the muster book. Both regiments were in the Crimea at the time.

Ken

[jds1949]

Having looked at it again I agree with KM1971 - it's the stoppages that were 4 1/2 d per day. Apologies for my initial overhasty response.

jds1949

[N1ck]

Thank you jds1949 and Ken for your informative replies, they really have been a tremendous help to me.

I have been so lucky!  Having followed up information given to me on the "Dublin" forum of this site, I have just received in the post this morning, a copy of the church register entry for the marriage between Abraham Pollard and Elizabeth Rumlow and I am as sure as I can be that it relates to this same soldier ancestor of mine.

On this entry dated August 1849 in St Peters Dublin, he is recorded as a soldier 6th Carabineers, resident at Portobello Barracks, Dublin.

Am I right that the 6th Dragoons (Caribineers) and the 6th Dragoons (Inniskilling) are two separate regiments?

I am certain that the birth certificate of 1852, that I mentioned previously, recording him as a First Royal Dragoon is for my ancestor as there are no other births in Dorchester in the 19th century for a person with his daughters name and censuses do record her as born in Dorchester. 

This is the transcript for that birth certificate:

Where and When Born: 25 June 1852 - Grove Buildings, Fordington.
Name: Mary Ann.   Father: Abraham Pollard - Private Soldier First Royal Dragoons.
Mother: Elizabeth Pollard formerly Rumlow

Putting the two together must confirm your explanation that he was originally a 6th Dragoon and was transferred to the 1st somewhere between 1849 and 1852.

The full information I was given about Abraham Pollard as a First Dragoon is below and to make the family link I can prove Elizabeth Pollard of Thornham is most definitely a direct ancestor. 

Pollard, Pte Abraham (1193) [Dutton 69] died in the Crimea 26 September 1855.

• Jul to Sep 1854: with Service Troops entire period; 21 days on board ship; paid 92 days ordinary pay and 92 days additional pay at 2d per diem with stoppages for 71 days at 4 1/2d per diem; marginal note adds “6th Dn Gds No.
421” [54-3-5].

• Oct to Dec 1854: with Service Troops entire period; 9 days on board ship; (paid) 92 days ordinary pay and 92 days additional pay at 2d (per diem) (with stoppages for) 83 days on shore (at 4 1/2d per diem); marginal note
adds “(from) 6th Dn Gds, No. 421” [JDC][54-4-5] ; remittance on 12 November of £2-0-0 to Elizabeth Pollard [54-4-21].

• Jan to Mar 1855: with Service Troops entire period; paid 90 days ordinary pay and 90 days at 2d additional pay with stoppages for 90 days on shore at 4 1/2d per diem; marginal note adds “6th Dn Gds No. 421” [55-1-5].

• 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].

• Form 20 [55-3-20]: born in Warrington; enlisted 1 Jun 1833; prior occupation: laborer; died 26 Sep 1855; effects and credits: £3-16-7; account: 375010; no known will; next of kin: wife Elizabeth; last known residence: Norfolk County, Thornham Parish.

• Crimean Medal [124][130][JDC] dead [A152]; with I. Clasp [124][JDC]; B. Clasp [141][JDC]; S. Clasp; dead; WO [A148][JDC].

• Medal Roll - Class 2: Died. Retired from service. Discharged. Roll dated Royal Barracks, Dublin, 10 Feb 59, Dead [JDC].

• E. E. Needes Collection, Crimean with 3 Clasps B.I.S., A. Pollard, 1st Dragoons [JDC].

• Medal with Clasps B.I.S. in Regt Museum (Household Cavalry) per letter from Roy Washington dated 19 Jun 1991 [JDC].

The replies I have received from the two of you have filled many of the gaps in my knowledge as to meanings in these Muster Roll entries.  I did try and contact the sender for some help in explanation but my message must have gone astray as I haven’t as yet had a reply so I must try again.  I think the only remaining questions I have are:

What is the Service Troop? Are these the “active duty” troops as opposed to at home in a depot?

Where isAbrahams medal?  Is it in the E. E. Needles Collection and is this a private medal collection?  Or is it in the John Darwent Collection (JDC?) and again, is this a private medal collection? Or is it perhaps in  Regt Museum (Household Cavalry)? 

Because of the mention of Forgotten Heroes - The Charge of the Heavy Brigade by Roy Dutton I purchased that book from Amazon and on page 69 is written:

1193 POLLARD, Private Abraham

Born:  Date Unknown - Warrington
Died:  26th September 1855 - Crimea
Enlisted:  1st June 1833
Status:  Probably rode in the Charge
Medals:  Crimea (B.I.S.)

The musters show he was effective from 1st October to the 31st December 1854 with an additional 2d per diem good conduct pay.  Trade on enlistment Labourer.

Unfortunately I have no knowledge on how to research military records or their meanings and can not see myself having the opportunity to visit Kew or like record offices to gain an insight, thus I am reliant on the likes of your expertise and goodwill for help so I must again thank you both very much indeed.
 
Regards

Nick.

[km1971]

Hi Nick

The Carabineers were the 6th Dragoons Guards. While the Inniskillings were the 6th Dragoons. So completely separate regiments.

BIS are the medal clasps for Balakava, Inkerman and Sevastopol -  http://wapedia.mobi/en/Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade

As he died while serving they would have destroyed his record 20 years later. So the musters, which you have, are all you will get from military records. So I suggest you start looking in Warrington.

The composition of cavalry units changed often. Usually there were ten troops in each regiment. One stayed at home to recruit etc, while the rest formed ‘the regiment’ that moved around the UK and overseas - in this case to the Crimea. So service troops must refer to these. It looks as if he was a member of the 1st Dragoons who was assigned to the 6th Dragoon Guards in the Crimea. If it was a permanent transfer he would appear in the 6GDs muster.

Both the 1st (Royal) Dragoons and the 6th DGs took part in the charge of the Heavy Brigade on the morning of 25th October 1854. The more famous charge was in the afternoon of the same day, and ensured that few people have heard of  Pollard’s charge, which was a great victory. Dutton appears to believe that he took part in the charge of the Heavy Brigade, but musters only say where a man was on the first of each month. So unless there are other surviving rolls taken on the day, it is speculation.

What does “(from) “ in this muster mean? As he appears to still be with the 6DG in January.

Needes seems to have been around in the 1930s. While there is a collector called Darwent selling medals recently. But if the museum had it in 1990s why did they sell it? I think you need to contact the museum.

I also do not understand all the [JDC] references. I know what JDC means but why it is used against muster entries? You would be far better off posting parts of the muster images if you have them.

Ken

[N1ck]

Hello Ken,
Thank you for the explanations and expanding my limited knowledge even further.
Unfortunately, I do not have any images of the rolls and all of the details are exactly as they were sent to me. Have sent you a pm.
Regards,
Nick