the victorian soldier

[sarahLB]

Hi can anyone help?

I visited the national archives on thursday and looked up the pay lists for my ancestor. He was  a Scots fusilier guard during the Crimean war. 

The things I need to know are:

What does it mean to be discharged on reduction?
What would a marching allowance be?
on the pay list he has 182 and then under the 2d column also 182 does that mean he was paid 2d a day for 182 days??

thanks for your help

Sarah

[km1971]

Hi Sarah

Discharged on reduction was when the establishment was reduced. So he was made redundant.

For an officer marching allowance was usually 5s a day. For Other Ranks a lot less, maybe 6d. It will probably say in the summary of vouchers, if not against his name. Was he overseas at the time?

The 182 x 2d probably means they were being paid every six months then, rather than quarterly, so 182 days. The 2d would either be good conduct pay, or extra service pay for length of service. It was on top of his basic pay. Did you make a note of the column headings? If lots of men also had 182 in the same column against them it was the number of days in the pay period, Or is he the only man with 182 against him?

Ken

[sarahLB]

Hi Ken,

There were quite a few with 182 next to them so that makes sense now. I did look at the column headings and it said good conduct, 1d, 2d 3d 4 d 5d 6d and 7d, he had 182 written in the 2d column.  He was discharged in the november after they came back from the Crimea.

Would the redundancy have been voluntary?

Thanks Sarah

[km1971]

Hi Sarah

2d a day GC pay should be for 10 years service. I am sure if men wanted to leave they would be selected, but most would have been forced out. It would be interested to look at a pay list after the reduction to see if more GC men were kept on.

Ken

[sarahLB]

He enlisted in 1842 so he had been in for ten years, Excuse my ignorance but what would his basic pay have been?

regards sarah