Author Topic: Visiting National Archives looking to search army records  (Read 3521 times)

Offline slaw

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Visiting National Archives looking to search army records
« on: Friday 05 February 16 09:04 GMT (UK) »
Visiting Kew next week wanting help on we're to search for army records as listed below:
John Robertson Corporal Black Watch reg no.3/1752. He joined 1885/6 served 22yrs 327 days 3yrs
39days in special reserve. Was discharged 2nd Sep 1911.he served in the Boer War I have his medals.

Alexander Lawson joined Argyle Sutherland 91st Regiment February 1872 age 14yrs 1month reg.no.
1444. On his daughters birth cert born Farnham 1896 he was Quartermaster/Sergeant he was still serving in 1901 living in Sterling.
John Lawson Sergeant in 60th Rifle Regiment joined 1830/1 was born Alford Aberdeen 1807 married Elizabeth McBain 1828 alford Aberdeen. No other information other than his sons marriage cert 1856 states mother and father dead.
James Salmon born 1874 served 10th Hussars(Prince of Wales own Royal regiment) res no.3231 1899 5 years South Africa
Thank you for any help you may be able to give me. Sheila

Edwards Llanfyllin Wales Evans LLanfyllin Wales
Salmon(Lawrence)b.1847 Monaghan Ireland
Salmon(lawrence)1869 Darlington, died Stockton on Tees
Duffey Staffordshire
Morris LLanfyllin, David Edwards 1779 Llanrhaiader Wales

Offline rosie99

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Re: Visiting National Archives looking to search army records
« Reply #1 on: Friday 05 February 16 10:23 GMT (UK) »
Have you checked FindMyPast and Ancestry to make sure these records are not online.  A lot of Kew's forces records are.  :-\

I have always found the people on the desks in Kew to be extremely helpful.  If you have not been recently you may need an readers ticket.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/visit-us/researching-here/do-i-need-a-readers-ticket/

Rosie  :)
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline slaw

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Re: Visiting National Archives looking to search army records
« Reply #2 on: Friday 05 February 16 10:41 GMT (UK) »
Thank you Rosie for your reply, two of the records I have listed I got from ancestry, but not much information only name regiment and reg.no. Looking forward to visiting Kew.

Regards Sheila
Edwards Llanfyllin Wales Evans LLanfyllin Wales
Salmon(Lawrence)b.1847 Monaghan Ireland
Salmon(lawrence)1869 Darlington, died Stockton on Tees
Duffey Staffordshire
Morris LLanfyllin, David Edwards 1779 Llanrhaiader Wales

Online Jebber

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Re: Visiting National Archives looking to search army records
« Reply #3 on: Friday 05 February 16 11:41 GMT (UK) »
There are some records for James Salmon on FindMyPast.

Jebber
CHOULES All ,  COKER Harwich Essex & Rochester Kent 
COLE Gt. Oakley, & Lt. Oakley, Essex.
DUNCAN Kent
EVERITT Colchester,  Dovercourt & Harwich Essex
GULLIVER/GULLOFER Fifehead Magdalen Dorset
HORSCROFT Kent.
KING Sturminster Newton, Dorset. MONK Odiham Ham.
SCOTT Wrabness, Essex
WILKINS Stour Provost, Dorset.
WICKHAM All in North Essex.
WICKHAM Medway Towns, Kent from 1880
WICKHAM, Ipswich, Suffolk.


Offline josey

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Re: Visiting National Archives looking to search army records
« Reply #4 on: Friday 05 February 16 12:43 GMT (UK) »
Also enlistment form for Alexander Lawson are on findmypast.

Josey
Seeking: RC baptism Philip Murray Feb ish 1814 ? nr Chatham Kent.
IRE: Kik DRAY[EA], PURCELL, WHITE: Mea LYNCH: Tip MURRAY, SHEEDY: Wem ALLEN, ENGLISHBY; Dub PENROSE: Lim DUNN[E], FRAWLEY, WILLIAMS.
87th Regiment RIF: MURRAY
ENG; Marylebone HAYTER, TROU[W]SDALE, WILLIAMS,DUNEVAN Con HAMPTON, TREMELLING Wry CLEGG, HOLLAND, HORSEFIELD Coventry McGINTY
CAN; Halifax & Pictou: HOLLAND, WHITE, WILLIAMSON

Offline slaw

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Re: Visiting National Archives looking to search army records
« Reply #5 on: Friday 05 February 16 13:41 GMT (UK) »
Thank you Josey and Jebber will take a look at Find My Past.

Sheila
Edwards Llanfyllin Wales Evans LLanfyllin Wales
Salmon(Lawrence)b.1847 Monaghan Ireland
Salmon(lawrence)1869 Darlington, died Stockton on Tees
Duffey Staffordshire
Morris LLanfyllin, David Edwards 1779 Llanrhaiader Wales

Offline josey

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Re: Visiting National Archives looking to search army records
« Reply #6 on: Friday 05 February 16 13:52 GMT (UK) »
I presume you have read this:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-soldiers-up-to-1913/

The records on findmypast are usually from the series WO97 but also include other series:
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-records/british-army-service-records-1760-1915
Militia service records 1806-1915 (WO96)
Chelsea Pensioners British Army service records 1760-1913 (WO97)
Royal Hospital, Chelsea: pensioners' discharge documents 1760-1887 (WO121)
Royal Hospital, Chelsea: pensioners' discharge documents, foreign regiments 1816-1817 (WO122)
War Office: Imperial Yeomanry, soldiers' documents, South African War 1899-1902 (WO128)
Royal Hospital, Chelsea: documents of soldiers awarded deferred pensions 1838-1896 (WO131).


Ancestry also have military records. 
Seeking: RC baptism Philip Murray Feb ish 1814 ? nr Chatham Kent.
IRE: Kik DRAY[EA], PURCELL, WHITE: Mea LYNCH: Tip MURRAY, SHEEDY: Wem ALLEN, ENGLISHBY; Dub PENROSE: Lim DUNN[E], FRAWLEY, WILLIAMS.
87th Regiment RIF: MURRAY
ENG; Marylebone HAYTER, TROU[W]SDALE, WILLIAMS,DUNEVAN Con HAMPTON, TREMELLING Wry CLEGG, HOLLAND, HORSEFIELD Coventry McGINTY
CAN; Halifax & Pictou: HOLLAND, WHITE, WILLIAMSON

Offline slaw

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Re: Visiting National Archives looking to search army records
« Reply #7 on: Friday 05 February 16 16:35 GMT (UK) »
Thanks once again Josey. Just going through your suggested links.

Sheila
Edwards Llanfyllin Wales Evans LLanfyllin Wales
Salmon(Lawrence)b.1847 Monaghan Ireland
Salmon(lawrence)1869 Darlington, died Stockton on Tees
Duffey Staffordshire
Morris LLanfyllin, David Edwards 1779 Llanrhaiader Wales

Offline km1971

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Re: Visiting National Archives looking to search army records
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 09 February 16 09:30 GMT (UK) »
Hi Sheila

Once the records came available on Findmypast (for men discharged up to 31st December 1913) about six years ago they have not been available at the NA. But they do provide free access to both Findmypast and Ancestry. Although your local library may also provide the same facility.

On FindMyPast his time as a Regular will be listed as WO97 Series and the final years in the Special Reserve (but also known on FindMyPast as Militia Attestation Papers) are listed as WO96.

Robertson's 3/ number will be when he was in the Special Reserve - they were usually the 3rd Battalion. as a Regular (in the 1st or 2nd Bn) he would have had a different number.

They did not keep the records of men who died pre WW1 while still serving, as WO97 are pension records.

If you do go to Kew then check out the set of Army Lists they have on the first floor. These will tell you where the bulk of each battalion were stationed. Army Records will only say Home or India etc. You do not need a readers ticket to look at these.

More so for the next two you can look at the muster books in WO12/16. These will tell you month by month where each man was. He may have been on detachment and not at the main station. Also from the late 1860s they list the married establishment - approved families, giving name of wife and ages of each child. They also give details of promotions/demotions/when on furlo/if fined for drunkenness, plus remittances sent to families (very rare). Some of which is not listed on his service record. The first and last entry in the musters give the most information.

You need a readers ticket to look at the musters. As will anyone wishing to visit the Reading Room with you. It takes about 30-40 minutes to get the books. So you can look at the Army Lists while you are waiting. You can only order 21 items per day. So get there early, and maybe only look at musters every 2/3 year. The service record will tell you in which battalion he was serving. The 60th Rifles usually had four.

Ken