Military in 1842

[WGoodall]

Hello,

My 2nd Great Grandfather - William Goodall - was a convict and in 1842 was sent to Van Diemen's Land (now known as Tasmania), Australia, from England to serve 10 years for burglary.

                William Goodall  (no middle name)
                Born:  1822  Yorkshire, England
                Christened:  1822  Riccall, Yorkshire, England
                Sentenced:  27 June 1842  Southampton, Portsmouth  (20 years old)
                Married:  1853  Brighton, Victoria, Australia  (21 years old)
                Died:  1873  Melbourne, Victoria, Australia  (51 years old)

His transportation documents:

http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON33-1-32,403,133,L,80
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON14-1-17,298,202,L,80
http://search.archives.tas.gov.au/ImageViewer/image_viewer.htm?CON14-1-17,298,203,L,80

According to the first link, he had several tattoos, i.e. a half moon, stars and an anchor, as well as others.
Also according to the first link, he was sentenced for burglary as well as drunkenness and stopping out of barracks.
According to the second link, he was in the 37th Regiment, 2 "Lrs"?
According to the first and second link, he was tried at Southampton, Portsmouth.

Questions:

1.   Was he in the navy (because he was in Southampton, a sea port, and had sailor-type tattoos) or in the army (because he was in a barrack and was in the 37th Regiment)?
2.   I've been told that if you were in the military and were sentenced for a crime your military records were destroyed - true?  (via an "expert" researcher)
3.   I've searched the UK Archives and have not been able to locate any records.  Would someone be able to provide pointers in navigating their web site?

Best regards.

Wendy

[stanmapstone]

He was sentenced at Portsmouth Quarter Sessions 27th June 1842, for burglary.
(Hampshire Chronicle - Monday 04 July 1842) The 37th Regiment of Foot was  a line infantry regiment of the British Army.

Stan

[KGarrad]

The 37th Regiment of Foot added the "North Hampshire" distinction in 1782, to become the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot.

It later became the Hampshire Regiment, and today is the Royal Hampshire Regiment.
See: https://web.archive.org/web/20080103161406/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/037-702.htm
and: http://1rhamps.com/37th/37thfoot.html

[km1971]

Hi Wendy

It says 37th Regt 2Yrs - ie he had served two years in that regiment.

Findmypast's 1841 Index has four soldiers of that name, serving in:

= 7th Foot
= 32nd Foot
= 40th Foot
= 47th Foot

His individual service record would not have been kept, as he would not have received a pension; and the records that survive come from the pension departments. The only military records that can help you are the muster books. These are in Kew (not online). You will have to look up the above four regiments, plus 37th Foot. As obviously either FindMyPast or your source will be wrong.

His first and last muster entry give the best chance of discovering place of birth, previous trade etc.

BTW...the 32nd Foot were in Portsmouth for the 1841 April to June muster. But you really need to look at all five.

Also, he was 31 when he married.

Ken

[ShaunJ]

According to the trial report in the Hampshire Chronicle of 4 July 1842, William Goodall was a private of the 32nd Regiment.

[ShaunJ]

tried at Southampton, Portsmouth

"Southampton" is used here as the county name: the County of Southampton, sometimes called Southamptonshire, and these days known as Hampshire.  The trial took place at the Quarter Sessions for the borough of Portsmouth.