Dorset Militia

[TheGrove]

I am clutching at straws here but would appreciate input from anyone who has knowledge of the movements of the Dorset Militia between 1794 and 1801.

Here's the outline. John Kerley was born in Edmondsham 1776-7 so would have qualified for the militia in about 1794. His first daughter was christened in Maidstone, Kent in 1800 when he appeared to be married to an Elizabeth. All their subsequent children were christened in Cranborne. I am having difficulty finding their marriage.

Now there is a marriage in Sidmouth, Devon of a John Kerley and Elizabeth White in July 1800. He is described as being with the Dorset Militia.

Was the Dorset Militia in Sidmouth, Devon and Maidstone, Kent in 1800?

If there are any specialist sources (websites, books) for the Dorset Militia too, I would be grateful to know of them.

Many thanks.

[Andy J2022]

If you haven't already checked out the Wikipedia article on the Dorset Militia, that would be a good place to start. You can then follow up on the references if you think any of them may yield more details.

Also if you are able to access JSTOR through an academic institution or library, there's paper here on the subject: David Clammer Dorset's Volunteer Infantry 1794 - 1805

[TheGrove]

Thank you I had read Wikipedia, which was good for starters. I suppose I was looking for details of the battalions and the movement of the units. I'll follow up the article. Thanks.

[Sikes]

I am clutching at straws here but would appreciate input from anyone who has knowledge of the movements of the Dorset Militia between 1794 and 1801.

Here's the outline. John Kerley was born in Edmondsham 1776-7 so would have qualified for the militia in about 1794. His first daughter was christened in Maidstone, Kent in 1800 when he appeared to be married to an Elizabeth. All their subsequent children were christened in Cranborne. I am having difficulty finding their marriage.

Now there is a marriage in Sidmouth, Devon of a John Kerley and Elizabeth White in July 1800. He is described as being with the Dorset Militia.

Was the Dorset Militia in Sidmouth, Devon and Maidstone, Kent in 1800?

If there are any specialist sources (websites, books) for the Dorset Militia too, I would be grateful to know of them.

Many thanks.

I cant help you specifically with Dorset but I'd thought I'd share some info as I have a brickwall in my wife's tree who was in the Pembrokeshire Militia. He was from possibly from Pembrokeshire but married in Norfolk. Militia marched everywhere across the south of England and Wales. We had to to take a trip to the National Archives to get further info (see: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/militia/). Though you can gain a lot of information from old newspapers.

To give you an example of how far and often they would travel, I have the following for the Pembrokeshire Militia:
1795 - Norfolk for the flour riots
1797 - Languard Fort
1798 May to Oct - Ireland
00 - Based in Plymouth.
02 - Haverfordwest for the visit of Lord Nelson.
02 -  Disembodied
03 - Languard Fort
04 - Colchester
06 - Maldon
07 - Peterborough & Portsmouth
08 - Hythe & Bristol
09 - Dungness
10 - Rye & Bristol
11 to 13 - Ballinasloe (Ireland)
13 Dublin & Liverpool
14 Bristol & Haverfordwest

[TheGrove]

I cant help you specifically with Dorset but I'd thought I'd share some info as I have a brickwall in my wife's tree who was in the Pembrokeshire Militia. He was from possibly from Pembrokeshire but married in Norfolk. Militia marched everywhere across the south of England and Wales. We had to to take a trip to the National Archives to get further info (see: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/militia/). Though you can gain a lot of information from old newspapers.
[...]

Thanks, that's really useful, now I know what to do, unless someone has already done this for the Dorset men!