4th Battalion, Royal Artillery ,1840's

[zhongayi]

Hi everyone
This is my first post on this forum. I've been researching my great great grandfather who belonged to this regiment. The 1841 census shows him at Artillery Place,Woolwich, Kent - presumably training with the RA. I have army birth certs for 2 of his children showing that he was posted to Ballincollig, Ireland, Demerara and Barbados. I have picked up the trail of his son, my great grandfather in Liverpool from the 1861 census. I'd love to find out what became of gggrandad. Is there any chance of getting army records from somewhere? How do I start? I'd be grateful for any guidance please.
Details are as follows.

WILLIAM CLINE b.abt. 1811
ELLEN (wife) b.abt 1820 in Ireland

WILLIAM OWEN CLINE son b.1.1.1839 Ballincollig
MARY daug. b. 1840 Charlemont
ELLEN ALICE daug. b. 30.3.1843 Demerara
RICHARD son b. 11.6.1845

Zed

[Peter Goodey]

Have a read of this...

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=14

You'll need to have a rough idea of when he was discharged.

[zhongayi]

Thanks for that Peter. I have no idea when he was likely to be discharged, but will bear this in mind if my other digging turns a date up. It also looks as though some of these records are inaccessible at the moment as they are in the process of being digitalised. I'm also unclear as to whether its possible to apply for copies of such things without actually paying an expensive visit to the National Archive centre. Does anyone know?
Zed

[Geoffers]

I have no idea when he was likely to be discharged

Can you narrow it down by a census? Does he appear in the 1851, 1861 or 1871 census in or out of the army?

The rough idea of when he left covers several periods. Did he leave the army before 1854? (records individually indexed on TNA's catalogue)
Did he leave between 1855 and 1872, inclusive - if so records are stored by regiment. Did he leave 1873-1882 in which case the records are split into various branches of the army (e.g. artillery). The changes are due to reorganization of the army.


It also looks as though some of these records are inaccessible at the moment as they are in the process of being digitalised. I'm also unclear as to whether its possible to apply for copies of such things without actually paying an expensive visit to the National Archive centre.

What you may be able to order online all depends on the date he left the army - as it depends on the type of search needed using TNA's catalogue.

[zhongayi]

Thanks so much for your responses. I'm just leaving for a week's holiday and will think them through when I get back.
Zed