General Questions Re Army Enlistment

[jmduke]

(1) My GGF was born in Bath in abt 1827, does not appear to have been living in there at the time of the 1841 census, and enlisted in the 17th Foot in Westminster in May 1847. I am wondering whether the fact that he enlisted in Westminster suggests that he was living there at the time. My question is whether recruits TYPICALLY enlisted at a location close to where they were living?

(2) Although he enlisted in May of 1847, I understand that the 17th Foot only returned from England in August of that year. Presumably he was assigned to a depot company in the meantime? Can anyone tell me whether men were generally recruited by a specific regiment or, alternatively, recruited by the army generally and then assigned to a regiment?

Thank you,

JMD

[daggers]

1] Yes - regiments sent out recruiting parties, so he is likely to have enlisted where they found him, rather than the other way around. At that period they did not have the same county affiliations as they did after 1881, when 17th Foot became the (Royal) Leicestershire Regiment. A history of that regiment might help you - try Googling, as changes in recent years have affected the museums and others aspects of army history.

2] Regiments recruited for themselves - I do not believe there was any central organisation. There would probably be a depot in England where the 17th's recruits would be trained before being sent abroad in drafts, while the battalion was based overseas.

Daggers