Looking for a Royal Marine Plymouth abt 1800

[stoulson]

What are my chances of finding my GGG Grandfather, William Pearse. Here's what I know:

Born about 1781 in Plymouth area, Devon (probably Modbury)
On his son's birth cert at Harford in 1817, he is listed as Laborer, formerly Royal Marine.

I believe died just after 1841, as he was at the Workhouse in Devonport then.

I would suspect he could have enlisted as early as 1795 (age 14), and if he signed on for 12 years, would have been discharged by 1807??

I'm headed to the National Archives soon, and would appreciate any help in where to start. I have looked at Royal Navy records before, but for the late 1800's.

[Jan1954]

Hello stoulson - welcome to Brit-Gen

Before you go anywhere, have a look at the National Archives research guides. Here are a couple to be going on with:

Royal Marines: Other Ranks' Service Records

Royal Marines: Officers' Service Records

Royal Marines: Further Areas of Research

I hope that this helps.

[stoulson]

Thanks,
Have looked at these and have them printed out. I'm assuming I'm going to have to laboriously slog through all the attestation records around the date I assume he joined up. Alternatively, look through the discharge records for when he may have left the Marines.

It's unclear to me whether there is any sort of index for the Royal Marines of this era (abt 1800)....

I think I will be looking for a needle in the haystack.....but would help me pinpoint his DOB and place of birth.

Thanks....

[martinsummers]

Hi, have you had any luck?

I have a similar problem - Charles Summers enlisted ( Plymouth Divsion ) in 1797, discharged 1815 - all from the description books.
Can you offer any advice on finding his attestation? ( I need to find out where he was in 1810 )

Regards

Martin