Militia Lists

[janbooth]

Does anyone know what age a person would be to be described as Over Age in the Militia Lists. I have an ancestor Stephen PAINE described in the Militia List of Ashwell of 1773 as being Over Age and as I have no record of him prior to appearing in the Militia List in 1761 as a Servant, an approximate date of birth would help enormously. Many thanks in advance.

Janet.

[Geoffers]

Does anyone know what age a person would be to be described as Over Age in the Militia Lists. I have an ancestor Stephen PAINE described in the Militia List of Ashwell of 1773 as being Over Age and as I have no record of him prior to appearing in the Militia List in 1761 as a Servant, an approximate date of birth would help enormously. Many thanks in advance.

I qyite from 'Militia Lists and Musters 1757-1876' by Jeremy Gibson and Mervyn Medlycott. published by the FFHS ISBN 1 872 094 02 3.

Page 5
"Under the 1757 Act the parish contables were ordered annually to record the names of all men aged 18 to 50, excluding only those who were peers, clergy, teachers, apprentices and 'peace officers'. However in the 1758 Act (31 Geo II c26) and thereafter until 1831, Parliament directed that no names be excluded, although the upper age limit was lowered to 5 from 1762.

The militia ballot lists should therefore in theory be complete annual censuses of all men aged 18 to 50, from 1758 to 1762, and aged 18 to 45, from 1762 to 1831."

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

[janbooth]

Thanks Geoffers, that helps enormously. There was nothing in the booklets I purchased to indicate their ages.

Janet.