help to get military info.

[Dudley1]

Hi all,
This is a bit vague.
My ancestors are from Market Drayton and I have traced a line forward and in the 1851 Census I have found James Matthews born Market Drayton, Shropshire abt 1830 , as being a private in Chatham Barracks, Chatham Kent aged 21. That is all I have to go on. I have goggled the Barracks and it looks to have been a training establishment for the engineers.
I am wondering the best route to find out more about his military service. i realise I can buy cds of army lists but i do not know how good they are, so before I start putting my card details out, where should I go now?

This was only a couple of years before the Crimean war, so I am getting a little excited. Also I have not found him in the 1861 Census.
Thank you Steve.

[stickymone]

Hi Steve,

Have you tried searching at the National Archives for your man?

If you're not sure how, there's a comprehensive 'Sticky' by Geoffers on how to research military records

It's listed under the Military - Army Forum

If you get stuck just shout

Stickymone :)

[Dudley1]

Yes I have been trying to do the National Archives search, but it all I keep doing is clicking on links and dont even start a search. It looks so complex.
I will look at the "sticky" by Geoffers now, Thanks.

[Dudley1]

Hi Steve,

Have you tried searching at the National Archives for your man?

If you're not sure how, there's a comprehensive 'Sticky' by Geoffers on how to research military records

It's listed under the Military - Army Forum

If you get stuck just shout

Stickymone :)

Still not looking good on National Archives. It is not an easy site to rearch, I will have another go tomorrow, Thanks Stickymone

[Peter Goodey]

i realise I can buy cds of army lists

Don't. The Army Lists are of officers.

You'll find out most about researching military ancestors by following the "Find out about your military history" link on the National Archives home page.

If that one census entry is all you have on him and he isn't an ancestor, it may not be worth spending too much time on him. Non appearance in any later census may suggest that he died while in the Army and that category is the most difficult to find records for.

[Dudley1]

Don't. The Army Lists are of officers.

You'll find out most about researching military ancestors by following the "Find out about your military history" link on the National Archives home page.

If that one census entry is all you have on him and he isn't an ancestor, it may not be worth spending too much time on him. Non appearance in any later census may suggest that he died while in the Army and that category is the most difficult to find records for.#

He is the brother of my Gt Gt Grandfarther, so yes he could have died in the Army. But even that fact would help in building my tree. I found a man of the same name, correct age, birth place etc 20 yrs later in the 1871, unmarried in lodgings but the occupation of Tailor didnt fit really. Yes he could have learnt how to become a tailor making army uniforms,:). Maybe I will find him as a tinker and then a sailor in later Census's,|laugh1|.

But 1st i will have to learn to master the National Archives site.

Thanks Steve.

[Geoffers]

Having found the chap in the 1851 census in the army, you are most unlikely to find him individually indexed in TNA's catalogue. Records held in document class WO97 are individually indexed up to about 1854-ish (there are some, not many, later documents).

The army underwent several reorganisations in the 19th century and the associated records went through similar changes. At the moment, to locate his record, you will need to know when he was discharged. You may be able to identify likely files in which his records are held and so save some time when you visit TNA at Kew; but at the moment a visit to TNA is the only way to locate what you are after.

Have a read of the relevant TNA research guides, click on the links prefixed 'British Army' (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp?WT.lp=gs-researchguides#b).

There is a project to electronically scan the records and make them available online by 2011 - see this TNA news item (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories/212.htm).

[Dudley1]

Having found the chap in the 1851 census in the army, you are most unlikely to find him individually indexed in TNA's catalogue. Records held in document class WO97 are individually indexed up to about 1854-ish (there are some, not many, later documents).

The army underwent several reorganisations in the 19th century and the associated records went through similar changes. At the moment, to locate his record, you will need to know when he was discharged. You may be able to identify likely files in which his records are held and so save some time when you visit TNA at Kew; but at the moment a visit to TNA is the only way to locate what you are after.

Have a read of the relevant TNA research guides, click on the links prefixed 'British Army' (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp?WT.lp=gs-researchguides#b).

There is a project to electronically scan the records and make them available online by 2011 - see this TNA news item (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories/212.htm).

Ahhh, thanks for all that, someone certainly knows their stuff. Steve.