army records around 1860

[kylejustin]

i have an ancestor, peter ford, who was a gunner at artillery, in 1861, on the isle of sheppey.

he was a gardener on the census' after this. how would i find army records for him? they could be very helpful, as he was born in 1835, gloucestershire, and he is very elusive pre 1861.

any help would be great

[annswabey]

If he was discharged to pension his papers might be at Kew. Not online though, although there is a 3 year project to put them online. As far as personal details go though, the papers would just probably give place of birth and year and trade. Might give name and address of next of kin, too.

[Little Nell]

Guide to military resources at Kew

The National Archives | Getting started | Military History | Army

[Janet]

The Attestation records that I have for my Grt Grandfather baptised 1835 and who joined the army in 1853 in London and who went for pension 1876 as a Sergeant, were found at TNA Kew. His records were not found online. I did need to know his regiment, which I found on a marriage certificate and a baptismal cert of one of his children. I have his FULL record of service from TNA from his date of birth in a small hamlet, his occupation to all his places of service in Crimea/Mauritius/India/Ireland and UK as well as service in the North Lincs Militia and his Good Conduct Medals, his Crimea War Medals and his pension details. It also states all the regiments he was in, but there is no Next of Kin stated, though his wife's details are on there but without an address. I then searched the muster records for all his other activities, which amounted to 14 typed A4 sheets when I had finished research. I had to research myself and it took me about 2 days. This gave me all his children and their places and dates of birth, places he had been to in more depth, his pay and all the general minutiae that goes with army life.

You can pay someone to research for you at TNA at a cost of about £8 per hour. My Grt G Father is also missing in the 1861 Census as he is in India and then Ireland. The overseas section on Findmypast should find any overseas marriage and children born overseas to anyone in the army and Ireland does count as overseas for this purpose. That is where I found mine.

Janet