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Enlistment in the 1850s

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  • Enlistment in the 1850s

    I'm trying to understand the age at which young men enlisted in the 1850s. I've heard as young as 14? What was the usual age? Was there a maximum age? Again, not officers but enlisted men.

    How did these men show up in census? I've seen a census page for a Royal Artillery regiment. My ancestor was in the REs. Would they have shared barracks with other service types? Could REs have been labeled mistakenly as being part of another service?

    Thanks

  • #2
    i think it would be 21. why else would the legal age to marry have been 21 in the 1840's? seems you should be the same age to enlist as get married.

    i have an ancestor who enlisted young, im not sure when, 1840's i think. his mother went to the barracks when she learned, and asked for him. they took her to him, and she packed him back home. weeks later he enlisted again under his step father's name, and she once again went down looking for him. as he used the step father's surname and not his own one, they didn't find him and he stayed in the army!

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    • #3
      I have one enlisting at 17 years in 1840 - he isn't on the 1841, 1851 census as his Regiment is not serving in UK at the time (when I needed them to be) and died in 1859. Another one enlisted at 15 or 15 on the 1841 census.

      Your best bet for finding him is the Regiments Muster rolls (probably only at Kew) - as they usually put the date and place of enlistment as well as his age in the first quarter after enlistment. They then list the soldiers by name and number for each quarter afterwards and finally when and where discharged ie dead, deserted or to pension.



      Researching Irish families: FARMER, McBRIDE McQUADE, McQUAID, KIRK, SANDS/SANAHAN (Cork), BARR,

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      • #4
        I have seen on another forum that three early holders of the VC were only 12 at the time it was awarded in the 1860s...
        My own recollection is that boys could enlist but not for fighting.. some were drummer boys others buglers or runners etc
        My father had to falsify his year of birth show he was 18 in the 1930s.
        I have a Samuel Palmer born 1795 in Long Sutton, Somerset who served with the 1st Regiment of Foot 1810 to 1835.. On the census he has a wife born in Portugal so possibly married on his travels
        Last edited by colin taylor; 19-04-11, 13:28.

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        • #5
          Many lied about their age and so joined at 14 though the age was usually around 18. Remember also that if they were at an army school or Naval establishment they were deemed to have joined up so could legitimately be 14.

          Find mypast have many soldiers joining in the 1800's.

          Janet
          Last edited by Janet; 19-04-11, 14:33.

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          • #6
            Just copied this from FreeCen for 1841 in Aberdeen.

            There's quite a few privates age 15 and one Sgt at 20.


            ABBOT M 20 Private 71st Regiment Outside Census Coun
            Last edited by JBee; 19-04-11, 17:10.



            Researching Irish families: FARMER, McBRIDE McQUADE, McQUAID, KIRK, SANDS/SANAHAN (Cork), BARR,

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            • #7
              I have a gg/uncle who joined the RA in 1866 (a bit out of your time domain but I don't think much changed in the latter
              part of the 19th century). He was 19 at the time. Later in the century my g/father joined the RA in 1885 at 16 and 10 months
              and he had to add 2 years to his age as the minimum age at this time was 18 years.
              David
              Whoever said Seek and Ye shall find was not a genealogist.

              David

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