RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: tecumsah on Thursday 26 March 09 18:55 GMT (UK)
-
I have just discovered to my surprise on the death certificate of my great, great grandfather - born 1832, died 1893 - that he was an army pensioner (90th Regiment).
I was just wondering if anybody could give me some guidance as to what exactly the 90th Regiment was and where, if it is possible, I might be able to get hold of my great, great grandfather's service record.
-
If you have a name to give us, we may be able to give you some specific info.
90th Regt were the 90th (Perthshire Volunteers) Light Infantry. After 1881 they became the 2nd Bn Cameronians (Scotch Rifles), but you'd be looking before then.
-
Thanks for your reply, Neil.
My great, great grandfather's name was George Fogden and he was a Londoner - that wouldn't have stopped him joining a Scottish regiment, would it?
Nobody in my family knew anything about George being in the army - he was living in London in 1851 according to the census, married in 1857 and was living in Marylebone in 1861 so it would appear that if he was in the army it must have been in that six-year window between 1851 and 1857 - but that's only guesswork of course.
I'd be very grateful for any help you can give me.
-
1851 - 1854 the 90th were in Ireland.
1854 - 1856 serving in the Crimea.
1857 - U.K. then ordered to India in the wake of the Mutiny.
Isandlwana
-
George Fogden served with them in the Crimea, but isn't on the roll for the Mutiny.
So he probably left c.1856
Fits pretty well with your dates :)
-
there is also a 90th regiment of foot ,,yorkshire volunteers.....
-
there is also a 90th regiment of foot ,,yorkshire volunteers.....
Not at the right time though, mate.
They were a previous incarnation of the 90th Regt, pre-1784
-
Thanks so much Neil and everybody else who has responded. Is there any way I can find out about George's service – for instance when he joined up, what action if any he saw in the Crimea and when, and maybe why, he left the army?
-
Just one other thing if you don't mind - does the fact that my great, great grandfather had an army pension indicate that he was invalided out of the service or were all soldiers at that time able to claim a pension?
-
In his time you could get a pension for completing 12 years agreed service. After six years a man could elect to do the last 6 years in the Army Reserve. He would still be discharged after 12 years and received his pension then. If a man had a job while he was an army reservist he would often put that on the Census or BMD records, and not mention the AR. So as you seem to have a 6-7 year gap this might explain it.
If his discharge papers survive in Kew they will be in series WO97. If you cannot get to Kew, Findmypast are putting them online - due 2011.
If his papers do not survive you will find him in the Muster Books and Pay Lists (WO12). These show where he was on the first of each month, but will have to visit Kew to research these.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/step4.htm
Ken
-
Thanks km, I'm very grateful.
I'm discovering more and more each day about my family in the 19th century and increasingly they seem to be connected with the armed services - something we never realised before. But to unravel just where they were, when and for how long and with whom appears to need a visit to Kew.
Trouble is, organising that is about as costly and complex as a military expedition ...
-
The George in question is my great great great great grandfather. I have his service record. He signed on in Westminster in 1854, went to the Crimea was involved in the siege of Sevastopol and was invalided out in early 1856 with frostbite. The 90th Regiment is the Perthshire Volunteers as far as I can establish he only served during those years.