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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Berwickshire => Topic started by: SK4SK on Tuesday 05 July 11 11:06 BST (UK)
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I'm trying to piece together the movements of the Berwickshire Militia during the Napoleonic war period (abt 1800-1815). Wondering if anyone has successfully traced one of their Berwickshire militia men during this period and can tell me where (and when) he was stationed. From my reading about Scottish militia, it appears they moved around the British Isles regularly, travelling as far away as Kent, Suffolk and Ireland.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Siroli.
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Hi Siroli.I have only just recently joined this excellent site and seen your request. I did quite a bit of work on Napoleonic Suffolk while working for a diploma and as far as I can tell wihout delving too deeply into my uncatalogued notes, The Berwickshire Militia arrived in Suffolk during 1809 and embarked by boat from Walton near Felixstowe on 29th June 1811 "to Scotland" This information comes from the local newspaper The Ipswich Journal and church registers.The regiment was often split between Ipswich Barracks,their H.Q And another barracks at Woodbridge some eight miles N.E They were probably only in barracks November until February and to limit the spread of disease they then went into bell tents on one of the heathland areas,Rushmere or Broomeswell.There is a crude sketch of the Broomeswell encampment although not neccessarily when the Berwickshires were there. The paper of April 20th 1810, mentions that a Major Moncrieff of the regiment died in Woodbridge barracks. The Dumfries Militia were here about the same time it being an army principle to station troops a long way from their homes to limit desertion. I hope this is of some help and please feel free to contact me if you think I can help. Kettleburger
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Hi Siroli,
Sorry, I can't help with the movements of the Berwickshire Militia but I have traced my ancestor, William Thorburn from Coldingham. He was in the Caithness Highlanders in 1796 until 1800 and then the 79th Regiment of the Foot from 1800 to 1816 and then received a pension. As he was a Chelsea Pensioner out-patient I found his pension details on the National Archives, Kew website. This was because he was injured at the Battle of Quatre Bras, 16 June 1815 and that meant that he missed the Battle of Waterloo on the 18th.
Rae
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Hi, I have a list of postings for the Berwickshire Militia 1803/1813.
I also have copies of 2 muster rolls for 1803 and 1809 but they are very difficult to read.
If you want any specific information I will do my best to help.
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Hi, I have a list of postings for the Berwickshire Militia 1803/1813.
I also have copies of 2 muster rolls for 1803 and 1809 but they are very difficult to read.
If you want any specific information I will do my best to help.
Some men seem to have moved from one militia regiment to another, I'm not sure why. I had a relative called Isobel Keay in my home parish of Kilrenny in Fife, who in 1801 married James Dickson, "a private Soldier in the Aberdeen Shire Militia presently Quartered in St. Andrews".
The next mention of this couple in the Kilrenny OPR is in 1809 -
"James Dickson, Soldier in Berwickshire Militia and Isobel Keay his wife had a Son born Augt. 11th 1809, and baptised on the 16th of same month named John and while out of this corner in Same Service had a daughter named Mary born July 11th 1801 and another named Janet born August 10th 1803, and were not registered at the birth owing to himself & wife being out of the place."
Tantalisingly, we are not told why James Dickson transferred from the Dumfriesshire Militia to the Berwickshire Militia, nor are we told where he was posted with the latter regiment.
Harry
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Hi Harry,
I'm sorry but my records aren't much use to you at present. My ancestor joined the 5th battalion of the Berwickshire militia in 1803 at Dunse. The muster roll for this battalion, the grenadiers and John Bathes company for 1803 don't appear to mention your relation. During 1803 they were also stationed at Ayr Barracks, Kilmarnock, Dundee and Port Seaton.
The next roll I have is 1808 for Haddington Barracks and Dumfries - again no Dickson listed.
In 1809 I only have a muster roll for drummers and fifers at Woodbridge so no Dickson there either.
It might be relevant to you, for me to say that before Woodbridge my man was stationed at Glasgow, and Edinburgh castle in 1809.
As I said, my man mainly travelled in Scotland but by 1813/14 he was also in Newcastle on Tyne and Coldstream so it might be worth your while having a quick look at in north east England for your ancestor.
I have Charles Graham,drummer and fifer with the Berwickshire militia who joined at Dunse in 1803.
If you ever come across him in your research I would be delighted to receive anything you might find. (1803/1814)
For the record, my information is from the Berwickshire Militia Muster Rolls (TNA References WO13/154-165).
Sorry I haven't been much help.
Cath.
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Thanks very much for doing those look-ups. James Dickson and his wife Isobel Keay weren't ancestors of mine, but his wife's sister Christian Keay was. So they are on the outer reaches of my family-tree.
There has been a lot of interest in militia and fencible regiments on these forums. I've posted before on Rootschat about my Fife ancestor William Myles who joined the Dumfriesshire Militia but never seems to have left his native county as his wife continued to regularly have children to him in their native parish in the East Neuk of Fife, to judge from the OPRs.
And I only know that my ancestor Thomas Welsh was a soldier in the Hopetoun Fencibles because I've read the Wanted notice about him that was published in some Scottish newspapers in July 1808, years after the regiment was disbanded. Naughty ancestors are great because they left definite traces in the records, unlike the good-living ones.
Harry
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Hi Kettleburger.
I was interested in your reference to the Dumfries Militia being stationed in Suffolk during the Napoleonic Wars. My wife's ancestor John Fraser was born March 1805 to Alexander Fraser and Mary Ritchie, who married in Fife in 1796, when Alexander was a corporal in the Dumfries Fencible Cavalry. They were disbanded before 1805, and I have been unable to find any information about Alexander or his military career. John was registered in Gt Yarmouth (not quite Suffolk, I know, but maybe your interest extends a little way into Norfolk). John had a sister born in Fife in 1803, so it may well be that Alexander rejoined the Army around 1804. On John's death certificate, Alexander is described as a "Soldier", so it seems likely that he remained in the Army. Do you know which regiments might have been in the Yarmouth area in early 1805, and what facilities there would have been for wives, especially pregnant wives?
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hi Dumork, I'm afraid my study was confined to Suffolk so I have no records for Norfolk. On more general points the fencible cavalry regiments were formed to be a deterrent to the local poor in case they followed the French example and revolted there being no organised police force as we know it. They appear to be from what we would now refer to as middle class, as to join in Suffolk you had to have a horse. There were exceptions and some well trusted lower class men had a horse provided by someone like the local vicar. Like the militia they were not classed as regular soldiers although they were encouraged to train and attend big parades with the regular units. After the first few months of hostilities, the funds raised by the public ran out and most units served in an unpaid capacity. Regarding pregnant women, they got on with it with the help of other women. All these women were classed as "camp followers" and a few were prostitutes but the majority were wives. When a battallion moved, six wives were officially allowed transport and they belonged to senior N.C.Os. In reality women who were in difficulty managed to "hitch" rides with the baggage train. There were no Scottish regiments stationed in the Ipswich/Woodbridge area 1n 1805/6. As there was no censorship in those days, it is likely that regiment movements would be mentioned in the Norwich local news paper, which might well be your best bet of linking Alexander to a regiment. Sorry I can't be of more help, regards, Kettleburger.
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Just noticed this and I'm interested in the Berwickshire Militia I have a John McAlpine who married in Haddington 1807 a Margaret Donaldson it states he was a soldier in the Berwickshire Militia I managed tofind out that they were claiming for 2 children in 1813 George & Elizabeth I've been doing this for a few years and not been able to find their births until now !!
George McCalpen baptised 11 Feb 1810 at St Mary Woodbridge father John McCalpen mother Margaret Donaldson
I don't have anything on John McAlpine/McCalpen other than his marriage the 1841 census in Linlithgow which says he was not born in the county but was born in Scotland his age was 55
If anyone can help in anyway to find out where he was born I would be very grateful
Sylvia
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I came across this morsel of information and have pasted it here in case it helps. Musselburgh, MidLothian county, had a barracks which housed 2,000 men (!)
http://www.ancestor.abel.co.uk/Inveresk.html
<<The following militia regiments were at Musselburgh in the period 1803-14:
Berwickshire Militia
Originally stationed at Port Seton, by Prestonpans. Moved ca 17.6.1805 to Musselburgh.>>
Sylann, Linlithgo in West Lothian is the next door county to Midlothian. The people of the counties would have used the river as a main street so travel was comparatively easy. If your family followed tradition John would have named his oldest son in favour of his own father.
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Thank you for your input
Yes we had thought on those lines George being named after John's father but Margaret's father was also George. and we don't know if George was the first child !
I'll look again at the George McAlpine and see if any could match our tree but if I remember when I looked before their wasn't any George McAlpine's, it was James,Donald, John
Thank you
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looking for a soldier from the Napoleonic war period named Isaac Baillie, who according to other sources of information arrived in Berwickshire around 1810. Working as agricultural labourer and previously living in Ireland where two of his children were born. His wife was Annie Hewitt. Isaac's daughter's death certificate in 1897 described Isaac as a soldier.
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The Berwickshire Militia did travel around quite a lot.
This is what I have a note of:
In 1808 they may have been at Edinburgh.
In 1810 they may have been at Haddington, East Lothian.
In 1811 they were at Woodbridge, Suffolk.
In 1813 they were at Irvine, Ayrshire.
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Thank you I will try looking around the Edinburgh area for Issac
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Good luck. I found a marriage and then 3 baptisms that suggested these places were where the regiment was at some point during these years; which also provides an insight into the way in which wives moved around with the soldiers as they were posted from place to place.
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harry, im researching james dickson and isabella keay. do you know anything else about them? hilary
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Hi - I just located my 5x great grandparents. Robert Crawford and Janet Davidson. Married in 1812 at St. Cuthbert's in Edinburgh (Canongate).
Transcription of marriage record (Old Parish Registers Canongate):
1st of January 1812 - Robert Crawford, Sergt. in the Berwick Shire Militia in Edin. Castle, and Janet Davidson in St. Cuthbert's, Daughter of George Davidson, Labourer, in Kelso(?), gave up their names for Marriage. Certified by William Davidson, Printer Caltonhill, and James Lusk(?), Sergt. in said Regt.
I am interested in learning more about Robert's service. I noticed that in some of the posts, it indicates that the Berwickshire Militia were in Suffolk at the time of this marriage. Is there any reason that Robert would not have been with them? Would there have been a reason for members of the regiment to stay behind?
Regards,
Lynne
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This site has some stray Scottish soldiers - it might help someone
https://sites.google.com/site/soldierssailersandstrangers/home
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I'm trying to piece together the movements of the Berwickshire Militia during the Napoleonic war period (abt 1800-1815). Wondering if anyone has successfully traced one of their Berwickshire militia men during this period and can tell me where (and when) he was stationed. From my reading about Scottish militia, it appears they moved around the British Isles regularly, travelling as far away as Kent, Suffolk and Ireland.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Siroli.
Hi - My ancestors, John Stevenson of the Berwickshire Militia and his wife Sally Cuthbertson had a son born in Irvine in 1812. They were married in Kilmarnock, when John is descrbed only as a soldier. Hope that is a help to you. - Arthur
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Hi CRJ45,
I have an ancestor, James Hastie, who was married in Prestonpans in Mar 1806 and he is a "Soldier with the Berwickshire Militia".
His daughter was born Mar 1807 and he is a "Private with the Berwickshire Militia".
Could you see if he appears on the muster roles and if so, any information about him would be appreciated.
Regards
Cuan Gibson
Hi, I have a list of postings for the Berwickshire Militia 1803/1813.
I also have copies of 2 muster rolls for 1803 and 1809 but they are very difficult to read.
If you want any specific information I will do my best to help.
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William ALCORN from Fogo "fell at Waterloo aged 26 years" according to his gravestone - brother/uncle/son of my direct ancestors.
If anyone knows more about him or his unit (e.g. what part they would have played in the action), or shares interest in the Alcorns, then please say hi.
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I am looking for information about Serjant Robert Todd of Berwickshire Militia, he died at Dunse in 1846 and the newspaper notice says 'serjeant-major of the Berwickshire Militia, aged 64. He entered the Berwickshire Militia as serjeant when that regiment was first raised, and had held the rank of non-commissioned officer from that period up to the present time.'
I know his wife was arrested in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1813 and he had a daughter born in Woodbridge, Suffolk in 1811, the rest of his children seem to have been born in Coldstream.
If anyone could provide me with more information I would be very grateful.
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Hi,
My ancestor George Gough (b 1773 Hampstead Marshall, Berkshire) was a sergeant in the Berwickshire Militia according to his daughter's baptismal record at Prestonpans in 1804. He later enlisted in the 25th Regt of Foot (KOSB).
(also a Sergeant as of 1814)
I am keen to discover any further information on his enlistment into the Militia and rise to rank of sergeant - I am aware that the Militia moved extensively throughout this island - did they ever come to Berkshire I wonder?
Many thanks for any help!
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20 or so years ago I looked at the Berwickshire Militia papers which are in the National Archives in Kew. Somebody had very helpfully written an account of the militia's peregrinations; unfortunately I only have to hand the details after Robert Cunningham joined up in December 1803, but I think somewhere I might have the earlier stuff, and if I find anything I will pass it on.
Regiment had been in Dundee since 23rd November. In December it left Dundee & reached Queensferry on 1 January 1804 en route to Port Seton Barracks in Prestonpans, where it arrived 4th January. It stayed there until 2nd July 1805, when the HQ was moved to Musselburgh.
Thereafter the Regiment moved as follows:
9 June 1807 to Haddington
15 June 1808 to Dumfries
March 1809 Glasgow
May ordered to Colchester; reached Edinburgh 31 May; reached Colchester mid-August (Robert promoted to Captain 4th August)
16 September Woodbridge
28 June 1811 embarked at Walton Ferry for Leith
18 July Haddington
3 September Dunbar (perhaps married Mary McLaren at around this time?)
1 December Edinburgh
18 Feb 1812 ordered to Paisley arriving 21st
8 March Ayr Barracks
2 May Irvine
16 May Ayr; his son Robert Oliver born there
15 August Paisley
January 1813 Kilmarnock
20 April ordered to Newcastle arriving late May; detachments to Tynemouth & Carlisle
15 September Tynemouth
10 April 1814 Newcastle
The Regiment was disembodied 20th August at Coldstream but Robert remained as Paymaster at the rank of Ensign from 21 August.
On 10 July 1815 the Regiment was re-embodied at Coldstream and continued:
August Queensberry House Barracks, Edinburgh
November Berwick on Tweed
7 February 1816 disembodied at Coldstream; Robert away recruiting much of the year.
Militia reassembled for training at Coldstream in 1820, 21, 25, and 1831 (& continued).
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Hi, this is a very helpful discussion, i have been trying to track movements of my ancestor Alexander Scott b.1.10.1792 in Tranent, Scotland to David Scot and Christian Rennie. He died 26.7.1861 aged 72yrs in Robertsons close, 263 Cowgate, Edinburgh.
I have his marriage on 27.9.1810 in Duns, Berwickshire to Margaret Wight of Duns, he is described "of the Berwickshire militia", which was very interesting to me after reading your posts everyone.
If possible can anyone please kindly send me the Roll calls /service records for the militia, and if anyone has any information as to Margaret Wights family that would be greatly appreciated.