Help finding 1861 soldier record

[M.T.H]

and here's Page 2.

Mick

[sewingfooi]

The only names I see that match that list of officers in the 2nd are Russell,
Langworthy and Griffith.  Searched the 61 for some of the other officers names in the 2nd on that list and they don't come up in that Barracks. 
Dorothy

[M.T.H]

That is a bit of a blow!

Never mind,all is not lost.The 1861 census was taken on the night of April 7th,I found this in the Times of April 27th 1861.

'Yesterday orders were recieved at Chatham by Col.Jervis,commanding the 1st battalion of infantry,directing the depot of the 1st battalion 7th Royal Fusiliers,under the command of Capt.Lord.R.H.Browne,to be held in readiness to proceed from that garrison to Walmer,to join the 6th depot battalion at that station.The headquarters of the 1st battalion Royal Fusiliers are now in India.'

I think that the depot battalions were the training battalions for the regiment,but I'm not absolutely certain.

Lots of new recruits were needed at the end of the 1850's because of the losses sustained both in the Crimea and the Indian mutiny and the 1st battalion took part in both.So maybe the officers and men that were at Walmer on census night were from the 1st battalion, maybe there were some men of both battalions there,I'm really not sure,and with the resources I have it's about as close as I can get I'm afraid.Whether he was in the 1st or the 2nd battalion,I'm as sure as I can be that he was with the 7th Foot.

It is possible to find out where regiments were at any given time as the the army kept monthly returns for all regiments, but it requires a visit to the national archives at Kew.

Regards,Mick

[sewingfooi]

I can't thank you enough! You're a goldmine!
Dorothy

[M.T.H]

No problem Dorothy!

Always happy to help when I can.

All the best,

Mick

[Wendi]

Hi Dorothy & Mick

I have been watching with interest, and one other thing occurred to me, although I will say at the outset that the National Archives baffles me 

On their guide to resources, if I read it right, it says that they list men by unit and then my name between 1855-72 

Heres the link.  I was wondering how difficult, if the light of what you have found out to date, would it be to find his Service Record ?
 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/step4.htm

Wendi

[M.T.H]

I was wondering how difficult, if the light of what you have found out to date, would it be to find his Service Record ?

Hi Wendi,

A search of TNA's catalogue in WO97 for soldiers discharge documents,which is one of the first places I would usually look, won't show him because, as I understand it,they have only been indexed up until the mid 1850's so it would either have to be a personal visit to TNA or hiring a researcher as there are many other mens records in WO97 that aren't listed in the online catalogue.

Given the information we have so far and nothing else,I would be looking for him first in the records of the 7th Foot.If his papers aren't in WO97 there are other ways to put together a record of his service.I've had a look at TNA's holdings for the 7th Foot and they seem to be all there for the years we're after,most useful would be the muster rolls and description books.

Regards,Mick

[M.T.H]

A bit of useful info about the records in WO97 which contain the army papers for men discharged to a pension.

From 1760 to 1854 (WO 97/1-1271) and 1855 to 1872 (WO 97/1272-1721) records are filed by regiment and then alphabeticaly by surname.

From 1873 to 1882 (WO97/1722-2171) records are filed by group,that is Cavalry,Artillery,Engineers,Foot Guards and finally Infantry,records are then arranged by surname.

From 1883 to 1900 (WO 97/2172-4231) and 1900 to 1913 (WO97/4232-6322) all records are filed by surname regardless of unit.

Hope this helps,

Mick

[Wendi]

It is possible to find out where regiments were at any given time as the the army kept monthly returns for all regiments, but it requires a visit to the national archives at Kew.

Thanks for that Mick, a visit to Kew at least look promising doesn't it 

Wendi