age of enlisting?

[Plummiegirl]

I think that as said many "boy soldiers" enlisted first in the the band around age 14 and then when they were 16 they would progress to becomming full soldiers.   Of course there were always the young lads who lied about their age.  This came more to the public eye during WW1 when this subject was even raised in Parliament.  Sadly "cannon fodder" was needed and in many cases although it was known these lads were far too young to be on the front it was conveniently ignored.  Ian Hislop did a programme on this as part of his series.

But in the Navy, it was not unsual for cabin boys to be as young as 10 or 11.  And the other young boys were the Power Monkeys.  The Navy was one of the services which regularly took in very young boys.  Not sure when this practice stopped.

[ScouseBoy]

I am sure that I have read somewhere that Midshipmen in the Royal Navy could join up at age 14.

I suppose also Ships Boys could possibly be younger than that.

[Billyblue]

Plummiegirl
I think you mean Powder Monkeys.
They would have been real 'cannon fodder' the poor mites!

Carol Beth
Why not put your McMullin request on the Ireland board?
Trees might pick it up from there?

Dawn M

[Trees]

Hi everyone I have got the post but have been away for a couple of nights.
Carol Beth  its good to meet another McMullin unfortunately there are several families with the surname originating in Ireland Have you tried their military records do you have rough ages for them? We have only been able to find where Henry was from from his atestation papers and even knowing the village his actual date of birth and his father's name we have failed to find more about his immediate family. His dad was a James McMullin a shoemaker in Bellaghy, Co. Londonderry, N Ireland Henry was fighting in the Kaffir wars he joined up in 1841 the Boar war was quite a bit later.
If you find your family go back there PLEASE  let me know I think I tried the Irish board many moons ago the lovely much missed Chris did try to help but we got no where with it maybe its time to try again so many more records have become available.
Have you tried their military records do you have rough ages for them?
Good hunting with it
Trees

[Carol Beth]

Thank you for your response>  I have now found a Samuel McMullin born in Dublin C1830>  His mother was Mary Jane. Had borthers Frank and William (latter in British Army went to India).  Getting somewhere.  Thank you so much.

[Trees]

glad you are getting results
Any one know how I can find records for Bellaghy?
Trees

[Redroger]

My 2XGGF enlisted in the Somerset Militia as a trumpeter at the age of 17 in 1793. Later my mother's cousin Jack Cornwell VC was killed at the Battle of Jutland in 1916. He was 16 years old!

[Trees]

oh I remember being told  his story when I was in scouts a wonderful inspiration to all youngsters
Trees

[Redroger]

What was kept quiet was that his mother was leaned on by people Highup in the Admiralty to have his body disinterred and given a state funeral, at a time when she was grieving over the loss of her husband in the war also.