The Royal Horse Guards

[shakel]

Hi,
I have an ancestor - John William Watson - born 1835 who was listed on the 1861 Census as being with the "Private Royal Horse Guards" - London.
Is there any way of finding out more about the Guards or perhaps finding some more information about John Watson?
Shakel

[km1971]

Hi Shakel

If you can get to Kew you can see if his service record survives in series WO97. How they are filed depends on when he was discharged - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/step4.htm

Otherwise you will have to wait for Findmypast to put them online (by 2011). If his papers have not survived you will find him in the Muster Books and Pay Lists (WO12). You will have to visit Kew to research these. They will tell you where he was month by month.

By Royal Horse Guards they probably mean the Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, which was next in line after the two regiments of Life Guards. These regiments actually lead very boring lives. They did not venture overseas between 1816 and the 1880s, and probably only served in London and Windsor.

The Life Guards wore scarlet tunics with blue facings (collars and cuffs), while the Horse Guards wore the reverse. They are the Blues of the ‘Blues and Royals’

You could also contact guardsmuseum@aol.com. They do research for the foot guards, so should be able to advise about research in the Household Cavalry. Although they will expect a donation.

Ken

[shakel]

Hi Ken,
thank you so much for that detailed information. Looks like I'll have to wait til 2011 or contact the Guards Museum, as I live in Australia.
You help is very much appreciated.
Shakel

[griz]

Give the National Archives online a search. I was able to get the Attestation papers and discharge details for my ancestor who was in the Life Guards from 1815 - 1840. They photocopied them and mailed them to me for a reasonable price. I also do not live in  the UK. :-))

[shakel]

Hi Griz
That's good news - thanks for that info - I'll have a look on the Archives - see if I can find him.
Shakel

[km1971]

I think you will find that it is only the records of men discharged before the end of 1854 that can be searched for online, and then ordered by post.

Because of the man's dates I did not give this option.

Ken

[shakel]

Oh - that's why I didn't find him.
Thanks Ken
Shakel

[Caro]

I've just downloaded the discharge papers of my 3gp James RUTHERFORD who was also at Regents Park Barracks in the 1861/71 censuses. He enlisted in Edinburgh in 1855 and was discharged aged 42 at the end of his 2nd contract, in 1876. Having thus obtained his p/dob, I cannot find his baptism (Scotlands People) (b. [November 1834] parish of Holdfast nr Haddington, East Lothian), nor find him in 1841/51.
Was there a minimum age for enlisting? Was documentary proof required as to p/dob? (Wondering if he dissembled.)
Might his enlistment attestation include next of kin, address, parents?
I've been trying to find his family for 10yrs ...
James received a silver medal on leaving (good conduct, long service, only once a defaulter) - is it possible to obtain a copy?
I cannot find his marriage - to Lydia GREEN(A)WAY of Hounslow and Hammersmith, Mddx. Were the troopers forbidden to marry?
Any help greatly appreciated.

[Dean1]

Hi Griz
That's good news - thanks for that info - I'll have a look on the Archives - see if I can find him.
Shakel

Hi,

The Guards Regiments I understand are the one section of British Army Regiments that keep a copy of their own records as well as submitting them in the way other Regiments do.   At one time there was an Archivist at Combermere Barracks in Windsor who would look things up (I have no idea whether a fee was charged - probably).   I suspect that now there is a new Guards Museum in Horseguards, London, they may well all be there now but if you are going to try this approach try Combermere Barracks first because they certainly did have them up until a couple of years ago.

Sue