We’ve just published over half a million Militia Service Records, covering 1806 to 1915, in association with The National Archives and in partnership with FamilySearch. This is the first time these records have been made available online, making it possible to learn about the everyday heroes who volunteered as part time soldiers in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The militia was the precursor to the UK’s Territorial Army and, like its modern equivalent, was made up of men who held everyday jobs, but took part in military exercises and on occasions fought for their country. The records colourfully portray what the British militia looked like, detailing the height, weight, chest size, complexion, eye colour, hair colour and distinctive marks of each recruit.

Debra Chatfield, findmypast.co.uk’s Marketing Manager, explains:
“These records provide rich insight into our past and show how the everyday man, such as your local shopkeeper, found himself fighting for his country. In the absence of photographs, these records can help you imagine what your ancestors looked like, containing details which are largely unavailable elsewhere.”

We’ve found a Butcher …
We’ve been having a look through the records and have already found a number of different occupations including shoemakers, woodchoppers, greengrocers, fishmongers, coal miners, butchers and bakers!

Charles Godfrey, for example, was a butcher for a Mr Debron in Oxford. Born in the Parish of Botley, Berkshire, Godfrey volunteered for the militia on 25th July 1887 aged 18. He served with the 3rd Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment and was recorded as being five feet four inches tall with brown hair and steel grey eyes. Godfrey’s attestation paper also reveals that he had a large mole on his left shoulder.

A section of Charles Godfrey's Militia Service Record - please click to enlarge

 
…a Baker…

We’ve also found a baker in the militia records. Charles Howard joined the 5th Battalion Rifle Brigade on 23rd August 1897 at the age of 18 years and three months. Howard had been born in Welshpool, Monmouthshire but had moved to London, working as a baker for a Mr Calland. His service record reveals that Howard had hazel eyes, brown hair and weighed a shockingly light 110 lbs (around seven and a half stone).

William Spencer, Principal Military Records Specialist at The National Archives, commented:
“It took a certain kind of individual to leave a day job as a blacksmith, labourer or barman and enlist as a part time soldier. Although the majority never left British shores, many saw active service with the regular army in places such as South Africa during the Second Boer War. Like today’s Territorial Army, the pre-WWI militia offered a way for former soldiers to continue serving their country and civilians a chance to leave humdrum jobs, earn extra money and enjoy the comradeship such services had to offer.”

…can you find a Candlestick Maker?
Search the Militia Service Records now to see if any of your ancestors signed up! Our own Marketing Executive, Amy Sell has already spotted her great-great-uncle in the records. Unfortunately, it seems he was deemed unfit for the militia on the grounds that he had ‘enlarged glands’ in his neck!

Adding to our British Army Service Records 1760-1915 collection, we have just published over 500,000 soldiers’ records in our Militia Service Records 1806-1915.

These records offer a rich source of information to the family historian, especially because attestation papers form a major part of this collection. The records were annotated until the soldier was discharged so provide full details of time in service. And, since the militia recruits were part-time, there are details of the jobs the men undertook for the rest of the time.

The Militia was a voluntary county-based part-time force for home defence. It ceased to be summoned after the Civil War but was revived in 1757, when the Militia Act established militia regiments in all counties of England and Wales. The Militia Service Records provide a record of service as they were annotated until the date of discharge. They also have information about birth date and place.

You will often find physical descriptions including distinguishing marks including tattoos. In the absence of photographs, these records are an essential tool in imagining what your ancestors were like - although some of the later records do include photographs. You’ll also be able to see the individual’s signature.

These records are brought to you online in association with The National Archives (TNA). The TNA record series number is ‘WO96’: WO simply indicates that the records were created by the War Office, the precursor of today’s Ministry of Defence.

Search our new Militia Service Records 1806-1915 now!

The Chelsea pensioners’ records form one of the National Archives’ most popular sets of records in the reading rooms at Kew, and findmypast.com, in association with The National Archives, are currently scanning the WO97 documents (Royal Hospital Chelsea: Soldiers Service Documents 1760-1913) for online release.

The WO96 papers (War Office: Militia Attestation Papers 1806-1915) documents are also being scanned and it is hoped that both sets of records will be available online in their entirety by 2011. A total of around nine million images will be made available, which will be searchable by name.

Visitors to the National Archives at Kew will not be able to access those records that are being scanned. Documents are being scanned in batches and a scanning schedule  is available on The National Archives’ site.

Was your ancestor a Chelsea pensioner?

The 1841-1911 censuses are a useful cross-referencing tool that may reveal one or more of your ancestors as Chelsea pensioners. In-pensioners are the iconic gents in scarlet coats and tricorne hats who reside at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. Census returns may indicate their Chelsea pensioner status under the ‘occupation’ column.

In other instances finding someone described as an ‘army pensioner’, or references to them being ex-army or ex-military, are all good clues that they might have been a Chelsea pensioner.

We will update the blog with further news and likely launch dates on both sets of records as we get them.