Renfrewshire Militia Records

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Currie
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Re: Renfrewshire Militia Records

Post by Currie » Sat Mar 23, 2013 11:05 pm

Hello Scotsgirl, and Welcome to TalkingScot.

I couldn’t find any reference to accommodation of Scottish militia families but the south of England isn’t such a terrible distance away that they couldn’t have managed it if they didn’t like the prospect of a five year separation.

Here’s a list of Militia officers in 1809. A Lieutenant James Henderson was Paymaster of the Ross-shire Militia. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=SPQ ... 22&f=false

The Renfrewshire Militia and the Ross-shire Militia left Scotland together in 1805 and returned together in 1810. I’ve collected what I could find in the newspapers for both regiments as they seem to have more or less stuck together. I could find no specific mention of Rye but the town seems to have been right in the midst of their tramping grounds. Soldiers of a regiment weren't necessarily all concentrated together in the one town, more than likely there would be detachments scattered about nearby.

The Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday, June 12, 1805
“The march of the Perth and Renfrew militia for the South of England is stopped, the option of going by sea having been offered to them, which they accepted; transports are ordered to embark them for the Downs.”

The Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday, July 10, 1805
Yarmouth, June 27.—Arrived here a fleet of transports, under convoy of a frigate and cutter, having onboard the Ross-shire militia, to relieve the detachment of Shropshire now doing duty here, who will immediately march to Norwich.—We are happy to contradict a report circulated in a London paper, respecting the loss of some men of the Ross-shire militia at Yarmouth. A letter from an Officer of that regiment says, they experienced a great storm, but none of their men were lost. He believes some men belonging to the Renfrewshire were washed overboard, but does not know how many.”

The Morning Post (London), Tuesday, October 15, 1805
“MARGATE, Oct. 13. The Renfrew Militia marched hence for Ashford yesterday morning at seven o’clock.”

The Morning Post (London), Monday, October 29, 1805
“The Renfrew Militia arrived from Ashford and are in Deal Barracks.”

Here’s some interesting correspondence from a Corporal in the Renfrew Militia. They are at Pevensey in 1807, and before that at Hastings. http://www.grianpress.com/Tannahill/TAN ... S%2019.htm

The Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday, June 28, 1809
“The Ross-shire Militia are leaving Harwich, for Hilsey Barracks, where they are to relieve the Fife-shire”

The Morning Post (London), Wednesday, June 30, 1809
Portsmouth, June 28.
Mention of arrival of the Ross-shire Militia.

Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle etc (Portsmouth), Monday, October 23, 1809
The Worcester and Renfrew Militias will strike their tents on Southsea-Common, on Monday morning, and return to their barracks at Portsea; the sick troops from Walcheren, which occupied them having recovered, and joined their respective regiments.

The Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday, November 29, 1809
The Ross-shire militia have marched from Hilsea to Gosport.

Jackson's Oxford Journal (Oxford), Saturday, May 19, 1810
“The Ross-shire regiment of Militia and Renfrew Militia, having completed the period of five years in England, are about to march back to their own country.”

The Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday, June 13, 1810
“Two Scotch regiments of Militia are on their march to do duty in and near town—Lord Seaforth’s regiment of Highland Militia, the Ross-shire, and Colonel Dunlop’s, the Renfrew.”

Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh), Monday, February 4, 1811
“Saturday, the Renfrewshire Militia marched from Musselburgh for Pennycuick, to do duty over the French prisoners in that neighbourhood.”

Caledonian Mercury (Edinburgh), Thursday, February 7, 1811
Report of French prisoners being marched from Leith to Pennycuick under escort of Ross-shire militia.


Hope that helps,
Alan

scotsgirl44
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Re: Renfrewshire Militia Records

Post by scotsgirl44 » Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:18 pm

Thanks so much for the quick detailed reply. I'd performed a few searches on the internet but haven't found the information you have given. It certainly puts another perspective on the life of this man, who eventually became a coal merchant in Glasgow.- I hope to do some more work on this if I can get to Kew in the summer.

scotsgirl44
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Joined: Sat Mar 23, 2013 1:31 pm

Re: Renfrewshire Militia Records

Post by scotsgirl44 » Sat Oct 26, 2013 11:56 am

Amelia's birth as (Flocker) not Flockhart has turned up as 19 May 1809 in Lewes, Sussex. Common tramping ground I guess as well.

Jane.Gibson
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Re: Renfrewshire Militia Records

Post by Jane.Gibson » Thu Apr 27, 2017 4:58 pm

scooter wrote:
Sat Apr 03, 2010 9:10 pm
Hi Andy,

I've spent quite a bit of time looking at the Muster Rolls and Pay Lists relating to the Renfrew Militia of late for the period you are interested in and have researched two brothers who served from the 1790's all the way through until 1815. I know where they were for almost the entire period, how much they were paid etc. etc. I am currently compiling a summary of what I've discovered regarding various units etc. and will post here in due course. What was the person's name? I may have photographed the rolls in which they are recorded. Ultimately though, Kew will hold the possible answers you are looking for.

Best,

Scott
Hi
I've just signed on to TalkingScot in an attempt to find out a bit more about the Scottish side of the family. When he married on 22 July 1803 my ancestor was described as John Kirkwood of the Renfrewshire militia. I have read with interest the various posts on the subject providing information on the militia in general and now I'm interested in finding out a bit more about John Kirkwood. I realise your post is quite old now but was wondering if you had come across this name. I don't want to put you to any trouble so I'd be grateful if you could just point me in the right direction. Thanks

nixonclan73
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Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2017 12:47 pm

Re: Renfrewshire Militia Records

Post by nixonclan73 » Tue Jun 06, 2017 10:03 am

Good morning.
I joined Talking Scot this week and this is my first post. I have a 2X Great Grandfather, John Nixon, who served in the West Lowland Fencibles, the Lanarkshire Militia and finally in the Renfrewshire Regiment of the North British Militia. The transition from the 3rd Lanarkshire militia is unclear, but appears to be a renaming to the third North British militia. John was discharged in October 1803, due to injuries received in quelling a riot, although the Pay List for April 1803 suggests that the injury happened earlier. My question is whether it is possible for me to find out more about the deployment of the militia at this time? I am also really interested in the uniform and the equipment they might have had.

I have read this thread with interest and any help that those of you with more experience could offer would be invaluable.

Best wishes, your hopefully!

Terence.

Currie
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Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:20 am
Location: Australia

Re: Renfrewshire Militia Records

Post by Currie » Thu Jun 08, 2017 6:21 am

Hello Terence, and Welcome to TalkingScot.

It appears you have quite a collection of military information regarding your ancestor.
http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/s ... h=000&cp=0

According to this page the West Lowland Fencibles dressed as a line regiment with green facings wearing trews. It refers to a Charles Hamilton Smith illustration but I haven't been able to locate it. Possibly in his “Costume of the Army of the British Empire, 1814”.
https://web.archive.org/web/20050212135 ... enc014.htm

Some movements of the West Lowland Fencibles.
March 1794 – Quartered at Fort George and Inverness, now ordered for England.
July 1794 – Encamped at Folkstone.
April 1796 – On march from Sussex to Doncaster.
June 1796 – Marching from Chesterfield & Sheffield to Barnborough Camp near Newcastle.
October 1796 – Move to Sunderland Barracks.
September 1797 – At Newcastle, affray between WLF and Cheshire Militia, almost 30 wounded, suppressed by Dumfrieshire Light Dragoons.
Jan 1798 – At Tynemouth Barracks.
April 1798 – Left Tynemouth Barracks to return to Scotland after several years in England.
April 1798 – Arrived Edinburgh, left for West Fife.
August 1798 – Reviewed in the Green of Glasgow.
October 1798 – Marched from Glasgow for Berwick.
January 1799 – On parade at Edinburgh
March 1799 – Disbanded at Musselburgh, a number of privates enlisted with different recruiting parties that were in waiting.

The longest title I've seen for the Lanark Militia was “The Third (or Royal Lanarkshire) Regiment of North British Militia, and that was on a 1799 Gazette entry. There appears to have been several variations of that.

The Scottish Militia were reorganized in 1802. Renfrewshire did not have its own named militia prior to then. Perhaps he was moved to the Renfrewshire Militia because that was his native county.

The reorganization of the Scottish Militia in 1802.
http://archive.org/stream/countylieuten ... 0/mode/2up

I'll have a look for Lanark & Renfrew Militia movements later if I get the chance.

All the best,
Alan

nixonclan73
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2017 12:47 pm

Re: Renfrewshire Militia Records

Post by nixonclan73 » Thu Jun 08, 2017 5:23 pm

Alan,
Thank you very much for your reply. I haven't got any detail of movements. Interestingly, I came across a contemporary account in Wordery for the fight in Newcastle. I will follow up the uniform reference, thanks. You don't know by any chance where militia marriages might be recorded, as I have a wife to John called Agnes Watson and can't find a marriage record.

Many thanks once again.

Terence.

Currie
Posts: 3924
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:20 am
Location: Australia

Re: Renfrewshire Militia Records

Post by Currie » Fri Jun 09, 2017 3:24 pm

Hello Terence,

I think Ancestry and/or FMP have British Army marriage records.

Interesting info about army attitude to Militia marriage in this book (p38)
https://books.google.com.au/books?id=sa ... es&f=false

Miniature War Gamers are into uniforms in a big way. Maybe someone there or on a similar site could help. Search for Fencibles. etc.http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/topics.mv?id=17

Lanarkshire Militia movements.
January 1799 – From Ayr to Musselburgh.
June 1799 – Camped at Dunbar.
Sept 1801 – In camp at Musselburgh, attended exercise at Leith.
June 1803 – Encamped at Dunbar.

Renfrew Militia.
July 1803 – Marched from Paisley to Kirkcaldy.
Oct 1803 – In quarters at Musselburgh, Tranent, &c.
Nov 1803 – Attended military spectacle at Porto Bello Sands.

The Local Militia Paymaster etc, 1812, is interesting. The “Local militia” apparently only existed between 1808 and 1816. https://books.google.com.au/books?id=1p ... &q&f=false

All the best,
Alan

nixonclan73
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2017 12:47 pm

Re: Renfrewshire Militia Records

Post by nixonclan73 » Mon Jun 12, 2017 7:26 pm

Alan,
Many thanks. all the information is really helpful. I'll follow it up and post any findings.

Best wishes,
Terence.

nixonclan73
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2017 12:47 pm

Re: Renfrewshire Militia Records

Post by nixonclan73 » Tue Jun 13, 2017 10:29 am

Alan,
The Miniatures http: came up trumps. Apparently it is Volume 5 of C P Lawson's 'A History of the Uniforms of the British Army' that deals with Yeomanry, Militia and Fencibles. I've managed to track a copy down on Amazon. I'll post my findings.

Terence.

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