Soldiers & the 1871 Census .....

[joette]

Anybody help please? My GGrandfather was orphaned in 1867 at the age of eleven/twelve.He went into the Army as a boy soldier. I have no idea re Regiments etc. By 1881 he is a Mason & living New Kilpatrick.
He was born Dollar & living there when his father died.Are there any local regiments assoc. with Dollar?
I am pretty sure he is probably in the Army still in 1871.Were they enumerated seperately from the general pop.? There are 14 John Waddell's of the right age but no indication of military connection.Is there any way of guessing a military connection e.g. if I saw Glencorse I would think of the Barracks there.?
Or is it trawl through them all in hope I strike lucky?Anyway of finding his military record or is it too long ago?

[Tracey]

Hello Joette

These are the only John Waddell,s found so far on The National Archives

WO 97/340/63 JOHN WADDLE alias JOHN WADDELL Born GOVAN, Lanarkshire Served in 12th Foot Regiment Discharged aged 45 1809-1831
WO 97/1124/333 JOHN WADDLE alias JOHN WADDELL Born DALKEITH, Midlothian Served in Louth Fencibles; 3rd Royal Veteran Battalion; 21st Foot Regiment Discharged aged 45 Covering date gives year of discharge. 1816
WO 121/186/155 JOHN WADDELL alias JOHN WADDLE Born GLASGOW, Lanarkshire Served in 3rd Royal Veteran Battalion; 21st Foot Regiment; other regiment(s) unspecified Discharged aged 39 after 17 years 7 months of service Residence or place where pension paid stated in document. 1816

Not sure they are much help though

Tracey

[AndrewP]

I am pretty sure he is probably in the Army still in 1871.Were they enumerated seperately from the general pop.?

In the censuses, barracks were treated as institutions (in the same manner as hospitals, jails, orphans' homes and the like). The institutions are in the censuses treated as an enumeration district in their own rights.

The institution enumeration forms were similar to the ones used for households, except that there was no column for the address. That wasn't necessary as the address (eg. Glencorse Barracks) would be given on the front page of the census. On SP there is an option to see the census book front pages (free, I think) so that you can find the name of an institution, or the description of an enumeration district. Usually a page in an institution enumeration book is a continuous list of names, rather than the usual family groups.

Soldiers in barracks should be in the SP index in the same manner as any other person.

All the best,

Andrew Paterson

[joette]

Thanks for that just thought if I found him on the Census & he was still in the Army would know a little more about his life.
He must have been a strong character.I can't imagine my twelve year old charge being out on his own.I fret when he is late home from school imagining all sorts.They are very well taken care of both physically & emotionally.Hard to imagine a wee boy without his family amongst the Military who would have been tough cookies.
Any idea what sort of period they would have signed on for as he was a Mason by 1881 & I am supposing an apprenticeship of four/five years?
Would the Army have started him off in his trade? I don't think this as there is a strong contingent of Mason's amongst his brothers/in-laws.

[DavidWW]

....snipped ..........I can't imagine my twelve year old charge being out on his own.I fret when he is late home from school imagining all sorts.They are very well taken care of both physically & emotionally.Hard to imagine a wee boy without his family amongst the Military who would have been tough cookies.

Not unusual for 12 year olds to sign on as drummer boys in the army, or powder monkeys in the navy .................

Any idea what sort of period they would have signed on for as he was a Mason by 1881 & I am supposing an apprenticeship of four/five years?

Have a looks at www.regiments.org ......... somewhere round about that time the terms of services changed from unlimited, - they were discharged when unfit through wounds or deteriorating health, - to 12 years (7 active service/5 in the Reserve).

....Would the Army have started him off in his trade? I don't think this as there is a strong contingent of Mason's amongst his brothers/in-laws.

Unlikely.

David

[StewL]

Joette

Even in the 1930's boys started work early, my late father left school and went to work in 1933 aged about 11/12 after his father died. He was the eldest living of the family. I beleive he went to work in an uncles monumental works.