Genealogy Chat

I'm going sometime next week and I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing. There are three ancestors I want to research all of whom were in the military. I have regiments, approx. dates of retirement and I know that one of them at least was a Chelsea Out-Pensioner. How can I know which documents I need to order and which ones are on microfilm? I don't want to get there and have no idea what I'm up to. Are all the service/pension documents on mircrofilm? Or only some of them?? :-( I can see me spending all day there and not getting anywhere.

Hi Richard National archives are fantastic, im lucky I get to go every 6 - 8 weeks and I spend all day there! What years are you looking at with the military?

Go to their website and download the leaflets relating to military research, it will be well worth your while reading them before you go. Don't forget to take identification needed for getting your readers card, in fact read the section Visit Us, you will find it very informative. Don't expect to do too much on your first visit, whatever you want to do you will find you do not have long enough. Good luck and enjoy yourself. Jennifer

P.S - I can definitely spend a full day there and possibly two full days, depending on how it goes.

Thanks for the encouragement :-) I'm a bit nervous about going as I don't want to mess it up. I'm looking into the following people: Charles Heaven, solider in the 1st Royal Regiment of Foot. He was retired from the army by 1857, and from other dates I can work out that he retired between 1853 and 1857. William Lacey, who joined the militia in Newark c1855 and then joined the 8th Hussars soon after. Also joined the 2nd Dragoon Guards in c1857 and went to India. He was invalided home from India in c1870 after he was 'transferred to staffs' (whatever that means). John Mealey. All I know about him was that he was in the St Helena Regiment in the early 1820s. I've got the Chelsea Out-Pension records ticked off to check. And the 'Soldiers Documents' too (which I think hold the attestation forms and discharge papers). Are there any other documents that I should check? And do I have to order the individual copies of the documents I mentioned above? Or are they on microfilm??

Make sure you take pencils as no pens allowed in the reading rooms . have a writing pad too and a £1 coin for the lockers that are on the ground floor. You can leave all the unallowed things in them . Theres a good restaurant/cafeteria on the ground floor too / Have some 50p coins and tens and twenties coins too for photocopying machines. There are very helpful help desks on each floor and they will point you in the right dirction. If you find any documment refs you will have to order them . that will take a time for them then to reach the reading room. you will be given an allocation table when you order up the docs, Ask the help desks at any time . they are very knowledgable and very patient. Enjoy!! Shirley

I don’t want to swamp you but there are quite a lot of bits you can look at but you could start with the Chelsea pension papers which are in the WO97 range They are arranged in three different series: 1760-1872 the documents are arranged alphabetically by name within regiment, including militia to 1854 (WO 97/1-1721) 1873-1882 the documents are arranged alphabetically under cavalry, artillery, infantry and corps (WO 97/1722-2171) 1883-1913 there is one alphabetical sequence for the entire army (WO 97/2172-6322). For the period 1760-1854 (WO 97/1-1271) a name index has been produced which can be searched on the national archives site, where you can download a copy for £3.50 (I think) Heres the help file for the Army http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/step4.htm Most of my chelsea pensioners were discharged to pension before 1872 and I know that they are on microfilm in the search room therefore don’t need to be ordered up,( its just after 1882 where you can see the originals I thnk). This range as I said are arranged by surname within their regiments in folders on the first floor. If you have lots to copy invest in a copy card you get the copies for 5p cheaper, alternatively I take my digital camera and laptop which you don’t have to register anymore or pay to use. You will find designated areas within the reading room suitable for your camera and laptop. Don’t panic though the staff are great! and happy to spend time helping you…ps. if you go Tues or Thurs its late opening till 7pm and take your own sandwiches it can work out expensive otherwise.