Genealogy Chat

I posted on Records yesterday asking for help on my Alfred Boswell someone suggested that he may have been in the Boer war and to look on the National Archives site. My problem is I don't seem to be able to understand how to use it properly can anyone offer me some advice on how to use it effectively to see if there was any Boswell's in this war.
With thanks clare

Hi Clare,

Specific records are not online, but the indexes to any collections of records are. Try A2A

Clare

If you get into the search the catalogue page, up on your right should come up Research Guides and you should go to British army and read that guide. You will be told about the WO collection which consists of original documents about soldiers. If he was discharged before 1913 and was given a pension he will be in WO97 otherwise you need to look at muster rolls etc if they have them for 1899 - 1902 and for that you will need the regiment I would think. None of these docs can be accessed on line. WO97 will have all his details and it is simply arranged by name and date - roughly 10 year blocks. I won't be going now again until the summer but if you have no luck give me a shout - it will only take a second to order the correct box of documents and check if he is there.
Jan

Thanks for the info Ivy and Jan out of intereast where would I need to go to find this info then I thought I would be able to search an index of names somewhere and then order a document. I gather from what your saying I would have to go somewhere just to find out if he was even there.
Clare

Hi Clare

The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU.

Hi Ivy, Thanks for that info still trying to work out that site still haven't managed to find any reference to W097 but will keep trying hopefully I'll get there eventually
Clare

Clare

I don't know if this site was mentioned in your previous posting. You may be lucky and find your man listed.

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/kevinasplin/home.html

Chris

Clare

On the homepage for the National Archives, there is an area at the top of the screen that you can click on to get the research guides. You then get an alphabet. Click on B (for British Army), then find the leaflet - I think it might be number 5, about Discharge papers up to 1913. The dates you'll be interested in are 1900-1913 discharges. This will give the range of references that your man's papers might be in - they are arranged by surname. This will be a WO97 reference, and you would have to go to Kew, or get someone else to go for you - they're not online. There are no muster rolls for the Boer War period.

Hi Chris,
Thanks, will take a look.
Clare

Hi Ann,
Having problems now with National Archives site keeps coming up with an error page don't know whether its me or a problem with their site it was o.k. for me earlier even though I couldn't work out how to use it.
Clare

Clare

I've just tried it, and yes, there is a problem with it!

O.K. Thanks I will try again tomorrow. Didn't find my Boswell on the site Chris suggested although I have made a note of some other Boswell's on there just in case they are connected.
Clare

Hi Clare
I just put the name of the person and sometimes where they were born in the very first search box I ever come to...then I look at the LHS and click on whatever I think is the right category...

I found this works work for me and have got some wonderful stuff.......otherwise it is all too complicated for me!

Good luck
Joan

Thanks everyone,
Finally worked it out now and got my reference numbers.
Clare