Index to Recruits to the 44th Regiment (Essex) in 1843

A - B            C - E             F - K            L - M           N - R            S - Z

In 1843 Henry Russell Chandler joined the 44th regiment of Foot (known as the Essex Regiment) in London. He was to serve with them until the end of the Crimean War in 1857. When he left to Join the Metropolitan Police. Rising to the Rank of Inspector he retired on the grounds of ill health in 1872. He lived until 1909. I have, since my childhood, had a fascination for Henry Russell. My Grandfather, Walter Henry Chandler, (step) used to tell me stories that Henry, his Grandfather, told him, of his time in Crimea and in the Police. While researching Henry's military record I found myself with a lot of information regarding recruits to the 44th Regiment in the years 1843 - 1846, from which I constructed an index. The following pages are the start of the index, for the year 1843. I shall add the other years as soon as possible. The format of the index is, The regimental number (where issued/recorded) given, the Surname and Christian names, date recruited (day/month/year) age at time of recruitment ( in years and months eg. 17 6 is 17years and 6 months) and the town where recruited.  Source: Muster Books, 44th Regiment of Foot. The surving Muster Books of the British Regiments are kept at the Public Records Office, Kew. They can be an invaluable resource in tracking down and tracing an ancestor and his time in the army. Sometimes they contain details of men who were recruited, their age on recruitment, where recruited, height plus, for some, comments. If other doccuments have not survived, it may be possible to find information in the Muster Books. However, they cover the period from the 19th Century back, they do not cover the period of the 1st World War. A large number of Irish men joined the British Army and as can be seen from the indexes, if and  when details of their enlistment were recorded it can be an invaluable aid in finding the details of age and where they enlisted in Ireland.

Indexes Copyright Walter Eves 2001. Original material Crown copyright and held at the Public Records Office, Kew...