United Kingdom, Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection includes Chelsea Pensioners British Army Service Records 1760-1913. These records contain information on soldiers (but not officers) pensioned out of the British Army. The original documents are available to view at the TNA (series reference WO 97). The original images are available from findmypast.co.uk. Digital images of selected files from this series are available in TNA DocumentsOnline.

Army pension records start in 1690. Pensions were awarded for length of service, disability, or wounds to most individuals who legally left army service. Sometimes the widows or children of military men received the payments. Payments to retired officers, called half-pay, were not considered pensions. Many different types of pension records covering different time periods still exist.

Naval pension records begin as early as 1617 and give the name of pensioner, reason for discharge, and sometimes next of kin, birthplace, age, and physical description.

Widow’s or children’s pension records often include marriage or baptismal certificates in support of the claim for assistance.

These records of army service are available only for those soldiers who were discharged to pension. Corresponding records for those who left the Army for reasons other than discharge were destroyed. These records vary over time and even between soldiers. They usually include attestation and discharge documents. They often contain the reason for discharge and details on age, birthplace, and trade or occupation on enlistment. They are arranged by regiment, then alphabetically by surname for the years 1760 through 1872. The records for 1873 to 1882 are alphabetically arranged by corps (cavalry, foot soldiers, artillery, guards, and so forth). From 1883 to 1914, these records are arranged in one alphabetical series.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Timeline and Historical context
Here are some of the major conflicts that are covered by the same period as the Chelsea Pensioners' British Army Service Records

1760-1913


 * 1775 – American War of Independence
 * 1793-1802 – British involvement in French Revolution
 * 1795 – British capture of Ceylon
 * 1798 – Irish Rebellion
 * 1803-1815 – Napoleonic Wars, including the Battle of Waterloo in 1815
 * 1854-1856 – The Crimean War
 * 1857-1859 – Indian Mutiny
 * 1880-1881 – The First Anglo-Boer War (also known as the "Transvaal War")
 * 1899-1902 – The Second Anglo-Boer War

Record Content
Key genealogical facts that are found in this collection may include the following information:


 * Full name
 * Calculated or actual year of birth
 * County of birth
 * Name of parish where soldier was born
 * Age
 * Date of Enlistment
 * Name of Regiment
 * Marital Status
 * Occupation

Beginning Your Search
To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Ancestor's name
 * Place of birth
 * Approximate year of birth

Searching the Index
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

Searching the Images
Search the Collection To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Box Number" category category which will take you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s index record, select one of the links in the image box which will take you to the original record at findmypast.co.uk.

The images are available free of charge at Family Search Centers and by members of the supporting organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They are also available by subscription from findmypast.co.uk.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

Related Websites

 * Chelsea Pensioners' Service Records 1760-1913 on Findmypast.co.uk
 * British Military Genealogy - Army Museums Ogilby Trust
 * Index to pensions on theshipslist.com

Related Wiki Articles

 * British Isles
 * British Military Records
 * United Kingdom

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should also list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"United Kingdom, British Army Service Records, 1760-1915," database FamilySearch (https://ds.familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V5HP-1WL: accessed 24 April 2012), entry for Robert Elliott, birthplace Monghan, 1798. United Kingdom, British Army Service Records, 1760-1915." Images courtesy of Find My Past, London, England.