Lincolnshire Militia Ballot List
for Bourne - 1824

AN EXPLANATION OF THE MILITIA LISTS

Until the mid 19th century, all able bodied men between certain ages were liable for a form of conscription to a part-time armed service called the militia and may figure in the Militia Returns.
The idea was that when an emergency arose those selected or chosen abandoned their civilian occupations and became part time defensive soldiers. Until the first regiments of the regular army were formed in the 1650s and 1660s, the militia was the only way in which armed forces could be raised. During the first half of the 18th century, the militia almost disappeared until the country was threatened by France (the Seven Years War of 1756-1783). Then the Militia Act of 1757 re-established militia regiments throughout England and Wales and from 1758-62 parish constables drew up annual lists of all men aged from 18 to 50 and thereafter from 18 to 45, then drew ballots to select some men for compulsory militia service.
Those selected, the "drawn men", could delegate their militia obligation to paid substitutes. These lists of adult males by parish are known as Militia Ballot Lists and where they survive can be a most useful records for family historians. Surviving Militia Muster Rolls for the period before 1757 are generally found in the Public Record Office, London, while Militia Ballot Lists and Musters since 1757 are usually found in the appropriate county record office, at Lincoln in the case of Bourne.
Men served three years from 1757-1786 and later five, but their role was purely defensive and they did not serve overseas, apart from Ireland. In peace time they lived at home, only spending two or three weeks annually away on training.
Militia records are usually sporadic and their survival rate varies considerably. In some counties, Militia Ballot Lists were never compiled. In 1757, peers, the clergy, teachers, apprentices and peace officers were exempt from the Militia Ballot Lists but from 1758 there were no exclusions on the grounds of status or occupation. There were, however, other reasons which could exempt certain men from militia service. Men with children "born in wedlock", mostly three or four aged under 10 years before 1802, and those with any children under 14 years thereafter, were exempt. Servicemen were also exempt, as were the sick or those "labouring under infirmities". Also exempt were small men, mostly those under 5 feet 4 inches. Such "excuses" may be documented in the Militia Ballot Lists. From 1806, the ages of all men were also to be shown in addition to their occupations.
The method of selecting men by ballot was very unpopular and the cause of riots in the 1750s and the 1790s when the country was on a war footing with France. In 1829, the ballot was suspended and from 1831, the militia carried on by voluntary enlistment only.
Reorganisation of the army in the 1870s and 1880s meant that militia units were attached to the local county regiments as their third or fourth battalions. In Lincolnshire, the Royal North Lincoln Militia became the 3rd Battalion and the Royal South Lincoln Militia became the 4th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment. The militia finally petered out around 1907 being converted into the Territorial Force or Army.

PARISH OF BOURNE MILITIA LIST MADE PURSUANT TO THE
DIRECTIONS OF AN ACT PASSED IN THE FORTY-SECOND YEAR OF
THE REIGN OF KING GEORGE THE THIRD.

The names marked by an asterisk (*) would appear to be those men already
ruled out of the actual ballot, either those drawn or those able to claim
exemption for various reasons. Anyone who felt aggrieved at being selected
had the right of appeal, in this case at 11 a m on 7th December 1824
at the Bull Inn, Bourne, by order of Edward Gough, Constable.

Names returned & rank or occupation

Age

Infirmity likely to incapacitate from serving

Grounds of exemption claimed

John MAWBY, grocer

38 - -

William CURTIS, grocer

24 - -

William EMMIT, grocer

24 -

-

Thomas GLENN, groom

21 -

-

Wiliam BEMROSE, druggist 30 - -
Joseph GOODSON*, druggist 20 - Apprentice

Matthew ELLISS*, druggist

19 - Apprentice

Henry B BOUSFIELD, accomptant 1

29 - -

William BEDFORD, tailor

27 - -
Robert BULL, victualler 38 - -
John DEWEY, wheelwright 40 - -
Charles CLARK, butcher 34 - Dull of hearing
William WHERRY, grocer 21 - Balloted man
William MANSFIELD*, ironmonger 18 - Apprentice
John BANKS, brickmaker 28 - Contusion in the head
John Holmes FOREMAN*, cordwainer 2 18 - Apprentice
William GREEN, groom 35 - 3 children
Joseph TAYLOR, servant in husbandry 21 - -
John FAIRCHILD, groom 19 - -
Henry DEWEY, builder 19 - -
Samuel CRETE*, builder - - Apprentice
William MANSFIELD, labourer 24 - -
Christopher BOYER, blacksmith 28 - Lame
George PULLIN, labourer 34 - -
William TIPLER, labourer 43 - Drawn man
John SCOTCHBROOK*, labourer 32 - 2 children
Edwin FOISTER, cordwainer 29 - Broken leg
John HOLMES*, labourer 38 - Man serving
William LUNN, labourer 27 - Local
Isaac WALPOLE, labourer 23 - -
John DAMS* - - 2 children under 10
Ralf DALE, labourer - - 3 children
Daniel STEEL, thatcher 40 - -

Richard THOMPSON, cooper

28 - -
Francis PARNAM, sawyer 32 - One child
William ARNOLD, gardener 20 - -
James CHRISTOPHER, gardener 31 - -
George HITCHEN*, woodman 35 Pentioner 3 Exemption claimed
Robert BELL, maltster 22 - -
John GILBY*, coachman - - Drawn man
John MEWS, slater 32 - Dislocated hip

William PARNAM, weaver

33   Lame of foot
John WALKER*, carpenter - - Drawn man
William ANDERSON. labourer - - Serving by substitute
William CASSWELL*, tailor 19 - Apprentice
Willam CROFTS, slater 37 - Lame in his ankles
Charles TYE, blacksmith 24 - -
David BEEDZLER, brazier - - Appealed under size
William TODD, tailor - - Drawn man
John BENT, labourer 36 - -
William WILLOUGHBY, labourer 32 - Lacerated knee
Samuel WHATMUFF, tanner 40 - Cavalry
Thomas JELLEY*, miller 30 - 2 children
William BERRIDGE, shepherd 35 - -
William CROWSON, servant 23 - -
Thomas STOKES, mason 33 - -
Thomas KIRK, schoolmaster 25 - Lame
George BETTINSON, tanner 34 - -
William MUNTON, miller 37 - -
Thomas SHIPPEY, collar maker - - Holland Cavalry
George SWIFT, breeches maker 31 - -
William SMITH, clerk 18 - -
John HARDWICK, butcher 25 - -
James GIBBINS, cordwainer 26 - -
James PECK, labourer - - Local
James MORRIS, wheelwright 25 - -
William ELFLEET*, labourer - - Drawn man
William SPRECKLEY, blacksmith 23 - -
Thomas WHITE, cordwainer 25 - -
John Jennilla WOULDS, schoolmaster 40 - Drawn man
John PITTS, cordwainer 21 - -
William ROW, cordwainer 19 - Apprentice
Thomas SMITH, miller and baker 30 - Balloted man
Dixon Beedzler, brazier 36 - Diseased foot
Joseph THORP, victualler 42 - Balloted man
Willcox DRACOT, gardener 22 - -
John BALDERTON, carpenter 22 - -
Benjamin FERRABY, veterinary surgeon 36 - Ness Troop
Richard SMITH, servant in husbandry 23 - Lincoln Militia
Richard BAKER, clerk 25 - -
John HODSKIN, labourer 27 - -
James GIBBINS, ostler 28 - -
Richard ROBSON, wool comber 18 - -
Francis SHELTON, carpenter 22 - -
Matthew HEWSON, carpenter 22 - -
George CORNER, carpenter - - Man serving
Thomas SHIPLEY, butcher 25 - Under size
William BOYCE, servant 26 - -
William BARFOOT, grocer - - Balloted man
William BRINKLEY, cordwainer 42 - -
Henry STONE, stone cutter 38 Broken leg 2 children
William LENTON, butcher 20 - -
James SOLOMAN, carpenter 42 - Man serving*
John RUSSELL, mason 41 - Man serving*
William LAYTON, farmer 25 - -
Thomas SUTTON, servant 39 - -
John MERRIMAN, servant 19 - -
Thomas TAYLOR, servant 19 - -
William PALMER, common carrier 29 Dull of hearing Subject to fits
John PRINCE*, draper 19 - Apprentice
Thomas TABOR*, basket maker 36 - Balloted man
Edward SMITH, servant 38 - -
George ARSON, servant 20 - -
Charles SMITH, farmer 42 - Hernia
John SHIPLEY, gardener 22 - -
William BLANCHARD, workhouse master 28 - Fractured ankle
William NORTHERN, servant 24 - -
Robert DRAKARD, servant 20 - -
Thomas HOWITT, servant 18 - -
Edward NORTHERN, servant 22 - -
William D BELL, attorney 26 - -
Thomas MITCHELSON, labourer 22 - -
James WALKER, farmer - - Cavalry
George WALKER, butcher 22 - -
Thomas WALKER, tailor 31 - -
Francis SMITH, cordwainer 34 - -
William CAWTHORN, sawyer 35 - -
Allen BOYALL, servant 22 - -
Henry HUNT, labourer 33 - -
John SCOTNEY, labourer 36 - -
William OLLIVER*, labourer 34 - 3 children
George LEE, labourer 23 - -
John ANDERSON, labourer 26 - -
Edward MANSFIELD, labourer 22 - -
James FARRAR, labourer 34 - -
Richard PALMER, maltster 29 - -
Edward HALFORD, baker 41 - -
William EVANS*, carpenter 28 - 2 children
Robert NEWTON, joiner 29 - -
James MARRIOTT*, saddler 29 - Balloted man
William WILKINSON, whip thong maker 20 - -
Francis WRIGHT, horse dealer 24 - Cavalry
James TODD, fishmonger 38 - 2 children
John BRAY, chair turner 39 - -
Roby (Robert?) BARROW, groom 20 - -
Edward WYAN, attorney's clerk 19 - -
Robert PALMER, miller 30 - -
Thomas DICKINSON, victualler 35 - Blind in one eye
John THURLBY*, cordwainer 36 - Balloted man
Joseph SHIPLEY, butcher 20 - Spalding Cavalry
Thomas CHAMBERS, carpenter 21 - -
John BAINS, baker 24 - -
Robert N MUNTON, merchant 25 - -
Samuel SAVIDGE, plumber 30 - Stiff knee
William BANKS, plumber 19 - Apprentice
William GATLIFFE, plumber 18 - Apprentice
Thomas REDSHAW, saddler 31 - -
Richard DOUBLEDAY, saddler 19 - Apprentice
Robert WRIGHT, servant 23 - -
John ROUSE, servant 20 - -
Samuel SHARPE, servant - - A substitute
James ROW, fellmonger 33 - -
Richard SHEARMAN, schoolmaster 37 - -
Samuel ROGERS, labourer 22 - -
Robert STORY, carpenter 20 - -
Ansil WARD, labourer 30 - Dislocated ankle
Edward MAWBY, butcher 21 - Cavalry
William ALDERMAN*, baker 44 - Drawn man
Benjamin BINNS, butcher 27 - Drawn man
Daniel BINNS 28 - In a decline
William Henry PHILLIPS*, druggist - - Drawn man
John PALMER, collar maker 25 - 3 children
---- WALLISS, carpenter 27 - -
William HIBBINS, carpenter 27 - -
William WORTH, attorney 36 - -
John CHAMBERLAIN, miller 23 - -
Thomas CHAMBERLAIN, miller 18 - -
Edward ASKEW, servant 26 - -
Thomas WHITACRE, labourer 40 - Discharged 30 Regt
John WOOLLEY, wheelwright 37 - 3 children
Robert REDMILE, wheelwright 19 - Apprentice

DYKE AND CAWTHORPE

John DOVE, farmer

- - Drawn man

William REDMILE, cadger

20 - -
William PORTER, farmer's servant 22 - -
William HARDWICK, farmer - - Local militia
Joseph ANDREW, servant in husbandry 26 - -
Henry TORY, labourer 30 - -
William LUNN, labourer 38 - -
John LEE, farmer 28 - Cavalry
Richard HAYCOCK, servant in husbandry21 - -  
John FOSTER, cordwainer 30 - -
Matthew WHITFIELD, cordwainer 31 - Disabled
John MAKINS, labourer 44 - -
William HODSKIN, labourer 27 - -
John COOK, servant 20 - -
Richard MELLSOM, labourer 34 - Wounded in Spain
William KENDAL*, labourer 36 - 3 children
William GRAY, cordwainer 34 - -
John LUNN, servant 22 - -
John ROW junior, servant 24 - -
John BEASLEY, farmer 34 - -
Charles ASHBY, farmer 21 - -

1 Word now obsolete but meaning accountant.
2 A bespoke shoe maker.
3 A pentioner was a man who had been severely wounded while serving with the British Army
and was receiving a pension as a result.

NOTE: The originals of the Bourne Militia Ballot Lists can be found at the
Lincolnshire Archives under reference KQS B/10/58/4 for Bourne and KQS B/10/58/8 for Dyke
and Cawthorpe.. Some obvious spelling mistakes have been corrected in this
transcription to make easier reading. I am indebted to Tom Wood of the Lincolnshire
Family History Society for his explanation of the militia returns.

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