Hey,
One of my Scottish ancestors was a soldier whom we understand was based at Aldershot in the early 1870s.
We have him listed in the 1871 census in the "42nd Regiment and depot 79, Aldershot". But he signed his mother’s death register in Glasgow in 1873 giving his address as the "79th Regiment, Aldershot".
I've been told by the curator at Aldershot Military Museum http://www.hants.gov.uk/aldershot-museum that it looks like he was in the 42nd Regiment perhaps either being barracked within a location that was known to be the depot of the 79th Regiment, or perhaps he was working within the regiment.
From their records for that time it seems the 42nd Regiment (1st Battalion Black Watch, Royal Highlanders) were based in South Camp from 01/01/1870 - 31/10/1871, but the 79th Regiment of foot (1st Battalion Cameron Highlanders) were not officially based in Aldershot as a whole battalion until 01/10/1873 - 31/07/1875.
I've been advised to look for his service history at the Nat Arch (which, they say, may not even be there as it may have been on of the ones lost during the bombings in WWII) as this could mean many things and, unfortunately, the do not hold any records of the depot of the 79th and why it is recorded in the census of 1871 when their returns tell them that the battalion was not based there till 1873.
I'm hoping to go to the Nat Arch in the next few weeks to follow up on a mounting pile of stuff. In the meantime, any military buffs out there who may know more than the curator at Aldershot MM?
Regards,
Ann
The 42nd or the 79th?
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Currie
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Hello Ann,
The Regimental Depots weren’t necessarily located with the main body of the Regiment. They were used for recruitment and training and various other things. There were some major changes to the Depot system right at the time you’re talking about and the following from the Scots at War site and the now defunct Regiments.org site should clarify things.
According to Scots At War
http://www.scotsatwar.org.uk/AZ/division.htm
The Brigade Depot System – Localisation 1872
The recruiting pressures of the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny led to a number of reforms in recruiting organisation. The Highland regiments, in part to continue to justify their special Highland status and Highland Establishments, were under great pressure to recruit Highland men. Until 1861 the Depots of the various Battalions were located anywhere in the United Kingdom. When the Service Companies were at home the Depots were amalgamated with them wherever they were stationed.
In 1861, to improve recruiting, a number of Depot Battalions were established and regiments of the British Army used them as recruiting bases when the Service Companies were abroad. Depot Battalion locations in Scotland included Stirling and Aberdeen, but it was by no means certain that regiments with Scottish links would have their recruiting base in a Scottish location, and recruiting parties often had to travel long distances to secure the much prized Scottish and especially Highland recruits.
The first attempt to link territory and regiments was in 1872 with the establishment of the Brigade Depot System. Regiments, often in pairs, were allocated a set Depot and recruiting area. Because much of the original recruiting of Highland regiments had been based on Clan associations this “carve up” of territory was not wholly welcomed when it was introduced.
According to Regiments.org
(For both the 79th and the 42nd Regiments)
RHQ and Depot:
RHQ: (data incomplete)
? Depot Battalion [1856-1871] (data incomplete)
57th Brigade Depot at Perth [1873-1881]
Infantry Depot Battalions
1834-1871
This depot scheme originated in 1834 as a depot battalion in England serving the East India Company armies. The British Army formed three provisional depot battalions in 1854 and twenty-one more in 1856. The Indian Mutiny saw the EIC battalion broken up to form two more, and these were soon absorbed into the British Army. Several disbanded in the 1860s, all but one of the remainder in 1871, and the last shortly afterwards. This depot system was replaced in 1873 by the Cardwell territorialisation scheme
In 1872 Secretary of War Edward Cardwell's Localisation Committee created "Sub-district Brigade Depots". This scheme, taking effect 1 April 1873, paired 141 regular army battalions at 68 numbered permanent depots. In theory at least, one partner in a pair of battalions served overseas service while the other battalion remained at the depot to recruit and train and send drafts to the overseas battalion, and at regular intervals they would change places. In 1874 these were renamed "Infantry Brigade Depots". While most of the old regimental county names were respected by creating depots for them in those counties, it was impossible to pair all battalions accordingly, and 37 of the old regiments found themselves in a "foreign" home.
Hope that helps,
Alan
The Regimental Depots weren’t necessarily located with the main body of the Regiment. They were used for recruitment and training and various other things. There were some major changes to the Depot system right at the time you’re talking about and the following from the Scots at War site and the now defunct Regiments.org site should clarify things.
According to Scots At War
http://www.scotsatwar.org.uk/AZ/division.htm
The Brigade Depot System – Localisation 1872
The recruiting pressures of the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny led to a number of reforms in recruiting organisation. The Highland regiments, in part to continue to justify their special Highland status and Highland Establishments, were under great pressure to recruit Highland men. Until 1861 the Depots of the various Battalions were located anywhere in the United Kingdom. When the Service Companies were at home the Depots were amalgamated with them wherever they were stationed.
In 1861, to improve recruiting, a number of Depot Battalions were established and regiments of the British Army used them as recruiting bases when the Service Companies were abroad. Depot Battalion locations in Scotland included Stirling and Aberdeen, but it was by no means certain that regiments with Scottish links would have their recruiting base in a Scottish location, and recruiting parties often had to travel long distances to secure the much prized Scottish and especially Highland recruits.
The first attempt to link territory and regiments was in 1872 with the establishment of the Brigade Depot System. Regiments, often in pairs, were allocated a set Depot and recruiting area. Because much of the original recruiting of Highland regiments had been based on Clan associations this “carve up” of territory was not wholly welcomed when it was introduced.
According to Regiments.org
(For both the 79th and the 42nd Regiments)
RHQ and Depot:
RHQ: (data incomplete)
? Depot Battalion [1856-1871] (data incomplete)
57th Brigade Depot at Perth [1873-1881]
Infantry Depot Battalions
1834-1871
This depot scheme originated in 1834 as a depot battalion in England serving the East India Company armies. The British Army formed three provisional depot battalions in 1854 and twenty-one more in 1856. The Indian Mutiny saw the EIC battalion broken up to form two more, and these were soon absorbed into the British Army. Several disbanded in the 1860s, all but one of the remainder in 1871, and the last shortly afterwards. This depot system was replaced in 1873 by the Cardwell territorialisation scheme
In 1872 Secretary of War Edward Cardwell's Localisation Committee created "Sub-district Brigade Depots". This scheme, taking effect 1 April 1873, paired 141 regular army battalions at 68 numbered permanent depots. In theory at least, one partner in a pair of battalions served overseas service while the other battalion remained at the depot to recruit and train and send drafts to the overseas battalion, and at regular intervals they would change places. In 1874 these were renamed "Infantry Brigade Depots". While most of the old regimental county names were respected by creating depots for them in those counties, it was impossible to pair all battalions accordingly, and 37 of the old regiments found themselves in a "foreign" home.
Hope that helps,
Alan
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Ann In the UK
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