This was sent to the 'bounce' address so I'm forwarding it to the list. Do not reply to me, please -- I'm only forwarding it. Judith Werner Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Administrator, OLD-ENGLISH http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/ ----- Original Message ----- From: <eve@varneys.org.uk> To: "A Lee" <alee231@btinternet.com> Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2009 2:11 PM Subject: Re: [OEL] Irish Pay > Hello Roy > > It occurs to me that it may be worth while looking at the > constitution > of the English army in Ireland at that time. We seem to have more or > less kept soldiers in that country ever since Cromwell's time. I > think > you would know more about military sources than I do but I have a > feeling that the War Office have archives. Am I right. No the National Archives have all the older and accessible military material. The Militia, recruited for short service from men who were selected by a pin mark from a list of those in each parish liable (18-45 on pecetime). 5 in peaetime) Where possible, the pin pricked men of substance, who didn't want to go, so provided ;substitutes' and the cost to the parish was minimised. Wives and families of settled men were supported during the service. Strrictly, the militia was only supposed to serve in the county, or at most in England. If they volunteered to serve overseas (and Ireland involved crossing the water) then a slightly higher rate of rate and presumably rate of family subsistence was offered. I think it is likely that Barker was simply one of the militia, maybe not originally listed because he was a substitute.