©Transcribed for the Dorset OPC by Joy Waters
Milton and Pierston are within the Gillingham tything
Militia List 1798
Dorset History Centre
The Dorset History Centre provides the following background on these records:
English militias were part-time military units established at the county level for home defence. After a dormant period following the Civil War, they were reinstated by the 1757 Militia Act. When volunteers proved insufficient, a parish selected men by ballot. These men then either served or found a substitute to take their place.
The Lord Lieutenant for each county was responsible for arming, training and mustering able-bodied men. When the Militia was raised, each county was given a quota of men and the Lord Lieutenant would allocate this number between the hundreds in his county.
Lists of able-bodied men between 18 and 50 (after 1762 the age was lowered to 45) in each tithing were drawn up and from these lists the names of those who were to serve in the militia were selected by ballot. Ministers of Religion, apprentices, doctors and parish officers were exempt from militia service.
Militia list 1798
for Milton and Pierston
A true list of all persons usually and at this time dwelling within the Parish Tything, or place of Milton and Preston between the ages of 18 and 45 distinguishing their Ranks and Occupations, Family, Size, Exemptions and Infirmities. Dated the 17 th day of November 1798
| Name | Rank or Occupation | Wife | Children | Size | Size | Exemptions or Infirmities |
| <10yrs | Ft | Ins | ||||
| Jno. Matthews | Yeoman | 5 | 10 | |||
| Wm. Cave | Yeoman | 5 | 5 | |||
| Geo. Hedditch | Yeoman | 5 | 10 | |||
| 5 | 6 | in Cavalry | ||||
| Lawrence Hooper | Yeoman | 5 | 7 | |||
| Harry Doggrell | Yeoman | 5 | 6 | |||
| Robert Jupe | Tick Manufacturer | 5 | 6 | |||
| Stephen Bull | Labourer | 5 | 5 | |||
| William Mitchell | Tick Manufacturer | 5 | 10 | dangerously ill | ||
| Jno. Mitchell | Tick Manufacturer | 5 | 8 | |||
| Illegible | Illegible | 5 | 2 | |||
| Thos Gray | Illegible | 5 | 5 | |||
| Illegible | Illegible | 5 | 6 | |||
| William Car**** | Smith | 5 | 10 | |||
| Harry Gray? | Cordwainer | 5 | 6 | |||
| Edward Coward | Baker | 5 | 4 | |||
| Edmund Snook | Labourer | 5 | 5 | |||
| Charles Bartlett | Labourer | 5 | 6 | |||
| Edward Toogood | Labourer | 5 | 5 | |||
| Wm. Hedditch | Yeoman | 5 | 5 | |||
| Barnard Hedditch | Yeoman | 5 | 5 | |||
| Thos. Butt | Labourer | 5 | 4 | |||
| Harry Butt | Labourer | 5 | 5 | |||
| 5 | 2 | |||||
| 5 | 6 | |||||
| Geo. Hedditch | Labourer | 5 | 6 | |||
| 5 | 5 | in Cavalry | ||||
| Jno. Hedditch | Yeoman | 5 | 4 | |||
| J? Shepherd | Weaver | 5 | 6 | |||
| 5 | 5 | shoulder slips out |
All persons who think themselves aggrieved by their names being inserted on this list, or by the omission of others, may make their appeal at the Swan Inn, Sturminster Newton on Thursday next the 22 nd of this inst. At 10 o'clock in the forenoon as no appeal will be afterwards heard.
Thomas Matthews
Tythingman Militia List 1798
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