Full and half pay records

Full pay records for commissioned officers and masters, chaplains and surgeons from 1795 to 1905 can be found in ADM 24. There are name indexes to these records.  Full pay records for warrant officers from 1847 to 1894 are in ADM 22. Full pay records usually give the officers´ name, amount of pay and the name of the ship or station. From 1830 you can find the reason for leaving a ship, the officer´s or his agent´s address and sometimes the officer´s date of death.

Half pay records are arranged in three main series. The first series, ADM 18/44-67, covers the years 1667 to 1689 - all except piece 51 contain a surname index. These early records just give the name, rank and rate of half pay. The second series, ADM 25, covers the period from 1693 to 1924, of which ADM 25/3-256 covering 1700 to 1812 have surname indexes. This series gives details of service. The third series, PMG 15, covers 1836 to 1920, and pieces 1-3 and 5-7 have indexes. These records give place of residence and date of death.

Officers´ and civilians´ effects

Applications by next of kin for unpaid salaries and return of personal effects can be found in ADM 45 for the period 1830 to 1860. There is a card index to this record series in the Open Reading Room.