Notes about the Force Register index and transcripts of entries
Names
Abbreviated first names : Josh. appears very often, and was almost certainly used as an abbreviation for Joseph rather than as the more correct abbreviation for Josiah. The names Josiah and Joshua normally appear as written in full. However the reading Josh. has been retained in this index in case the use of the abbreviation varied, unless the full name has been clarified from an entry carried forward into the following register. Other obvious abbreviations have been extended.
Surnames starting "Mc" and "O' " : Scottish names beginning "Mc-" appear in the index in exact alphabetical sequence, between names beginning Ma- and Me-, in accordance with modern usage rather than strict indexing convention. Very few names of Scottish origin appear with the alternative spelling of "Mac-". Irish names beginning "O' " likewise appear together at the start of the letter "O" sequence.
Unusual names or spellings : Some names are unusual, or have unusual variant spellings. These have been checked as far as possible, and left as they appear, although in some cases the handwriting in the index is not particularly clear.
Places
Parish : It should be noted that the column "Parish" cannot be presumed to mean place of birth, as it seems also to have been used to indicate previous residence (cross-referral against census entries confirms this). It is stated that birth certificates were presented in many cases, from which comments have been added about alternative names, parentage or place of birth. It is not known whether producing a certificate became a standard requirement and, if so, at what date. Notes about any previous service may assist in locating men from a different county.
Place of origin : The place of origin shows a very wide spread across the country, from which men had come to Staffordshire, either specifically to join the force, or having already moved to the county. Welsh surnames appear fairly commonly, as is predictable from its vicinity to Staffordshire. But there is also a notable number of men from Ireland and Scotland, the latter apparently more likely to hold higher rank. There is also a handful of men either born overseas in former British colonies, or of a different nationality, including two of Norwegian origin.
Reappointments of officers
In some cases officers left the force and were later re-appointed, again with a new number. It is quite common for some men to have three appearances in the first register, either when the register starts again, or through re-appointments or through promotions to other ranks. An attempt has been made to check whether multiple entries relate to the same person or to different men of the same name. However, it has not always been possible to do this where details are not recorded in full. Where this has been possible to ascertain just one entry appears in this online index.
Where the first register duplicates itself after 1857, or a re-appointment is made, occasionally the date of appointment given varies slightly by a month or two. This seems particularly common for the earliest appointments between December 1842 and January 1843, where the exact date had not been checked. Some of the details, particularly about departure from the Force, are also clearly incorrect, where there may have been confusion over two men of the same name, or a re-admission of the same man whose details were not checked. Some register entries have annotations to this effect, which will be included in your transcript.
The second register is arranged in a single list by date of appointment, regardless of rank. Re-appointments are noted usually against the original entry and also, from the 1890s, by an unnumbered insertion at the later date. Some re-appointments are from dates before the start of the second register, while others are for years after the end of the register.
Where the same person appears more than once, the name is written only once. If the name appears twice, it should indicate two separate people.
Other records of interest
The Staffordshire Police collection also contains other records of biographical interest, particularly the superannuation registers which record the pensions paid to men who had left the service, or gratuities paid to dependants. Dates and circumstances of death are noted, where applicable, also some comments as to poor health or lack of fitness to serve.
Last Modified:
06/08/2007 09:18:59
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