The surviving lists of Bedfordshire men who were liable for military service between 1539 and 1831
The volume contains the surviving lists of Bedfordshire men who were liable for military service between 1539 and 1831: they are held at either The National Archives or Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service (open in new windows) Many lists have not survived and the coverage for the county is uneven.
Militia lists must not be accepted as lists of men who served. The introductions to the volume and each record provide guidance on whether the men in each list were eligible or whether they served. The editor notes that the lists raise many other question. What proportion of the men balloted to serve in the militia did so? How many found substitutes? Where did substitutes come from? How long did recruits stay with militia units? When and why did they leave? Indeed, one document from the Civil War period lists men who ran away before they were clothed or armed.