A form of conscription was used: each year, the parish was supposed to draw up lists of adult males, and to hold a ballot to choose those who had to serve in the militia. The militia lists (of all men) and militia enrolment lists (of men chosen to serve) should in theory provide complete and annual censuses of all men aged between 18 and 45 from 1758 - 1831. The surviving lists, held locally, can be very informative, giving details about individual men and their family circumstances.

Notes from the Poor Book

The Cosgrove Overseer for the Poor noted in his account book from 1796 these expenses connected with the Militia:

Buying a copy of the Militia Act    1s 6d

Expences at Towcester to carry in the List to draw the Militia   6s

Expences at New Inn per Militia Men Sworn    4s 7d

Expences to Carry the papers to the Militia Men to go to Tow'r to be Examined      7s

Expences at New Inn when Thos Ashby went to be soworn for a Militia Man   1s 8d

These reveal the initial ballot, the appeal at Towcester and the final swearing in before leaving.

In 1796 we find this entry:

paid for 31 houses at 8s 6d per house for Man for the Army   £11  18s            

This enormous amount which was raised paid for someone to represent Cosgrove in the Militia, allowing village families to rest easy for that year, knowing that none of their own would be taken away to fight. This level of expense could not be sustained, and the following year the ballot system was clearly used, even though those chosen tried to escape conscription, as shown here:

1797  Expences going after the militia men to order them to be Emboarded    7s  2d

We see the role of the Overseer of Cosgrove’s poor, in that men on parish relief were often enrolled in the militia as substitutes, paid by men who were drawn for service, but who didn’t want to go. The wives and children of these militia substitutes were often left chargeable to the parish.

1794   pd Jn Powells family substitute for Jn Jones 35 wks 21 April Ending 26 Dec at 3/6 per week    £6  2s  6d

As John Jones was one of the publicans of Cosgrove it is perhaps less surprising that the village paid a substitute for him to remain at his post behind the bar.

Northampton Mercury 14^th September 1814

The Towcester Troop of Northamptonshire Yeomanry Cavalry last assembled at Cosgrove for exercise, and after going through their various evolutions were formed in a ring on the lawn, in front of the noble domain of their worthy Captain, John Christopher Mansel, Esq., who, in the presence of a numerous assemblage of Ladies and Gentlemen of the first distinction was there presented with a cup, value one hundred pounds, by Mr Lovell, in a neat and appropriate speech, in the names of the non-commissioned Officers and privates of the troop, as a public testimony of their gratitude and respect for the uniformly handsome and judicious exercise of his command; and who returned thanks in a speech of considerable length, replete with good sense and feeling. The members of the troop were afterwards regales with good old English fare, in the most sumptuous manner possible, by their worthy Lieutenant, under a marquee erected on the spot for the purpose, and conviviality was the order of the day.