St Helena Records

St Helena was occupied by the East India Company in 1659 and the island quickly became an important link in the trading system. A plantation economy using slave labour supplied fresh provisions for the Company's ships making the homeward voyage, which normally waited for each other at the island before forming convoy for the last, and often most hazardous, stage of the journey. However, the evolution of convoys for the Atlantic approaches was interrupted in 1672-73 by a successful Dutch attack on the island, and the defences which subsequently grew up consisted of fixed batteries commanding all possible landing places, a fort at Jamestown, the main settlement, a regular garrison of Company's European Artillery and Infantry, and a militia drawn fro the planters. The Charter Act of 1833 transferred the island to the Crown from 23 April 1834 and the Company's forces were disbanded on the arrival of British Army units in 1836. The rolls listed here were returned to East India House at regular intervals by the Governor and Council of the island. Before September 1813 the rolls merely give name plus dates of new enlistments and of casualties by death, discharge or desertion, and there are separate lists of men on detached duty. Afterwards they are full muster rolls, giving age, country of origin, previous occupation, ship and date of arrival, date of enlistment, and details of previous service if it took place in India.

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