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Date	Original Topic
22nd April 2005	Queens Bounty . By Graham Mason . Can someone please tell me when this practice ceased ? , i discovered the second wife of QM Bloomfield was a recipient of this charity and then of course we eventualy had pensions and widows funds set up for widows and children ect . The Queens bounty goes back many many years of course and it`s purpose changed to assist those in need through deaths of thier soldier husbands . Of course research reveals a lot of widows re-married very quickly to either other soldiers or usually to an older man most likely financially secure . Thank you, GRAHAM .
Date	Replies
22nd April 2005	Martin Everett Graham, This has been covered before. I have not heard of the Queen's Bounty. However, a fund was set up to provide the widow and families of soldiers of the 24th with pensions. Later under the patronage of the Lord Mayor of London it was extended to cover all familes who had suffered a loss in the AZW. Many members of the Royal Family contributed to the Fund.
23rd April 2005	Peter Ewart Graham The only charity known as the "Queen's Bounty" which I have come across was as a fund for the assistance of poor clergymen. Properly known as Queen Anne's Bounty, it was created in 1704 from a fund deriving from the old First Fruits & Tenths taxation (but in reality, by that time, from Crown investments). Clerical incomes in the 18th and 19th centuries were in some cases augmented by payments from Queen Anne's Bounty, and the odd rectory and vicarage was restored or repaired after application to the fund's trustees. In 18th century archives one does often see it referred to as "the Queen's Bounty." I've not heard of a "Queen's Bounty" with regard to military pensions or charities. As a genealogist my first ports of call for general matters such as these are Simon Fowler's "Army Records for Family Historians" (PRO/TNA) or the Watts brothers' "My Ancestor was in the British Army - how can I find out more about him?" (Soc of Genealogists) and both provide full information on surviving army pension records from early times. Among these I do see a mention of the "Compassionate List and Bounty" registers covering 1858-1894 (TNA - WO23/114-123) where you may just find a reference to Bloomfield's 2nd wife/widow. I'd suggest the reference to the "Queen's" bounty was either referring to this; or was simply a rather informal or colloquial reference to a fund, or may even suggest his second wife was the widow of a clergyman. Peter
24th April 2005	Graham Mason Dear Peter, Many thanks for this in-depth response regarding my inquiry , i have come across this term before during my brief incursion into research matters . As has been intimated in other mails subjects may well have been covered before but with close on 100 other pages and heaven alone how many items removed it is hard for any newcomer to realise this . It`s a bit like a museum guide who takes round a bunch of people on Monday but come Friday is hardly likely to say " I have answered that question before " , hard as it maybe every question asked 1000 times before must be treated as though asked for the first time andperhaps if a question HAS been asked before andraised again the reference to that be given by those with a greater knowledge than mine or invite the poser of that question to contact the responder for a one to one answer, Thank you once again Peter for youe explanation , Graham.