This is a page from the Naval Quota of 1795 relating to Riding Mill. The man nominated to serve in the Navy was William Leighton, native of Bywell St. Peter. Murdoch would be paid £31 10 shillings [approximately equivalent to £900 at today's value] when he entered Naval service.
As a result of the Napoleonic War, the British Government needed to raise additional seamen to assist in Naval activities. Each parish had to nominate men to serve in the Navy. These lists are commonly found amongst Quarter Sessions records. The Quarter Sessions were the quarterly meetings of Justices of the Peace who met to hear some criminal cases and to deal with some local administrative issues. These, and other records of the Northumberland Quarter Sessions are held by Northumberland Archives Service.
