Payroll Account of Serjeant Alexander Rose, 1758

Much like today, accounting books were used in the eighteenth century for documenting military pay and other related expenses accrued over periods of time. The payroll account of Serjeant Alexander Rose, 78th Regiment, covers the period of July 5, 1757, through April 24, 1758. 

Note: Category headers and bracketed script have been added for clarification and do not appear in the original document. Additionally, it would not be uncommon to discover accounting errors as these were gentlemen who created inaccuracies the same as you and I.

[Page 2 - Serjeant Alexander Rose]

Income

To 9 Weeks Pay w. arrears and 2 weeks arrears due from y'e. 5th July to
y'e. 5th Septr.

£ 3. 3. 2

To 6 Weeks arrears at Halifax from y'e. 5th Sept'r. to y'e. 17th Oct'r 1757

£ 0. 5. 10

To 6 Weeks pay & arrears due from y'e. 17th Oct'r. to y'e. 28th Nov'r. 1757

£ 2. 1. 0

To 21 Weeks arrears due from y'e. 28th Nov'r. 1757 to y'e. 24th Apr'l. 1758

£ 1. 1. 0

[Total]  £ 6. 11. 0

Expenses

To 1 Pair Shoes & 1 Nap sack

£ 0. 6. 6

To 1 Haversack & 1 Cocade

£ 0. 1. 8

To 1 Pair Garters & 1 Sett Buckles

£ 0. 1. 4

To 1 Kilt & Small Belt

£ 0. 1. 4

To Provision at Glasgow

£ 0. 4. 8

To Spruce Beer at Halifax

£ 0. 2. 8

To 2 Cheq'd. Shirts

£ 0. 7. 0

To Y'e. Proportion of a Cooks Frock

£ 0. 0. 8

To 10 months stops for y'e. Payment Serjt. @ 1½p Month

£ 0. 0. 15

To 7 months stoppge for y'e. barber @ 2p month

£ 0. 1. 2

To mend'g. y'e. Pistle at Fairf'd.

£ 0. 1. ½

To Cash given you at Fairf'd.

£ 0. 18. 8

[Total]  £ 2. 7. 11½

[Income minus Expenses equals Cash Paid] 

To Cash Paid him as Bala'ce of y'e. Above

       £ 4. 3. ½

Halifax 17th May 1758 Recd y'e. above ball'ce in full of all my Pay &  arrears of Pay from y'e. Date of my attestation to y'e. 24th Apr. Last as witneſs of my hand

                                                                                           [signed]  Alex'r. Rose Serjt.

Source:

Major James Clephane, "Payroll account of Serjeant Alexander Rose, 1758."  Military Account Book at Halifax. NAS, GD125-34-5, pp. 8-9.

©  Jeffrey Campbell, Fraser's 78th Regiment of Foot, 2018.