What does ‘Dormant’ mean on a WW1 pension record?
QWe’ve come across a First World War pension record for Thomas Raynor Stephenson, who we believe to have been gassed and was su ering from shell shock. There are no disabilities noted, but the pension states “Dormant”, not rejected.
Do you have any idea as to why this could be?
Jane White
AI assume you found the record in the collection ‘UK, World War I Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914–1923’ on Ancestry ( ancestry.co.uk). What we have here is actually a page from a ledger. The records are those of the Ministry of Pensions, which administered pensions on behalf of the armed forces.
I can’t find a service record for Thomas, but his medal roll (also on Ancestry) shows that he served with the 1/4th East Yorkshire Regiment and that he was disembodied (discharged to civilian life as a Territorial soldier). He certainly saw active service, but I can find nothing about an injury. Some records call him Stephenson and some Stevenson.
Searching the military records website Fold3 ( fold3.com) using just Thomas’ service number, , 203067, there’s a card for him, wrongly transcribed as “Thos Razuer Stephenson”, dated 1 March 1921. It appears to be a reply to a request for further information and is marked “No Trace”. There’s also a card for “Thomas Ray Stevenson”, 203067, East Yorkshire Regiment, which is surely the same man. This is confirmed by it having the same internal reference, 10722, as the ledger. Part of the card reads “Attrib” (possibly) “Reject” and “Not admitted”. This means he was not admitted to pension, and is dated 14 April 1921. Closer examination of the ledger sheet shows the word “Reject” written in pencil in the top-right corner.
It would appear that Thomas applied for a pension and was rejected, hence the “Dormant” stamp. Unfortunately there’s no record of the injuries that he thought might qualify him.