Born at Macclesfield, Cheshire, c.1824.
Enlisted at Dublin on the 10th of March 1853.
Age: 19.
Height: 5' 9".
Trade: Weaver.
Batman to Colonel Peel at Kadikoi from January to March of 1856.
From Private to Corporal: 22nd of December 1861.
Corporal to Sergeant: 3rd of March 1864.
Discharged, "by claim, time expired", from Dublin on the 10th of March 1865.
Conduct: "very good". In possession of two Good Conduct badges.
Named as "Thomas" Belfield on some rolls.
Awarded a "Special Campaign Pension", (no date shown) but it would have been in the early 1890's.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
1871 Census
1, Hare Lane, Clay Gate.
Joseph Bilfield [sic], 37, Launderer, born Leek.
Mary Ann, 55, born Thames Ditton.
1891 Census
[Address?], Thames Ditton, Surrey.
The 1881 Census shows him as aged 47, the Head of the Household (but no occupation is shown), born at Leek, Staffordshire, with his wife, Mary Ann, 60, a Laundress, born in Hare Lane, Surrey.
1891 Census
[?] road, cottage, Thames Ditton.
Joseph Belfield, 53, [no occupation shown], born Cheshire.
Maryann, 71, Wash laundress, born Thames Ditton.
Plus Boarder.
1901 Census
1, Vine Cottage, Hare Lane, Thames Ditton.
Joseph Belfield, 65, [no occupation shown], born Cheshire.
Maryann, 81, born Claygate, Surrey.
Died as Esher, Surrey, on the 6th of January 1907.
From the United Services Gazette, 19th of January 1907:
"11th Hussars — Joseph Belfield, who served in this Regiment as a trooper during the Crimean campaign, was buried in Esher churchyard on Saturday last. His wife, who died three days after, was buried with her husband. Belfield was 72 years of age."
From the Surrey Comet for the 12th and 19th of January 1907:
"There died on Sunday (the 6th) at Hare Lane, at the age of 72 years, a Crimean veteran in the person of Joseph Belfield. He had served as a trooper in the 11th Hussars and received both the Turkish and Sebastopol medals. A sad co-incidence was the death of his wife on Wednesday (the 9th) aged 88 years. The interment of the aged couple will take place at Esher parish churchyard today (the 12th) and the burial of Belfield will be observed with military honours."
"Semi-military funeral. The interment took place at Esher parish church-yard on Saturday afternoon of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Belfield, whose deaths occurred so close to one another and so reported in our last Saturday's issue. The Revd. E.J. Howe officiated at the service and at the grave- side. The coffins, which were carried side by side, were accompanied by an escort of troops from the Kingston Depot, Mr. Belfield having been a Crimean warrior. The church was practically filled with mourners. As the bodies were carried from the church the organist, Mr. Lewis Thomas, played the Dead March in "Saul." After the coffins had been lowered into the grave two buglers sounded the "Last Post." A number of beautiful floral tributes were sent."
Census information for 1871, 1891, and 1901 kindly provided by Chris Poole.