Born at Brighton, Sussex, and christened at Telscombe on the 20th of October 1835, the son of James and Martha Carey.
1851 Census
1 Hobb Square, All Saints, Canterbury.
Martha Carey, 54, widow, Annuitant, born Essex.
Robert, 17, Painter and glazer, born Newhaven, Sussex.
Enlisted at Brighton on the 31st of October 1854.
Age: 19.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Plumber.
Joined the regiment in the Crimea from Brighton on the 31st of October 1854.
Sent to Scutari on the 17th of July 1855.
Is shown on a nominal roll of officers and men of the regiment at the Cavalry Depot, Scutari, made out on the 9th of November 1855, as being On Duty there from the 21st of July.
Sent to Ismid on the 19th of November 1855.
On the rear party when leaving the Crimea, being attached to the 8th Hussars from the 23rd of April — 15th of May 1856, and returning with them to England.
From Private to Corporal: 7th of September 1857.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.
The musters for July-September of 1858 show him as being "On Detachment to Sholapoore" during the whole of this period.
Served in action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 and at Baroda on the 1st of January 1859.
Corporal to Sergeant: 2nd of March 1859.
The India Office records show him as having married Ellen Walsh, a spinster, at Secunderbad, India, on the 16th of November 1863. He was then shown as being a bachelor, aged 28 years.
His father was shown as James Carey and hers as James Walsh. The witnesses were Edward Carroll, Michael Candle and William Wheatley. The officiating priest was the Revd. George English, Chaplain.
Appointed to Troop Sergeant Major on the 26th of June 1865.
Died at Aldershot on the 1st of November 1866.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Mutiny medal without clasp.
Died at Aldershot on the 1st of November 1866.
Next of kin: Wife, Ellen Carey, living in Brighton, and Mother, Maria [sic] Carey, living in London.
From the church records of the Garrison Church of All Saint's at Aldershot, he was buried in Aldershot Military Cemetery in Plot No. 389. He was aged 31 years at the time of his death.
The inscription on his erected gravestone is as follows:
"In memory of Troop Sergeant Major Robert Carey, 17th Lancers, who died on the 1st of November 1866 at the age of 31 years, having served 12 years in the Regiment. This stone is erected by his brother Non-Commissioned Officers as a token of their esteem."
(See photograph of this stone in the 17th Lancer file.)
Census information for 1851 kindly provided by Chris Poole.