Born in the parish of All Saint's, Northampton.
Enlisted at Coventry on the 27th of October 1837.
Age: 20.
Height: 5' 10".
Trade: Last-maker.
Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Brown hair.
Sent to Scutari on the 13th of December 1854 and invalided to England aboard the "Malacca" on the 9th of February 1855.
From the Invalid Depot to Brighton on the 18th of May 1855.
Rejoined the regiment on its return from the Crimea at Cahir, Co. Tipperary, on the 1st of June 1856.
Discharged, "invalided", from Dublin on the 15th of December 1856, as "Permanently incapacitated from chronic bronchitis and general debility produced by exposure on duty and service in the Crimea."
Served 19 years 305 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 8 months.
Aged 30 years on discharge.
Conduct: "a good soldier."
In possession of three Good Conduct badges.
Once tried by Court-martial and was imprisoned from the 29th of April — 12th of May 1840.
He was granted a pension of 9d. per day.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Among the items sold from the "Middlebrook" auction at Debenham and Storr's sale rooms on the 30th of January 1908 was a silver watch (made by J. Wightman) with an inscription:
"Presented to John Farmer of the 17th Lancers by his friends at Northampton as a token of respect for his conduct at the Charge of Balaclava. 27th of June 1855."
Lived in the Northampton District on discharge, moving to Woolwich in 1860.
1871 Census
5 George Place, Woolwich.
John Farmer, 58, Labourer Dock Yard, born Northampton.
Frances, 43, London.
John, 1, born Woolwich.
Died in the Woolwich Pension District on the 29th of May 1871, aged 53 years.
He died at No. 5 Orchard Place, Woolwich, and was buried in a common grave, No 1060 Section X, on the 2nd of June in Woolwich Cemetery. His was the second of four interments in the plot. He was shown as being a "Labourer". The service as being conducted by the Rev. J. Tuffield
Census information for 1871 kindly provided by Chris Poole.