Born in the parish of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, London, c.1818.
He enlisted in the 32nd Regiment of Foot at Davenport (the regiment then being in Montreal, Canada) on the 16th of July 1836 as No. 1342. He was then 18 years of age.
"In hospital" for the first four months after his enlistment and shown as being "In military confinement from the 5th of March 1837 to the 19th."
He was discharged, "by purchase", with a payment of £20, from Davenport on the 2nd of May 1837.
Enlisted in the 11th Hussars at London on the 28th of August 1837.
Age: 19 years 3 months.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Leather-curia. [?]
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Brown hair.
The muster roll for the month of October 1854 shows no reason for absence, so he may possibly have ridden in the Charge.
Discharged from Manchester on the 4th of December 1860, "Having completed 24 years service and being recommended by the Commanding Officer."
Served 24 years 22 days. In Bulgaria and the Crimea, 2 years.
Former service of 289 days in the 32nd Regiment of Foot allowed to reckon towards pension, vide War Office Authority, dated the 22nd of December 1851.
Conduct and character: "very good". In possession of four Good Conduct badges.
Never tried by Court-martial.
Aged 42 years 11 months on discharge.
He was granted a pension of 1/0d. per day.
Intended to live at 19, Lower Eaton Street, Pimlico, London.
[PB: This was a generally very affluent area (a few yards from Buckingham Palace) — was it the home of a future employer? Or was it one of those mainly poor streets swept away when the new "Grosvenor Terminus (i.e. Victoria Station) was built and enlarged from the end of the 1850s? It may be worth exploring e.g. the Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hanover Square, The Vestry of the Parish of Saint George, here, and other sources e.g. contemporary maps, such as http://london1868.com/weller52.htm.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 29th of July 1858.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean, Turkish, and Long Service medals.