Born at Deyram, near Maryport, Cumberland, c.1825.
Enlisted at Liverpool on the 4th of February 1847.
Age: 22.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Shoemaker.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Dk. brown hair.
1851 Census
Pockthorpe Cavalry Barracks, Norwich.
William Martin, 26, Private, born Maryport, Cumberland.
Discharged from Chatham Invalid Depot on the 30th of April 1861.
"Discharged from rupture of both sides with enlargement of testicles. Injury was suffered whilst on stable duty at Preston Barracks. Also suffers from slight opacity of the left cornea, for which he has been under treatment for 18 days at Preston Barracks, Brighton."
Served 14 years 4 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years.
Conduct: "Bad." Forty-seven times entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Three times tried by Court-martial.
Tried and imprisoned, 7th of November — 20th of December 1849 and again from the 6 -16 of January 1855. This latter offence was for being "drunk and absent", and was also given 50 lashes. No record appears to be entered for the third Court-martial.
Tried by a District Court-martial on the 5th of April 1855 for "being drunk on sentry". Sentenced to 50 lashes — 25th of which were remitted — and to lose 1d per day for 30 days.
Awarded a pension of 6d. per day "conditional" for one year up to the 24th of March 1862, and this was later extended for a period of two years.
The Balaclava period muster roll states, "Sick".
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with two clasps.
Died in the Liverpool Pension District on the 20th of June 1863.
The St. Catherine's House records show him as having died in the West Derby (Liverpool) District during the April-June quarter of 1863. No age at death is shown.
Census information for 1851 kindly provided by Chris Poole.