LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

1305, Private Henry / Richard PILGRIM — 17th Lancers

Birth & early life

Born at Southwell, near Nottingham.

1841 Census

Church Gate, Southwell.

Joseph Pilgrim, 50, carrier.

Mary Pilgrim, 45.

Mary Pilgrim, 15.

Richard Pilgrim, 10.

1851 Census

Easthope, Southwell.

Joseph Pilgrim, 60, Retired Carrier.

Mary Pilgrim, 59.

Richard Pilgrim, 23, Carrier's son, born Southwell.

Enlistment

Enlisted at London on the 28th of August 1854.

Age: 23.

Height: 5' 8".

Trade: Butcher.

Features: Fresh complexion. Hazel eyes. Brown hair.

Service

Joined the regiment in the Crimea from Cork on the 20th of June 1855.

Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.

The musters for July-September 1858 show him as being "On Detachment at Sholapoore" during the whole of the period.

Re-engaged for 12 years' further service at Aldershot on the 5th of September 1866.

Discharge & pension

Discharged from Dublin on the 26th of August 1875, at "Own request, after 21 years service."

Served 20 years 364 days.

In Turkey and the Crimea: 10 months. In India: 7 years 1 month.

Aged 44 years on discharge. Awarded a pension of 1/1d. per day.

Conduct "good". In possession of four Good Conduct badges.

Four times entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Never tried by Court-martial.

To live c/o "The Post Office", Southwell, Notts.

Medals

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.

Can find no trace on the Mutiny medal roll.

He is shown in "General Orders" for 1876 as being awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal under the Royal Warrant of the 14th of August 1875. No medals appear to have been actually awarded in 1875 and this would explain why there is no mention of the award on his documents. His actual medal award is dated the 22nd of November 1875.

Copy of a letter regarding him from a Mr. E.W. Wheeler to the Governor of the Royal Hospital, stating that he:

"having heard of the death of Mr. Richard Pilgrim, would like to know what has been done with his medals as Pilgrim had given him his Crimean medal some time ago and was anxious that he (Mr. Wheeler) should have another."

Dated the 4th of January 1906 is the reply from the Quartermaster to the Governor that the "late In-Pensioner Richard Pilgrim had left his medals to Pensioner-Sergeant Thomas Dawson, by will", and this was the reply sent to Mr. Wheeler on the 6th of January 1906.

Further medal information archived.

Commemorations

Life after service

1881 Census

Reindeer Inn, Westgate, Nottingham.

"Richard" Pilgrim, aged 51, a Lodger, Pensioner (with no occupation), born at Southwell, Nottinghamshire.

1891 Census

Westhorpe, Southwell.

Richard Pilgrim, 60, single, Army Pensioner, born Southwell.

1901 Census

Southwell Workhouse, Upton, a civil parish of Nottingham.

"Richard" Pilgrim, aged 74, single, an "Army Pensioner", Inmate.

The Workhouse, Southwell

Southwell Workhouse, built in 1824, is now run by the National Trust as the "the most complete workhouse in existence":

"Discover how society dealt with poverty through the centuries. Explore the segregated work yards, day rooms, dormitories, master's quarters and cellars, then see the recreated working 19th-century garden and find out what food the paupers would have eaten."

[Source: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/workhouse-southwell (accessed 15.10.12)]

Other sources include:

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Southwell/

http://www.victorianweb.org/history/poorlaw/southwh.html

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/connectedcommunities/projects/southwell-workhouse.aspx

All correspondence between the Southwell Workhouse and the Poor Law bodies up to 1901 can be found on The National Archive's website.

[PB]

Henry Pilgrim was admitted as an In-Pensioner to Chelsea Royal Hospital on the 1st of January 1902, as "Is not capable of earning a living. Has Caries (diseased) bone of the left foot". He was then 69 years of age, and had previously been in the Union Workhouse at Southwell, Notts.

He was also recorded as being in possession of the Crimean, Turkish, and Indian Mutiny medals.

Death & burial

Death registered

Richard Pilgrim, aged 72, December Quarter 1905, Chelsea.

He died in the Chelsea Royal Hospital on the 4th of November 1905, aged 72 years, and was buried in Grave No. 156200 in Brookwood Cemetery. No headstone was erected.

References & acknowledgements

Census information for 1841, 1851 and 1891, and death registration, kindly provided by Chris Poole.