Born in Paris on the 29th of September 1826, the son of John Henry Puget, Esq., of Pointer's Grove, Totteridge, Hertfordshire, and his wife, Isabella, daughter of Frederick Hawkins, a Judge in India.
Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, B.A. (1849), M.A. (1854), F.R.G.S.
Cornet in the 15th Hussars: 12th of September 1845.
Lieutenant: 15th Hussars: 15th of October 1851.
On to half-pay (on the Reduction of the Regiment following its return to England from the East Indies): 22nd of August 1854.
Lieutenant in the 8th Hussars: 21st of December 1854.
"Horse Guards
9th February 1855.
Sir, — I have to acknowledge your letter of the 5th inst, and to acquaint that the General Commanding-in-Chief declines to grant you leave of absence and you are therefore to be expected to join the Depot of the 8th Hussars at Newbridge without delay.
I am, etc., etc.,
G. Simpson, AAG.
[To:] Lieut. Puget, Totteridge.
Captain, 8th Hussars: 5th of June 1857.
Major, 8th Hussars: 21st of February 1865.
Lieutenant-Colonel and assumed the command of the Regiment: 5th of April 1871.
Retired, by the sale of his commission, on the 14th of October 1874.
Captain Puget served the Eastern campaign from the 29th of April 1855, joining the regiment aboard the S. T. "Arabia", including the Expedition to Kertch with the detachment of the regiment under Lt. Colonel De Salis on the 22nd of May 1855, and the Siege and fall of Sebastopol. (Medal and Clasp.)
Served in Rajpootana in 1858-59 and was present at the capture of Kotah and the action of Koorshana. Mentioned in despatches (Medal and Clasp).
From Brigadier Honner's despatches during the Mutiny. Mentioned for forward gallantry in Sword Encounters — action of Koorshana, 10th of February 1859. [PB: not certain of the sense here.]
Died, after a long illness, at "The Grove", Totteridge, Herts, on the 27th of October 1894, aged 67 years.
A memorial window was placed on the North wall of St. Andrew's church at Totteridge and bears the following inscription in the bottom right hand corner:
"Remember ye in the Lord, John Henry Puget, Lt. Colonel in the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars and Florence Anne [sic] his wife, of Poynters Grove in this parish, who died, the one A.D. 1894, and the other A.D. 1897."
A grave exists in St. Andrew's churchyard at Totteridge which is surmounted by a stone cross and plinth and a kerb some 12-14 inches high, that covers an area large enough for two graves.
The only inscription is that on the base of the cross, reading:
"R.I.P. In loving memory of Florence Anne Puget, widow of Colonel John Puget. Born December 23rd 1840 — Died January 9th 1897."
There are some broken shards of marble lying in the kerb area although none of these have any trace of an inscription either. Whether John Henry Puget is buried in the same grave-space is therefore not confirmed.
A memorial tablet also exists on the South wall of the church to a John and Catherine Puget — and from the dates were probably his grandparents.
He had married, at St. Paul's Church, Kensington, on the 30th of June 1863, Florence Arnie, the daughter of Anselm D'Arroyaur, Esq., of Palace Gardens, Kensington, London. The ceremony was conducted by the Reverend Capel Montgomery.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, the Turkish Medal and the Indian Mutiny medal with clasp for Central India.
Reference to the parish registers shows no entry for his burial. His wife, who also died at "The Grove", Totteridge, was buried on the 14th of January 1897.
There are apparently few entries in the registers for the periods in question — which suggests that most of the funerals took place elsewhere.
Extract from the "Barnet Press", 3rd of November 1894:
"Obituary — On Saturday last, after an illness of some months duration, but which assumed an acute form only some ten days before, Colonel John Puget, of Poynter's Grove, Totteridge, passed away.
The name of Puget is so widely known and has been for so many years associated with good works in Totteridge and the district that the news of the sad event must cause a feeling of profound sorrow throughout a large portion of the wide district in which the "Barnet Herald" is read.
He was born in Brighton [sic] in 1827, later selecting the Army for his profession and served with the 8th Hussars in the Crimea from the 28th of April to November of 1855, taking part in the Expedition to Kertch and the siege and fall of Sebastopol, in respect of which he received the Crimean medal with clasp and the Turkish medal.
Later, in 1858-59, he served in Rajpootana and was present at the capture of Kotah and the action of Koorshandi.
He was mentioned in despatches and received a medal and clasp.
Colonel Puget later retired from the Army from ill-health. He was very much respected in the regiment as a kind-hearted impartial officer and he was, whilst serving, a strong supporter of the Temperance movement, which led to a large number of the non-commissioned officers and men of the 8th Hussars becoming total abstainers.
Born of parents imbued with the deepest religious feelings, and full of that character which "vaunteth not — is not puffed up", the late Colonel Puget showed by his unassuming life and by his practical works that he had inherited to a large degree the spirit of his parents, for he literally followed in their footsteps by carrying on with the various organisations set on foot by them.
An earnest evangelical worker, his large heart and wide sympathies caused him to find congenial work amongst almost any body of Christians, and it is well known the Congregationalist and the Plymouth Brethren received an equal helping hand from him.
He was a devoted advocate of the Trinitarian Bible Society, — a Society established for the purpose of securing a clearer translation of the Scriptures — and he was also a liberal supporter of the London City Mission.
At Exeter Hall too, amongst the young men there he ever did a noble work leading then to a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures — a clearer exponent of which it is said would be difficult to find.
He was also an excellent Greek scholar.
The chapel in Totteridge Lane built by his revered grand-mother, received substantial aid from him until about two years ago, when it was closed.
The day-school, carried on there for many years, was an object of his constant care and liberality, and as recently as the year 1889 he had a re-union of the "old-boys" in the old school-room and liberally provided a bountiful repast and presided over the entertainment, afterwards generously providing every one present with a small memento of the event.
The school at Whetstone and the Mission Chapel in May's Lane, built by his late father, were also for many years indebted to him for support and encouragement, to his liberality and his boundless sympathy.
He also provided a missionary for Whetstone and Totteridge, built a Mission Hall in Totteridge and for some years was the moving spirit in carrying on the mission-work in the Gospel-tent erected annually in Barnet Fair field, where he frequently preached or presided over the services, to which he always invited a number of city missionaries.
He had resided at Totteridge during the last 14 or 15 years, and where his chief delight was to carry on his mission-work in the little hall built by his late father, and where he took the service on the Sunday night previous to his being confined to his room.
One of his last public acts was to preside over the anti-opium meeting in the mission-hall at Totteridge on the 10th of October last.
Colonel Puget, who was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, had married in 1863, Florence Ann, daughter of Anselme de Arroyare, Esq.
The funeral will take place today (Friday) leaving the house at 12.15 and due at the Finchley Cemetery (Islington Chapel portion) at 1. p.m.
At the special request of the deceased gentleman, Mr Herbert W. Taylor, J.P., will conduct the funeral service."
Extract from the "Barnet Press", 10th of November 1894:
"Colonel Puget's Funeral. — On Friday afternoon of last week (the 3rd.) the mortal remains of the late Colonel Puget were interred in the family vault in the Islington Cemetery, Finchley.
The funeral was very largely attended by friends of the deceased gentleman.
A Washington car, drawn by four horses bore the coffin, which was covered with beautiful wreaths.
There were also were also three-pair horse mourning coaches.
[Then follows a list of those present.]
The burial service was conducted by Mr H.W. Taylor, J.P., who was connected with the late Colonel in much of his religious and great philanthropic work. In a short address, Mr, Taylor paid a much-deserved tribute to the character of the late Colonel as a man, and a Christian.
At the conclusion of the ordinary service in the chapel, the Colonel's favourite hymn, "A day's march nearer home" (which was also sung at the funeral of Colonel Puget's father) was very beautifully rendered.
The coffin, made of polished oak, handsomely mounted with brass furniture, was made from a tree taken from the estate seventeen years ago.
It bore the inscription: "John Puget. Born September 29th 1827 — Died October 27th 1894."
[Then follows a list of wreath-senders.]
.. His widow's token was a prettily designed cross composed of arum lilies, white roses, gardenias, lilies of the valley, and white chrysanthemums. Appended to it was a card bearing the words, "From Florrie."