Born in Clapham, London, c.1822.
Enlisted at London on the 13th of December 1838.
Age: 16.
Height: 5' 11".
Trade: Porter.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Brown hair.
1851 Census
Piershill Barracks, Leith South, Midlothian.
Richard Rowley, 30, soldier, Private, born London.
Sent to Scutari on the 26th of 0ctober 1854, having been wounded in action at Balaclava.
Rejoined the regiment on the 3rd of February 1855.
From Private to Corporal: 21st of July 1855.
Corporal to Sergeant: 1st of April 1856.
Discharged from Cahir on the 3rd of April 1857, as:
"Unfit for further service. Suffers from swelling of the left knee joint and impaired action of the joint — the continued results of a gun-shot wound of the knee caused at the battle of Balaclava and subsequent injury to the knee caused by a fall when in camp at Scutari. Second injury to the knee caused by a fall when off duty. The condition of the knee must materially affect his earning his bread by his previous occupation of porter. Not aggravated by vice or intemperance."
Served 16 years 152 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years.
Conduct: "very good." Entitled to three Good Conduct badges if not promoted.
Aged 35 years on discharge
Granted a pension of 1/6d. per day. Living in the South London Pension District from 1857.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol.
Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, having been recommended for it on the 13th of February 1855, with a gratuity, but it is not known just when or under what circumstances.
When he applied to become an In-Pensioner at Chelsea Royal Hospital he was shown as being 42 years of age, of a "very good" character, with "no wife or family". He had previously been living at 1, Myrtle Cottages, Wheatsheaf Lane, South Lambeth, London.
He was admitted to In-Pension at Chelsea Royal Hospital on the 1st of October 1864, and died there on the 11th of August 1866.
Death registered
Richard Rowley, aged 44 years, September Quarter 1866, Chelsea.
Richard Rowley is buried in Brompton Cemetery, London, in the Chelsea Pensioners' plot. No headstone was erected.
Death registration and Census information for 1851 kindly provided by Chris Poole.