Born in Sunbury, Middlesex, and baptised there on the 9th of February 1834, the son of William and Sarah Shores. His father had married Sarah Elwood at Sunbury on the 13th of October 1819.
1841 Census
Parish of Staines.
William Shore [sic], 50.
Sarah Shore, 53.
Four children shown: George 15, Mary 11, Henry 8, Thomas 4. [CP]
1851 Census
Church Street, Staines.
Henry Shores, 16, Servant to Publican, born Sunbury. [CP]
Enlisted at London on the 19th of May 1854.
Age: 19.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Labourer.
Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Light brown hair.
To the Crimea from Brighton on the 8th of April 1855, joining the regiment on the 29th of April.
Transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Military Train at Dublin on the 17th of October 1857. Regimental No. 582.
Transferred to the 3rd. Battalion on the 2nd of April 1858.
From Private to Corporal: on the 30th of April 1858.
Birth registered
Sarah Shore [sic], December Quarter 1860, Farnham.
1861 Census
Military Train and Casuals, North Camp, Farnborough.
Henry Shores, 27, Soldier, Corporal Military Train, born Staines.
Catherine, 25, Laundress, born Ireland.
Three children shown: Joanna 3, born Woolwich; Mary Ann 2, born Ireland, and Sarah Ann 4-5 months, born Aldershot. [CP]
To St. John's, New Brunswick, Canada, aboard the S.S. "Adriatic", on the 18th of December 1861.
From Corporal to Sergeant: 4th of January 1862.
Reduced to Private by a Battalion Court-martial on the 23rd of June 1863
Discharged, "Limited service expired", in Canada on the 10th of August 1866. Served 12 years 6 days.
Conduct: "good". In possession of two Good Conduct badges.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
1881 Census
The 1881 Canadian Census shows a Henry Shore, aged 46, born England, married, living in the Campbellford district, Northumberland East, Ontario. He is shown with a wife Sarah and two sons. [RM]
PB: Is this the same Henry Shore(s)? If so, Sarah is presumably a second wife. His wife's name was Catherine in 1861, born Ireland, and younger than he (c.f. details given in 1901). The fact that he is cited in his daughter's marriage certificate in London in the 1870s suggests this is not our man. But other information suggests it is.
1891 Census
No information found.
1901 Census
Campbellford district, Northumberland East, Ontario.
The 1901 Canadian Census shows a Henry Shore, aged 63, married, a Gardener (Working on own account), born 22.11.1837.
His wife Sarah, 73, born 4.3.1828.
Both are described as "Colour — White", "Country or place of birth — England", "Racial or Tribal origin — English", and "Presbyterian". The year of immigration into Canada is given as 1861. Both are said to be able to read, write and speak English, but not able to speak French. No infirmities are shown. [PB]
In August 2006, contact was made with Lesley Axelrod who provided some very useful information:
"On his marriage on 19th August 1856 at Cahill Barracks in Tipperary, Ireland he described himself as 'Private in 17th Lancers, Officer's servant". He married a Catherine Murray, age given as "minor". In 1858 she had a baby born in Woolwich, in 1859 one born in Dublin, and in 1860 one born in Aldershot. In October 1861 they were living at 35 Ordnance Row, Woolwich, when one of their infants died. So they seem to have moved about sites of army activities.
In the 1861 Census he was a Corporal on the military train, North Camp, Aldershot. Can't find him (or any of the family) in the 1871 census. In 1874, according to his daughter's wedding certificate, he had left the army and was a Cab Driver. No trace of him after that. She was married by the vicar of the local poor school and I think his widow ended up in the 'House of Industry' (workhouse) in 1881 census. I am guessing he had died by then, leaving them with no pension and living in poverty."
There is a copy of the marriage certificate in the files.
1881 Census
House of Industry, Alverstoke, Hants.
Catherine Shore, widow, 46, inmate, Hawker, born Tipperary, Ireland.
Alfred William Constable was the Workhouse Master. [CP]
Death registered
The death of a "Catherine Shore", aged 54, is registered in the December Quarter 1891, Portsea. [CP]
Further Census and other information kindly provided by Chris Poole.