Birth & early life
Born in the parish of St. Luke’s, London. [The parish church is in Old Street, just north of the City.].
Enlistment
Enlisted at London on the 5th of May 1835.
Age: 20.
Height: 5’ 6”.
Trade: Calico-glazier.
Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Lt. brown hair.
Service, discharge & pension
From Private to Corporal 28th of August 1841.
In confinement, 21st-30th of January 1844 and reduced to Private on the 31st of January.
Discharged from Edinburgh on the 9th of February 1860, as “Unfit for further service. Labours under chronic rheumatism - general health completely broke down. The result of long service and climate and has not been the result of vice or mis-conduct. His state of health is such that it will notably affect his being able to earn a living.”
Served 24 years 274 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea, 1 year 10 months.
East Indies, 2 years 1 month.
Aged 44 years 9 months on discharge.
Conduct, “very good”. In possession of four G.C. badges. Once tried by Court-martial.
Awarded a pension of 1/- per day.
Medals & commemorations
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
To live at Keener, Co. Kerry, on discharge, but he was living in London in 1875.
Next of kin: (in 1854) Wife, Catherine, living c/o “The Swan Inn”, Carmarthen, Wales.
Editor’s note:The GRO records show a Lewis George Andrews as marrying a Catherine Evans at Carmarthen in the September quarter of 1844.
The 1871 Census shows him, aged 55, a widower and “Pensioner 13th Dragoons”, living at 3, Bond St, Lambeth. His son of the same name is shown aged 22, born at Longford, Ireland, a Butler. They were both living in the house of a George Treves. Lewis Andrews is shown as Treves's brother in law. Treves's wife is named as Mary Ann, aged 54, born at Holborn.
The 1881 Census also show a Lewis George Andrews, aged 11, born London, an orphan at the London Orphan Asylum, Watford, Hertford. This could possibly be a relation.
Death & burial
Further Information
His medals were in an American collection in 1973.
On the 9th of August 2000, his Crimean medal with four clasps, engraved naming in upright capitals to "Pte. L..G. Andrews. 13th Light Dragoons."; Turkish Crimean medal (Sardinian issue) with impressed naming to "L.G. Andrews, 13th Light Dragoons." and a small very faded photographic portrait of him in uniform, was offered in a Floyd Johnson and Paine auction held in the U.S.A. (See the 13th Hussars files for a copy of this portrait and a photo of the medals. The Turkish medal ribbon is of the original narrow type, albeit with an unofficial suspension. The rear of the photograph gave his name, and describes the Crimean medal with the comment "Given to me by Miss A. Andrews, a granddaughter of the above".)
Photographs & illustrations
For further information, or to express an interest in the project, please email the editors, Philip Boys & Roy Mills, via info@chargeofthelightbrigade.com.