Born in Glasgow, Scotland, on the 24th of December 1837.
The LDS Church records show an Alexander Adair was baptised in the parish of Barony, Glasgow, on the 24th of June 1838, the second child of James Adair and his wife Janet (nee Hadden).
Enlisted at Westminster, London, on the 22nd of December 1854.
Age: 17.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Dentist.
Appearance: Sallow complexion. Hazel eyes. Brown hair.
Joined the regiment in the Crimea on the 25th of May 1855.
Shown on a nominal roll made out at the Cavalry Depot, Scutari, on the 9th of November 1855 as being On Duty there from the 20th of August 1855.
Transferred to the 17th Lancers at Hounslow on the 1st of September 1857. Regimental No. 134.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.
The muster rolls for July-September 1858 show him as "On Field Service" from September.
Served in action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 and at Baroda on the 1st of January 1858.
From Private to Corporal: 1st of December 1858.
Invalided from Morar, India, to England on the 29th of December 1859 and sent to the Invalid Depot at Chatham.
He was at the Maidstone Cavalry Depot from the 28th of August 1860.
Transferred to the Royal Horse Artillery from the Maidstone Depot on the 1st of December 1862, joining the Woolwich Depot as a Driver, his Regimental number being 259. He later served in "C" Troop, "A" Brigade.
Appointed to Bombardier: 1st of April 1863.
Promoted to Corporal: 20th of June 1863.
Corporal to Sergeant: 1st of April 1864. He was stationed at Dublin at this time.
Transferred to "A" Brigade of the Royal Artillery on the 1st of June 1864. Regimental No. 190.
"Awaiting trial" from the 1st of December and reduced to Gunner by a Regimental Court-martial held on the 3rd of December 1864:
"A" Brigade went to India on the 10th of August 1865, embarking aboard the "Hydaspes" and disembarking at Bombay on the 10th of December. Before leaving England he had re-engaged at Woolwich for a further period of 11 years 7 months' service.
Appointed to Bombardier: 18th of June 1866.
Promoted to Corporal: 31st of January 1868.
Corporal to Sergeant: 19th of July 1869.
Discharged from Great Yarmouth as No. 38101 No. 9 Battery 2 Div. Depot Brigade, on the 6th of February 1877:
"he having claimed it on the termination on his second period of limited engagement."
Served 21 years 44 days, to count.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year and 2 months
In India: 10 years and 6 months.
Conduct and character: "have been very good". He was when promoted in possession of three, and had he not been promoted would now have had four Good Conduct badges.
His name appears once in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Once tried by Court-martial.
Not in possession of any school certificates.
To reside, "c/o The University, Edinburgh."
A Sergeant Alexander Adair of the Royal Artillery is shown on the rolls of the Yeoman of the Guard as having enlisted in October 1854. He was appointed a Yeoman on the 24th of June 1887, and died on the 24th of April 1897. This is almost certainly one and the same man.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, the Turkish medal, and the Mutiny medal without clasp.
His documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 1st of January 1876. At the time of being awarded this medal he was serving with the Norfolk Artillery Militia. He is also shown at the time as having spent 10 years and 6 months on "foreign service".
A request was sent to the East India Company's medallists that he be issued with a replacement Indian Mutiny medal (without clasp) at his "own expense" (7/6d). The medal was sent to the Treasury on the 22nd of September 1870.
1891 Census
The University, South Bank, Edinburgh.
The 1881 Census shows Adair as a Warder, aged 43, born in Glasgow, Scotland, living with his wife, Elizabeth, 28, born in England, and two children, aged 3 years and 3 months respectively.
1891 Census
2, Parks Place, Edinburgh.
Alexander Adair, 52, Warder at University.
Elizabeth, 39.
Five children shown: Elizabeth 14, Annie 10, James 9, Edward 4, Alexander 2.
[PB: No information. He is last recorded in Parks Place, Edinburgh, in 1891, where he was working as a Warder in the University.]
Census information for 1891 kindly provided by Chris Poole.