Born at Shillington [PB: presumably Shillingstone aka Shilling Okeford], near Blandford, Dorset, c.1836.
[PB: This may well be Henry and his family. See OPCDorset.org/ShillingstoneFiles/Shillingstone.htm. In particular, Shillingstone and the Army, which does not mention Henry Adams, but does refer to a number of men who fought in cavalry and other regiments, including the 4th Light Dragoons. CONTACT re HA?]
Baptism
1836, December 11th: Henry ADAMS, [son of] George & Hannah, Shillingstone, Labourer, [Minister] Edward Acton.
Transcribed by Nigel Kennard from Bishop's Transcripts, OPCDorset.org/ShillingstoneFiles/ShillingstoneBaps.htm.
1841 Census
George ADAMS, 50, Labourer.
Hannah ADAMS, 50.
Tabitha ADAMS, 20.
Phillip ADAMS, 15.
William ADAMS, 10.
Henry ADAMS, 4.
Eliz ADAMS, 13.
[All born in the county.]
[Source: 1841 Census HO107/290, transcribed by Nigel Kennard, online at OPCDorset.org/ShillingfordFiles/1841Shillingstone (accessed 20.8.2018).]
1851 Census
George Adams, Head, 67, General Labourer, b. Shillingstone.
Hannah Frances Adams, 61, b. Middlesex, London [!].
Henry Adams, 14, Scholar, b. Shillingstone.
William Palucci [sic? surely not], Grandson, 7, Scholar, b. Shillingstone.
[Source: Ancestry: 1851 Census: Henry Adams (accessed 20.8.2018).]
[PB: I wonder how Hannah Frances, born London, came to marry GA? Had GA been in the army?]
Enlisted at Dorchester on the 2nd of June 1854. [PB: WL gives 1.6.1854.]
He had previously served in the Dorset Militia from the 30th of September 1852. Regimental No. 244.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 6". [PB: WL gives 5'6 and a quarter"]
Trade: Butcher.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Dk. brown hair.
Sent to the Cavalry Depot on the 19th of July 1854.
[WL: 4Q 1854: Depot Troop; 4Q 1855: Crimea.]
Joined the regiment in the Crimea on the 5th of April 1855.
Tried by a Regimental Court-martial on the 30th of October 1855 for "making away with clothing." Sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment with hard labour, but this sentence was remitted. [WL: Released 31 Oct 1855, Cells 04-06 Apr 1859.]
Presumably went with the regiment to India in 185? since at discharge his records say he was "In India: 9 years 2 months." [PB: When did the regiment go to/return from India?]
Pay forfeited: 1 June 1859.
From Private to Corporal: 31st of October 1860.
HA is shown on the Regimental "Married roll" from the 12th of October 1862.
Next-of-kin: Wife, Mary Adams.
They had three children up to the end of March 1874: two daughters (Catherine, Oct. 1863) and Mary Elizabeth (Jan. 1870) and a son, Charles Edward (Dec. 1872).
[PB: I found nothing on Ancestry for records of these children, but it was a brief search. Might be worth trying again.]
Re-engaged at Edinburgh for a further period of 12 years' service on the 1st of June 1866.
Discharged from the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, on the 5th of June 1877: "Free, at own request, after 24 years' service."
Served 24 years 195 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 1 month
In India: 9 years 2 months.
Aged 44 years on discharge.
Conduct: "good".
In possession of four Good Conduct badges.
Eight times entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Once tried by Court-martial.
Intended to live in Manchester.
[PB: I wonder why Manchester, and whether he reached there?]
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 28th of March 1871.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, Turkish Medal and the Long Service & Good Conduct medal with a gratuity of £5.
Not recorded by Lummis and Wynn.
Not known.
Wendy Leahy, Shadows of Time website: 4th Light Dragoons Personal Records A: Henry Adams, citing WO/12/659-660, WO/12/664, WO/12/671, WO/28/216. The editors are very grateful to Wendy for allowing us to quote from her research.