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LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

Added 05.10.11. Minor edits 14.4.14.

1553, Private James CALDERHEAD — 11th Hussars

Birth & early life

Born in London.

Enlistment

Enlisted at London on the 17th of July 1852.

Age: 18.

Height: 5' 7".

Trade: Clerk.

Service, discharge & pension

Shown at being at the "Depot, Varna", from September to January 1855 and there is no indication of just when he actually rejoined the regiment in the Crimea proper.

In hospital at Scutari from March to August of 1855.

Discharged, "invalided", from Chatham Invalid Depot on the 1st of January 1857.

Granted a pension of 6d per day for a period of 18 months.

Conduct: "good". In possession of one Good Conduct badge.

In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years.

Living in the West London Pension District after discharge.

On the 14th of May 1878 he was granted a pension of 8d. per day after having completed 21 years 1 month service — 4 years 7 months with the "Colours" and 16 years 6 months on the Class "A" Reserve. He was then shown as having been born in the parish of St. John's, London, of a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair, and being 44 years of age. He was then still living in the West London Pension District.

Medals & commemorations

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.

Further medal information archived.

Life after service

[RM: The 1851 Census shows him as born in Westminster, the son of Walter and Mary Ann Calderhead, he being a "musical instrument maker". The family household was at 3 Gt Chapel Street, Westminster. Four other children are also shown.]

By 1861 he was at 38 Admiral Terrace, Westminster, a "Military cap Maker", married to Elizabeth aged 21. No children are shown. And by 1871 he was living at 48 Vauxhall Bridge Road, his occupation now a "Painter". His wife is also shown and a son Alfred aged 9.

Death & burial

He is shown in the GRO registers as having died aged 47 in the September quarter of 1879 at the St George's Square registration district.


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