Born at Market Roothing, near Chelmsford, Essex, c.1835.
1851 Census
Cow Water Lane, Writtle, near Chelmsford, Essex.
Thomas Gower, 48, Agricultural labourer.
Frances, 46.
Three children shown: Henry 22, Thomas 16, Mary 10.
Enlisted at London on the 14th of June 1854.
Age: 20.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: None shown.
Appearance: Fair complexion. Grey eyes. Lt. brown hair.
Joined the regiment in the Crimea on the 25th of May 1855.
Transferred to the 17th Lancers on the 1st of September 1857. Regimental No. 144.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.
Transferred to the 5th Lancers on the 1st of December 1863.
Re-engaged for 12 years' further service on the 5th of December 1866.
From Private to Corporal: 19th of January 1873.
Discharged from Colchester on the 13th of June 1875, "at own request, free to pension".
Served 21 years 1 day.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 24 days
In India: 7 years 80 days.
Conduct: "very good".
Never entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal and Turkish, Mutiny, and Long Service medals.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Mutiny medal without clasp.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 13th of January 1873 with a gratuity of £5.
To live at the "Ipswich Arms", Colchester, Essex.
Census information for 1851 kindly provided by Chris Poole.