Born in the parish of St. James's, Bath, c.1833, and baptised there on the 3rd of February 1833, the son of Peter Liddiard, a labourer, of Old Orchard Street, and his wife, Charlotte.
Enlisted at Cork on the 1st of December 1854.
He had previously served in the 2nd Somerset Militia from the 28th of September 1852.
Age: 19.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: None.
Features: Sallow complexion. Black eyes. Auburn hair.
Joined the regiment in the Crimea from Cork on the 19th of July 1855.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.
The muster rolls for the July-September 1858 period show him as "On Field Service" from September.
Volunteered into the 5th Lancers on the 30th of November 1864. Regimental No. 1116.
Re-engaged to complete 21 years' service at Colchester on the 2nd of May 1866.
Discharged from Colchester on the 9th of April 1875 as "Unfit for further service from chronic rheumatism. At Secunderbad in 1860 he had an attack of chronic rheumatism, probably caused by exposure on duty. He is quite worn out and unfit for any military duty. May probably be able to contribute slightly towards earning a livelihood."
Served 20 years 4 months. Abroad in Turkey, the Crimea and India, 13 years 20 days.
Twice entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Aged 38 years on discharge.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean, Turkish and Long Service medals.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Can find no trace on the Mutiny medal roll.
He was awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal with a gratuity of £5, on the 18th of January 1873.
[RM: The 1881 census returns show him as Thomas LIDIARD aged 48, born at Bath, a "Timekeeper" and living at 22 Windsor Place, London. He was married to Emily, born at Gosford, Suffolk and six children are shown; Thomas 11, born Canterbury, William 9 born Sialcot, India as was Emilie aged 6. Harry 4, Ernest 2 and Elizabeth 2 months are all shown born in London.]
1891 Census
Windsor Place, Shoreditch.
Thomas Lidiard, 57, Timekeeper, born Bath.
Emily, 48.
4 children shown: William 19, Henry 14, Ernest 12, Emily, 10.
The GRO registers show him as dying aged 60 in the March quarter of 1893 in Shoreditch registration district.
Census information for 1891 kindly provided by Chris Poole.