Born at Leather Hill, near Derby, c.1835.
Enlisted at London on the 6th of July 1854.
Age: 19.
Height: 5' 6".
Trade: Labourer.
Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Brown hair.
Joined the regiment in the Crimea from Brighton, 29th of April 1855. Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain", 8th of October 1857.
The musters for July-September 1858 show no particular service movement during the whole of the period.
In action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 and at Baroda on the 1st of January 1859.
On passage from India on the 26th of February 1862.
Discharged from Maidstone on the 31st of July 1862, as
"Medically unfit for further service. Admitted to the Regimental Hospital at Secunderbad in September of 1860 with acute infection of both eyes. Was sent to the sea-side for a change of air in February of 1861. He was then sent to Poonangolee where he improved but little. The sight of both eyes is much impaired and he is in constant suffering from chronic infection and inflammation. He is therefore recommended for change of air to England."
Served 7 years 327 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 yearIn India: 4 years 3 months.
Conduct: "good". In possession of two Good Conduct badges.
Never tried by Court-martial.
Aged 27 years on discharge. To live in Banbury, Oxon.
Granted a "conditional" pension of 8d. per day from the 19th of July 1864 and this was made permanent from the 14th of August 1865.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with one clasp and the T.M., but there is no mention of the Mutiny medal.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Mutiny medal without clasp.
1871 Census
Neithrop, Banbury.
Robert Newman, 38, Pensioner, born heather mill, derbyshire.
Maria, 25.
Two children shown: Arthur R. 5, Anne 2.
Death registration
Shown in the GRO records as dying aged 40 in Banbury during the June quarter of 1876. [RM]
Census information for 1871 kindly provided by Chris Poole.