Born at Leeds, Yorkshire, the son of Joseph and Sarah Pickles, and christened in the parish of St. Peter's there on the 27th of February 1817.
His father was the Vicar of Guiseley: St Oswald King and Martyr. [RM]
A "John Croft Pickles" served as No. 843 in the 11th Hussars. He was promoted to Corporal on the 1st of July 1835 and to Sergeant on the 1st of October 1835. He is shown (with the same parentage) as having been baptised on the 21st of January 1814.
Enlisted at London on the 29th of September 1836.
No other enlistment details are shown.
From Private to Orderly Room Clerk (as Sergeant) on the 18th of August 1837.
1851 Census
6, Riverside Cottages, Pockthorpe, Norwich [the regiment was stationed in the Barracks there].
1851 Norwich Census Returns show him as a Staff Sergeant Major living with his wife Elizabeth, 33, born in Perth, Scotland. No children are recorded.
RM: See further — Notts Guardian 31st July 1851 [FOR?]
He was sick on board ship for the October-November quarters, in Hospital at Balaclava on the 31st of December 1854, and sent to the General Hospital at Scutari on the 2nd of January.
On the 16th of February 1855 he was invalided to England aboard "The Alps".
He was at the Invalid Depot from the 3rd of March to the 24th of March, when he was sent "on sick furlo" to Sheffield.
Garrison Orderly Room Clerk from the 29th of April 1856.
Gazetted and transferred to the 18th Hussars as Quartermaster at Hounslow on the 23rd of March 1858.
From the "Leeds Intelligencer", 27th of March 1858:
"Sergeant Joseph Henry Pickles 11th Dragoons to be Quartermaster. Mr Pickles is the third son of the late Rev. Joseph Pickles."
[UPDATE THIS]
See the "Yorkshire Gazette", 27th of March 1858, for an expanded notice.
Marriage registered
Joseph Henry Pickles married Ann West Batchlor [sic], June Quarter 1858, Brentford .
Joseph Pickles married Ann West Batchelor at Heston Parish Church on the 10th of April 1858. He was then 41 years of age and she 20. The ceremony was conducted by the Revd. Trimmer. This must have been his second marriage, as he was married to 33-year-old Elizabeth in the 1851 Census.
RM: Extract from "Leeds Times", Sat 17th April 1858:
"Marriage: On Saturday last at Heston, Middlesex by Rev J Trimmer, Mr Joseph Hy Pickles of the 18th Hussars to Miss Ann West Batchelor of Hounslow"
Births registered
Marie Annie Prichard Pickles, March Quarter 1859, York.
Joseph Henry Herbert Pickles, March Quarter 1861, Farnham.
1861 Census
18th Hussars, Cavalry Barracks, Aldershot.
JH Pickles 44, Head of family officer, Quarter Master Army, born Leeds.
A. W., 22, Officer's wife, born Hounslow.
M.A.P. 2, daughter, born York.
J.H. 1 month, son, born Aldershot.
Birth registered.
Ada Theresa Pickles, December Quarter 1862, Brentford.
Embarked for India on the 21st of June 1864, disembarking at Bombay on the 20th of September 1864.
In hospital, with "Intermittent fever", 1st — 31st of December 1865.
"Cashiered" and struck off the strength of the Regiment on the 9th of April 1870.
The charge at his Court-martial held at Secunderbad, India, on the 10th of January 1870 was that of "Failing to keep correct issues of forage — making false returns." (see below)
Extract from the "United Services Gazette", unknown date:
"At the General Court-martial which assembled at Secunderbad he was arraigned on the following charges.
First, for conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in having at Secunderbad between the 1st of January and the 6th of September 1869 failed to take proper care to keep a correct account of the amount of issues of the forage stored for the use of his regiment and under his charge as Quartermaster, by which a loss has occurred to the Government of 1, 756 rupees.
Secondly, for having at Secunderbad between the 1st and the 3rd of July 1869 intentionally submitted to his Commanding Officer a return for the quarter ending the 3rd of June 1869 of the daily expenditure of forage stored for the use of his regiment and under his charge as Quarter-master, duly signed by him, the entries in which return of the straw issued he knew to be false.
Findings. — The Court finds the prisoner is "Guilty" of the first charge and the Court finds the total loss from the prisoner's neglect to be 1, 685 rupees and is also 'Guilty' of the second charge. The Court therefore sentences the prisoner to be 'Cashiered.'
The findings of the Court were confirmed by General W.R. Mansfield, C-in-C India — Having found the prisoner guilty of the two charges; viz., neglect of duty in the discharge of his office, and involving a very considerable loss to the State, and in intentionally sending in a false return, in knowing it to be false, the object of the false return being to conceal from his Commanding Officer his (the prisoner's) misconduct: and the consequent large deficiency...
The Court having recommended the prisoner to mercy on account of his 'long and meritorious service in the field and in quarters, and hitherto un-impeachable character', I am sorry to say that the evidence advanced by the prosecution, and to the necessity of marking such offences as those of which the prisoner has been found 'guilty' of, it is not in my power to disturb either the conviction or the sentence. The recommendation of mercy will however be forwarded to his Royal Highness, the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief, for such consideration as he may be pleased to extend to it."
In spite of this conviction by Court-martial he was allowed, on the 19th of August 1873, to commute his pension of 10/- per day and he received a total payment of £1809/13/6d. He was 56 years of age at this time.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
He ranked as a Troop Sergeant Major, having been in a Staff post for seven years or more, and this is how his medal would have been named.
1871 Census
Waterford Villas, Isleworth, Hounslow.
Joseph Hy Pickles, 54, Retired Quarter Master, born Leeds.
Ann West Pickles, 32, wife, born Hounslow.
Marie Ann P, 12, born York.
Joseph Henry, 10, born Aldershot.
Ada Theresa, 8, born Hounslow.
Birth registered
Kate Isabel Pickles, Brentford September Quarter 1872.
Extract from the "Worcestershire Chronicle", Weds 31st March 1875:
"Comfortably Settled"
"Joseph Henry Pickles, a retired officer from the 15th Hussars [sic] was charged before Brentford Magistrates on Monday with neglecting to maintain his wife and family.
Defendant pleaded in extenuation that he has sold his commission for £1800 and entered a lucrative business at Landport. He was, he said, 'comfortably settled with a certain barmaid who was in every way select for the business' when that obnoxious woman (pointing to his wife) went down with several other persons and destroyed his property'. This wife also robbed him of his gold watch.
He was sentenced to a month's imprisonment." [RM]
1881 Census
36, Wootten Street, Lambeth, London.
The 1881 Census Returns show him aged 64, a Law Writer, born in Leeds. His wife is named as Harriet, 34, born at Maidstone, suggesting he had married for a third time.
__________
Chapel Road, Isleworth.
Ada T Pickles, 18, unmarried, visitor, born Twickenham.
Kate I, 8, boarder, born Twickenham.
Death registered
Joseph Henry Pickles, 75, March Quarter 1892, Lambeth.
Recent information from a descendant confirms this.
According to a descendant family story, Pickles took part in the Charge. But as RSM Loy Smith mentions in his memoirs how he described the event to his friend, the Orderly Room Clerk Pickles, this would seem unlikely. The following comes from these memoirs, concerning the few minutes immediately after the Charge when men had returned back up the valley:
"Going to my tent, which was lying on the ground like the rest, I found near it my comrade the orderly room clerk. He shook hands with me saying 'How glad I am to see you have escaped, George.' I told him I had lost my horse and how fearfully the regiment had been cut up.
He then said 'What is this on your busby and jacket?' On picking it off, I found it to be small pieces of flesh that had flown over me when Private Young's arm was shot off.
It was now about 12 noon and I had eaten nothing since the day before, so my comrade made me some tea which was very acceptable. We then strolled together over the ground in front of the encampment, where the affray of which I have spoken before between the Heavy Cavalry and the enemy took place."
Pickles is also referred to in Lieutenant Roger Palmer's account, recorded in the Regimental history, where he nearly fell foul of this officer:
"A few nights before Balaclava I was Orderly Officer and going round the sentries at night, I found Private Jowett (afterwards Sergeant-Major in the 18th Hussars) sitting down (and I am afraid) asleep at his post.
I did not like to confine him as I knew he would most certainly be flogged. Whilst I was thinking, the Orderly Sergeant-Major [Pickles] said to me in a very loud and dictatorial tone of voice, 'You must confine that man, Sir, or the Colonel will be very angry.'
This determined me, so I turned round on the Sergeant-Major, and said, 'What the devil do you mean by speaking to me in that manner. If you say another word, I shall put you under arrest for insolence to your superior officer.'
So after cautioning Jowett not to sit down on his post again, I left him."
For how this merciful act may have saved Palmer's life in the Charge, see Lieutenant Palmer's record.
RM: Ironically Jowett and Pickles both served in the 18th Hussars after the Crimea.
Marriage registered
Ada Theresa Pickles [daughter] married William Bannon Balle, June Quarter 1892, Warwick.
1901 Census
Stoneleigh, Hanworth Road, Hounslow.
Wm Balle, 37, Traveller Glass Company.
Ada T, 38, wife.
Two children shown: Leonard, 7, Clifford, 2.
An aunt and a servant are also shown.
Death registered
Ada T Balle, 76, December Quarter 1940, Surrey Mid E.
Additional information from registrations of births, deaths and marriages, and 1861, 1871, 1881 and 1901 Censuses, kindly provided by Chris Poole.