Born at Kensall Moor, Manchester, c.1827.
Enlisted at Manchester on the 13th of May 1846.
Age: 19 years 1 month.
Height: 5' 9".
Trade: Painter.
Dark complexion. Hazel eyes. Brown hair.
At Scutari from the 4th of April - 11th of May 1855.
[PB: Judging by the dates of birth of his known children, and the presence of his wife Margaret [surname as yet unknown] in all Censuses after 1871, he may have married her around 1860, while he was still serving.]
Births registered
Mary Ann Turner, March Quarter 1861, Bethnal Green.
Jane Turner, December Quarter 1872, Bethnal Green.
Joseph Turner, June Quarter 1876, Bethnal Green.
Discharged from Cahir on the 23rd of April 1862.
Claimed free discharge, "with right of registry for a deferred pension of 4d. per day upon attaining the age of 50 years."
Served 15 years 215 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 10 months.
Conduct: "good".
In possession of two Good Conduct badges. Never tried by Court-martial.
Aged 34 years 8 months on discharge.
To live c/o Mr. Samuel Greenhaigh, Paticroft, near Manchester.
Granted a deferred pension of 4d. per day from the date of his 50th birthday - 13th of April 1877. At that time he was living at 65, Selby Street, Mile End, New Town, London. (A single sheet in WO131/36 shows that the Board which determined his pension of 4d. per day sat on the 24th of April 1877.)
Discharge documents sent to the East London Pension District on the 20th of March 1877.
[Further info. on pension below.]
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol.
1871 Census
65, Selby Street, Bethnal Green.
Henry Turner, 46, Railway Porter, born Manchester.
Margaret Turner, 30, born Dublin.
Mary A Turner, 10, born Bethnal Green.
1881 Census
65, Selby Street, Hackney.
Henry Turner, 54, Railway Porter, born Lancashire.
Margaret Turner, 42, born Ireland.
Jane Turner, 9, born Bethnal Green..
Joseph Turner, 5, born Bethnal Green.
1891 Census
83, Howard Building, Albert Street, Mile End.
Henry Turner, 66, Army Pensioner, born Manchester.
Margaret Turner, 50, born Ireland.
Jane Turner, 18, Ladies Waterproof Maker, born Bethnal Green.
Joseph Turner, 16, Messenger, born Bethnal Green.
At the time of his entering the Royal Hospital Chelsea, on the 1st of September 1891, Henry Turner stated in his application that he was 64 years of age and was "unable to supplement the 4d. per day pension he had been drawing since the 24th of April 1877. He was admitted on the proviso that he refunded 9/9d Out-pension "over drawn", and this was repaid by Sir K. Herbert. (Pensions were paid quarterly, in advance.) His address at this time was 83, Howard's Buildings. Albert Street, Mile End, New Town, London.
He died at Chelsea Royal Hospital on the 22nd of January 1898.
EJB: A "Henry Turner, Pensioner of the 4th Hussars," died in the Royal Hospital at Chelsea on the 22nd of January 1898. Could have been one and the same man, although it was unusual for a man to enter Chelsea Royal Hospital when only in receipt of a deferred pension. He was aged 71 years at the time of his death.
[PB: Clearly EJB decided this was indeed 1263 Henry Turner.]
The Admission book confirms that he died at Chelsea Royal Hospital on the 22nd of January 1898.
Death registered
Henry Turner, aged 70 years, March Quarter 1898, Chelsea.
Henry Turner was buried in the Chelsea Pensioners' Plot in Brookwood Cemetery, near Woking. No headstone was erected.
1901 Census
7, Circus, St Botolph, Aldgate.
Margaret Turner, 67, Widow, Charwoman, born Dublin.
Jane Turner, 27, Waterproof Worker, born Bethnal Green.
1911 Census
St Anne's House, Home for Aged Poor, 77, Manor Road, Stoke Newington.
Margaret Turner [wife], 76, inmate, widow, formerly Domestic Servant, born Dublin.
[PB: Notice that Margaret Turner's stated age tends to increase by more than 10 years per decade: 20, 42, 50, 67, 76.]
Additional birth and death registrations, and Census information for 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911, kindly provided by Chris Poole.