PRIVATE (LATER LANCE-SERGEANT) JOHN COWLEY, 83RD REGIMENT (the 1859-81 County of Dublin Re

PRIVATE (LATER LANCE-SERGEANT) JOHN COWLEY, 83RD REGIMENT (the 1859-81 County of Dublin Regiment, and post 1881 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles). Indian Mutiny Medal, 1 clasp, Central India (officially impressed: JOHN COWLEY, 83RD. REGT.). Suspender re-affixed, few scattered rim nicks and bruises, otherwise Good Very Fine.

With photocopied medal rolls (2, original and published), confirming medal and clasp, and 4 pages photocopied discharge papers, and extract from 1851 census. John Cowley was born in the parish of Kilmore, Ballina, Co. Mayo. He enlisted into the 83rd Foot at Liverpool on 3/4/1852. At time of enlistment he was 18 years of age and gave his trade as that of labourer. Cowley eventually rose to the rank of Lance-Sergeant and was discharged at Newry on 22/4/1873, after 21 years and 20 days service with the colours (also entitled Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, with a gratuity of £5). At the time of discharge Cowley’s conduct was described as having been “very good”.

Medal roll confirms Mutiny Medal awarded for service at the second action at Awah, 18-24 January 1858, and the siege and capture of the fortress of Sanganeer, August 1858 (only 2 companies from the 83rd Foot present during the siege and capture of this fortress).

Given that Cowley was born in Mayo circa 1834 and was 18 years old at time of enlistment at Liverpool in 1852, he was undoubtedly a refugee from the potato famine in Ireland of 1845-48.

1851 census records a 14 year old John Cowley living at 65 Hodson Street, Liverpool. Census records him as a fruit seller. The household that he lived in was typical of those occupied by the refugees from the potato famine in Liverpool. The Cowley household comprised John Cowleys parents, 4 sisters and 6 lodgers (the lodgers were all described as labourers on the census return). If Cowley was 14 years of age when the 1851 census was conducted, he must have lied about his age when he enlisted in 1852. Rather than being 18 years of age, he would in fact have been just 15 years of age.