Discharge by purchase

[meggles]

Hi - GGGrandfather, John Petherick Harris joined the coldstream guards and went to the Crimean war, he spent abt 5 years with the guards but then he applied for discharge by purchase and paid 20 pounds to leave in Feb 1858.
He then joined the Royal Fusiliers in November 1858.
Is the answer why he did this as simple as he did not like the Coldstream Guards? It was such alot of money back then to pay to get out of the army just to rejoin again and the Harris family had no money they were all servants.
Does anyone else have any other ideas, I know I will never know the right answer but I would be interested in knowing a few other reasons why he might of done this.
Thank you
Megan

[r973g]

Hi Meggles,
How can one discover why anyone does anything for their own reasons, I have a similar one with an ancestor that bought himself out o the Army while in India, but still cannot find how he got himself back to join the police in London 18 months later.
Ray

[millymcb]

Hi Meggles

This sort of thing happens a lot these days too.  After a long time in the army, many soldiers find that they cannot cope in civilian life and choose to re-enlist.  Or possibly he just ran out of money and couldn't find any other way to earn a living?  Perhaps he had borrowed the £20 and couldn't repay it? Or perhaps he had got himself into some kind of trouble and was "asked" to re-enlist by some kind judge!

Have you looked for his records (for both of his service periods) at Kew?  They would perhaps make interesting reading.

[skeates]

Online skeates

    RootsChat Extra
    **
    Posts: 2
    Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
        View Profile
        Personal Message (Online)

Re: John Petherick Harris
« Reply #7 on: Monday 27 April 15 12:24 BST (UK) »

    Quote


John Petherick HARRIS was born in Denbury 1830, son of Edward, a seaman and Ann

Marriage: 9/2/1869
John Harris widower Colour Sgt 82nd Reg Foot (Father Edward Harris - seaman)  Marries Mary Ann Hodgson spinster (Father James Hodgson Sgt Major - 82nd Reg Foot) at (Prescot) St Helens Lancaster.
The Wedding Banns 1/2/1829 at St. Mary the Virgin, Denbury Banns Number 22, Minister: John Bradford. Mentions that both are “sojournes in this Parish”
CENSUS RECORDS:
1871 Census: Verne Citadel Barracks, Isle of Portland, Weymouth Dorset
John 40 Sgt Army born Exeter, Mary Ann 25 born (Toronto) Canada West. James Edward 1 Born Aldershot Hants John Hodgson Harris Son M 0  Portland, Dorsetshire.

1881 Census: 89 Temple Street, Manchester JP Harris 50 Drill master and Provision dealer (Born Denbury Devon), Hannah 35 ( Born Maccelsfield Cheshire) , James son 11 born Aldershot, Hamp.

1891 Census:  174 Strand Street, Shaldon, Ashburton John P. Harris Army pensioner (Born Denbury Devon) Hannah (45 Born Maccelsfield)

1901 Census: 61 Dagman Street, Shaldon Devon JP Harris 70 Army Pensioner born Denbury, Devonshire, Hannah 56 (wife) born Macclesfield Cheshire

PROBATE:

Harris John Petherick of Dagmar-villa, Shaldon Devonshire army pensioner died 16/9/1908. Probate Exeter 25/9/1908 Hannah Harris widow Effects £70 1 s

2nd Marriage:
4/10/1879 Prestbury, Cheshire JP Harris and Hannah Beckett, father Samuel.

Hannah Beckett bapt 13 Jul 1845 St George, Sutton (near Macclesfield), Cheshire
daughter of Samuel & Mary Beckett
I have just located JP Harris discharge papers from the Coldstream Guards ! 4 pages of notes.
Service number Looks like : 49B - 368 with details.
Mentions that he had in his possession The Crimea Medal with sebastopol clasp, and the Turkish Medal.
It would be very inetresting to view/located these 2 medals !