Cambridge Union Workhouse, Mill Street.

[Keith Sherwood]

Jill,
Petty Cury is right in the Centre of Cambridge and was unfortunately re-developed in the early 1970's.  It had become a bit of a slum in Victorian times, too, but a great many of the old pubs, including the White Swan were swept away.  An indoor shopping precinct there is called Lion Yard, after a pub called the Red Lion - there are quite a few books about with photos of many of the Cambridge pubs there that have disappeared.
Also, there are apprentice records (I think they have a copy for the Cambridgeshire ones at the CCRO), so perhaps there will be more details of James MARSH's commitment to Thomas CHANDLER on 20th November 1802.  I'll look next time I'm there.
Furthermore, I've noted down a date given for Anderson MARSH's birth, which was given amongst all those papers as "May 1827", but this rather contradicts the 1822 birth that you have for him, based on his age being given as 49 when he died in 1871, perhaps...
keith

[Jill123]

Keith, thanks for the offer to check the apprentice records at CRO - I wasn't 'fishing' honest! Thanks also for putting me straight about Petty Cury.
    I think Anderson was born in abt 1822 because I found his bapt record on FindMyPast some time ago, stating he was bpt 18 May 1823 aged 12 mths.
    Re his 'lunacy', I don't think it was caused by syphilis or anothe VD, do you? (he was unmarried and was a long-time soldier remember!) as see below his discharge papers....
The discharge papers for Anderson Marsh (1822-1871) include the following information.

WO97/1293

Anderson Marsh, a cabinet maker of Cambridge, enlisted in the 15th Hussars in London on 24th June, 1843. He was 21 years old. He was an enlisted soldier for just over 13 years, with nine and a half years stationed at Bangalore, East India.

He was dischargedon 7th April, 1857, suffering from a ruptured right groin, resulting from his long service in the military. The medical report specifies that the injury "has not been aggravated by vice".

In spite of his length of service, Anderson Marsh is described as follows in his discharge papers:

"His conduct has been that of an indifferent soldier, and is not in possession of a distinguishing mark".

...... he didn't sound a very good soldier!
              Jill

[Keith Sherwood]

Jill,
Oh dear!  It's a pity too that we can't so far find any details of any campaigns he might have been involved in in India.  One of my SHERWOOD family was discharged from the army in the early 19thC due to his constant drunk and disorderly behaviour...
Glad to hear that his birthdate is fairly set in stone - must have been an ill-informed piece of info that I came across.  Will certainly have a peek in those apprentice records, though, for 1802, when next I'm in Shire Hall.
You're certainly building up a kaleidoscopic picture of your man in question!
keith