Photo dating / medal identification

[Chris_Vearncombe]

This is an unidentified photo, so any help in dating it would be very much appreciated. Also is there someone with military knowledge that could throw some light on the medals please?

The most possible contender for the sitter is John Fletcher born 1796 who was a colour Sergeant in the 19th Regiment of Foot and was medically discharged to pension in 1836 after serving 21 years. He served for 7 years in the West Indies and also was in the Battle of Waterloo.

I only add this information in case it helps to identify any of the medals.

With grateful thanks
Chris Vearncombe

[Richard]

Chris

I have recently been researching my 4xg uncles William and Robert Prowting. Both joined up in 1804, Robert served to 1819, William to 1827. Now they both got a Waterloo Medal as this was the first general medal issued by the British Government to all soldiers present at that battle, but only William got a Medal for the Peninsular Wars they fought in before this 1808-1814. This as I understand it was because these medals were only struck for officers initially. Other ranks were not awarded a medal for this campaign until around 1848/7. Robert was dead by then, but William well into his sixties, claimed his, and died the year after. I'm wondering then whether the same maybe true of your man, is he perhaps wearing the Waterloo and Peninsular medals, and therefore pic taken some time after 1848, when the latter medal was issued to ranks?

[Chris_Vearncombe]

Many thanks Richard for the information about the battleof Waterloo medal, I will keep my fingers crossed that the photo that I subnitted will enable someone to tell me if it is the medal for the battle of waterloo.Good luck with your research and thanks for your reply
Chris

[Just Barbara]

I agree about the Penisular medal......

[Just Barbara]

I was wondering if the other could be the Military General Service Medal?

[Richard]

Actually if it is the man you think and he was born 1796 and joined up year of Waterloo 1815 it can't then be one of the Peninsular Medals.

[Rachel Scand]

enlarged a little ~ not sure if it helps

[Chris_Vearncombe]

Hi Rachel, Richard and Barbara

Many thanks for all your help. Looking at his medical discharge papers it says he joined in 1811 when he was 15 and it states underage.

Then from 1814 to 1821 he was a private and completed his term of Service
It then appears that he signed up again and is still a private until 1822 when he is promoted to Corporal. He is only a Corporal for a few months then promoted to Colour Sergeant 1822 to 1836.

It is very strange but the total number of years served says 29 years 76 days. They seem to have got it wrong by 7years, unless he was somehow creditted with extra years. I am really becoming more to the way of thinking that this is my John.
Incidentally I have a whole pile of unidentified photos from an old handbag that was found when a spinster gt Aunt died. I'm tempted to try and post some....Do I hear you all GROAN!

Chris

[Rachel Scand]

Incidentally I have a whole pile of unidentified photos from an old handbag that was found when a spinster gt Aunt died. I'm tempted to try and post some....Do I hear you all GROAN!

Chris

:D No groans from me ~ just so long as you scan them nicely ! :p

[Richard]

Ah well could well be the Peninsular Medal then if he was serving from 1811. The 1 day of service at Waterloo counted as 2 years for everyone there, but apart from that I don't think you could be 'credited' with extra time.

[Just Barbara]

Chris, I love old photos, pleeeeese post 'em.............:D

[WZowe]

Under the http address a medal/award is shown. Although the text is in German, however, photo shows the similarity to one of these medals that well. I estimate the photo has been prepared at 1870. He looks like a 80-year-old man. In my opinion.
Wolf

King's German Legion @nline -> Waterloo 1815 (14)

[Just Barbara]

Hi, what put me off that medal was how it is fastened on the ribbon, in the picture neither are....

[WZowe]

Hi Barbara,
as far as I know a lot about medals and decorations, there are different day ways. The representation of the medallion seemed to be more important for me. This was the medallion of the Hanoverians or unfortunately, the English does not result from this contribution whether. King Georg III. and his son (in Hanover) had these medallions distributed to her soldiers. Is in a contribution: Only to certain active ones in the fight, in another contribution all soldiers having been near also at this time only are honoured with that. It will presumably lie between this someplace like always.
I send you a photo of my great-grandfather of 1863 as a young quatermaster in it American navy, if you would like. The photo has been taken in Californians.
Wolf

[Just Barbara]

Wolf that would be lovely, yes please... And thanks for the information, I am interested in learning things so it all helps me.....


Barbara....

[WZowe]

Hi Barbar ,
The picture is away as PM.
I hope you can do something with that. We still have some old photos. They have partly reached me as a gathering point in my family on many ways. I have got the most beautiful find from a Swedish relative, this one for years in California lives. He asked me for assignment the photo to the persons within our family. These were photos around 1860 -1880 from the time. For me it was a dream. I had never still to receive such old photos from the brothers and sisters of my great-grandfather suspected.
Wolf

[Just Barbara]

Got your pm thank you Wolf, old photos are so exciting, are you planning to put any up?

[WZowe]

Photos (those of the deceaseds) can be seen under Ancestry.com ( Albrand - Zowe Clan ) in my family tree one small portion me. But only the portrait necklines. These are about 600 photos. The other photos are rather private. Who is already interested in it,
once looked like the people? There are very different opinions even within the family branches there. Harm! I could state family similarities at some of the pictures over several generations. But forcing to luck ...
Wolf

[kiki1982]

I would rather opt for a date around 1860. His hair and beard are very mid-19th century. In the second half of the 19th century, hair became shorter and whiskers were not that much in anymore, not like these.

ntil when did this photographer operate on that address? That could also be a clue.

[Just Barbara]

You could well be right Kiki, the information we have would still fit....