A Scarce & Desirable

EGYPT MEDAL (GEMAIZAH 1888) & KHEDIVE'S STAR 1882.
To:
1119. Pte J. MORGAN. 1st WELCH REGIMENT.
(Court Marshalled for "DRUNK ON DUTY")

With rarely surviving attestation & medical papers, including death certificate.

[BIOGRAPHY]
Joseph Morgan was born in Wrexham, Denbighshire in 1860, (His death certificate of 2nd May 1893 incorrectly states his age as 50, when he was actually only 33)

Prior to enlistment at Cardiff on 16th April 1885 at a declared age of 24.6 he was living at home and working as a labourer. His next of kin is shown as his sister Margaret Crookshank (nee Morgan, who we think had married a sailor she met at Cardiff ) and was unusually then resident in Trinidad, West Indies.

Joseph Morgan served in the Egypt campaign between 23rd December 1886 and 28th August 1889. (2 years & 249 days). He was in Malta 29th August 1889 to 27th March 1893 (3 years & 211 days).

Before leaving for overseas duty, he was court marshalled on 31st August 1886 for being "DRUNK ON DUTY" and received 9 weeks imprisonment.

Having confessed to the charge, he claimed The Queen's Pardon under Section 33 of the Army Act 1881. He was finally discharged on 5th April 1893 after a total of 7 years & 355 days service. He had a tattoo of a human figure and E.M. on his left forearm.

[MEDICAL RECORD]
He had suffered from the 'normal' Victorian soldiers diseases such as Gonhorea,(caught in Cairo at Christmas 1886) Dihorea, Ulceration, Dyspepsia and Rheumatism. He had also suffered from pneumonia in Dublin in May 1886 and had clearly fallen over while drunk and had suffered a contusion in Egypt during January 1887.

Unusually, we have a copy of his death certificate which describes him as "Army Pensioner" & reveals a terribly sad situation. Upon his death on 2nd May 1893 it gives a clearly incorrect 'doctor assessed' age of 50.

In reality he was a very ill and tired looking 33 year old alcoholic as only 27 days after his army discharge on 5th April he died of a heart attack on 2nd May in the Cork Workhouse in Ireland. The army were informed on 8th May & again on 18th July as his pension would have to be ceased.











A socially important group which starkly illustrates the brutal and short lives lived by many people in the Victorian period. This young soldier clearly had a bad alcholol problem which combined with his other pretty serious medical conditions had conspired to kill him at the very early age of 33. Having only lasted for less than a month as a civilian, his life ended in an Irish workhorse in Cork as he had clearly fallen on very hard times probably through spending his final pennies on drink.

(SOLD)