George Dowse Pvt. 1st Bn. 23rd Rgmt. 19th Century

Greetings

I'm trying to find any leads to information on my 2nd great grand uncle George Dowse who was born in 1835, Coventry. The first hint I found that he was in the army was the Indian Mutiny Medal Roll (British Forces) 1857-1859. "Given Names(s): George Surname: Dowse Rank: Private Regiment or Ship: 1st Battalion 60th Foot (King's Royal Rifle Corps)."... He was at the initial uprising at Meerut. Kevin Asplin provided me with futher information ... "Your man was #3536, however according to my information he transferred to the 2nd Bn. Rifle Brigade." The next trace I found of him was an entry from the 1871 census where he was shown as "George DOWSE, 34, born abt 1837, Coventry, Warwickshire, England; London, St. George Hanover Square, St. John Westminster, Millbank Prison, Soldier/prisoner. In the 1881 and 1891 census George Dowse is shown as soldier/lunatic at Grove Hall Lunatic Asylum, Bow. I sent away for his 1900 death certificate and it shows he died in the asylum at 63 years of "chronic pulmonary disease, many years and post influenzal muco-colitis under two months." ... His occupation is given as "ex-soldier, private 1st Bn. 23rd Regt. of Lunatic Asylum, Netley, Hants. and Newport." ... So it looks like he ended his service in the Royal Welch Regiment. I've sent away to the NA several times for any hint of his service but no joy so far. Is there anyone on the forum who might have materials that might give me some hint of how or where to find the service history of this man?

Regards

Paul
Washington DC USA

Hi Paul and welcome.

That's quite a difficult one. Hopefully he may appear on one of Richard Wards medal rolls, just have to wait and see. I take it your unable to narrow down his service with the RWF, so that it's placed within a certain band of years...that would be a help.

Best Wishes

Hi Paul

I have checked my rolls - but no joy.

Have you been back to Kevin ? He is the best researcher I know, If he can't find a reference at TNA then nobody can !

Richard

Richard Ward & AP1

Thanks for your resonses. I'll keep searching for the records of my 2nd great grand uncle Private George Dowse of the RWF ... He most likely was at Newport, Monmouthshire in the late 1860s after the 1st Bn. 23rd Rgmt. returned from India. Think he was sent to Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley Ward D (Lunatic Ward) about 1871-1872 ... Probably evaluated and discharged soon after. He spent the rest of his life at Grove Hall Lunatic Asylum, Bow ... Died 1900.

Regards

Paul

ex Staff Sgt., 66th Armor, 2nd Armored Division , US Army 1968-1978

Soldiers in India at that time were very hard drinkers and little was provided in the way of diverting entertainment. It was common to become drunk and fall into a storm drin where if you were not found quickly you would suffer from heat stroke once the sun came up. Many soldiers were found too late and as a result of alcoholic stupor and heat stroke were diagnosed as mentally unsound. Such men were place in the Army's Indian Mental Hospital at Deolali. To soldiers a man so suffering was said to be 'deolali tapped' with a know tap of fingers to temple and this later became corrupted to 'Doolally Tapped' or simply 'Doolally'. If a battalion returned to Britain and the man had not recovered he would invariably be admitted to Britain's Deolali equivalent at Netley near Southampton. Sadly many an old soldier ended his service there before being discharged as unfit for further service. It was not until the 1890s that attempts were made by various good Christian people to put this right by opening up charity funded 'reading rooms' and 'dry canteens'. One of the most famous, The Sandys Home, is still operating in some garrisons, albeit at a small scale today.