Biography of John Tooth

Born 1820 to parents John & Phoebe & baptised on 14 May 1820 at Sundridge, Kent. His mother died when he was 3: his father remarried 6 years later.

On 23 July 1840 age 20 he enlisted as a private with the 49th Regiment in London (trade blacksmith). His service record shows he was court-martialled on 18 November 1845 for being drunk & disorderly, sentenced to 28 days imprisonment with hard labour, and reduced in rank from corporal to private. Subsequently he was promoted again, served in China 1841/42, & in India for 6 years (including the 1858 Indian uprising) where he received a campaign medal. He was wounded on 25 September 1857 in the right shoulder & left leg.

On 25 December 1844 he married Mary Ann; they had 9 children. In the 1861 Scottish census he's living in barracks at Edinburgh Castle with his wife, daughters Phoebe (9), Jane (5), Charlotte (4), & Amelia (1), & sons James (15) & Edward (7).

He became a Sergeant Armourer in the 78th Foot Regiment (#3313), & was discharged at his own request on 25 July 1865, his intended place of residence was Salford, Manchester. His discharge papers record his height as 5'9", dark complexion, grey eyes, & hair dark brown.

In the 1871 census, continued, he's living at 149 Liverpool Road, Barton upon Irwell, Lancashire, working as a gas fitter in a cotton mill. He's with his wife, daughters Phoebe (19), Jane (15), Charlotte (14) & Amelia (10), & sons George (9), Albert (7) & Thomas (4). The 3 eldest daughters are working as cotton reelers.

By 1881, continued, he's retired & the family have moved to 24 Shakespeare Crescent, Barton upon Irwell, living with his wife, daughters Phoebe (29, cotton factory operator), Mary Jane (25) & Amelia (20), & sons George (19, plumber), Albert (17, clerk) & Thomas (14). In the 1891 census they're at the same address; all except Jane (35, cotton spinner) & Amelia (31, domestic servant) have left home.

His wife died in 1896. By 1901 John (81) has moved to 2 Milton Terrace, Dewsbury, Yorkshire and is living with daughters Mary (45, cotton worker) & Amelia (40, domestic housekeeper), & widowed son Thomas (34). John died towards the end of 1901.