Description
Army Long Service & Good Conduct, Large Letter reverse, No 427 Colour Sergeant Reuben Orton, 81st (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers) Regiment of Foot, aka North Lancs Regt.
Officially engraved: “No 427 Cr Sergt R. Orton. 81st Regt June 1850”
Fitted with iron clip and well made custom silver flat bar hinged suspension.
Confirmed as awarded during 1850 with an annuity of £10 according to WO102 at the National Archives.
Colour Sergeant Reuben Orton was a long serving NCO in the 81st Regiment of Foot, known at the time as the Loyal Lincolnshire Volunteers, later amalgamating in 1881 to become the North Lancashire Regiment aka the Loyal North Lancs.
Reuben Orton was born in Hinckley, Leicestershire on 21st March 1811, the son of John and Ann Orton
He first attested for service at Benbridge, Leicester for the 81st Foot on 15th February 1827, aged 17.
He went on to serve 23 years and 300 days, of which 9 years and 2 months were spent on service overseas consisting of:
“Gibraltar, 3 years 6 months
West Indies, 1 year 5 Months
Canada, 4 Years 3 Months.”
The 81st Foot were posted to Gibraltar in 1836 to reinforce the garrison “on the Rock” as tensions rose over the border during the First Carlist War. Following that they were posted to the West Indies to the outposts of Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and St Kitts, before being posted over to North America seeing service in Canada for a few years.
It was on the return trip home that he fell through the hatch of the ship and injured himself.
Shown on the 1841 Army Census as serving as Sergeant with the 81st at the Depot in Charlesfort, Kinsale, Ireland.
Shown on the 1851 Army Census shortly before retirement as Colour Sergeant with the 81st at Templemore, Ireland.
Colour Sergeant Orton was discharged on 24th November 1851, due to long service and being “unfit for further service”
His conduct was noted as: “They have been Exemplary, he received a silver medal for long service and good conduct on the 8th June 1850.”
His promotions:
Private, 13th Feb 1827 – 31st October 1835
Corporal, 1st November 1835 – 28th October 1840
Sergeant, 29th October 1840 – 25th November 1842
Colour Sergeant, 26th November 1842 – 25th October 1851.
The Limerick Chronicle, 24th Dec 1851 recalls his retirement, as the regiment was stationed in Ireland:
“Colour Sergeants William Goddard and Reuben Orton, 81st, are placed on pension at 2s per day each.
The situation of Barrack-master is expected to be thrown open for meritorious non commissioned officers, and is to be, as regards pay and rank, on the same footing as that of Quartermaster.”
His medical report on discharge recalls a fall through the deck of a ship returing home from Canada:
“Colour Sergeant Reuben Orton 81st Regt. In 1847 when on passage home from North America he accidentally fell through the main hatch to the lower deck of the Transport Ship and severely injured the arch of the right foot and – was unable to make any use of it for 6 months, the greater part of which was in hospital. He is now a little lame on it and is unable to do the active duties of a solider.”
He did not however let this deter him from service, he briefly returned home to Leicester before he moved to Coventry in his retirement and took on an active role with the 2nd Warwickshire Militia for 20 more years. For these years he was “Granted by Royal Warrant a Pension of 5 a day for service in 2nd Warwickshire Militia – 1st October 1872”
After a brief break, he joined the Permanent Staff of the 2nd Warwickshire Militia from 27th August 1872 until 27th August 1872.
His second set of service papers recalls his impressive service: “That he has served in the Army for the space of 43 years and 284 days”
“His general conduct as a Soldier has been MOST Exemplary”
His retirement ceremony from the Leamington Advertiser, 5th Sept 1872:
“PRESENTATION TO A MILITIA SERGEANT –
Colour Sergeant Orton was on thursday last, the day of inspection of the 2nd Warwickshire Militia, presented by the Staff of the Regiment with a Purse of £5 and a tea service, as a mark of their respect and esteem.
Colour Sergeant Orton has been on the staff of the 2nd Warwick for twenty years, and Colonel Granville has recommended that an addition of 5d a day may be made to his pension of 2s per day for service in the 81st Foot for 24 years.”
He later died in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on 27th August 1882 aged 71.
His grave can be viewed here:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/294237682/reuben-orton
