Description
Egypt Medal, dated 1882, 435 Private Owen Perry, Manchester Regiment, a Welshman who was invalided out of the Army with Religious Mania and Insanity.
“THE SEARCH FOR HIDDEN TREASURE
A man named Owen Perry, formerly a Private in the Manchester Regiment, stationed at Ashton Under Lyne, was locked up for safety in Holywell on Monday.
The prisoner who had served 13 years in the Army and wore badges for good conduct, and had also gained medals for service in Afghanistan and Egypt, and had been awarded the Khedive’s Cross, deserted from his regiment in March last and returned to Ffynnongroyw near Mostyn, alleging that while serving in the last Egyptian War, he had dreamt that under a certain stone on the Mostyn and Gronant road an immense amount of treasure lay hidden.
There he and a few men, who either believed his story or enjoyed receiving his money, dug for several days, needless to state, without effect; but large crowds assembled to witness the commencement of each day’s labour, because of a peculiar ceremony or incantation which perry conducted before he allowed a pick to be struck into the ground.
The explorations were suddenly stopped by the man being arrested, and being evidently a religious monomaniac he was eventually sent to hospital and then dismissed from the service on a pension of sevenpence per day.
Recently he had again returned to the haunts of his childhood, where his vagaries have attracted much more attention.
Perry had for some time refused to wear his medals on his breast, declaring that they were only emblems of “the pomps and vanities of this wicked world;” and his lady friends becoming possessed of them, soon converted the medals into brooches for their personal adornment.
Acting under the impression that he was influenced by a voice from the spiritual world Perry has parted with large sums of money that he received as deferred pay, and his eccentricities have caused considerable sensation in the district.
On Monday it was deemed advisable to place him under protection, and he was removed to Denbigh Lunatic Asylum.”
Officially engraved: “435 Pte O. Perry. 1/Manch: R:”
Traces of pin holes at 3, 9 and possibly 6 o’clock. These have been however expertly filled and repaired.
Owen Perry refused to wear his medals on his breast, calling them “Dross” and “Pomps and Vanities of this wicked world.”
He instead kept his medals in his pockets, “In his pocket were found his medals for the campaigns in Afghanistan, Egypt and the Khedive’s Cross, but he refused to wear them on his breast.”
He was said to lend his medals to his “friends” and particularly his “Lady Friends becoming possessed of them, soon converted the medals into brooches for their personal adornment.” The markings on the edge would agree that the medal was likely placed in a swivelling mount.
Also served in the previous war in Afghanistan 1878-80.
Private Owen Perry, was born during 1856, he says on his papers it was in Liverpool, but he was from Wales.
He attested for service with the Manchester Regiment (16th Brigade) at Ashton on 6th July 1875 and served for 12 years.
He had worked as a Fireman.
Serving through the Afghanistan War and the following war in Egypt.
He saw the following service:
Home, 8th July 1875 – 10th Jan 1877
East Indies, 11th Jan 1877 – 20th August 1880
Afghanistan, 21st August 1880 – 28th October 1881
India, 29th October 1881 – 6th September 1882
Egypt, 7 September 1882 – 21st Sept 1882.
Home, 22nd September 1882 – 26th May 1887.
Campaigns: Afghanistan 1879-80, Egypt 1882
Medals: Afghan Medal 1879-80
Medal and Bronze Star for Egypt 1882.
However things started to go downhill for Pte Perry during 1887.
Having had a good record, he was found absent without leave from 22nd March 1887 to 10th April 1887.
Upon recovery he was imprisoned for 3 weeks by the Commanding Officer.
He had recently been in hospital for a week with a “Wound” caused accidentally for the first week of August 1885.
In November of 1886, he was again submitted to Hospital.
However the Doctor could not after some observation make a full determination:
“He is supposed to be suffering from Religious Mania, he was under my observation for 16 days but I would not satisfy myself anything was the matter – although he was very peculiar, I returned him to duty for further trials. Cause of disease unknown”
Another further report reads: “Cause unknown may be caused by Religious Enthusiasm, disease is increasing, invaliding documents forwarded.”
Shortly afterwards he was released from the Army on 26th May 1887.
It seems that the absence from duty in March 1887 was related to his worsening condition.
