Sgt H Perkins 17/03/1919 Madras India

[temptage]

I found a cutting in the local Grimsby newspaper from March 1919 which got me interested.

There was an 'In Memorium' written by the parents of their two sons, one who had only died the previous month.

 

It read:

In loving memory of our son Sgt H Perkins who died in Madras, India on 17 March 1919 aged 38. Also our eldest son Charles W Perkins who died in Lucknow, India on 9 May 1899 aged 22. At peace together.

 

I cant find any record of a Sgt H Perkins dying in 1919 anywhere. I have found their family tree. Their parents were Charles Classey Perkins and Ann(ie) Elizabeth (nee Johnson).

 

Now the question is was Sgt Perkins serving over there at the time. 1919 was a very turbulent year for India as the Amritsar Massacre was only a month after he died so British Regiments would have been serving all over India. The CWGC has over 3000 UK soldiers listed as dying in India in WW1, with only 2 named as dying on the 17/03/1919.

 

I dont know anywhere else to look. Any help would be appreciated

[charlie962]

Harry Johnson Perkins was born Grimsby in 1881.

There is a 1911 Census in India for a  L/Cpl Harry Perkins of the 14th Hussars. Aged 29, single, born Grimsby.

Edit ..this latter is 4879 Whose service papers survive...

Edit edit.. discharged 1915, lance Sgt.

Edit... Father, Charles Perkins, Newmarket St Grimsby.

Edited 6 October , 2022 by charlie962

[Matlock1418]

49 minutes ago, temptage said:

parents were Charles Classey Perkins and Ann(ie) Elizabeth (nee Johnson).

10 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

Harry Johnson Perkins was born Grimsby in 1881.

Was looking as you posted Charlie - I agree a possibility - GRO entry

PERKINS, HARRY  JOHNSON	JOHNSON
GRO Reference: 1881  D Quarter in CAISTOR  Volume 07A  Page 649

M

Edited 6 October , 2022 by Matlock1418

[charlie962]

Just to confirm that prior to Harry's 1902 attestation he was living with his parents Charles and Annie in 1901 census for 29 Newmarket St, Grimsby.

[charlie962]

So, discharged in India 3/9/15 after 13 years in the 14th Hussars, Lance Sergeant, it would seem likely he at least did some further military work, perhaps re-enlisting at a Depot?

[MaureenE]

There is a record on findmypast pay website for his death with the name Henry Perkins.  He was in the Police. He died at Kanki, which I have not previously heard of, but it seems to be near Ranchi, as the same Church of England minister went to both places. He died of "acute degeneration of  brain". Not sure what this is,  possibly end stage/tertiary syphilis?

Transcript

First name(s)	Henry
Archive	The British Library
Last name	Perkins
Archive Reference	N-1-435
Birth year	1886
Folio	-
Death date	17 Mar 1919
Page	239
Death year	1919
Catalogue Description	Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bengal, : 1713-1948
Age	33
Record set	British India Office Deaths & Burials
Burial date	17 Mar 1919
Category	Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Place	-
Subcategory	Parish Burials
Presidency	Bengal
Collections from	Great Britain, UK None Maureen

 

[FROGSMILE]

Acute degeneration of the brain is certainly a result of third stage tertiary Syphilis I agree.  I’m not sure if an acute case of cerebral Malaria might also match.  Forum member @Dai Bach y Sowldiwrmight well be able to advise. 

[temptage]

That is some excellent research peeps. Thankyou. Its probably answered the original question but will be interesting to see if any more info on him can be found.

Edited 7 October , 2022 by temptage

[temptage]

10 hours ago, MaureenE said:

There is a record on findmypast pay website for his death with the name Henry Perkins.  He was in the Police. He died at Kanki, which I have not previously heard of, but it seems to be near Ranchi, as the same Church of England minister went to both places. He died of "acute degeneration of  brain". Not sure what this is,  possibly end stage/tertiary syphilis?

Transcript

First name(s)	Henry
Archive	The British Library
Last name	Perkins
Archive Reference	N-1-435
Birth year	1886
Folio	-
Death date	17 Mar 1919
Page	239
Death year	1919
Catalogue Description	Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bengal, : 1713-1948
Age	33
Record set	British India Office Deaths & Burials
Burial date	17 Mar 1919
Category	Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Place	-
Subcategory	Parish Burials
Presidency	Bengal
Collections from	Great Britain, UK None Maureen

 

A lot of details seem to match, and I am even allowing the Henry/Harry bit, but its the age and birth date that point to it being a different person. Im not ruling it out as it could have been down to him being over the age of enlistment for the Police, so knocked a few years off to qualify.

If we find more info hopefully it may tie everything together.

[MaureenE]

3 hours ago, temptage said:

 but its the age and birth date that point to it being a different person.

I would not be to concerned about this myself. The birth date would be calculated by Findmypast from the age, not actually provided as a birth date. The age at death may have been an estimate provided  for the church minister at the time of Perkin's death  by a person who did not know him particularly well, who did not have access to records such as his application for employment (even assuming that the details in that were accurate). In India burials had to take place quickly because of the heat, so the emphasis would have been on getting information quickly, and there may have been no one around who had exact knowledge.

Maureen

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

14 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

Acute degeneration of the brain is certainly a result of third stage tertiary Syphilis I agree.  I’m not sure if an acute case of cerebral Malaria might also match.  Forum member @Dai Bach y Sowldiwrmight well be able to advise. 

Yes it's certainly a possibility. I suppose in the absence of any reference in a service record, we'll never know.

[FROGSMILE]

2 hours ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

Yes it's certainly a possibility. I suppose in the absence of any reference in a service record, we'll never know.

Thank you Dai, with his long Indian service both seem possible, although for his era Chaklas were strictly regulated, with reqular inspections by Medical Officers, so Syphilis rates had dropped significantly from where they had been.  Malaria was a constant, but as you say it could easily be either.

[temptage]

So if he was discharged from the Army in 1915 and then joined the Police, this could be where he earned the Sergeant prefix by 1919, so may not have anything to do with being a CWGC death after all.