Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family group of four: Private John Robinson, 31st Foot, and his son, Corporal John Robinson, 1st Madras Fusiliers
i. Cabul 1842 (John Robinson, 31st Regt.) pierced for replacement ring and bar suspension; Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., large letter reverse (31 Regt J Robinson 1844) regimentally engraved naming, fitted with original steel clip and small ring suspension, contact marks, otherwise better than very fine

ii. Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 2 clasps, Defence of Lucknow, Lucknow (Corpl. I. Robinson, 1st Madras Fusrs.); 31st Foot Regimental School Reward of Merit, 2nd Class, silver, engraved ‘Presented by Capt C Shaw 31st Regt... to John Robinson, Aged 8 Years 1840,’ generally good very fine (4) £1000-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late Tim Ash.

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John Robinson senior was born circa 1803 at Maghera, County Down, and enlisted into the 31st Regiment at Belfast on 8 October 1821, aged 18. In 1825 he survived the loss of the Kent East Indiaman due to fire in the Bay of Biscay. Whilst the majority of the 31st Regiment, women, children and crew, amounting in all to 533 persons, were rescued by the brig Cambria, a further 14 men of the 31st, including John Robinson, who were unwilling or unable to leave the ship, were found clinging to wreckage and picked up by another ship, the Caroline.

John Robinson saw action with the 31st during the Afghan War in 1842, including the actions of Mazeena and Tazeen and the re-occupation of Cabul. He returned to England in 1843 as an invalid and was discharged at Chatham on 9 July 1844, being ‘worn out’, aged 41 years.

John Robinson senior had married Mary Aspell at Meerut on 16 June 1830, and by her had three children, the second of whom, John, was born at Karnaul on 17 January 1832. His mother died at Ghazeepore in November 1839 and his two siblings both died in their infancy. Educated at the Regimental School of the 31st Foot and later in Ireland, he enlisted into the 1st Madras Fusiliers at Newry, on 19 August 1850, aged 18 years 6 months. He embarked for India on the Gloriana on 31 October 1850, arriving at Madras on 26 February 1851. He served with the 1st Madras Fusiliers in the Second Burma War of 1852-53, including the capture of Pegu (Medal with clasp). Appointed Corporal in 1857, he served in the Indian Mutiny with Havelock’s First Relief Force and in the subsequent defence of Lucknow. He died of dysentery at Bangalore on 5 April 1859, aged 27. Dying both intestate and unmarried, he left an estate of Rs 243 which was claimed by his father, together with his medal and Lucknow Prize Money for the Indian Mutiny. The date of death of John Robinson senior is not known; he is still recorded in 1874 as being in receipt of a pension of one Shilling and ten Pence per diem at Newry, Ireland.

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