Firth FORREST was baptized in July 1856. Initially he was a cotton spinner, but on 3 Nov 1876, aged 21 years and 3 months, having previously having previously served in the 3rd Royal Lancashire Militia, he enrolled in the regular army at District 12 Brigade, Fulwood Barracks, Preston for a 12 year term (regimental number 1196) were he was assigned to the 81st Regiment of Foot (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers). He was later transferred to 2nd Batt Loyal North Lancastrian Regiment, regimental number 1136 when the 81st Regiment was merged with the 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot in 1881.

Perhaps he had been inspired by the stories of his great-grandfather Henry ARCHIBALD who had also serves in the 9th Regiment of Foot in the West Indies.

His post-enlistment medical recorded: 5ft 7 3/4 in tall, 34" chest, no small pox scars, vaccinated in infancy, light brown hair, pulse of 80 beats, 19 inspirations and good muscular development. He was re-vaccinated and produced "a perfect vesicle".

Private Firth FORREST's postings were:

- Jersey from 7 Nov 1876

- at home from 16 Jun 1877

- Dublin from 15 Apr 1878

- Curragh 1878

- India, landing on 19 Mar 1879

- Rawal Pindi (now Rawalpindi in the Punjab ) from 10 Apr 1879 where he may have contracted malaria as he was treated with quinine

- Ferozepore (now Firozpur in the Punjab) from 5 Jan 1780 where is suffered repeated bouts of "ague", again treated with quinine

- Allahabad from 15 Nov 1881

- Jort from 3 Jan 1883

- Preston from 4 May 1885

- Portsmouth from 20 May 1885

His time in the Punjab conincides with the Second Afghan War, but he arrived 6 months too late to participate in the Battle of Ali Masjid where his regiment were successful in the capture of a critical fort and gateway to the Khyber Pass. There is no evidence that he ever saw action though.

His service record states that he was in the East Indies between 15 Feb 1879 to 26 Feb 1883, which explains why there was a large gap between between the birth of his son John in Sep 1875 and his daughter Harriet in Feb 1884, although they did have another child who died in infancy and for whom no christening record has been found, and who may have been born in 1876 at the time of his enlistment.

After returning home he continued to serve in the UK until his discharge in Preston on 2 Nov 1888 having completed his 12 year term. He remained on the Army Reserve North Lancashire Regiment.

His record confirms his wife as Lettitia WILKINSON and that they were married at the Zion Primitive Methodist Chapel, Blackburn on 15 May 1875, his father as James and mother as Elizabeth.

His discription at discharge was: 30 years, 3 months old, 5ft 7 3/4 inches tall, fresh complexion, brown eyes, light brown hair and with a scar on his right forearm (present when he enrolled). He intended to live at 34 Patterson Street, Blackburn.

His character was described as "regular, very good, temperate", but his certificates of education were "4th Class".

It appears that he got work at a Mr Coddington as a spinner, but on 7 Feb 1889, Firth re-enlisted for another 4 year term in the North Lancashire Regiment. He was passed fit, so no lasting illness following his time in the Punjab. He appears to have been involved in training during this service period.

In the 1891 census Firth is described as a cotton spinner, 36 and is living with Lettice, 37 from Blackburn, his son John 15 a cotton weaver and his daughters Harriet and Nancy. Next door is John WILKINSON and wife Bridget with son Joseph and grand-daughter Margaret E who were Lettice's family, and with whom she was living in 1881 while Firth was in India.

By 1891 they are still on Patterson Street at No 8, with Firth as a spinner and Lettice "living on own means" and Harriet and Nancy.

In 1911 Firth is living in lodgings in Colne with a large number of cotton workers. This seems strange, but his age, profession, place of birth and married status all seem to be consistent. Meanwhile Lettice is still at 8 Patterson Street with a grand-daughter Harriett WAKLEY aged 4 who was born in Earby, Yorkshire. Her return confirms that the couple had 4 children, of which 1 died in infancy.

Between 1921 and 1925 a Firth FORREST occasionally stayed with Elizabeth Ann and Samuel WILLIAMSON at 16 Paterson Street, but between 1821 and 1830 he mostly stayed at 31 and 33 GRIMSHAW PARK which appears to have been a boarding house for about 18 men run by Margaret and William PARKER.