John WEAVER married Esther BROOMFIELD in Bromsgrove in March 1833 and they baptized a son, John, in late December that year. Esther died in 1837 following the birth of their second son, Joseph.
The following year, on 17 Dec 1838, John WEAVER, a shoemaker born in Wilden near Kidderminster, enlisted as a Private in the 6th (Royal (1st) Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot in Coventry (serial no 1149). He was 22 years 9 months old, suggesting that he had been born in March 1806.
It is thought that in the autumn of 1840 his son Joseph also died. He may have been living with relatives.
He saw no action in the 6th Foot, but in 1841 they sailed for India2 and he was transferred to the 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot (serial no 1546) on 1 Aug 1841.
His new regiment was intended for service in the First Anglo-Afghan War forming part of the British Army of Retribution following the disastrous rout of General Elpinstone's column the previous year which had cost 16,500 British and India lives. The 41st saw action at Kandahar and Ghazni in Afghanistan where a force of 10,000 Afghans were defeated. They entered Kabul on 17 Sep 1842 before returning to India. Following this campaign John was promoted to Corporal, but 6 months later was reduced to Private, and shortly later, on 1 Jul 1844, he was transferred to the 61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot (service no 2232).
He was promoted to Corporal in April 1846 but again reduced shortly after. He remained a private in the 61st until his discharge.
In 1848 John's son John junior was enlisted in the 61st Foot as an underage Private - with no pay or pension credits - but presumably his accommodation and rations would have been provided saving his father some money.
The next reference to John WEAVER senior is when he is awarded the Indian Mutiny Medal with Delhi clasp. The notes on his award confirm that he was a Private in 61st Foot, having previously served with the 41st Foot, and that had received a severe wound in the hand on 29 August 1857. The surgeon's report states: "This man received in action at Delhi on 29 August 1857 a musket ball in left hand injuring the head of the metacarpal bone index finger, some pieces of which came away. There has resulted a certain degree of contraction of the finger which prevents him using the hand efficiently. The disability has been in no way affected by any misconduct of his own."
He was repatriated to England on 3 May 1858 and discharged1 on 5 Jul 1859. He had served for 20 years and 170 days mostly in the East Indies. He was described as of fresh complexion, with blue eyes and grey hair.
According to his pension records, John died in 15 Aug 1876, one year after his son John.
