WALTER GEORGE WALKER

Two newspaper reports of his inquest name him as William George.  However, his baptism record, death certificate, military pension records & the 1861 census all have him as Walter.

Walter was born in1818 in & he was baptised on 28 June 1818 at St Nicholas’, Newbury. His parents were William (an Ostler) & Mary Walker.

There aren’t any early records for him but the newspaper report says that he had been apprenticed to the baker, Mr Cumber. However, he left early & went to India in the East India Service. When that was dissolved, he joined the Bombay Regiment (C.F. 299). He served for 21 years 9 months & was discharged on 9 December 1858 as ‘Time Expired’. He was awarded a pension of a shilling a day from 1 January 1859.

The pension records describe him as “5’6”, v. brown hair, grey eyes & a fresh complexion”.

In 1861 he had returned to Newbury, where he was known as ‘Blossom’ & lodged with Mary Ann Skinner, a widowed Laundress. He married her on 15 July 1861 at St John’s, Newbury (Q3 1861 Newbury 2c 373). She died in 1869 & was buried at NRC. – Ref 2574.

No record has been found for Walter in 1871.

Aged 56, he was found drowned in the canal on 9 July 1874 & the inquest was reported in the Newbury Weekly News on both 10 July 1874 & 16 July 1874 with the second report being more detailed with a couple of corrections – though not his name! See newspaper section.

The inquest was held on 9 July 1847 & ‘Found Drowned’ was the outcome after having been drinking.

The second newspaper report did state that he had been lodging with Michael Wills in the City, Newbury.

Walter was buried at NRC on 16 July 1874.

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