As can be seen from his Christening Certificate (BC) John Bussicott was born on 15^th July 1816 to William and Mary Ann and was christened on 11th January 1817 at St Alphage, Greenwich, Kent. The 1871 Census records him as being born in Westminster.    

On the 31^st December 1840 a Magistrate approved John Bussicott to join the army and John duly signed the Oath of Allegiance on that day in Chatham. 

In this Attestation he confirmed his details as:

He was at the time described as 5 foot 5 ¾ inches tall, fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. 

When he signed up he was given two shillings and sixpence by the Magistrate. A Surgeon’s certificate gave a clear meical condition. 

In the first Census in April 1841, John, then aged 25, was with his brother James (aged 15) and they were soldiers based in Chatham with over 3,000 other soldiers. This suggests that probably both brothers were ready for sailing. In John’s case this was to China where he fought in the Opium Wars and distinguished himself and earned a medal. 

John had an interesting and varied 13 years in the army as Private No 1797, including a Court Martial for being absent and losing his boots and shirt, and was eventually discharged in Gibraltar in November 1853. He was on charge often from 1844. For details of his soldier’s career and escapades please see his Soldier Record

There is no trace of John in the 1851 Census as he was in Spain. 

There was no trace in the 1861 census and my guess he was in Ireland where he was when he left the army in 1854.   

As you will see later his younger brother James married Mary Killey in Dublin on 3^rd June 1849 so there was a strong Irish connection. 

John married Mary Fisher from Cork but we do not when or where but presume it was in the period late 1854 to 1856 as their son John Michael was born in 1857.

In the 1871 Census John Michael is recorded as being born in Chelsea but I cannot trace a record of this and think it more likely he was born in Ireland. 

Mary was 40 when she had John Michael. 

The family made its way back to London as in the April 1871 Census we find John, Mary and John Michael were living at 8 Berkley Street in Battersea St Mary. The details recorded are:

After his overseas army days John, like his father William before him, took on a rather tame job. John was a wood cutter. 

Sadly the son John Michael Bussicott died in Wandsworth soon after the census in 1871 aged just 14. 

John Bussicott, the father, died in 1880 also in Wandsworth, aged 65. He had had an interesting life. 

In the 1881 Census Mary Bussicott was living with her son Walter Fisher and his family at 24 Stainsforth Road Battersea. She died in 1888 in Wandsworth aged 67.