Maori wars - military records?

[Janette]

He may well have been injured but how he was injured might be the question,

Cheers Janette

[abstraction]

Except that I can find no record of:
* Any Cannons born or married in Burgh, Suffolk between 1810 and 1840.
* No record of Charles Cannon born anywhere in Suffolk between 1810 and 1840

I have only used the family search index, and it is prior to  birth registration - but I'd like to eliminate this guy. My grandther's info - from George's wife - has usually proven accurate. I still expect this is a different man.

[abstraction]

In 'Papers Relative to the Issue of the New Zealand War Medal,' Wellington 1871, a Charles Cannon is listed as a private within the 3rd Waikato Militia.

The Charles Cannon we potentially eliminated was part of the 1st Waikato Militia.

Is there any way to find more details or records about the Charles Cannon in the 3rd Waikato Militia? Perhaps they transferred the same person. Perhaps it's a different person. It's been a few years and more records seem to go online all the time.

1865 seems a long time ago. But... My grandmother knew Charles/George Cannon's wife, who was her own grandmother and was alive until my grandmother was in her mid-twenties. Charles's daughter, who grew up with him, was her own mother, alive until my grandmother was in her mid-forties.

So my grandmother told me he was in the Maori wars, had his thumb nearly hacked off, and so far she's proven accurate on almost everything she told me in the 1970s.

[spades]

Welcome back, Abstraction

He is listed in this database, and his record confirms that he served in both the 1st and 3rd Waikato Regiment:
http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/armedconstab/armedconstabulary.html

Spades

[spades]

One more snippet of data.

I have just found Charles CANNON's name in a non-public transcribed passenger list of the Caduceus which was chartered by the New Zealand Government to bring new recruits who attested in Melbourne for the militia across to New Zealand.

He placed an 'x' against in his name in the list, indicating that he was illiterate. 

Spades

[spades]

To provide background and context to Charles CANNON's life, the book Blood Brothers: The ANZAC Genesis provides a detailed and very readable account of the New Zealand Government's efforts to recruit men as Military Settlers in the 1860's. Excellent read, available in libraries, and also appears to be available for download here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317101526_Blood_Brothers_The_Anzac_Genesis

You might also find this thesis helpful, as it discusses the experiences of military veterans-turned-settlers in New Zealand during this period.

Soldiers & Colonists. Imperial Soldiers as Settlers in Nineteenth-Century New Zealand.
http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10063/6740/thesis_access.pdf

This website has some good current research into the same topic.

Soldiers of Empire. Garrison & Empire in the 19th Century.
http://www.soldiersofempire.nz/

Spades

[abstraction]

You're really wonderful - so much help so quickly. Great historical resources too.

There is much to commend this as the correct Charles, and some to make it almost unlikely.
He leaves the Militia on 20 May 1865. That's the precise day his daughter was born in Dunedin. There was no other family around, he had another daughter at home to look after. He reverted to his married name George if it was him, or it was just a coincidence.
Yes, he was or both were illiterate. I think I have his mark elsewhere - I'll have to dig it out.

I would like to find Charles and George around at the same time, that will close this. Are there searchable census records for New Zealand?

[spades]

No, unfortunately.

Did you note the correct place of birth on the militia database?

Spades

[abstraction]

No, it's neither the correct place or date of birth. Normally that's sufficient to sink the enquiry, and would be for any of my other searches - and why I left it for the last few years. But I am unable to find any Charles Cannon born in that town close to that time. We do have a good case he changed his name from his birth name to George to avoid trouble at Old Bailey because of previous charges, and he used to frequently change his age on different documents. He had all the right motives to join the militia - he went to Sandhurst for gold twice from Tasmania (grandmother told me, shipping matches) - and Otago was also known for gold. Plus land grants were offered. He was newly married just before he signed up (if it's him.) My theory is he may have changed identity to avoid questions about his convict background.

I just can't piece together his involvement in Maori wars - and this is the only Cannon I can find and other details matching so closely and no other explanation.

"1st Waikato Militia
CANNON, Charles, No 1094, enlisted 3 Sep 1863, Sandhurst, born Burgah, Suffolk, England,
labourer, 41 years, 5ft 8in tall, Caduceus, married, discharged by sub 20 May 1865.

ABRAHAMS, Abraham, No 1335, enlisted 20 May 1865, Tauranga, born Stafford, England,
apothecary, 33 years, 5ft 9in tall, sub for 1094 C Cannonn. ?from 2 WR "
I just figured this out: Charles Cannon left on 20 May 1865, and Abrahams was a substitute because he left abruptly. Why would he want to leave abruptly?

Gertrude Lily Cannon, born 20 May 1865, Dunedin.

He may have been a ruffian but his two daughters were brought up like ladies - educated, played piano, spoke Latin - one became a missionary and author.