John Shipp

Born in Suffolk in March 1784, John Shipp came from very difficult circumstances and spent part of his childhood in a parish poorhouse. He entered military life young, beginning as a drummer boy, and his ability and conduct helped him rise through the ranks more than once.

Shipp is best remembered for writing about his own experiences. His Memoirs of the Extraordinary Military Career of John Shipp drew attention for its firsthand account of army life and appears to have been popular enough to go through several editions.

After his military career, he also held civilian posts connected with policing and public service, including work in Liverpool. He died there in 1834, leaving behind a life story that feels unusually vivid because he told so much of it himself.