John Studholme Brownrigg was commissioned into the 9th Foot as an Ensign on the 20th of July 1832 and by 1835 he had reached the rank of Lieutenant. Over the course of his military career, he was posted to a variety of different regiments and eventually reached the rank of General.  

He served with the 2nd West India Regiment in 1840 (recorded on 29th of December), and then a few years later in 1842 was posted to the Grenadier Guards. John Studholme Brownrigg stayed with the Grenadier Guards for many years, he even served with them in the 1854-55 Crimean War. He had attained the rank of Lieutenant General by 1876. In the same year (1876), Brownrigg became the Colonel of the 95th Foot, 2nd Derbyshire's, and he later rose to the rank of General in March 1878.

 General Brownrigg would go on to serve until his retirement from the Army on the 1st of July 1881.