Valentine Bambrick (senior), possible father of TSM John Bambrick and others, and grandfather of 1465 John Thomas Bambrick and others, was born in Longford, Ireland. A labourer by occupation, he had enlisted into the 17th Light Dragoons at Tullamore, Ireland, on the 13th of May 1785.
On the 8th of August 1795, he embarked (as a Sergeant) for Grenada from Cork, and landed at Santes on the 11th of March 1796.
There is no indication of just how much fighting he was involved in against the French, the musters only showing him as being in Grenada, although troops of the regiment were involved in Jamaica, Grenada and St. Domingo.
He returned to England on the 18th of July 1799 and can be considered as lucky to have done so: a muster roll shows that between the 25th of June and the 24th of December 1796, 84 men out of the 130 who were sick had died (thirty-seven in a single week from yellow-fever). The place of muster is not shown, but probably for the three Troops in Jamaica.
The bad luck at sea which had marked part of the regiment's departure from England also attended the passage home. The headquarters' ship, the "Caledonia", had foundered at sea, and although the men were saved the baggage and regimental books were lost. Hence, no record of his promotions from Private to Corporal and Sergeant are available, anything further on the regiment is buried in lost Regimental papers.
He became Sergeant Major of the Regiment (this would have been the equivalent of a latter-day R.S.M.) on the 25th of February 1800.
Valentine and Frances Bambrick are known to have had at least five children:
John Bambrick, 11th Hussars, born at Windsor, Berkshire [c.1791]. [Father of 1465 John Thomas Bambrick]
[PB: Is there a record of this borth? And, if it took place as early as 1791, is there any evidence that Valentine (or at least Frances) was living there this early?]
[PB: Check that the dates all tally if he was indeed the son of Valentine Bambrick (senior) and hence brother of Robert & Valentine. ]
The baptismal records of St. Mildred's Church at Canterbury show that Robert Bambrick was christened there on the 14th of October 1798 (the same date as shown for his birth [PB: Where shown?]), the son of Valentine Bambrick<, Sergeant Major in the 17th Light Dragoons, and Frances, his wife.
The "Record of Officers' Services" for the 11th Dragoons dated the 31st of December 1829 shows the birth of Robert Bambrick in Canterbury, Kent, on the 14th of November 1798.
[PB Notice the small discrepancy in dates above.]
Robert Bambrick briefly attended the Royal Military Asylum (also known as The Duke of York's School) at Chelsea. He started on the 2nd of November 1804 at the age of 5 years 6 months and was "Discharged by the Board of Commissioners at the request of the parents" five months later, on the 27th of March 1805.
Entries in the parish registers of Clewer, near Windsor (where Valentine was Barracks Sergeant), show:
Frances, christened on the 27th of March 1803 (note in brackets: "Said by the parents to have been born on the 23rd of April 1800").
Valentine, baptised on the 9th of May 1802. [Later Census records describe his birthplace as "Windsor Barracks".].
Mary Ann, christened 5th of May 1805.
He is shown as "being in London" (the Regiment was at Manchester) from the 25th of October 1802. (The discharge book only shows him as "Discharged - no date known. Worn out in the service - aged 36 years and having served 21 years" [sic]"
A Roll of Barrack Serjeants for the period shows Valentine Bambrick, Sergeant Major of the 17th Light Dragoons, was appointed on the 2nd of August 1802. The details of age, service, place of birth, etc, shown above, were repeated, but the reason for his discharge was stated as "Worn out by service in the West Indies, he having spent three years there."
His rate of pension was 1/- per day. There is the possibility that men who had served in the West Indies (as in the East Indies) at this period were granted an extra period of time to count for pension rights, as were the "Waterloo" men who were so granted an extra two years) and this would account for the 21 years he is said to have served compared with the 17 years from enlistment to discharge. The final comment is "D". [Discharged?] from Barrack Dept, 21st of September 1824.
1993: It is now known that N.C.O.s and men who had served in the East or West Indies and Bermuda were allowed 3 years' service for two for the purpose of increased pay, so it is probable that a similar system was applied for the calculation of total service.
He would seem to have remained at the Cavalry Barracks, in some capacity or other, until his death.
His move to Windsor may possibly have been because his wife came from there, although no record of his marriage, or of his (assumed) son John's baptism there, has yet be found.
Enquiry of the Household Cavalry Division at Combermere Barracks, Windsor, shows no trace of his funeral or services in their records.
Letter from the Curator of the Household Cavalry Museum, Colonel A.D. Meakin, in 1980:
"[A]s he was buried from the Cavalry Barracks I think in all probability he was possibly employed on the Barrack Master's Staff in a similar capacity to his son, whom you state, held such a position on the staff of Hyde Park Barracks.
At the time in question, the Household Cavalry comprised of three regiments, i.e. 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards and the Royal Horse Guards. These Regiments changed annually between the three Household Cavalry Barracks of the time, i.e. Regent's Park Barracks, Hyde Park Barracks in London, and the Cavalry Barracks at Windsor. Only the men of the regiments moved annually and the Barrack Staffs remained at their respective Barracks."
Entries in the burial register show that Valentine Bambrick, of the Horse Barracks, Windsor, was buried at Clewer on the 8th of September 1832, aged 73 years and Frances Bambrick, of Grove road, Windsor, who was buried at Clewer on the 2nd of February 1837, aged 72 years.
The stone erected over their grave (in Section "D" and just off the right-hand side of the pathway leading to the church door) bears the inscription:
"To the memory of Serjt. Major Valentine Bambrick, late of the 17th Light Dragoons, who departed this life August 30th 1832 in the 73rd year of his age and served in His Majesty's Service for 57 years.
Also of James Robert Rogers, the amiable and beloved child of James and Mary Ann Rogers and grandson of the above Valentine Bambrick, who departed this life October 30th 1833 in the 6th year of his age.
And also to the memory of Mrs. Frances Bambrick, wife of the above Valentine Bambrick, and grandmother of the above, who departed this life, 28th of January 1837 aged 72 years."
The inscription is remarkably well-preserved, facing outwards as it does, having been protected by a small yew tree which is in close proximity. At the base of the hooped grave cover is a foot stone inscribed "V.B. 1832, J.R.R. 1835 and F.B. 1837."
[PB: Are these the correct dates? VB 1832 is presumably Valentine senior. And FB 1837 is Valentine's wife, Frances. But if JRR 1835 is his grandson, his death date is given above as 1833.]
There are photographs of the gravestone and Clewer Church in the 11th Hussar file.
[PB: Valentine senior's daughter Mary Ann would be sister to John Bambrick senior.]
1841 Census
Clewer Lane
The Census returns for Clewer of 1841 show only a Fanny Bambrick, aged 35 years, a dressmaker, living in Clewer Lane. She is recorded as having been born "in the County". No trace of anyone else with the surname of Bambrick can be found in the 1841 Census returns for Windsor, and in particular that for Grove Road and James Street, with which the family is known to have had connections.