Born on the 22nd of April 1833, the [presumably eldest] son of Warwick A. Hunt, Esq. and Emily (nee Woolridge), of Burley House [Burleigh House?], near Plymouth, Devonshire, and of Oak Lodge, Hampstead.
1841 Census
British [? illegible], Tything of Pennycross, Plympton St Andrew, Devon.
Warwick Hunt, 30, Attorney, [born c.1811].
Emily Hunt, 30, [c.1811].
Emily Hunt, 8, [c.1833].
George Hunt, 7, [c.1834].
Charles Hunt, 5, [c.1836].
Marianne Hunt, 3, [c.1838].
Warwick Hunt, 1, [c.1840].
All born Devon.
[PB]
[PB: This would appear to be "Burleigh", near Plymouth, posssibly built by George Warwick Hunt's grandfather, also named George.]
The chapelry, or tithing, of Weston Peverell, or Pennycross, is in the parish of St. Andrew, Plymouth...The beauty of the situation and views has been the occasion of the building numerous villas in this parish, the principal of which are, Prospect, Mrs. Hotchkys's; Boxhill, William Delacour, Esq.; Bellair, Captain Elphinstone; Torr, the Rev. J. Strode Foot; Manhelian, George Herbert, Esq.; Burleigh, George Hunt, Esq.; Meetley, Mrs. Mangles; and Pounds, Mrs. Carswell.
[Daniel Lysons and Samuel Lysons, 'Parishes: Pancras Week — Plymouth', in Magna Britannia: Volume 6, Devonshire (London, 1822), pp. 381-408 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/magna-britannia/vol6/pp381-408 [accessed 28 July 2015].
Cornet in the 4th Light Dragoons: 12th of July 1851.
[PB, December 2013: According to....which also explains ...add something on his earlier military career, and how, having moved regiment to the 4th Light Dragoons, he avoided drowning when HMS Birkenhead capsized [etc etc]...hence his nickname "Jonas" [now more usually called "Jonah" or "Jinks"] [THIS NEEDS COMPLETION & REFERENCES.]
According to The Times (letters from Malta), Hunt travelled from Plymouth to Varna on the Simla. The arrived in Malta on the 26th July 1854:
On the 26th the Simla arrived, having on board 299 troopers of the 4th Light Dragoons, 312 horses, and ten servants, 12 men of the Ambulance Corps, and the following officers of Dragoons: Lieutenant Colonel Lord George Paget; Majors Halkett and Low; Captains Brown, Portal, Hutton, and George (paymaster); Lieutenants Adlington, Sparke, Ellis (adjutant), Jolliffe, and the Hon. C. J. Keith; Cornets Martin, King, Hunt, and Booth; Surgeon Hunter, Assistant-Surgeon Crighton; Veterinary-Surgeon Byrne, and Quartermaster Hill.
[The Times, Monday, August 7, 1854, p. 10, Issue 21813, column C. (As reported by Tony Margrave, Newsletter [date?]). ]
[PB: Does Fanny Duberly mention him?]
Lieutenant, 4th Light Dragoons: 8th of December 1854.
Captain Hunt served in the Eastern campaign of 1854-55, including the battles of the Alma, Balaclava, and Inkerman, and the Siege and fall of Sebastopol.
Also served also during the Expedition to Eupatoria.
On reaching the guns at Balaclava, and amidst fierce hand-to-hand encounters, Hunt leapt to the ground to cut the traces connecting one of the guns to its horses so as to prevent the Russians from hauling it away.
From an unknown source [PB: now known to have been the Crimean Journal of Lord George Paget, who commanded the 4th Light Dragoons]:
"Lieutenant Hunt, 4th Light Dragoons, was close to my right, when, before I could stop him, or rather before my attention was drawn to him, he returned his sword, jumped off his horse, and began trying to unhook the traces from this gun! the only acknowledgement of this act of devotion being, I fear, a sharp rebuke, and an order to remount.
When the circumstances are considered in which he committed this act, it must be acknowledged it was a truly heroic one.
He thus disarmed himself in the melee, amid hand to hand encounters, and the act he attempted would have been a most useful one, had support been near to retain possession of the gun which he was trying to dismember, though under the circumstances it was of course a useless attempt — but none the less worthy of record and of a Victoria Cross, for which he would have been recommended, had the choice lain with me.
It should have been recorded of this officer that he was, I always understood, the only subaltern of the Cavalry Division who never missed one day's duty throughout the entire war" [pp. 184-185 of the 1881 edition].
[PB: Follow up Wendy Leahy's comment (August 2017): "Re your entry on 782 George Hunt. You mentioned a man who tried with Hunt to destroy the guns. I wonder if it might be TSM Francis Herbert who according to Farquharson, 'dismounted to spike a gun but before he could do so he was hacked to pieces by the Russian gunners.' I don't think Hunt was mentioned in this account though."]
In May 1863, in reply to a letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Calthorpe in connection with the Cardigan-Calthorpe law-suit, Hunt supported Cardigan's account of his actions during the Charge:
"I was squadron serrefile of the 4th Light Dragoons at the battle of Balaclava. On the advance being sounded, I saw Lord Cardigan in front of the Brigade; he was still in that position when the smoke and dust hid him from view.
No officer wearing the uniform of the 11th Hussars passed through the 4th (going to the rear) except a Mr. Houghton, who was wounded in the head. I think that was the officer who was taken for Lord Cardigan by the men of the 4th and 8th."
(His address at this time was 2, Rue Jean Gougeon, Paris.)
On the 30th of October 1855 a squadron of the 4th Light Dragoons were patrolling by order of General d'Allonville. At 3 a.m. on returning were fired upon (about 6 shots) by the French advanced line of sentries, who did not challenge them.
Lieutenant Hunt's horse was wounded and a shot went through a dragoon's shako. When this was reported the officer in command was placed under arrest. (Medal and Clasps and the 5th Class Order of the Medjidie.)
Captain, 4th Light Dragoons: 26th of February 1855.
Captain in the Cape Mounted Rifles: 17th of December 1857.
__________
An entry in the United Services Gazette shows that he married Emma, the daughter of the late W. Taylor, Esq., of the 10th Hussars, at St. Pancras Church, London, on the 17th of April 1858.
Marriage registered
George Warwick Hunt married Emma Taylor, June Quarter 1858, Pancras.
__________
Retired, by the sale of his commission, on the 15th of July 1859.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, the Turkish Medal, and the Order of the Medjidie, 5th Class.
He was named as Captain "Edward" Warwick Hunt in a list of officers present at a Balaclava Dinner held at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate, London, on the 26th of October 1866.
According to an obituary in the United Services Gazette, 8th of November 1906, Captain Hunt was known "to his intimate friends" as "Jonas".
This is most intriguing. According to....
"during the early 'sixties' [he] was well known as a 'straight' rider to hounds and across country. He rode as an amateur with considerable success both in this country and in France, in which country he resided for many years."
[PB, December 2013: In practice, most references to him in print are as Jonas. I have not seen the obituary in full, but (written as it was when he was well past his prime) it may understate his celebrity as a younger man.
He is mentioned familiarly in a number of newspaper articles, for example on his achievements in the field of hunting e.g.
There is an interesting account of how he was helping to [bring ? internationalise? integrate? German with British and French horse racing ]
But the most extensive account is of his activities as a card / gambler.
Glenn Fisher mentions a studio portrait and Fenton group. Images of his grave and the house where he died in Torquay.]
1871 Census
High Street, Malmesbury, Wilts.
George W. Hunt, 36, Gentleman, born Devonshire.
Emma Hunt, 30, wife of Gentleman, born London.
A visitor and three servants are also shown.
1881 Census
The Lodge, Gt Bowden, Leicestershire.
George W. Hunt, 46, Capt. 4th Hussars, retired soldier (Army Officer), born Plymouth.
Emma Hunt, 45, born London.
Frances Gould, 31, visitor, born London.
Six servants are also shown.
__________
Marriage registered [2nd]
George Warwick Hunt married Frances Margaret Gould, June Quarter 1886, Westminster.
[CP, 2013: Note, Frances Gould appears to be his second bride. But I cannot find a death registration for Emma, his first wife. PB: Given he is said to have spent a lot of time in France, is it possible Emma died there?]
__________
1891 Census
Drynoch, Bracadale, Inverness.
George Warwick Hunt, 57, Captain 4th Hussars, retired, born Plymouth.
Frances Margaret Hunt, 42, born Brighton.
1901 Census
Mawgan, Cornwall.
George Warwick Hunt, 66, No occupation, born Plymouth.
Frances Hunt, 50, born London.
A House Keeper and 6 servants are also shown.
In the last years of his life, he was living at 7, Beacon Terrace, Torquay, Devonshire.
1984: Assuming the house numbering system has not changed, the house in which George Warwick Hunt lived in Beacon Terrace is now the "Spa Fish Cafe". Situated right on the harbour front it has an uninterrupted view across the bay. The house itself is still in a very good condition.
[PB, December 2013: It is now the "Number 7 Fish Bistro".
A "Warwick Hunt" [probable eldest son] is recorded in Braddons Road (East), Torquay in 1911 [Source: Torbay Household & Business Directory 1911-12].
Death registered
George Warwick Hunt, aged 73, December Quarter 1906, Newton Abbott, [Devon].
Obituary report from the United Services Gazette for the 8th of November 1906:
"Captain George Warwick Hunt, whose death has just taken place at Torquay in his 73rd year, was one of the survivors of the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava, in which he rode as a Cornet, in the then 4th Light Dragoons.
Subsequently, Captain "Jonas" Hunt, as he was known to his intimate friends, left the army and during the early "sixties" was well known as a "straight" rider to hounds and across country. He rode as an amateur with considerable success both in this country and in France, in which country he resided for many years."
An obituary in The Times, 30th of October 1906, described him as a member of the Heavy Brigade, having confused him with another "Hunt" — Captain Edward D'Arcy Hunt, of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons (who had died at the age of 64 at 3, Onslow Gardens, London, SW., on the 1st of June 1891):
"Captain George Warwick Hunt, whose death at the age of 73 was announced in this newspaper on the 16th of October as having taken place at Torquay, was one of the survivors of the Charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaclava.
He was commanding a squadron of the Heavy Brigade and Kinglake wrote of him as follows:
'The troops of the Russian left wing had not only continued their in-wheeling movement, but had carried out the manoeuvre so far that, at the moment of impact, they had their backs turned towards the squadron that charged them.
'Piercing their line like an arrow, Captain Hunt charged through it, and was followed in the next instant by the squadron behind him, which crashed in upon the wheeling horsemen, consigning some to slaughter and driving in the rest of them, a helpless, unresisting throng, upon the front of the column' [The Invasion of the Crimea, 1908, vol V, p 157; this also refers to Edward, not to George, Hunt].
After transferring to the 4th Hussars [PB: Is this also based on the original confusion of names?], Captain Hunt left the Army."
PB See also the brief and rather bizarre notice of his death in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette (Saturday 27 October 1906):
"Captain Jonas Hunt, who has just died in Torquay, was one of the survivors of the Balaclava Charge, was also well known as gentleman rider, having, among other events, won, on Goldsmith, the Grand Military Cup in 1869. This race was run at Sutton Coldfield, the course over which Lord Coventry's Emblem, some years later, did the famous leap of 36ft. 3in. in the race for the Grand Annual."
Formerly of 19, Hyde Park Place, London, he died at 7, Beacon Terrace, Torquay, Devonshire, on the 15th of October 1906.
In his will he left his estate of £36,030/9/4d. to his widow, Francis Margaret. At the time of making this will (April 1893) he was living at Impally Lodge, Ullapool, North Britain, the will being witnessed by two game-keepers.
Probate
George Warwick Hunt of 19 Hyde-park-place, Middlesex, died 15 Oct 1906, at 7 Beacon-terrace, Torquay, Probate London 3 January to Maximilian George Rooper Solictor Effects £36,403 1s 8d. Resworn £36,030 9s 4d [National Probate Calendar 13 January 1907 [PB]].
He was buried in the Town Cemetery at Torquay on the 16th of October 1906 in Grave No. 6614 Section D. (Consecrated Ground.) His father had been buried there before him in the same grave and the erected headstone also commemorates his mother. This stone bears the inscription:
"In loving memory of Warwick Augustus Hunt, late of Burleigh, near Plymouth, who died at Glencairn, Torquay, March 11th 1891, aged 81 years."
"Also in loving memory of Emily Woolridge, wife of the above, who died on the 22nd of August 1870 aged 63 and is buried at Norwood."
On the grave kerb-stone is:
"Also their eldest son, George Warwick Hunt, late Captain 4th Hussars, who died at Torquay, October 15th 1906, aged 73."
Additional Census information for 1861-1901, and details of a number of registrations of deaths and marriages kindly provided by Chris Poole.
Wendy Leahy, Shadows of Time website, 4th Light Dragoons Personal Records H, does not show him.