Henry BAYNES / BAINES -1029, 11th Hussars
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LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
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Added 05.10.11. Minor edits 14.4.14. New info added 29.11.16.

1029, Private Henry BAYNES / BAINES — 11th Hussars

Birth & early life

Born at Faversham, Kent.

Enlistment

Enlisted at Canterbury on the 19th of January 1839.

Age: 19 years 10 months.

Height: 5' 8".

Trade: Baker.

Appearance: Fresh complexion. Hazel eyes. Dk. brown hair.

Service

"Deserted" from Sandhurst on the 1st of November 1843.

Rejoined the regiment on the 6th of December 1843 and imprisoned, following a Regimental Court-martial, 8th of December 1843 — 6th of March 1844. Also to lose all of his previous service, but this was restored by War Office Authority, dated 24th of October 1849.

Invalided to England from Scutari on the 25th of August 1855.

Discharge & pension

Discharged from Cahir on the 19th of June 1863. "Free, to pension after 24 years' service".

Service to count: 24 years 37 days.

In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years [sic].

Aged 44 years 11 months on discharge.

Conduct: "very good". Never wounded or otherwise injured. Is in possession of five Good Conduct badges.

Twice entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Once tried by Court-martial.

Intended to live at 70, West Street, Faversham, Kent.

Awarded a pension of 1/1d. per day.

Still living in the Canterbury Pension District in 1875.

Medals

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.

Further medal information archived.

Commemorations

Life after service

1871 Census

10, Cossington Street, St Mary Bredin, Canterbury.

The 1871 Census shows him as a Coachman, aged 51. His wife Mary is also shown, and his mother Mehetabbi [Mehetabel, Mehitabel, or similar?] Baynes, 86, born Wickland, Kent. [RM]

Death registered

Mahatable Baynes [Mother: see reference on 1871 Census], aged 89 years, June Quarter 1873, Canterbury. [CP]

1881 Census

23, Cossington Road, Canterbury.

The 1881 Census shows him as Henry Baynes, aged 61, a Pensioner, born at Throwley, Kent, living with his wife Mary, 55, born at Kenilworth, Warwickshire.

Death & burial

From his death certificate he died on the 15th of February 1882 at 23, Cossington Road, St. Mary Bredin, Canterbury, from "Cancer of the Tongue, Exhaustion", aged 62 years, his occupation being that of a Private Coachman. A Mary Baynes (widow of the deceased) and of the same address was present at, and the informant of, his death. (There is a copy of this in the "Certificates" file.)

Death registered

Henry Baynes, aged 62 years, March Quarter 1882, Canterbury. [CP]



Henry Baynes's death reported in the Mid-Sussex Times, 28 February 1882. [CP]

(Click on image to enlarge)

From the Army and Navy Gazette, February 1882:

"11th Hussars. — "Henry Baynes, aged 62, died at Canterbury in February of 1882. He entered the Regiment as a youth and served at Balaclava. He was discharged on the 19th of June 1863, with five Good Conduct badges."

From the United Services Gazette, 18th of February 1882:

"On Wednesday last (the 15th inst.) Henry Baynes, late of the 11th Hussars, died at Canterbury. He rode in the famous charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava, was also at the battles of Alma and Inkerman and went through these engagements without receiving a single wound. He had served with the regiment for twenty-five years".

Although this news item gives the impression that he rode in the Charge there is nothing to substantiate this, and he was not a member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in either 1877 or 1879.

Lummis and Wynn state that he was buried in the Cossington Road Cemetery, Canterbury, Kent, on the 19th of February 1882. No cemetery can be found of this name, but from the 1882 Street Directory a Mrs. Baynes, Charwoman, was living at 23, Cossington Road.

Further information

Death registered

Mary Baynes [wife], aged 86 years, June Quarter 1912, Canterbury. [CP]

References & acknowledgements

Death registrations and a clipping about HB's death kindly provided by Chris Poole.


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