Born in the parish of St. Peter's, Oxford, c.1829.
[RM: The 1881 Census says Cork, Ireland.]
Enlisted at London on the 21st of February 1848.
Age: 19.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Carver and Gilder.
Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Brown hair.
1851 Census
Piershill Barracks, Leith South, Midlothian
Edmund Braithwaite, 23, Soldier, born Oxford.
From Private to Corporal: 17th of August 1852.
At the Riding School at Maidstone from the 1st of January and rejoined the regiment on the 17th of April 1854.
Corporal to Sergeant: 11th of August 1854.
He was in Scutari General Hospital from the 29th of November 1854 and sent to rejoin the regiment on the 29th of December.
Appointed to Troop Sgt. Major on the 23rd of May 1855.
Promoted to Regimental Sgt. Major on the 26th of November 1857.
1861 Census
E. Braithwaite, 32, Reg Serg Major, 13th Lt Drgs, born England.
"Absent off pass", from the night of the 23rd of September to the night of the 26th of September 1862. Confined, 27th-30th of September and reduced to the rank of Private by a Regimental Court-martial on the 4th of October 1862.
Discharged from Chatham on the 23rd of January 1863, "with right of registry for a deferred pension of 4d. per day upon reaching the age of 50 years."
Aged 34 years on discharge.
Served 14 years 10 months. In Turkey and the Crimea, 2 years.
Conduct: "good". Once tried by Court-martial. In possession of two Good Conduct badges.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Named as "Edmund" Braithwaite on the Sebastopol clasp roll.
He was named as "Ernest L Braithwaite" when he claimed £30 from the Light Brigade Relief Fund in 1890, his age as 63, and his address given as 30 Portland Street, Soho.
His infant son, "Edmund Hugh", died 6th March 1862, and was buried in Hulme churchyard in the same grave as 1071 John Pedrick. (See his record)
1871 Census
31, St John Square, Clerkenwell.
Edmund Braithwaite, 39, Carver and Gilder, born Oxford.
Rose Braithwaite, 31, born Tipperary Ireland.
Two children shown: [name?], 13, born Dublin, and [name?], 8, born London.
He became eligible for his deferred pension on reaching the age of 50 years on the 23rd of June 1878. At that time he gave his address as No. 19 Grove Place, Ealing, London.
1881 Census
146, Kings Cross Road.
[to be completed...]
Edmund Braithwaite, 49, Carver and Gilder, born ...
[RM: The 1881 Census shows an Edmund Braithwaite aged 49, a "Carver and Gilder" living at 146, Kings Cross Road. [EB gave his occupation as carver and gilder on enlistment, so this is likely to be him.] His birthplace, however, is noted as Cork, Ireland. He was married to Rose, aged 41, who was born at Oxford. The household shared with a niece, Nellie Ford, 17, and grandson Harry Tapley, 6.]
Death registered
Edmund Hugh Braithwaite, March Quarter 1862, Chorlton.
Further Information
EJB: Lummis and Wynn confuse him with a man of the same name who was commissioned into the 71st Foot in September of 1871, later becoming a Major in the 13th Hussars. This man was born on the 20th of August 1850 and died on the 17th of July 1934, so they could not possibly have been the same man, although the possibility exists that he may have been a relative, perhaps a nephew, who was named after his uncle. The social standing of this man who became an officer would, however, make this doubtful. He was educated at Marlborough College. (Information from the School Record of Past Pupils.)
Census information for 1851, 1861 and 1871, information about the Light Brigade Relief Fund, and registration of death, kindly provided by Chris Poole.