Born on the 2nd of November 1818 at Bolton House, Russell Square, London. He was the son of Thomas Starling Benson, J.P., D.L., High Sheriff of Surrey, of Teddington House, Middlesex, and his third wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Meux, Esq. and his wife Elizabeth, nee Roxby.
Educated privately and at St. John's College. [Oxford? Cambridge?]
Cornet in the 17th Lancers: 31st of January 1840.
Lieutenant, 17th Lancers: 15th of April 1842.
Captain, 17th Lancers: 27th of June 1845.
Marriage registered
Henry Roxby Benson to Mary Henrietta Wightman, September Quarter 1845, St George's Hanover Square.
Births registered
Starling Meux [son] Benson, September Quarter 1846, St George's Hanover Square.
Alice Elizabeth Fraser Benson, September Quarter 1850, Kingston.
Mary Florence Benson, March Quarter 1852, Kingston.
Margaret Elizabeth Benson, March Quarter 1854, Kingston.
Charlotte Leonora Benson, December Quarter 1857, St George's Hanover Square.
Florence John Benson [son], March Quarter 1865, St George's Hanover Square.
1851 Census
Manor House, Teddington.
Thomas S Benson, 79 magistrate.
Eliz Benson, 57.
Ruxby [sic] Benson, 32 Cap 17th Light Dragoons or Lancers.
Mary H Benson, 26, son's wife.
Stanley Benson, 5.
William D Benson, 4.
Alice E.F. Benson, 11 months.
Eight servants are also shown.
Major, 17th Lancers: 23rd of October 1854, and assumed the command of the regiment on his arrival in the Crimea from England on the 17th of January 1855.
Various letters passed between him (and concerning him) and the Horse Guards:
"To the Officer Commanding the Cavalry Depot, Brighton.
Horse Guards, 27th November 1854.
Sir, — I have the honour by direction of the General Commanding-in-Chief to acquaint you that his Lordship has approved of Major Benson, 17th Lancers, of taking a soldier servant with him to the Crimea and that this officer's batman will be proceeding with his three horses to the service troops as soon as some passage may be obtained.
I am, etc. etc.,
R.B. Wood.
A.A.G."
"[To] Major Benson, 17th Lancers, The Army and Navy Club.
Horse Guards, 24 November 1854.
Sir — Passage for you has been provided per the "Alma" to leave Gravesend on Monday the 27th instant in order for you to join the 17th Lancers in Turkey.
I am, etc. etc.,
R.B. Wood, AAG.
P.S. The "Alma" will leave Gravesend on Monday at 12 o'clock A.M."
"[To] Major Benson, 17th Lancers. Teddington, Middlesex.
Horse Guards, 9th December 1854.
Sir — I have the honour to acknowledge your letter of this date and in reply to acquaint you that his Lordship has no objection to your proceeding to Constantinople at your own expense with the intention of you joining your regiment in the Crimea by the ship "Alma", which will touch at the former place on route to the latter.
I am, etc. etc.,
R. B. Wood, AAG."
Lieutenant-Colonel. 20th of September 1856.
Colonel in the Army: 23rd of September 1859.
On to half-pay: 10th of June 1862.
Major-General: 6th of March 1868.
Lieutenant-General: 1st of October 1877.
General: 18th of July 1881.
In 1879 he was appointed Colonel of the 7th Hussars, but he exchanged this for the Colonelcy of the 17th Lancers from the 19th of July 1884 until his death.
Colonel Benson commanded the 17th Lancers in the Crimea from the 17th of January 1855, including the battle of the Tchernya, the Siege and fall of Sebastopol, and commanded the squadron of the Light Brigade in the attack on the Russian outposts on the 19th of February 1855. (Medal and Clasp, 5th Class Order of the Medjidie, and the Turkish Medal.
Served in India 1857-59 and commanded the 2nd Cavalry Column of the Malwa Division in various operations in Central India and in pursuit of the rebel forces under Tantia Toppee and the Raj Sahib, who were attacked and defeated with great loss at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 by the 2nd Cavalry Column. (Colonel in the Army, Medal and Clasp.)
Corporal Morley, 17th Lancers had a very poor opinion of him:
[Benson] was never under fire in the Crimea. He was the only officer that flogged the soldiers. I saw him flog three at once at Ismid, who rode in the Charge of the "600", one of them had 17 wounds upon his back, all bleeding, through the lashes of the Cat o' Nine Tails. This Colonel Benson was the only officer that drummed out any men of the 17th Lancers, some of whom had ridden in the charge of the '600'.
...Colonel Benson went by the name of "Dosey", he always looked as if he was asleep. But when he played at cards with young officers they found he was not dreaming. Colonel Benson and [his R.S.M.] Wooden, their teeth fit in their jaws like Hyenas. Every officer and soldier alike feared them."
He had married Mary Henrietta, the third of the five daughters of Sir William Wightman, Bart, Judge of the Queen's Bench, and his wife, Charlotte, nee Baird, at St. Paul's Church, Wilton Place, London, on the 25th of August 1845.
Lived at Fairy Hill, Reynoldstown, Tyrlandwr, near Swansea, Co. Glamorgan, and at his London home, 64 Eaton Place, Belgrave Square, London.
1871 Census
14, St George's Road, Westminster.
Mary H Benson, aged 46, boarder, born St Pancras.
Alice E F Benson, 20, boarder, born Teddington.
William D Benson, 23, born Teddington.
1881 Census
Fairy Hill, Reynoldston, Glamorgan.
Henry Roxby Benson, 62, General [Lieutenant] Army officer, born Surrey.
Mary Henrietta Benson, 56, born London.
Alice Elizabeth Wares Benson, 30, born Teddington.
Mary Florence Benson, 29, born Teddington.
Margaret Elizabeth Benson, 27, born Teddington.
Charlotte Leonora Benson, 23, Eaton Place, London.
A Butler, and eight servants are also shown.
1891 Census
Fairy Hill, Reynoldston, Glamorgan.
Henry Roxby Benson, 72, General in Army, born Surrey.
mary Henrietta Benson, 66, born London.
Mary Florence Benson, 38, born Middlesex.
Margaret Elizabeth Benson, 37, born Middlesex.
Charlotte Lenora Benson, 33, born Middlesex.
A Butler and seven servants are also shown.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, the Turkish Medal, Order of the Medjidie, 5th Class, Indian Mutiny medal (without clasp), and mentioned in despatches. He was appointed a C.B. (28th of February 1861).
The muster rolls for the period July-September 1858 show him as no particular service movement having taken place.
The Returned Medal book shows his Mutiny medal was returned to the Mint. There is no trace of date of issue, but he is pictured as wearing it in known photographs.
Died at Fairy Hill on the 23rd of January 1892, in his 74th year. His wife, Mary, survived him for 28 years, dying in 1920.
Death registered
Henry Roxby Benson, 73, March Quarter 1892, Gower.
Extracts from the "Herald of Wales" for the 30th of January and the 6th of February 1892:
"The many friends of the venerable General Benson will hear with regret that he has died at his residence, Fairy Hill, Gower. He was the brother of the late Mr. Starling Benson who was for many years Chairman of the Swansea Harbour Trust, and whose property he inherited. He was also the father of Mr. W. D. Benson, the popular barrister-at-law."
"Funeral of General Benson"
"The funeral of the late General Benson took place at Reynoldstown Church, Gower, on Friday last, amidst tokens of undisturbed mourning. Nearly all the members of the family were present, the most notable absentees being Captain R.E. Benson — one of the deceased General's sons, who is in South Africa — and his brother, Father Benson, head of the Cowley fathers, who is on a visit to India.
The coffin, which was of polished oak, with polished brass fittings and a St. Andrew's cross and a Latin Cross on its face, was laid in the library beforehand and decorated with a wreath of beautiful flowers. The inscription was as follows: 'General Henry Roxby Benson, C.B. Col. 17th D.C.O. Lancers. Born 2nd November 1818 — Died January 23rd 1892.' [Then follows a list of family mourners.]
In the church, which was crowded, were many of the wreaths and crosses sent by relatives and friends, including one from the 17th Lancers. The Rector of Reynoldstown (the Revd. R.H. Talbot) read the service and the Revd. J.J. Davies read the lesson. The rector of Illston, (the Revd. J.G. Roberts) played the harmonium and conducted the musical part of the service, which concluded with the singing of the psalm commencing "Lord, Thou has't been my refuge", and the hymn, "Let Saints on earth in concert sing".
The General was buried in a grave to the west of the church, where his brother, the late Mr. Starling Benson [his half-brother, who had died in 1879 from the effects of a fall down a quarry face when out shooting], also lies."
In his will he left his estate of £30,005 to his widow, Mary Henrietta.
There is a gravestone in Brompton Cemetery, London, which bears the following inscriptions on the three-tiered base:
"In loving memory of Richard Arthur Starling Benson, Captain, Coldstream Guards, only son of Colonel S.M. Benson, late 17th Lancers. Born 14th December 1869, and who laid down his life in South Africa on the 19th of February 1900."
On the left-hand side (facing) is "Also of Elizabeth Hannah, the dearly beloved wife of Colonel S.M. Benson and mother of the late Captain Arthur Benson, Born 20th Jan. 1848 — Died 2nd Sept. 1902."
On the right hand side is, "Also of Florence John Benson, 5th son of General H.R. Benson, C.B. Born January 31st 1865 — Died March 1st 1945", and at the rear of the stone is "Also of Margaret Elizabeth Benson, 3rd daughter of General H.R. Benson, C.B. born September 11th 1853 — Died November 6th 1955, aged 102 years."
A long article on him and his family appeared in "The White Lancer and Vedette" in 1988, accompanied by a picture of him and three of his sons, the photograph and much of the family information being contributed by a Colonel John Richard Erle Benson, a son of the R.E. Benson (East Yorkshire Regiment) who was killed in action in France in August of 1914. Depicted (from left to right) are Richard Erle, Henry Wightman, Starling Meux, and General Benson (seated).
His erected gravestone in Reynoldstown churchyard is one of an identical family group of six, the others being to his brother, two sons and two daughters.
Apparently his wife and another daughter are also interred there but their graves cannot yet be found. At the time of his brother's death General Benson told the local stonemason that he "did not want a vault — but merely a stone of grey granite, not polished", and went on to ask for the "inscription to be filled in with lead". The inscription on his stone reads:
"General Henry Roxby Benson, C.B., Colonel 17th Lancers. Born November 2nd 1818 — Died January 23rd 1892."
In the church itself there is a tablet to his memory on the right-hand wall which reads:
"In memory of General Henry Roxby Benson, C.B., Colonel of the 17th Lancers. Knight of Medjidie. He commanded the Regiment during the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny. Was High Sheriff of Glamorgan in 1883. Son of Thomas Starling Benson, Esq., J.P. D.L. of Teddington Manor, Middlesex, by his wife. Elizabeth, only child of Richard Meux, Esq. Born 2nd November 1818 — Died 23rd January 1892."
1901 Census
Barrington Park, Gt Barrington, Stow on Wold.
Alice Benson, single, visitor, 50, born Teddington.
1911 Census
Fairy Hill, Reynoldston, Glamorgan.
Mary Henrietta Benson, 86, widow, Private means.
[Note: 9 children, 8 still living].
Alice Benson, 60, single.
Margaret Benson, 57, single.
Charlotte Benson, 52, single.
Henry Benson, 55, single, Army Major Retired.
Florence [son],45, single.
Eight servants are also shown.
Deaths registered
Mary H Benson [wife], 96, September Quarter 1921, Gower.
__________
Florence J Benson [son], 80, March 1945, Kensington.
__________
Margaret E Benson [daughter], 102, December Quarter 1955, Kensington.
The eldest of his five sons, Starling Meux, was commissioned from the R.M.C. Sandhurst, following his being at Eton. he served in the 17th Lancers from 1865 to 1892, commanding the regiment from 1887. He does not appear to have served in South Africa during the Zulu War of 1879, but remained at Hounslow in charge of the Depot troops.
In January 1892, because of the then-existing age limit, he had to retire, and on the following day his father died, thus severing a connection with the regiment for two generations. He died in 1933, at the age of 87.
His third son, Henry Wightman, served in the East Surrey Regiment from 1895 to 1903 and, as a Major, commanded the Regiment in South Africa. Mentioned three times in despatches, he was also awarded the D.S.O. In World War One he commanded (as a Colonel) a locally raised Swansea Battalion.
The fourth son, Richard Erle, entered the East Yorkshire Regiment. When in command of his battalion at the first battle of the Aine, he was wounded in the thigh, later dying in a hospital at St. Nazaire on the 25th of September 1914.
When his brother (the second son) Judge William Denman was returning from France where he had gone to bring back his brother's body, the former learnt from the first English newspaper he saw of his own son's death in action (John Penrice). The latter had been in the Army, but wishing to enter the church had resigned his commission. However, when he Great War intervened he re-joined immediately, only to be wounded in the early stages of the battle of Mons in August of 1914. He died shortly afterwards.
A Captain F.W. Benson also served in the 17th from 1881, and in February of 1892 (as a Major) was appointed to command the Egyptian Cavalry. What degree of relationship (if any) he was to the other Bensons is not known.
Henry Benson's grandson, Captain Richard Arthur Starling of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, died at Wynberg, South Africa, on the 19th of February 1900, from dysentery contracted on the Modder River. He had been commissioned from the R.M.C. Sandhurst in 1892 after being educated at Eton, where he was a King's Scholar. His body was brought home from South Africa for burial.
Additional Census information for 1851, 1871-1911, and details of a number of registrations of births, deaths and marriages kindly provided by Chris Poole.