Born at Northampton.
The 1841 Census shows him as being aged 13 and apprenticed as a "Boot Closer" to John Hardick, of No 11 Mount Street in the parish of St. Sepulchre's.
Enlisted into the 90th Foot at Northampton on the 28th of September 1844, with the Regimental No. of 2011 (the Regimental Depot then being at Carlow, Ireland.) Bounty of £3/10/0 paid.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Boot-closer.
Transferred to the 17th Lancers on the 1st of May 1845.
Left sick on board ship, was at the Scutari General Depot from the 26th of September 1854, and sent to rejoin the regiment on the 11th of October.
He was a prisoner, "In Cells", 27th-30th December, and tried by a District Court-martial on the 31st of December 1855 for "habitual drunkenness". He was sentenced to 3 months' imprisonment with hard labour and stoppage of 1d. per day for two years, but released from his prison sentence, "by order of Brigadier Shewell", on the 22nd of February 1856.
Discharged, "by purchase", from Dublin on the 30th of January 1857. Payment of £15. He was still under stoppage of pay at this time.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
Signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887.
Attended the Annual Dinner in 1890 and is shown on a photograph taken at that time. (See copy in the 17th Lancer file.)
Thomas Byrnes is shown on the M.G.S. roll as both receiving the medal with the clasps for Salamanca, Toulouse and Vittoria while serving in Captain William Irvine's Troop of the 5th Dragoon Guards. The muster rolls for the period of these battles show a James, John and Thomas, all serving in the same company, whose surname is spelt indiscriminately as Burns, Burnes, Byrns or Byrnes.
[NB CHECK & LIST VARIANT SPELLINGS]
Died 15th of March 1895 at Northampton.
From an unknown, undated, newspaper:
"Death of a Balaclava Hero — William Burns, one of the survivors of the famous Balaclava Charge, died at his residence in the town of Northampton on Friday night (15th of March 1895.) Deceased, who was 70 years of age, had been confined to his bed for months, and being in straitened circumstances, a benefit concert was held for him as late as last Thursday evening."
Extract from the Northampton Mercury, Friday 22nd of March 1895: "Death — At No 26 Albert Street, Northampton, William Burns, aged 69 years." (See report of his death and funeral taken from the same newspaper in the 17th Lancer file.)
He was buried in the General Cemetery, Billing Road, Northampton, in Grave No. 13394. This was a common grave, and no memorial stone was erected. (See photograph of his grave-site in the 17th Lancer file.)
Another local newspaper [unknown source] also reported his funeral on the 23rd of March 1895:
"The funeral of Mr. William Burns of Northampton, who was formerly in the 17th Lancers, and was one of the survivors of the memorable Balaclava Charge, took place on Thursday afternoon at the Northampton General Cemetery. The body was interred with military honours and the funeral caused great crowds of persons to assemble in the streets and at the Cemetery.
I may say that Burns was 11 years and 4 months in the 17th Lancers and that his horse was shot under him on the occasion of the charge on the 25th of October 1854. His father was in the 5th Dragoon Guards, and fought at Salamanca, Toulouse, Vittoria and elsewhere in the Peninsula. The deceased's three brothers were also soldiers."
The report in the Northampton Mercury states that all four brothers served in the 17th Lancers.
His wife Elizabeth, of the same address, who died on the 25th of November 1901, was buried in Grave No. 3586 in the Billing Road General Cemetery. This was also a common grave.
Born at Gorey, Co. Wexford, Ireland, and enlisted on the 15th of April 1804, his trade being that of a bricklayer. Is shown as being "Recruited" at Piershill Barracks, Edinburgh, on the 9th of May 1804, and on being sent to Chatham Depot "for invaliding" on the 17th of September was discharged on the 9th of December (another source states it was the 11th of November) 1829 with a pension of 1/- per day. Aged 42 years at this time, he was then suffering from "Chronic rheumatism and diseased lungs." He had served 25 years 7 months, but was "under age 1 year" on enlistment. His conduct was "good". Was living in the Northampton Pension District after discharge, and died there on the 17th of March 1850.
No trace can yet be found in the 1841 Census Returns for him and his family, the writing on the microfilms being in many instances completely illegible.
The 1851 Census showsan Elizabeth Burns, a widow and Laundress, aged 52 years, born at North Holdenby (or Holmby), living at No. 14 Mount Street in the parish of St. Sepulchre's, with her sister Sarah Wright, a Farmer's widow (also born at North Holdenby), and a son, John, aged 14, a "Glover." It is not clear whether this is the former's or the latter's son.
[EJB: A check of the muster rolls of the 17th Lancers for the period when William Burns enlisted (1844/45) shows three other men with the same surname:
537 James Burns
Born in the parish of St. Sepulchre's, Northampton.
Enlisted into the 17th Lancers at Coventry on the 15th of February 1838 at the age of 19 years 5 months, and a bootmaker by trade.
Tried by a District Court Martial for "desertion" from the 16th of July 1841 to the 4th of September 1841, being sentenced to 14 days solitary confinement and to forfeit his previous service of 2 years 159 days, but this was restored on the 7th of July 1849.
Batman to Lieutenant (later Captain) William Morris from the 7th of January 1849 and was with him at Sandhurst until both rejoined the regiment at Newbridge on the 15th of September 1850. He remained as such until his discharge, when his conduct was shown as "very good.".
Granted a "Free" discharge at Brighton on the 13th of September 1852 with the right of registry for a "deferred" pension of 4d. per day upon reaching the age of 50 years, and had served 14 years 141 days, all being on "home service."
[RM: He was still alive in 1881, living in Northampton.]
793 Thomas Burns
Born in the parish of Hambleton [sic], Lanarkshire.
The 5th Dragoon Guards were stationed at Glasgow in 1829/30, but the squadron of the regiment in which his (presumed) father served were on detachment at Hamilton, Lanarkshire, during this time. No place named Hambleton can be found in Lanarkshire, so was this perhaps, an error in spelling for Hamilton.
The 1841 Census shows him as aged 15, born in Scotland, and a "Shoe-makers apprentice" of Little Cross Street in the parish of St. Sepulchre's.
Enlisted at Daventry into the 11th Foot (named as Thomas Byrnes) on the 9th of January 1843 with the Regimental No. of 1993. He was then 18 years of age and a shoemaker by trade.
Transferred to the 17th Lancers from Chatham on the 1st of February 1845. (At this time, however, his place of birth was shown as Hamilton, Scotland.)
He was a hospital orderly during 1851 and 1852.
Discharged from Chatham Invalid Depot on the 26th of September 1854 with a pension of 7d. per day for 2 years 6 months. "Unfit for foreign service — in consequence of disease of the liver and tendency to dropsy", at the age of 29 years. His conduct "has been good."
Served 11 years 260 days.
801 Robert Burns.
Born in the parish of All Saint's, Northampton.
Enlisted into the 48th Foot at Northampton on the 1st of June 1845 with the Regimental No. of 2142. Then 16 years of age and mason by trade, he was "under age" (that of 18 years) until the 24th of June 1847.
Transferred to the 17th Lancers on the 25th of June 1845 and served in the Regimental Band.
Discharged "To Kilmainham Hospital" from Dublin on the 11th of April 1850: "Is unfit for further service. Suffering from swelling of the glands of his neck."
Served 2 years 308 days, "to count". His conduct was "Bad".
(Robert Burns was frequently in trouble for minor offences, absence, disobedience of orders etc., and punished by short stays "in cells", or by stoppage of pay.)
(A William and Robert Burns are shown in the records of the Weslyan Methodist Church at Northampton as being baptised there on the 5th of February 1832, the children of Thomas Burns and Elizabeth nee Ammons; William was born on the 16th of September 1828 and Robert on the 25th of October 1831. The family place of residence was given only as Northampton. No entry can be found for the third brother, James.]