LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive
Amended 14.5.11. Minor edits 17.2.14, 21.7.14.
1048, Private Thomas COOK — 13th Light Dragoons
Enlistment
Enlisted at Canterbury on the 13th of October 1840.
Age: 20.
Height: 5' 7.
Trade: Servant.
Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Dk. brown hair.
Service
1851 Census
Piershill Barracks, Leith South, Midlothian.
Thomas Cook, 31, Private Soldier, born Canterbury.
Received a severe gun-shot wound in the chest at Balaclava during the Charge and was taken prisoner of war by the Russians.
At the time of his death in 1884 it was recorded that:
"some considerable time after the campaign Cook had to be ordered into hospital, as he complained very much of pain in his chest, in the region of a wound he had received, and the skill of the surgeon resulted in the extraction of an old Light Dragoon button. This had evidently been driven into his body by the bullet with whch he was wounded, thus saving his life. The old man had saved the bullet for many years, but lost it in 1882."
Re-joined the regiment by exchange of prisoners on the 30th of October 1855. He was shown on a nominal roll of men of the Regiment made out at the Cavalry Depot, Scutari on the 9th of November 1855 as being a Prisoner of War there from the 4th of November.
Discharge & pension
Discharged from Aldershot on the 25th of April 1864 a result of:
"Injury to knee joint. Caused by accidentally falling down-stairs whilst descending from the barrack-room to the stables. He is an old soldier and was severely wounded at Balaclava. He is quite unable to earn his own livelihood as he is very lame and will never fully recover the use of his leg."
Served 23 years 79 days. In Turkey and the Crimea, 2 years.
Conduct, "good". In possession of four Good Conduct badges.
Forty-six times entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Tried and imprisoned, 4th-10th of September 1846, 3rd-10th of December 1847, 5th-12th of January 1848.
Medals
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma and Balaclava (there is no mention of Sebastopol) and the Turkish Medal.
He was awarded a pension of 1/6d. per day. Living in the Canterbury Pension District in 1875.
Commemorations
Attended the first Balaclava Dinner in 1875.
Life after service
Admitted to In-Pension at Chelsea Royal Hospital on the 1st of December 1868. Recommended to be "dismissed for drunkenness" on the 4th of October 1870, but was cautioned by the Board and allowed to remain on promise of amendment.
Dismissed for "drunkenness" on the 21st of February 1871.
At the time of his admittance as an In-Pensioner at Chelsea Royal Hospital he was shown as being 47 years of age, a "single man", and of "good character". His address at that time was 1, St. Gregory's Place, Northgate, Canterbury.
1871 Census
39 Military Road, St Gregory Canterbury.
Thomas Cook, 51, Lodger, Unmarried, Chelsea Pensioner, born Canterbury.
Living with William Howard, gardener, and his wife & daughter.
[CP: The 1871 Census was taken on April 2nd. According to file he was dismissed for "drunkedness" [sic?] from Chelsea Royal Hospital on 21 February 1871, so must have returned to his home town. Further, his stated address is very similar to 1881 Census.]
1881 Census
45, New Ruttington Lane, St Mary Northgate, Canterbury.
The 1881 Census showa him as living as a Lodger at the home of Ellen Foster, a Field Worker. He was described as a Chelsea Pensioner, aged 61, born at Canterbury.
Death & burial
Died at Canterbury on the 8th of May 1884.
Death registered
Thomas Cook, aged 62 years, June Quarter 1884, Blean.
(Click on image to enlarge)
According to Burials in the Parish of St. Gregory the Great, he was buried in the churchyard on the 12th of May 1884, aged 62 years, by the Revd. W.H. Gibbons, in Plot No. F. 206. He was most probably buried in the Military portion of St.Gregory's churchyard at Canterbury, of which nothing but a few stones now remains, having been made (post Second World War) into a children's playground.
The Cathedral Archives, which holds the registers for St. Gregory's, does not include that for the military extension. There was also another cemetery behind the "Royal Dragoon" public house in Military Road, now partly destroyed by road widening and being made into a pub "garden".
Here again, only a few stones remain, none of which are legible. Both were in the area of the Barracks. (See photograph of the former St. Gregory's cemetery in its present form as a children's play-ground, in the 13th Hussar file.)
(See the report of his death and funeral in St. Gregory's Cemetery, taken from the Kent Gazette, 13th of May 1884, in the 13th Hussar file.)
References & acknowledgements
Census information for 1851 and 1871, and registration and newspaper notices of death kindly provided by Chris Poole.
