1192, Private Richard Owen GLENDWR — 8th Hussars

Also recorded as "Owen", "Glendwyr", "Glendur".

Birth & early life

Born in the parish of St. Margaret's, Westminster.

Police records (see below) show that he was born in Cannon Row, Westminster, on the 8th of October 1832, the son of Richard and Sarah Glendwr.

1851 Census

Pleasant Row, Lambeth

Richard Owen, 18, lodger, born Westminster, 1832.

4, Pier Head, Brighton.

Charlotte Holmes [future 1st wife], 24, servant, Housemaid, born Brighton.

Enlistment

He was enlisted at Hounslow on the 19th of September 1851 by Troop Sergeant Major Henry Harrison.

Age: 19.

Height: 5' 7".

Trade: Silk-dyer.

Appearance: Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Lt. brown hair.

Service

Embarked for the Crimea aboard the H.T. "Shooting Star" on the 25th of April 1854.

He had two horses shot under him at Balaclava. Wounded, he was sent to Scutari on the 26th of October 1854. He was at the General Hospital from the 30th and invalided to England on the 23rd of December 1854.

An extract from a letter from "R. Owen Glendwr" was published in Sheldrake's Aldershot and Sandhurst Military Gazette on the 30th of October 1875 (the original can viewed here):

"I served in the 8th on the morning of the charge; my horse was wounded near the first battery on the right. I dismounted, and caught a horse belonging to the 13th Light Dragoons, and rejoined the 8th.

When wheeling to return at the end of the battery I charged the Polish Lancers with the 8th, and my horse was wounded in the chest by a splinter of shell.

I was taken prisoner, but was left on the ground while the Lancers followed the 8th up the valley. I was slightly wounded, but managed to crawl some distance, and after great trouble and pain from my wound I caught a remount of the 4th Light Dragoons, which was riderless."

[PB: ROG made a declaration in support of Lord Cardigan in the Cardigan v Calthorpe case (copy in EJBA).]

Statement of Richard Owen Glendur.

London, September, 22nd, 1864.

THIS is to certify that I served in the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, on the morning of the 25th of October, 1854, and remember the advance of the Light Brigade down the valley; that I saw your Lordship advance in front of the first line — viz., the 13th Light Dragoons and 17th Lancers — supported by the 11th Hussars, followed by the 4th Light Dragoons and 8th Hussars.

As the pace increased, the 4th Light Dragoons went right away to the left, the 8th Hussars advanced to the right of the guns, when the order was given to retire"left about wheel." I was then on the left flank of the regiment, having had my horse shot at the 1st Battery, but got a remount of the 13th, which was riderless. As we retired out, the Russian cavalry formed partly across the valley, and the 8th cut their way out, and I distinctly remember seeing your Lordship returning to the position which we occupied in the morning, followed by some of the 13th Light Dragoons and 17th Lancers, and at this moment no part of the Light Brigade were advancing [PB: presumably Cardigan supplied the italics].

At this time, my horse being wounded, and surrounded by Polish Lancers, I was taken prisoner, and being wounded myself in my sword arm, I was left by the Russians on the ground, while they followed the 8th Hussars out.

At this time, with great exertion, I got a horse of the 4th Light Dragoons, which was coming out, which I mounted, and seeing the Busby Bags [?] flying at the bottom of the valley, wheeled my horse and joined the 4th Light Dragoons and 11th Hussars as they were wheeling round at the right flank of the Battery, and retreating at a rapid gallop.

I beg to remain,

Your Lordship's obedient humble Servant,

RICHARD OWEN GLENDUR [sic],

Late 8th Hussars

Lieut.-General the EARL of CARDIGAN, K.C.B., &c., &c.

He was among the wounded soldiers seen by Queen Victoria on her visit to Brompton Barracks, Chatham, on the 3rd of March 1855.

Sent to London, "on furlo until discharge", on the 31st of March 1855.

He went on sick-furlo to Little Charlotte Street, London, W1. before discharge.

Discharge & pension

He was finally discharged from Chatham Invalid Depot on the 26th of October 1855:

"Considered unfit for further military service. Impaired use of right hand from a sabre wound received at Balaclava, causing a stiffness of the wrist and inability to move the fingers. Likely to improve."

Served 3 years 172 days.

Conduct: "good". Not in possession of any Good Conduct badges.

Aged 22 years 5 months on discharge.

Awarded a pension of 8d. per day.

He was paid £2/11/2d. in payment for "his lost necessaries in the Crimea."

Lived in Woolwich after discharge and was still there in 1875.

Medals

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

His documents were returned to the D.A.G. on the 26th of February 1901.

See also copy of a photograph of his three-clasp Crimean medal in the 8th Hussar file. The present whereabouts of this medal are not known.

His three-clasp Crimean and Turkish medals are known (1989) to be in the National Army Museum, to which they were donated by a member of his greater family.

Commemorations

Attended the first Balaclava Banquet in 1875.

Member of the Balaclava Society in 1877 & 1879, where he is named as R Owen Glendwyr.

Portrait of Robert Owen Glendwyr, Illustrated London News, 30th of October 1875.

(Click on image to enlarge)

His portrait appeared in the Illustrated London News, 30th of October 1875. (Copy in the 8th Hussar file.)

The National Army Museum have a number of items relating to ROG, including this "Invitation to Private Robert Owen Glendwr, 8th (The King's Royal Irish) Light Dragoons (Hussars), to attend the Balaklava Commemoration Dinner of 1876." (Object URL http://www.nam.ac.uk/online-collection/detail.php?acc=1977-06-6-6). Notice it is signed "G Loy Smith, Chair of Committee". [PB]

(Click on image to enlarge)

Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.

Signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887.

Life after service

He later served in the Metropolitan Police as No. 20 Richard Owen, his Warrant Number being 34249.

Police records show that he was born in Cannon Row, Westminster, on the 8th of October 1832, the son of Richard and Sarah Glendwr.

There are two versions of the date on which he joined the Police — the 3rd of March 1855 and the 26th of November 1855 — but from the known date of his discharge from the Army, the latter must have been the correct one.

His physical description was shown as before: "having a sabre-cut on the right forearm and a partly paralysed right leg and arm."

He served in the No. 1 (Woolwich Dockyard) Division, finally resigning from the force (as a Sergeant) on the 31st of March 1887.

His age was given as 54 years, of an "Exemplary " character, and was awarded a pension of £65/17/4d. per annum. His pension number was 6557.

Just why he served under the name of Owen is nowhere explained, and a number of invitation cards to the various veterans' functions (now in the National Army Museum at Chelsea) show him variously as Richard Owen and Richard Glendwr. He signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887 in his full name.

Marriage registered

Richard Owen to Charlotte Holmes, March Quarter 1856, Lambeth.

Births registered

Hannah Elizabeth Owen, June Quarter 1857, Greenwich.

Richard Glendur [sic] Owen, December Quarter 1858, Lewisham.

1861 Census

20, Hamilton Terrace, Plumstead.

Richard Owen, 27, Police Constable, born Westminster.

Charlotte Owen, 35, born Brighton.

Hannah Owen, 4, born Deptford.

Richard Owen, 2, born Plumstead.

1871 Census

Grand Depot, New Road, Woolwich.

Richard Owen, 38, Police Sergeant, born Westminster.

Charlotte Owen, 45, born Brighton.

Richard G Owen, 12, scholar, born Plumstead.

Hannah G Owen, 14, scholar, born Deptford.

Death registered

Charlotte Owen, aged 49, March Quarter 1875, Woolwich.

Marriage registered

Richard Owen to Fanny Cook [2nd wife], June Quarter 1877, Woolwich.

NB She is named as Hannah in the 1881 Census.

Births registered

Edward Landrish Owen, June Quarter 1879, born Woolwich.

Herbert Chapman Owen, June Quarter 1879, born Woolwich.

[NB: Edward and Herbert appear to be twins BUT their ages are recorded 1 year apart on the 1891 Census.]

1881 Census

10, Dockyard, Woolwich, Greenwich.

Richard Owen, 47, Sergt Metro Police, born Westminster.

Hannah Owen, 31, wife, born Portsmouth.

Edward L Owen, 3, born Woolwich.

Herbert Owen, 2, born Woolwich.

Madeline Owen, 3 months, born Woolwich.

Births registered

Madeline Gertrude Owen, March Quarter 1881, Woolwich.

George Cecil Owen, March Quarter 1886, born Woolwich.

Francis Victor Owen, September Quarter 1889, born Woolwich.

Death & burial

Death registered

Richard Owen, aged 58 years, March Quarter 1891, Greenwich.

Died at 12, Denzil Terrace, Greenwich, aged 58 years, from "Angina Pectoris, 2 years. Congestion of the Lungs, 1 year." on the 17th of January 1891.

He was recorded as "Richard Owen", an "Army Pensioner and Pensioned Police Sgt". His widow, Fanny Owen, was shown as being present at, and the informant of, his death.

He was buried in a common grave, No. 594, Section AB. of the Greenwich Cemetery as "Richard Owen" on the 24th of January 1891. The officiating priest was the Revd. C.A. Berry.

(There is a copy of his death certificate in the "Certificates" file.)

No headstone was erected, but there is a photograph of the grave-area in the 8th Hussar file [TO BE ADDED].

Further information

1891 Census.

12, Denzil Terrace, Greenwich.

Fanny Owen [2nd wife], widow,, 41, Living on own means, born Portsmouth.

Edward Owen, 12, Scholar, born Woolwich.

Herbert Owen, 11, Scholar, born Woolwich

Madeline Owen, 10, Scholar, born Woolwich.

George Owen, 5, Scholar, born Woolwich

Francis V Owen, 1, born Charlton

Also 3 lodgers.

1901 Census

151, Victoria Road, Charlton.

Fanny Owen, 51, servant, Monthly nurse, born Portsmouth.

employed in the home of Major Alured B Denne R.A. and his family.

1911 Census

12, Northlands Street, Camberwell.

Fanny Owen, mother, 61, widow, born Portsmouth.

living with her son Edward, a postman, and another son, Francis, a P.O. sorter.

Death registered

Fanny Owen, aged 63 years, March Quarter 1914, Lambeth.

Notes to add or follow up

National Army Museum Library reference:

Documents relating to Pte R Glendwr, 8th (The King's Royal Irish) Light Dragoons (Hussars), participant in the Charge of the Light Brigade, 1854; associated with the Battle of Balaklava, Crimean War (1854-1856), 1854. Archives 1977-06-6

__________

PB: He is named as "Glendur" in the Cardigan v Calthorpe case. Check his comments.

References & acknowledgements

Additional marriage, birth and death registrations, Balaclava Society membership, and detailed Census information for 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 and 1911 generously provided by Chris Poole.