Private Gregory JOWETT — 1357, 11th Hussars

Birth & early life

Born at Bingley, near Bradford, Yorkshire, c.1829.

1841 Census

Turf Row, Bingley.

Thomas Jowett, 30.

Betty, 30.

Six children are shown: Gregory, 12; John, 10; Fanny, 6; Mary, 4; Hannah, 2; Elizabeth, 6 months.

Enlistment

Enlisted at Manchester on the 5th of August 1848.

Age: 18.

Height: 5' 8".

Trade: Weaver.

Service

1851 Census

Pockthorpe Cavalry Barracks, Norwich.

Gregory Jowett, 22, Private, born Bingley.

__________

Water Lane, Sturry, Kent.

Mary Ann Hatcher, widow, 43, charwoman, born Barham.

Annie Elizabeth Hatcher [future 1st wife], [age?], born Sturry.

Eliza Hatcher, 12, scholar, born Sturry.

Henry Alfred Hatcher, 11, born Sturry.

[PB: Sturry is 3 miles N.E. of Canterbury, Barham is 7 miles S.E.]

[PB: The following quotes, and quotes within quotes, need to be sorted.]

Although wounded, he saved the life of Lieutenant Roger Palmer at Balaclava, against whom a Russian soldier had raised his carbine. A few days before the Charge, Palmer had found Jowett asleep at his post. By not reporting him, and against the advice of the Orderly Sergeant Major (Pickles), Jowett had been saved from a flogging. A full description of this incident can be found in the Regimental History.

"1357 Troop Sergeant Major Gregory Jowett, born Bradford; enlisted 11th Hussars, 1847; served during the Crimean War and rode in the Charge of the Light Brigade, 25.10.1854, during the latter he saved the life of Lieutenant (later Major-General, 5th Baronet of Castle Lackin, County Mayo, Ireland) R.W.H. Palmer, 11th Hussars; Palmer gives more details, as quoted in the Regimental History:

''A few nights before Balaclava I was Orderly Officer, and going round the sentries at night I found Private (afterwards Sergt.-Major in the 18th Hussars), Jowett sitting down (I am afraid), asleep at his post. I did not know what to do, as he was one of the best men in my troop. I did not like to confine him, as I knew if I did so, he would certainly be flogged. Whilst I was thinking, the Orderly Sergt.-Major said to me in a dictatorial tone of voice, "You must confine that man, Sir, or the Colonel will be very angry." This determined me, I turned round on the Sergt.-Major and said, "What the devil do you mean for daring to speak to me in that tone? — if you say another word I will put you under arrest for insolence to your superior officer." After cautioning Jowett not to sit down at his post again, I left him.

A few days after this occurrence the battle of Balaclava took place, and on the evening after, I was sitting talking to Lieutenant (afterwards Colonel), Dunn, V.C., and he said to me, "You had a very near shave of it today, old fellow, as while we were rallying after the first halt, a Russian came up behind you and put up his carbine close to your head. You did not see him, but Private Jowett charged him and cut him down." I remarked to Dunn, "Lucky for me I saved him from getting flogged, or otherwise he might not have been in such a hurry to save my life..."

[PB: An almost identical tale is told of George Warwick Hunt, 4th Light Dragoons, though no sergeant is named. See the Accounts database.]

From Private to Corporal: 1st of January 1855.

Corporal to Sergeant: 25th of May 1855.

He was Provost-Sergeant of the 2nd Division during February and March of 1856.

Marriage registered

Gregory Jowett [1st marriage] to Annie Elizabeth Hatcher, June Quarter 1857, Blean

Transferred to the 18th Hussars on the 1st of February 1858. Regimental No. 8.

Appointed to Troop Sergeant Major on the 1st of June 1858.

Discharge & pension

Discharged from Manchester on the 6th of August 1860. "Time expired, and having completed 12 years service."

Conduct and character: "good".

Medals

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

Commemorations

Attended the first Balaclava Banquet in 1875.

Portrait in the Illustrated London News, 30th October 1875.

(Click on image to enlarge)

He served as on the Committee of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1877 and on the revised list of members in 1879.

Signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887.

His portrait appeared in the Illustrated London News, 30th of October 1875. (There is a copy in the 11th Hussar file.)

Further detailed medal information archived.

Life after service

Birth registered

Fanny Eleanor Jowett, June Quarter 1863, Faversham.

Death registered

Annie Elizabeth Jowett, September Quarter 1870, St Saviour.

1871 Census

5, Mason Street, St George The Martyr, Southwark.

Gregory Jowett, brother in law, wid, 42, Labourer, born Bingley.

Fanny Jowett, niece, 8, born Faversham.

[CP: They were living with [in the home of? who was head of the household?] John Hatcher, 42, Labourer, born Sturry, West Kent and his wife Ellen.

When Gregory Jowett died in 1891, John Hatcher married Jowett's wife 12 months later. No further records have been found concerning Ellen Hatcher e.g. death certificate.]

[PB: So if John Hatcher was Annie Jowett's brother, John married his brother-in-law Gregory Jowett's second wife.]

Marriage registered.

Gregory Jowett married Mary Ann Hanger, June Quarter 1873, St Saviour. [2nd marriage.]

1881 Census

3 Victoria Street, St. Mildred Poultry, London.

The 1881 Census shows him as aged 52, a Brewer's Servant, born at Bingley, Yorkshire, with his wife, Mary Anne, 36, and born at Bideford, Devon. No children are recorded.

1891 Census

3, Queen Victoria Street, St Stephen, London City.

Gregory Jowett, 62, Housekeeper, born Bingley.

Mary A. 48, born Bideford.

Death & burial

Death registered

Gregory Jowett, aged 62 years, June Quarter 1891, St Olave.

Extract from the Army and Navy Gazette of the 30th of May 1891:

"Sergeant Jowett, late of the 11th Hussars, who rode in the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava has lately died. He had been for twenty-six years in the employ of the City of London Brewery Company, by whom he had recently been pensioned."

A man of this name is shown in the St. Catherines's House records as having died in the St. Olave's (Southwark, London) District during the April-June quarter of 1891, aged 62 years.

Extract from the Southwark Recorder. 23rd of May 1891:

"Death of One of the Six Hundred. — Sergeant Jowett, late of the 11th Hussars and one of the 'Six Hundred' heroes who took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava, died on Monday (the 19th) [sic] at Guy's Hospital, London, of dropsy. He had been for 26 years in the employ of the City of London Brewery Company, by whom he had recently been retired on pension. Jowett was one of the veterans who took part in the Lord Mayor's Show last November. Four others of the brave fellows who 'rode through the jaws of death' and were also amongst the Lord Mayor's processional have since died. Named were Carroll, 4th Light Dragoons, Pamplin, 13th Hussars, and Aldous and Brennan, 17th Lancers."

The Guy's Hospital records show him as being admitted there on the 27th of April 1891 and where he was: in No. 18 Bed in the Stephen Ward under Dr. Taylor. He died at 10.25 a.m. on the 14th/15th (the date could be either, one figure being superimposed on the other) of May 1891 from, following a post-mortem carried out by Dr. W. Campbell, of "Cirrhosis of the liver and Carcinoma of the liver and gall bladder," at the age of 62. He was "Buried by friends", but no indication as to just where.

Further information

"Sergeant 25.5.1855; at Daidar, July 1855; Provost Sergeant, 2nd Division, February and March 1856; transferred 18th Hussars, 1858, and was promoted as Troop Sergeant Major in the same year; discharged August 1859; was employed for 26 years by the City of London Brewery Company; attended the First Balaclava Banquet, 25.10.1875, five days latter his portrait was pictured in the Illustrated London News; he claimed from the Light Brigade Relief Fund, aged 63 and as a resident of 3 Queen Victoria Street; Jowett was a member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society, 1879, where he was one of two committee members representing the 11th Hussars; signed the Loyal Address 1887; took part in the Lord Mayor's Show, 1890; he died in May the following year."

Marriage registered

Mary Ann Jowett [2nd wife] to John Hatcher, December Quarter 1892, St Olave.

1901 Census

56, Stanworth Street, Bermondsey.

John Hatcher, 72, Carpenter, Sturry, West Kent.

Mary A Hatcher, 55, born Bideford.

Including 2 boarders.

References & acknowledgements

Birth and marriage registrations, and Census information for 1841, 1851, 1871, 1891, 1901 kindly provided by Chris Poole.