Death & burial
Death registered
Thomas Marshall, aged 61 years, June Quarter 1893, Sheffield.
Thomas Marshall committed suicide at Attercliffe, Sheffield, Yorkshire, on the 29th of May 1893.
From an unknown, undated, newspaper report:
Suicide of a Balaclava Hero.
An old man named Thomas Marshall, one of the Six Hundred who took part in the Light Brigade Charge at Balaclava, committed suicide at Sheffield, on Monday afternoon. He told his wife he was going to take a nap and not to awake him. In her absence he tied a rope around his neck and hanged himself from the bed-post. Deceased was captured by the Russians during the Charge and retained by them for a year before he was released."
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From the Sheffield Independent, 1st of June 1893:
"Another two Balaclava men have gone down before the grim charger whom none can deny — the late Robert Challace, who was one of the Heavy Brigade, and poor Marshall, who perished by his own hand at Attercliffe. Both of them, it is pleasing to hear, were on the Relief Fund of the Crimean and Indian Mutiny Veterans' Association, of which Colonel Bingham is the beneficent genie. The public, whose heart warms to men of both Brigades, will be glad to think that some help was given to them during their declining years. The survivors are being so rapidly thinned that the friends of the veterans would like to make then even more comfortable than the funds would allow."
From the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 30th and the 31st of May 1893:
Another suicide in Sheffield
Sad End of One of the Six Hundred.Thomas Marshall, aged 61, an old Balaclava hero, committed suicide yesterday afternoon by strangling himself at his son's house, 21, Stoke Street, Attercliffe. Marshall took part in the memorable charge of the Light Brigade, and lost three fingers of his left hand in the action [not so — he lost them in an industrial accident after discharge; see below]. He was captured by the Russians and was retained a prisoner for 12 months. He received a medal for his bravery and retired on a pension of 10d. per day.
He formerly lived in Lincoln, but came to Sheffield about two years ago to live with his son, owing to his inability to do any work. Latterly he had been in failing health and complained frequently of the pains in his head, where he had been wounded by a gun-shot.
He had often threatened to put an end to his life. He got up as usual yesterday and appeared to be in his usual health. At noon he took his son's dinner to his place of work and returned home. He went upstairs for his usual nap, and told his wife not to wake him until five o'clock.
Mrs. Marshall went upstairs about that time to do some work, and had looked into the bedroom to see if her husband was still asleep. She was surprised to find him only lying partly on the bed with his feet touching the floor. He had obtained possession of an ordinary piece of clothes line and after twisting it around his neck had fastened it to one of the bed posts, and strangled himself. A surgeon was called in, but his services were of no avail.
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Suicide of One of the Light Brigade.
Mr. D. Wightman, coroner, held an inquest yesterday afternoon at the Grey Horse Inn in Stoke Street, Attercliffe, on the body of Thomas Marshall, aged 61, who strangled himself at his son's house, No. 21 Stoke Street. It transpired, from the evidence of Mrs Eliza Marshall, widow of the deceased, that Marshall had not been healthy. Some years ago he lost three fingers in an accident at a foundry where he had been employed as a labourer.
He took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade, where he was wounded in the neck, head, groin and back. Altogether he was wounded in ten places.
He had threatened previously to commit suicide, and was subject to fits. He was very despondent and tried to commit suicide four years ago by cutting his throat. He had frequent pains in the head and his memory failed him at times.
On Monday afternoon, directly after dinner, he went upstairs to have a nap, and told his wife not to call him before five o'clock. Mrs. Marshall went upstairs at half-past four o'clock and found deceased hanging from the top of the bed, dead. He had strangled himself by twisting a piece of cord around the bed-post, and fastening the noose round his neck. He had been confined in an asylum three times.
The Coroner remarked that it was a dreadful end for one who took part in the Balaclava Charge. The number of men who rode in that charge must be getting very scarce. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst in a state of temporary insanity."
From the City of Sheffield Archives comes the information that he was buried in the parish churchyard of Christ Church, Attercliffe, Sheffield, on the 1st of June 1893. His place of abode was given simply as Attercliffe, and his age as 61 years. The ceremony was performed by the Revd. G. Depledge. The entry in the parish register is marked "N.C." which probably refers to the fact that he was buried in the New Cemetery (adjacent to the old parish church-yard).