LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

1484, Henry William PARKER — 11th Hussars

Birth & early life

Born at Windsor, Berkshire.

No reference to his baptism can be found in the parish records there, but a George Parker, Tailor, and his wife Elizabeth lived at No. 3 Church Street, Windsor. (See later reference to a letter Henry W. Parker sent to his parents from the Crimea.)

Enlistment

Enlisted at London on the 27th of August 1850.

Age: 19.

Height: 5' 8".

Trade: Servant.

Service

1851 Census

Pockthorpe Barracks, Norwich.

Henry Parker, 19, Private, born Windsor, Berks.

Taken prisoner-of-war at Balaclava, 25th October 1854.

Extract from The Field, 23rd of December 1854:

"English Prisoner of War

The subjoined letter has just been received by Mr. George Parker, a tailor, of Windsor, Berkshire, from his son, now a private in the 11th Hussars and dated from...

Simpheropol, November 5th [1854].

Dear Parents,

I and a great many others were taken prisoner on the 26th [sic] of last month in the skirmish at Balaclava, I must thank the Almighty God that I was taken prisoner of war without being wounded in the slightest. I was only a little hurt by the fall from my horse.

I must say that since we have been here in the hands of the Russians they have behaved like gentlemen to us in every way and we have been treated equally as if we had been with our own country-men. They have even allowed us the great indulgence of writing home.

There is no telling how long we will remain here."

A slightly longer version, with minor differences, is reprinted in Anthony Dawson, Letters (2014), p.161:

Simpheropol, November 5th 1854.

Dear Parents,

I have no doubt you will be surprised when you read this to hear where I am, but let a few words suffice.

I and a great many others were taken prisoner on the 25th of last month in the skirmish at Balaklava. Dear parents, I must thank the Almighty that I was taken prisoner as I was, without being wounded in the slightest. I was only a hurt a little in the fall from my horse, when it was shot from under me; but that wore off in a few days, and now, I am to happy to say, I am in as good health as ever I was in my life..

I must say, that since we have been here in the hands of the Russians they have behaved like gentlemen to us in every respect; and we have been treated equally as well as if we had been with our own countrymen. They have even allowed us the great indulgence of writing home.

There is no telling how long we will remain prisoners; perhaps until the war is ended, and perhaps not. it is quite uncertain, but sooner or later. I hope I shall keep in as good health as I am at present. Last Christmas-Day I was at home at dinner with you, but I doubt very much whether I shall be at home with you this Christmas-day. Dear Mother, you had better not write till you hear from me again, which will be the first opportunity. Remember me to all inquiring friends. I will now conclude with my love to all, and believe me your ever affectionate son."

[PB: Check Prisoners of Voronesh for references. This is from the copy for a DNW auction in 2016.]

Parker is mentioned in The Prisoners of Voronesh, the Diary of Sergeant George Newman, 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers, who was also a prisoner of war, having been captured at Inkermann on 5 November 1854:

'Warren, being a good tumbler was persuaded to become a pantaloon, and a young fellow of the name of Parker of the 11th Hussars as his comrade Joey. Dresses were made and Warren gave lessons to Parker in tumbling and other tricks, and they would enliven us in the interval between songs and dances.'

Parker also took part in a play performed before an audience of prisoners of all ranks, the Russian guards and several prisoners, the Wicked Country Squire in two acts, in which Parker played the role of Philip, a peasant.

Rejoined the regiment at Scutari on the 26th of October 185[5? Re-joined regiment in Crimea 01.01.1856?].

Transferred to the 1st Life Guards on the 1st of March 1857. Regimental No. 12.

Promoted to Corporal of Horse on the 8th of January 1862,

Discharge & pension

Discharged as "being unworthy to serve" on the 12th of October 1864.

Next of kin (in 1854): Father, George Parker, living in Windsor.

Medals

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

Commemorations

Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.

Signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887.

Life after service

1871 Census

17, Grosvenor Square, St George Hanover Square, Westminster.

Henry Parker, 36, married, Porter, born Windsor, Berks.

1881 Census

St Leonard's Hill Mansion, Clewer, Windsor.

The 1881 Census Return shows him as as a Butler (Domestic), aged 49, married, born at Windsor.

The Head of the Household was shown as Francis T. Barry, a Pyrites and Copper Merchant. There were 9 Domestic Servants in the household.

Death & burial

He died in January 1889, aged 54, at the Cancer Hospital, Fulham Road, London.

Death registered

The death of a man of this name is shown in the St. Catherine's House Records for the Chelsea District, aged 54 years, during the January-March Quarter of 1889.

From the "Deaths" column of a contemporary newspaper [unknown source]:

"On the 21st Jan., Henry W. Parker, of 22 Maude Grove, Fulham-Road, late 11th Hussars and 1st Life Guards, in his 55th year. Interment at Brompton Cemetery, Friday, Jan 25th, 10.30 a.m."

He was buried from Chelsea Parish Church and interred in Brompton Cemetery in Grave No. 143959 Section DIS3, alongside the South Wall. It is shown as a purchased grave, and he being the only one interred there.

Although the grave is now very overgrown, the erected headstone is in relatively good condition (1990) and bears the inscription:

"In loving remembrance of Henry William Parker. Late 11th Hussars and 1st Life Guards (Balaclava Hero) who died 21st of January 1889, aged 54 years.'Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'"

There is a close-up photograph of the inscription and of the gravestone itself in the 11th Hussar file.

References & acknowledgements

Census information for 1851 and 1871 kindly provided by Chris Poole.

Further information

[PB: Henry Parker's Crimea medal came up for auction at DNW on 22 Jul 2016.]

parker_h_1484_11H_crimea_medal.jpg

(Click on image to enlarge)

The Crimean War medal awarded to Private Henry Parker, 11th Hussars; taken prisoner at Balaklava he was a Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society of 1875-79 and signed the Loyal Address of 1887

Crimea 1854-56, 4 clasps, Alma, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (H. Parker, 11th Hussars.) officially impressed naming, light contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine £4000-5000

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Ex Glendining's November 1902 and January 1906, medal with four clasps in both cases.

Confirmed as a charger and taken prisoner in all published sources. Not entitled to clasp for Inkermann but medal is clearly as issued with four clasps. At least eight other Light Brigade chargers, five of whom were taken prisoner, are also known to have received four-clasp medals due to an administrative error.

Henry William Parker was born at Windsor in July 1831, and entered the 11th Hussars at London District Headquarters on 27 August 1850, aged 19 years 1 month, a servant by trade. He was taken prisoner in the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava, 25 October 1854, and rejoined his regiment in the Crimea on 1 January 1856. Parker was one of eight men of the regiment taken prisoner, all of whom had been wounded or had their horse killed under them. Parker must have been in the latter category as his name is not included in any return of wounded men.

Parker is mentioned in The Prisoners of Voronesh, the Diary of Sergeant George Newman, 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers, who was also a prisoner of war, having been captured at Inkermann on 5 November 1854:

'Warren, being a good tumbler was persuaded to become a pantaloon, and a young fellow of the name of Parker of the 11th Hussars as his comrade Joey. Dresses were made and Warren gave lessons to Parker in tumbling and other tricks, and they would enliven us in the interval between songs and dances.'

Parker also took part in a play performed before an audience of prisoners of all ranks, the Russian guards and several prisoners, the Wicked Country Squire in two acts, in which Parker played the role of Philip, a peasant.

Parker was transferred to the 1st Life Guards on 1 March 1857, and promoted to Corporal of Horse on 8 January 1862. He was, however, discharged on 12 October 1864, being found 'unworthy to serve'. He was a member of the 'Balaclava Commemoration Society' of 1875, 1877 and 1879, and signed the illuminated Loyal Address to Queen Victoria in 1887. Sold with research and a copy of The Prisoners of Voronesh.

[Source: https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/dixnoonanwebb/catalogue-id-dix-no10022/lot-f9155abf-50dc-4db0-a40c-a63401075846 (accessed 22.6.2018).]