Service
His account of the Battle of the Alma, as told to Walter Wood, was published in The Royal Magazine Volume XV1. pp. 167 and seq. (There is a copy in the 11th Hussar files.)
[PB: This was republished in Walter Wood, Survivors' Tales of Great Events, Retold from Personal Narratives, London: Cassell, 1906. Book and transcript in hand. See here.]
From Answers magazine, 26th of October 1912:
"Mr. Parkinson is over 80 and bears his years wonderfully well. He has had a hard-working and adventurous career.
He willingly furnished the following account of the part he took in the Charge.
'I got through very well, until just as we reached the Russian guns my horse was shot under me, my left leg being injured in the fall — but I was fortunate enough to secure a rider-less horse and followed on with the rest down the valley.
On my return I received a slight lance wound in the neck from one of the Polish Lancers sent to try to cut off our retreat. I also received a slight wound in the right leg, but how or why I could not say, for I was about done up when we arrived back at our starting place.'"
His horse was shot from under him at Balaclava and he received three slight wounds.
From Private to Corporal: 10th of October 1859.
Corporal to Sergeant: 7th of December 1861.
Raised a "Corps Dramatique" in the Regiment, with himself as Stage Manager, at Dublin during 1861-62.
Discharge & pension
Discharged, "by claim", from Dublin on the 11th of June 1864.
Conduct: "good". Equal to two Good Conduct badges.
EJB: A correspondent, Mrs M. Dodds, of Colmore, Hampshire, sent the following account of him in later life:
"When I was very young, my father, William Joshua Clark, who was an Unitarian Minister in Birmingham and did a lot of philanthropic work, founded the Birmingham Veteran's Association and assisted quite a number of old soldiers who were in poverty.
John Parkinson was a fine-looking man, very tall, and with a white beard. When dressed in his full uniform he looked magnificent and used to wear it on special occasions, such as reciting the 'Charge of the Light Brigade' at concerts which my father arranged for the old men.
Also given at the same time was a hand-written account, by Parkinson himself, of his experiences before and during the first part of the Crimean campaign, but unfortunately this ends suddenly on the day following the battle of the Alma. See this in the 11th Hussar file.
Commemorations
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
Signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887.
Attended the Annual Dinners in 1897, 1906, 1908, 1910, 1911 and 1913.
Present at the Jubilee celebrations held by Mr T.H. Roberts in his Fleet Street offices in June 1897 and signed the testimonial given to Mr Roberts on that occasion. (There is a copy of this in the "Memoirs" file.)
He received a total of £78/19/9 in financial help from the "Roberts" Fund from the 1st of December 1911 up to his death.
Further detailed medal information archived.
Towards the end of his life, by which time there were very few survivors of the Charge, he was feted throughout the world, as in this item from Sydney, Australia (1913):
(Click on image to enlarge)
FIFTEEN BALACLAVA SURVIVORS
Reduced by one by the recent death of Lord Tredegar, the following are now the survivors of the Charge of the Light Brigade:
Sir George Wombwell, 17th Lancers.
Major Phillips [8th Hussars]
Alderman Kilvert, 8th Hussars [actually, 11th Hussars]
J Mustard, 17th Lancers
T. Boxall, 4th Hussars [formerly 4th Light Dragoons]
J. Whitehead, 4th Hussars [formerly 4th Light Dragoons]
H. Wilsden, 4th Hussars [formerly 4th Light Dragoons]
J. Olley, 4th Hussars [formerly 4th Light Dragoons]
W.S.J. Fulton, 8th Hussars
J. Parkinson, 11th Hussars
T. Warr, 11th Hussars
G. Gibson, 13th Hussars [formerly 13th Light Dragoons]
E. Hughes, 13th Hussars [formerly 13th Light Dragoons]
W. Ellis, 11th Hussars
W.H. Pennington, 8th Hussars [actually, 11th Hussars]
[Source: Sunday Times (Sydney, NSW), 20 April 1913 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/126459695 (accessed 15.2.2014) [PB].]
Life after service
Lived at some time at 180, Grange Road, Birmingham.
["Calling the Roll After An Engagement, Crimea" (or "The Roll Call" (1874) — H.M. The Queen; Buckingham Palace)]
[Source?]
(Click on image to enlarge)
He is depicted in Lady Butler's picture "The Roll Call" and frequently recited "The Charge of the Light Brigade" at various social functions, wearing the uniform of the 11th Hussars that he had worn in the Crimea.
[PB: As a Grenadier Guard? Depicted in "The Roll Call", not "Balaclava"? True, he was a policeman, and described as tall and straight, so could have passed for a guardsman. And how did EB find him?]
The Journal of the Police History Society states that he had first gone to work for the S.E. Railway Co. at London Bridge before joining the Birmingham Police in 1864, where he became a Sergeant in 1866.
In reporting his death the Police Chronicle (of 19th of January 1917) gives slightly different dates (stating that he joined the Birmingham Police in 1866):
"Sergeant Parkinson retired from the Army after 14 years' service and went to Birmingham in 1866. Here he joined the police service and rose in time to the position of a sergeant. The greater part of his service was performed in the Ladywell Division and for many years he was in charge of the police-station at Ladywood. He was a policeman for 26 years, and during that period was greatly respected by all. He left the police force on superannuation in 1892."
The Police Chronicle (31st of December 1892) reported on his retirement:
"Presentation to a retired Police-Sergeant"
"A handsome marble time-piece and a purse of money have been presented to Ex-Sergeant John Parkinson by the men of "B" Division of the Birmingham Police. It will be remembered that ex-Sergeant Parkinson recently retired on a superannuation allowance after 26 years' service.
The presentation was made at the Ladywood Police Station by Superintendent Lillis, who was supported by Inspectors Moore and Parker, Sergeant Bennett, and a number of officers.
In making the presentation the Superintendent referred to the fact that the recipient took part in the famous charge."
Births registered
Charlotte Parkinson, December Quarter 1867, Birmingham.
William George, June Quarter 1872, Kings N[orton, Brimingham].
Ann, September Quarter 1875, Kings N[orton, Birmingham].
Ellen, March Quarter 1877, Birmingham.
1871 Census
6, Hick Street, Aston, Birmingham.
John Parkinson, 35, Police Officer, born Grantham.
Eliza, 32, born Bristol.
Charlotte, 3, born Birmingham.
John, 1, born Birmingham.
1881 Census
37, Alston Street, Ladywood, Birmingham.
John Parkinson, 45, Borough Police Officer, born Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Eliza, 43, born Bristol.
Charlotte 13, John 11, William G. 9, Ann 7, Ellen 4, all Scholars.
Marriage registered
Charlotte Parkinson married Louis William Trickett, June Quarter 1884, Kings N[orton, Birmingham].
Birth registered
Sidney Trickett [1st grandson], December Quarter 1887, Birmingham.
1891 Census
29, Common Hill Grove, Kings Norton.
John S Parkinson, 55, Police Sergeant, born Grantham.
Eliza, 53, born Bristol.
John, 21, Groom, Domestic, born Birmingham.
William, 19, Wood Turner, born Birmingham.
Annie, 17, Waitress in restaurant, born Birmingham.
Ellen, 14, living on own means, born Birmingham.
Marriage registered
Ann Parkinson [daughter] married George Dalton Dauncey, September Quarter 1899, Solihull.
Birth registered
John Edward D. Dauncey [grandson], March Quarter 1900, Sheffield.
1901 Census
26, Blackford Road, Yardley.
John S. Parkinson, 66, Superannuated Police Officer, born Grantham.
Eliza, 64, born Bristol.
A lodger is also shown.
Marriage registered
Ellen Parkinson [daughter] married Thomas Hurst Pearson, September Quarter 1906, Solihull.
Birth registered
James Darrell Pearson [grandson], October Quarter 1909, Peterborough.
Death registered
Eliza Parkinson [wife], 73, March Quarter 1910, Solihull.
1911 Census
32, Pargeter Road, Bearwood, Birmingham.
George Dalton Dauncey, 42, Electrical Engineer, born Manchester.
Annie Dauncey [daughter], 37, born Birmingham.
John Edward Dauncey 11, born Sheffield.
John Parkinson [father in law], 76, widower, Police Pensioner, born Grantham.
1911 Census
3 Church Walk, Peterborough.
Thomas Hurst Pearson, 35, Manager of Brickyard, born Peterborough.
Ellen Pearson, 34, born Birmingham.
James Darrell, 1, born Peterborough.
In 1984 a Mr. G.H. Adams, of Ilkley, West Yorkshire, wrote to say that John Parkinson was twice married: "My wife's grandmother being his second wife." Unfortunately, further enquiry brought no response.
Marriage registered
John Parkinson married Elizabeth Carter [2nd wife], June Quarter 1912, Aston.
[Actual date: 9th May 1912.]
Death & burial
Death registered
John S Parkinson, 84, March Quarter 1917, Kings N[orton].
[Actual date: 11th Jan 1917, at Sandon Road, Edgbaston, at the home of his daughter Annie.]
Died at Birmingham on the 11th of January 1917, aged 83 years, and was buried in Yardley Cemetery with full military honours. His wife, Eliza, who died in March of 1910, is buried in the same grave-space.
In the files, there is a copy of a photograph of the tombstone which was erected and also copies of the articles on his life and death which appeared in the 11th Hussar Journal in 1912 and 1917. Also his obituary notice, funeral report, and photographs of the same, taken from the Birmingham Gazette, 18th of January 1917.
The Funeral
With full military honours the funeral took place at Yardley Cemetery, the cortege starting from the residence of the deceased's son-in-law, Mr. G.D. Dauncey, of Edgbaston. The body was conveyed on a gun-carriage and men of the 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion of the Worcester Regiment were in attendance and provided the firing-party at the graveside. A very large number of people witnessed the interment, but owing to the very severe weather, only four of the military veterans of the city were able to be present. Sir William Bowater represented the Lord Mayor and the Revd. Morgan Whiteman, Secretary of the Military Veteran's Association, conducted the service.
FindAGrave: Sgt John Smith Parkinson https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=59808573&ref=acom (accessed 21.7.2017). Photographs of Cemetery Gates, but not of grave.
PB, July 2017: Follow up JSP's family background
Ancestry, Select Births and Christenings 1538-1975: Baptism 25 July 1835, Grantham, Lincoln, England, says JSP was son of Samuel and Ann Smith Parkinson. Numerous siblings also shown:
(
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=FS1EnglandBirthsandChristenings&h=6630231&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=PMG106&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&rhSource=60526 (accessed 21.7.2017). No image.
But some Ancestry Trees say Mary Bugg (1816-1906), born Haceby, Newton, Lincs.
As seen at https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/8767/LINRG9_2349_2353-0555/21817611?backurl=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/46967434/person/24653079524/facts
This Samuel Smith Parkinson, Wood Dealer, 49, would have been born 1812, so quite possibly JSP's father. Other children at home at this time are very young: Mary Jane, 10; William, 8; Frederick, 5; Ernest, 2.
At least one Tree shows "half-siblings", so his mother may have died:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/47107065/person/24445387944/facts
Would be good to clear up.
