Born at Norwich, Norfolk, on the 29th of July 1830 and baptised in the church of St. James with Pockthorpe, Norwich, on the 13th of August 1830, the son of John Partridge, "a soldier in the 1st Royal Dragoons". and his wife, Ann, nee Burrows.
John Partridge [father]
His father was born in Crediton, Devonshire, in 1794, the son of John Partridge and his wife Thomazina, (nee Wreford, and formerly of the parish of Marchand Bishop) who were married at Crediton on the 16th of February 1790, and had enlisted into the Royal Dragoons in November of 1814.
He had risen through the ranks, becoming a Corporal in 1815, Sergeant in January of 1818, Troop Sergeant Major in January of 1823, Regimental Sergeant Major in November of 1829 and being commissioned as a Quartermaster on the 18th of July 1834. He was placed on half-pay — at a rate of 8/- per day, on the 26th of October 1849, granted the honorary rank of Captain on the 1st of July 1859 and died (believed to be at Brighton) on the 23rd of August 1863.
After leaving the Army he had lived at a number of places, including Notting Hill, London, Ramsgate in Kent, Tiverton, Devonshire, and his last known address, Brook Green Terrace, Hammersmith, London.
He had served at the battle of Waterloo, being in No. 1 or "E" Troop, commanded by Captain Radcliffe. The medal he received for this, named to "Corporal J. Partridge, Royal Dragoons." is amongst the family medals presented to the 17th/21st Lancers Regimental Museum at Belvoir by a member of his greater family.
His arrears of pension were sent to Edward Francis Weaver of the 13th Light Infantry, at Dover, Kent. (He appears in Dalton's "The Waterloo Roll Call" as being one of the "Non commissioned officers and privates at Waterloo who subsequently received commissions.")
John Partridge died at No 34 Cannon Place, Brighton, "whither he had gone for a change of air".
Qualified at London on the 19th of May 1853.
Veterinary Surgeon (On Probation): 7th of November 1854.
Veterinary Surgeon in the 11th Hussars: 29th of December 1854.
Letter sent from the:
"Horse Guards,
22nd January 1855.
Sir, — I have in command to acquaint you that passage has been provided for Veterinary Surgeon Partridge of the 11th Hussars in the "Candia" steamer and that he is to embark at Portsmouth with the detachment proceeding in that ship, reporting his embarkation according to orders.
P. S. The Candia is expected to embark troops on Friday next.
I have, etc. etc,.
James Simpson,
DAG.
[To] Officer Commanding Depot, Brighton."
Embarked for the Crimea aboard the S.S. "Candia" on the 28th of January 1855.
Veterinary Surgeon in the 17th Lancers: 6th of July 1855.
He married Frances Ann Gloag, daughter of Veterinary Surgeon John Gloag, 11th Hussars (see his Record) at St. Andrews Church, Bristol, on the 6th of June 1857. He was then 26 years of age and she 21. The officiating clergyman was the Revd. Coney, Army Chaplain, and the witnesses were Mr. Noakes of the Military Train, Miss Blake, and Miss S. Gloag.
Marriage registered
William Partridge to Frances Ann Gloag, June Quarter 1857, Clifton.
There were three known children in the family up to the end of December 1864:
Frances Elizabeth, born at 15 Elton Terrace, Bristol, on the 9th of March 1858,>/p>
William Frederick, born in the parish of St. Andrew's at Bristol (date unknown), and
Harker, born at Shooter's Hill, Plumstead, London, 8th of December 1864.
Birth registered
Frances Elizabeth Partridge [daughter], June Quarter 1858, Clifton.
Veterinary Surgeon in the Royal Artillery: 2nd of December 1859.
1861 Census
9 Elwick Terrace, Plumstead.
William Partridge, aged 30, Veterinary Surgeon, born Norwich.
Frances Ann Partridge, 27, Ireland.
Frances Elizabeth Partridge, 3, Bristol.
Two servants are also shown.
1st Class Veterinary Surgeon: 29th of July 1862.
Births registered
William Joseph Partridge, Dec Quarter 1864, Greenwich.
John Edward G Partridge, March Quarter 1868, Maidstone.
George McLoughlin G Partridge, March Quarter 1870, Maidstone.
1871 Census
Aldershot.
William Partridge, aged 40 veterinary surgeon , born Norwich.
Frances A Partridge, 37, Ireland.
Frances E Partridge, 13, Bristol.
William F J Partridge, 6, Woolwich.
John E G Partridge, 3, Maidstone.
George M G Partridge, 1, Maidstone.
Staff Veterinary Surgeon at Aldershot on the 7th of October 1871.
The "London Gazette" of the 20th of July 1875 shows: Staff Veterinary Surgeon William Partridge to retire upon temporary half-pay.
Placed on half-pay (at the rate of 14/-per day) on the 21st of July 1875.
Campaign service
Veterinary Surgeon Partridge served the Eastern campaign from the 17th of February 1855 with the 17th Lancers, including the Siege and fall of Sebastopol and the Expedition to Kertch. (Medal and Clasp.) Also present at the campaign in Central India in 1857-58 and engaged in action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858. (Medal.) (Served with the 10th Hussars at Kertch.)
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol, Turkish Medal and the Mutiny Medal, (without clasp.)
In action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 and at Baroda on the 1st of January 1859.
The muster rolls for the period July-September 1858 show him as no particular service movement having taken place.
His medals and a number of other items including his sword and scabbard, uniform buttons bearing the Death's Head of the 17th Lancers, pouch and buckle ornaments and two officers devices bearing the letters "VR" and surmounted by a crown are now in the Regimental Museum of the 17th/21st Lancers at Belvoir. The inscription on the sword reads: "W. Partridge. Veterinary Surgeon. 11th Hussars, 10th Hussars, 17th Lancers and Royal Artillery."
These also form part of the family collection of memorabilia which was presented to the Museum by the widow of a Corporal E. Partridge of the 17th Lancers (the latter's three World War One medals are there as well) and were given, it is believed, about 1960. Just what relationship Corporal E. Partridge was to William Partridge is not known, possibly a son, but more likely a grandson.
This was No. 52325/99296 Edward Partridge, who had served in France and Flanders from the 8th of November 1914, and was awarded the 1914 Star, War and Victory medals.
Extract from the "White Lancer " (the Regimental Journal of the 17th Lancers) in 1910:
"In 1909 an interesting relic came into the possession of the Regiment through the kindness of Mr. G.M. Partridge, of Liverpool, who presented the Mess with a lock of Tanta Topi's hair and a piece of the rope with which he was hanged after the Mutiny. The father of Mr. Partridge had been Staff veterinary sergeant [sic] to the 17th Lancers in 1858 and had obtained the memento from a farrier-sergeant who was apparently the executioner."
He died at 94 Leighton Road, Kentish Town, London, NW5, on the 26th of April 1877, aged 46 years, and was buried in Highgate Cemetery on the 1st of May 1877 in a private grave, No. 21960, Square 157. He is the only one interred in the plot, which is shown as belonging to his wife.
His arrears of pension were paid to his wife, Frances Ann.
The Cemetery records do not show whether or not a gravestone was erected, and due to the very neglected and overgrown condition of the grave area, nothing can yet (1982) be searched for.
A further check of his burial area in Highgate Cemetery, Kentish Town, shows no trace of a tombstone for him, if indeed one was ever erected. Family finances, it would seem, were not sufficient for it. Although most of the area is very overgrown, that around his actual grave-site is relatively clear.
From the Obituary Column of the "Veterinary Journal":
"With deep regret we announce the death of Staff Veterinary Surgeon W. Partridge, which mournful event took place on April 26th in the 46th year of his age.
Our deceased colleague graduated in May of 1853 and was gazetted to the Army in November of 1854. In June 1862, he was promoted to the rank of First Class, and in October 1871, to that of Staff Veterinary Surgeon. In July of 1875 he was placed on half-pay by the recommendation of a Medical Board, and was on half-pay at the time of his death. Mr. Partridge served in the Crimea, from February 1855 to the end of the Russian War and received the medal given on that occasion.
With the 17th Lancers he went through the whole of the Central India campaign during the Mutiny of 1857; and in 1867 he was employed at Alicante in Spain, purchasing mules for the Abyssinian Expedition, and received the thanks of H.R.H. the Commander-in-Chief and the Secretary of State for War for the manner in which he discharged this duty.
During his service in the Crimea, he suffered severely from fever and ague and rheumatism, and towards the termination of the Indian campaign, from dysentery in addition to rheumatism and fever; so precarious indeed, was his health at this time, that he was carried in a dhoolie for fourteen days before being admitted to the officers' hospital at Calcutta, from whence he was invalided home. The illness thus contracted in the service of his country at the most critical periods of its history, laid the foundations for a bad state of health, which continued with but slight intermission, though always increasing in seriousness, until he finally succumbed.
Mr. Partridge's professional abilities were of a very high order, and but for his broken-down health — due to the hardships of war in foreign climates — he would have done so much to promote his calling.
Of his gallantry in the field there can be no question; and on one occasion during a cavalry skirmish at Kertch, he saved the life of a soldier of the 10th Hussars who was struck down by Cossacks, and succeeded in bringing him out safe by means of his own sword. This incident is alluded to in a graphic and spirited description of the encounter, which appeared some time ago in the Cornhill Magazine [actually in 1863, Vol. VII]. Had this bravery on that occasion been represented there can be scarcely any doubt that he would have received the Victoria Cross.
Mr. Partridge has left a wife and young family to mourn his untimely death, and we are sorry to learn that they are badly provided for. The very insufficient remuneration of an Army Veterinary Surgeon on full-pay and his miserable pittance on half-pay, leave no margin to provide for the wants of a family in case of death. In such circumstances they need more comfort than passive sympathy."
Extract from the "Cornhill Magazine" for June 1863:
"An article entitled, 'A Ride with the Cossacks at Kertch', was unsigned, but obviously written by some-one who had served with the 10th Hussars, described the journey out in May of 1855 in company with the French 2nd Regiment of Chasseurs, and of his experiences there... On one occasion, when in action against the Cossacks, the cavalry force was forced to withdraw by sheer weight of opposing numbers, but...
Three men of the 10th had gone too far into the ravine, and the Cossacks, seeing these three men at their mercy, galloped upon them. The first, Boulter, was shot in the chest, and died immediately. The second man, Coulter, was hurled from his horse by a lance which pierced him through the left shoulder, and the remaining man, Poole, as he dashed forward to his assistance, parried a lance thrust at him and threw himself on one side to avoid another, but in doing so his whole weight was on one stirrup, which caused the saddle to partly turn and he fell under his horse.
In an instant he was again mounted and defending himself, sword in hand and fighting desperately. He refused the quarter the Cossacks offered, but one against so many, he was surrounded, then his sword was knocked up, and he was disarmed.
All this however, had not gone unobserved, and Captain Fitzclarence's attention was drawn to Poole's predicament by Mr Partridge (the veterinary surgeon, who voluntarily accompanied us on all our expeditions) who proposed to go to his rescue. This proposition was promptly replied to by our Captain, who shouted, "Come on Tenth," with a wave of his sword in Poole's direction, indicating where and what he meant, and leading the way with Mr. Partridge, was instantly followed by half a dozen of ours and some of the Chasseurs.
From Poole's face being towards his assailants he did not perceive the coming aid, but still, unarmed as he was, kept struggling with them. They however, who could see us advancing to the rescue, redoubled their efforts to drag him away. but on finding that neither he nor his horse would move (one appeared as stubborn as the other) and that we were close to his assistance, a Cossack drew his pistol and putting it close to Poole's head, drew the trigger.
We who could see this movement were almost paralysed for the moment, but rode on with set teeth and our hands clasped around our sword-hilts, expecting to see his head blown to pieces; but fortunately for the brave fellow, the pistol only flashed in the pan. With a wild cry, which resembled more the yelp of a savage dog than the voice of a human being at thus being baffled, the Cossack pulled out another pistol but before he had time to use it his head was cleft in two by Laporte, a Chasseur, — and Poole was saved. Falling upon the others in flank and rear we hurled them back upon the main body, and then made good our retreat.
Upon retiring, we came upon Lucas, whose horse being dead lame, had dismounted and was making the best of his way back on foot, stopping every few yards trying get rid of his big boots, which were not at all adapted for running in. This he at last managed to do, and getting between Poole and Mr. Partridge, laid hold of their stirrup leathers, and so got away with the others; not too soon though, for the Cossacks came charging down again on our flanks, and were only kept at bay by the skirmishers...
Marriage registered
Frances Elizabeth Partridge [daughter] to Theophiles William Pinn, June Quarter 1879, Christchurch.
Birth registered
Elsie Frances Pinn [granddaughter], September Quarter 1880, Stockport.
1881 Census
16 Crosby Street, Stockport.
William F J Partridge, 16, brother [of Frances E Pinn, 23], born Woolwich.
Frances A Partrige [wife], 47, Mother in law, Officer's widow, born Ireland.
She was living with her married daughter, Frances E Pinn, 23, her husband Theophilus Pinn (Congregational Minister) and their daughter, Elsie.
1891 Census
2, Church Road, Wallasey, Cheshire.
Frances A Partridge [wife], aged 57, Living on her own means, Lodger, born Dundalk, Ireland.
George Mcl. G. Partridge [son], 21, Foreign correspondent, Maidstone.
1901 Census
46, Oxford Street, St Catherine's, Liverpool.
Frances A Partridge [wife], 67, living with sister, widow, living on her own means, born Ireland.
One servant is also shown.
Death registered
Frances Anne Partridge [wife], aged 75, March Quarter 1908, Liverpool.
Additional marriage, birth and death registrations, and Census information for 1861-1901 kindly provided by Chris Poole.