Born in Cork, Ireland, c.1834.
Enlisted at Westminster on the 20th of April 1852.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: None shown.
Embarked for the Crimea aboard the H.T. "Mary Anne" on the 19th of April 1854.
Taken prisoner of war at Balaklava, 25th October 1854.Rejoined the regiment from Russian captivity on the 26th of October 1855.
Transferred to the 2nd Dragoon Guards at Cahir on the 31st of January 1857. Regimental No. 272.
[PB: In the introduction to The Crimean War: the Untold Stories (2004, p.xxi), Alistair Massie says a letter from "Private Richard Palframan" [sic], describing his capture, had been donated to the NAM after the publication of the book, so had not been take into account in the text. Further that his was an "admirable contrast to the prisoner of war letters of Cornet George Clowes."
[PB, December 2017: I have since tried to find this in the online catalogue, to see if there is a transcript, but with no luck — no reference at all!]
The NAM catalogue lists:
Collection of papers relating to the service of Pte George Palframan, 4th Dragoon Guards, 1820-1837, and Pte Richard Palframan, 8th Hussars, captured at the Charge of the Light Brigade, Balaklava, Crimean War (1854-1856), 1854. Archives 2003-09-17]
[PB: Check George "Palframan" was, as seems likely, his father.]
FOLLOW THIS UP.
Discharged in India, "time expired", and embarked for England on the 16th of January 1866.
Conduct: "Bad." Not in possession of any Good Conduct badges.
Tried by a District Court-martial on the 1st of September 1854 for "being drunk and disgraceful conduct." Given 50 lashes.
Tried by a Regimental Court-martial on the 28th of February 1860 for "maiming" and sentenced to "forfeit all previous service". It is not stated if this was "self-inflicted", or to another person, or to an animal.
Tried by a Regimental Court-martial and imprisoned 1st — 30th of June 1860, 7th of January — 1st of February 1861, and again 5th — 18th of June 1863.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol.
Mutiny medal with clasp for Lucknow.
Served at Nusseratpore and Kirkee.
The Returned medal book states: "Mutiny medal returned to the Mint. No trace of issue."
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
Attended the Annual Dinners in 1897-99.
About 1879 he lost a leg in a threshing machine accident and for the last few years of his life was unable to obtain work. He then received help from the Roberts Fund, and which also paid his funeral expenses.
1881 Census
Haigh Lane, Flockton, Yorkshire.
The 1881 Census Return shows him (as "Palfaman"), aged 45, born at Wakefield, living as a Lodger in a Common Lodging House kept by one Levi Stephenson. He was then described as a Farm Labourer (as were two others living there).
It would seemingly have been after this date that he lost his leg in an accident.
He wrote from 31, Providence Street, Northgate, Wakefield, when accepting the invitation from Mr. T.H. Roberts to attend the Jubilee celebrations:
To T.H. Roberts, Esq.,
Dear Sir,
I received your kind and generous invitation, which I accept with many thanks. As I am a poor man, with but 1/- per day to live on (Government pension), I could not afford to pay my own expenses; but thanks to your great kindness, I hope to see Her Most Gracious Majesty and my dear comrades once more.
Believe me, dear Sir, to remain,
Yours gratefully,
Richard Palframan.
Extract from the Wakefield Express, 11th of March 1876:
A Negligent Cart Driver." — Richard Palfreyman, who it is said had absconded, was charged with absenting himself from the service of Mr. James Pilkington, innkeeper, bottom of Kirkgate, Wakefield, and he claimed £1 for loss which he alleged he had sustained in consequence of the defendant's absence from work on the 27th and 28th of last month. The Bench made an order for the defendant, who is a cart driver, to pay £1, and costs." [Possibly 1218 Richard Palfreman.]
Extract from the Wakefield and West Riding Herald, 17th of April 1875:
Borough Court Report — Victim of Barrel Fever — Richard Palfreman, a labourer, lodging at the Model Lodging House, had to pay 17/- or go to prison for fourteen days for drunkenness... On Wednesday the man whose name is recorded under Monday's intelligence for drunkenness, was ordered to pay 26/- for a similar offence. Palfreman is a labourer, living in Pincheon Street, Wakefield."
Possibly one and the same man, some credence being given to this by the information given by him at an interview at the time of his attending the Jubilee celebrations when he said that after returning to England circa 1868 he had worked for some time for a Dr. Secker, of Pincheon Street.
See the 8th Hussar file for a copy of a photograph reputedly taken in 1903, but now known to have been in July 1891, in which a number of survivors of the Balaclava Charge are pictured with Buffalo Bill.
The figure (second from the left in the front row with a wooden leg) is most probably him, as he is the only known survivor at this time who had lost a leg.
From later known information that he had lost his right leg at the knee and living as he did in the northern part of the country and in which all the others pictured are known to have lived then it is almost certainly him.
Extract from the Wakefield and West Riding Herald, 2nd of November 1889:
Letter to the Editor, and headed "Balaclava Heroes."
Sir, The 25th of October was the 35th anniversary of the "Glorious Charge at Balaclava." On the 25th, in London, some of the survivors sat down to a dinner provided, I regret to say, at the expense of a "few good old English Gentlemen and Soldiers" instead of at the expense of the nation, as it ought to have been. Captain Cardwell, of Manchester, has formed a Committee, and is determined to call together such survivors as reside in Lancashire and Yorkshire, but his dinner is postponed until the 22nd of November.
In Wakefield we have at least one brave fellow who served in the "World Renowned Charge", whose horse was shot under him and was in the hands of the Russians for some twelve months. For this man, I am glad to say I have, through the kindness of Quarter-Master Sergeant E.M. Williams, of No. 27 Preston Street, Hulme, Manchester, obtained the promise of a free railway pass and a dinner ticket for the Banquet. But this man is a very poor man, and it would be well if he could be furnished with a "rig out", together with a shilling or two in his pocket; and it would also be well if Wakefield would give generously to Captain Cardwell's Dinner Fund.
There are plenty of men still living in our good old "Merrie Wakefield" who will remember the thrill of "pain and rapture" which news of the "Charge" gave them. Will each man send to you, Sir, a shilling or two to help the gallant captain to give the north country survivors of that "awful charge", a "feed" worthy of the occasion. If any gentleman in Wakefield responds to this invitation, I should suggest to you, Sir, you would at your discretion, use a small portion of the fund so raised to give the old "Wakefield Hero" a suitable dress, and the balance to be sent to Quarter-Master Sergeant Williams, Hon. Sec; for Captain Cardwell's Dinner Committee. I enclose my name and address and would be most happy to give you every particular respecting him.
Further letter to an unknown person and of an unknown date:
"I find that our old friend Richard Palfreman is very ill with bronchitis. He was in the Clayton Hospital here for four or five weeks up to the 1st of January, but as he was not likely to be ever better than he was then, came out. He is now in a lodging house in Providence Street, run by a man called Ben Idle.
With his ten shillings a week coming in regularly he is, as you may judge, a "welcome guest," the place is clean, as it is "registered" and under supervision, but there are no comforts for a sick man in Palfreman's present condition.
I therefore yesterday saw a member of the House Committee of the Clayton Hospital and succeeded in getting an order (as he is a good friend of mine) and this morning saw the Matron, Miss Eaton. She told me the Hospital was very full and she did not think they had a bed. I urged her to find a corner, and she then said it was for the surgeon to decide.
I then saw the senior house-surgeon, who objected to taking him in on the grounds that he would never recover, but offered to attend him at his lodgings.
I however, urged strongly that he was one of the Balaclava "Six Hundred", and that I wanted him away from his present surroundings. He then gave way and said that he would find him a bed. I have arranged for a cab-proprietor here — a pensioner of the 20th Hussars who fought at Tel-el-Kebir -to take him to the hospital this afternoon, where I know he will be attended to with every care and attention.
He has seven shillings a week pension, and with your ten shillings — seventeen shillings a week coming in. I think, under the circumstances and as it is a temporal hospital and not intended for chronic cases, that it would be only fair for him to give five shillings per week to the funds, as it has to depend largely upon voluntary contributions, and he will be taken care of for life.
The other five shillings will allow him any delicacies which the patients are allowed under the doctor's supervision and his seven shilling's a week, paid quarterly, — will be a nice supplement.
I shall be very glad to look after him as I can go in when I like, not being restricted to visitor's days. If you send your pension to me I will send one of my clerks up every Saturday to pay the hospital its five shillings and Palfreman his five shillings.
If he had not had your assistance he would have been in his grave long since. It is a difficult problem for a man who cannot work to live on seven shillings a week, paid quarterly. I must apologise for going into such details in full, but I know the interest you take in these old heroes.
The patriotic spirit is stronger than ever was now, and though the heroes of today are not, and must not, be neglected, yet the name of Balaclava must not be forgotten either.
Yours faithfully,
Jno. R.W. Ettridge."
[Mr. J.R.W. Ettridge was a solicitor in the town.]
From the Wakefield Times, 10th of March 1900:
On Thursday afternoon the remains of one of the brave veterans who took part in the memorable Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava on the 25th of October 1854, during the Crimean War were interred at Wakefield Cemetery.
The deceased was Richard Palfreman, formerly of the 11th Hussars, who for many years had lived in Providence Street. He lost a leg many years ago whilst engaged with a threshing machine. His horse was shot under him during the Charge, where he was taken by the Russians and remained a prisoner for 12 months. He was born in Cork, Ireland.
It will no doubt be remembered that shortly before the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in June of 1897, Mr. T.H. Roberts, Editor of "Illustrated Bits," London, made arrangements for the Balaclava heroes to visit London, where they were very hospitably entertained by him, occupied a prominent place on the procession route and the Queen had her attention specially drawn to them.
Prior to Palfreman starting out for London, Mr. J.R.W. Eldridge, Solicitor, commenced a subscription list, furnished the man with a good suit of clothes and also provided him with pocket money. Mr. Roberts not only defrayed all the expenses incurred with the men's journey to and from London, but also promoted a Fund which was known as the "Balaclava Light Brigade Charge Survivors Fund" and to the end of 1899 there was a balance of some £1,539/18/3d. in hand. From the Fund, Palfreman received 10/- per week and also had 1/3d. per day pension from the Government.
Up until a few days ago Mr. Palfreman enjoyed good health and then had attack of bronchitis. When this became known to Mr. Eldridge he procured an order from Mr. Watson for the sufferer to be admitted to Clayton Hospital, where he received every attention. He expired there on Monday, and as already intimated, his remains were interred in the Cemetery on Thursday afternoon.
The funeral arrangements were most satisfactorily carried out by Councillor Judge and the whole of the funeral expenses were defrayed by Mr. Roberts, who also sent a beautiful wreath bearing the following inscription: "Honour the Light Brigade," with sincere regrets. From T.H. Roberts. Another large and most beautiful wreath was given by Mr. Wilman, the florist; it bore the following inscription: "Balaclava. Trooper Richard Palfreman. 8th Hussars. Died 6th of March 1900, aged 65 years."
From Mr. R.G. Pearson of Wakefield comes the information that the grave-site is now grassed over and is without any memorial stone, the plot number being J751. From the Cemetery's records he was buried on the 8th of March 1900, there being only the one interment in the grave-space.
(See photograph of his grave-site in Wakefield Cemetery (in the centre of the picture) in the 8th Hussar file.)
In 1989 a Mr A. Gill, of Horbury, near Wakefield, contacted the then Regimental Secretary of the 4th/8th Hussars and donated birth certificates, newspaper cuttings and a framed invitation to Richard Palfreman from Mr T.H. Roberts to attend the 1897 Jubilee celebrations, to the Regiment.
Mr Gill was seemingly descended from a daughter of Richard Palfreman's brother. (See copy of his grandfather's birth certificate in the "Certificates" file and also a copy of a newspaper comment regarding Richard Palfreman's presumed doubtful claim to have taken part in the Charge and his non-appearance at a Balaclava Dinner held at Birmingham in October of 1895) and dated the 14th of February 1896, in the 8th Hussar file).
Also included in the newspaper report was a letter from Palfreman to his mother, dated the 6th of December 1855 and describing how he came to be taken prisoner of war. Both of these references were reprinted in the "Wakefield Express" for the 18th of April 1964.
Mr. R.G. Pearson also provided a copy of an article on Palfreman's life which had appeared in the Wakefield Express on the 19th of June 1897:
A Wakefield Hero — Interesting Interview with an Old Soldier. — Last week we mentioned that Robert [sic] Palfreman of Wakefield, one of the Balaclava heroes, had accepted an invitation to go to London next week and to meet some of his old comrades and witness the Jubilee procession. So much interest has been aroused in this that one of our staff has interviewed Palfreman, who is a bachelor, 63 years of age, lodging in Providence Street and gleaned some particulars of his career and antecedents... It seems that George Palfreman, his father, was a groom in the service of Lord Mexborough at Methley Hall, but longing for a military life, he joined the 4th Dragoon Guards and in which he served for 17 years.
On the 12th of June 1835, Robert Palfreman was born in Cork Barracks, and when a child of four years of age, came with his parents to Wakefield, his father having obtained a situation at the Asylum under the late Dr Corsellis, a former Medical Superintendent. (Enquiry of the Authority responsible for the former Wakefield Asylum shows that "although it seems that George Palfreman must have taken up employment at the Asylum around 1837, which was within the term of office of Doctor Corsellis, I have gone through the staff records but can find no trace of him. I can only assume that record keeping of the time left a lot to be desired...")
Little Richard was sent to the Parish Church Boys' Day School, which was then in Bell Street, on the site of the present School of Art, and under the late Mr. Secker he received a fairly good education.
On leaving school "Little Dick" became a stable boy at the residence of the late Mr. Latham, afterwards he acted as groom to the late Mr. John Jebb Horner, Flour miller, and subsequently served in a like manner for the late Dr. Bennett, of Market Street. On the 1st of April 1852 he joined the 8th Hussars at Hounslow Barracks and two years later when the Russian War broke out, he proceeded with his regiment to the seat of war and was engaged in the memorable struggles of the Alma and Balaclava.
On the 25th of October 1854, whilst taking part in the Charge at Balaclava, his horse was killed, fell on him, and as he was unable to extricate himself he was seized by the Russians. taken prisoner and was retained in their custody, along with other brave British soldiers, for 12 months.
On the anniversary of the charge of Balaclava in 1855, Palfreman and about 50 other British captives were exchanged as prisoners, rejoined their respective regiments and were sent to winter quarters in Turkey, where they remained until peace was declared in 1856.
Palfreman then returned with his regiment to Ireland and about 18 months later he volunteered into the Queen's Bays, went out to the Indian Mutiny and served through it and was present at the capture of Lucknow.
In 1866, on the completion of 12 years' active service, he took his discharge, resumed life as a civilian and proceeded to New Zealand with the intention of joining the Mounted Troopers there, but instead of carrying out his intention he began trading in horses between Melbourne and Calcutta, and after about two years he became steward on a merchant ship and sailed with a cargo of Coolies for the West Indies.
He returned to Wakefield in 1868, resumed his old occupation and entered the service of the late Dr. Secker of Pincheon Street.
He then became a groom to the Duke of Portland for some time, but returning once more to Wakefield obtained employment in a malt-kiln. He afterwards travelled the district with a steam threshing-machine belonging to Mr. David Jackson of Midgeley, and one day about 17 years ago — he accidentally slipped into the drum of the machine, and his right leg was so seriously injured that it had to be amputated at the knee.
He was a patient in the Clayton Hospital for four months, and on his discharge he resumed his employment with the threshing machine and continued to earn his livelihood in that manner until 6 years ago, when he was granted a pension of l/- per day from the "Light Brigade Relief Fund."
Subsequently he was allowed the special Chelsea pension of 9d. per day, but at the same time his former pension was reduced from 1/- to 3d. per day, and for the past two years he has maintained himself on that petty sum. Palfreman seems very thankful to the gentlemen who are at present taking so much interest in the old warriors, and he is looking forward with great interest to meeting next week some of his old comrades he fought side by side with at Balaclava...
His father, George Palfreman, served in the 4th Dragoon Guards as a Private, No. 140. Born at Pontefract, Yorkshire, he had enlisted at York on the 7th of February 1820. He was 18 years of age, 5' 9" in height and a servant by trade. He was discharged from Dorchester on the 15th of February 1837, "Free, with three months pay."
From the "Deaths" notices of the Wakefield Herald for the 26th of June 1871: "Last Sunday, aged 51 years, Mr. George Palfreman, Beerhouse Keeper, The Fairground, Wakefield."
No report of his funeral appeared in the following issue, so no claim if this was indeed George Palfreman of the 4th Dragoon Guards can be made; but in view of a similarity in age and location of residence, it is most likely.
Sergeant George Newman of the 23rd Foot refers to him in the published edited version of his diary, Prisoners of the Voronesh. He describes meeting a Russian gentleman when both were prisoners of war:
"The old gentleman was greatly taken up by a good-looking fellow of the 8th Hussars by the name of Palfrayman, and asked through me of him if he (Palfrayman) would like to marry one of the young ladies.
A question that caused many blushes and confusion amongst our fair hostesses, (of course the old gent was joking but he appeared so serious that I once thought he was in earnest, but he seemed to enjoy the confusion of the ladies vastly...)"
National Army Museum Library reference:
Collection of papers relating to the service of Pte George Palframan, 4th Dragoon Guards, 1820-1837, and Pte Richard Palframan, 8th Hussars, captured at the Charge of the Light Brigade, Balaklava, Crimean War (1854-1856), 1854. Archives 2003-09-17
[PB, December 2017: I've tried to find this in the online catalogue, to see if there is a transcript, but with no luck — no reference at all!]