Born in Putney, London.
Enlisted at London on the 27th of July 1852.
Age: 19.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Carpenter.
Embarked for the Crimea aboard the H.T. "Mary Anne" on the 19th of April 1854.
An error appears on the medal rolls regarding his having been a prisoner-of-war. He was sent to Scutari on the 2nd of November and rejoined the regiment on the 14th of December 1854.
Furthermore, he is shown on the muster rolls for the whole of 1855 and he is not listed amongst those who returned from Russian captivity.
The error is not repeated in the "London Gazette" casualty lists. Lummis and Wynn also repeat the story of his having been a prisoner-of-war.
Served with the detchment of the regiment under Lt. Colonel De Salis in the Expedition to Kertch on the 22nd of May 1855.
Deserted" from London on the 14th of August 1856.
Can find no further trace to 1879.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol.
Attended the Annual Dinners in 1906 and 1908.
He does not appear to have been a member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in either 1877 or 1879, neither is he known ever to have attended any of the veteran's functions.
T.H. Robert's seems to have accepted him as a survivor of the Charge however, as he was assisted by the "Robert's" Fund from the 1st of January 1901, the Fund also paying his funeral expenses.
Lived at one time at No. 22 Calvert Road, Battersea, London.
He is believed to have died on the 4th of February 1911.
He is shown in the St. Catherines's House records as having died in the Wandsworth, London, District, during the January-March Quarter of 1911.
Died on the 4th of February 1911 of "Syncope, Senile decay," aged 86 years, at No. 11 Austin Road, East Battersea, London. He is shown as being a "Retired Private of the 8th Hussars", and his daughter, Mrs. A. Lake, of No 13 Austin Road, Battersea, as being present at, and the informant of, his death. (There is a copy of his death certificate in the "Certificates" file.)
Copy of a letter written by him to Mr. T.H. Roberts:
122 Culvert Road, Battersea
Friday night, Jan 4th 1901.
My dear Sir,
I write in acknowledgement of your great kindness in putting me on your Fund for a weekly pension. I am most thankful and most grateful for the trouble you have taken on my behalf in taking me from the workhouse to give me a fresh start in life.
I shall most likely be able to get something else to assist me with the ten shillings, to keep me out of the workhouse. I shall be ever grateful for your kindness.
From your ever grateful and humble servant.
William Picking, late 8th Hussars
and One of the Light Brigade."
He was buried in Morden Cemetery, London, in Grave No. 2066, Plot N. on the 10th of February. This was a common grave and there is no headstone.
See photographs of his grave-area (approximately in the centre of the picture), and the gate entrance to Morden Park Cemetery, in which he was buried, in the 8th Hussar file.