Born at Dudley, Worcestershire.
It is possible he was the son of John Roberts, a miner, and his wife Elizabeth, baptised on the 16th of September 1821 at St. Thomas's Parish Church, Dudley. His father was said to be from Tipton. There is a copy of his baptismal certificate in the "Certificates" file. [See below, Further information.]
Enlisted at London on the 16th of December 1843.
Age: 22 years 4 months.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Clerk.
Fresh complexion.
Height: Brown hair.
1851 Census
Pockthorpe Cavalry Barracks, Norwich.
Thomas Roberts, aged 28, unmarried, Soldier, Private, born Dudley, Worcester.
Severely wounded in action at Balaclava.
Sent to Scutari on the 26th of October 1854 and invalided to England on the 21st of January 1855.
Sent from the Invalid Depot to Dudley on the 31st of March 1855, "on furlo, till discharge."
Finally discharged from Chatham Invalid Depot on the 26th of June 1855, as a result of a "Severe gun-shot wound of the right thigh at Balaclava causing injury of the femur and contraction of the knee joint."
The Depot medical report stated:
"Gun-shot wound of right thigh ending in partial contraction of the leg. Pieces of bone have been discharged from the orifice. Cannot put the foot to the ground."
An unspecified source states:
"Tpr. Roberts was thrown to the ground when his horse was shot and killed, but seized another as it came past. Was wounded before he could remount."
Served 10 years 81 days.
Conduct: "good".
In possession of one Good Conduct badges.
Aged 32 years 7 months on discharge.
Awarded a pension of 11d. per day. Was living in Gibraltar in 1860.
Entitled to the Crimean with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
A letter regarding him was sent to the Patriotic Fund on the 9th of February 1862.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
After leaving the army he married Jane Leabond, born in Bloxwich, Walsall.
1841 Census
Bloxwich House, Bloxwich, Walsall.
Jane Leabond, aged 14, House Servant, born Bloxwich.
Births registered
Seven children:
Thomas St Vincent Balaclava Roberts, September Quarter 1857, Walsall.
Amelia Alma Roberts, June Quarter 1859, Walsall.
Mary Ann Roberts, June Quarter 1865, W. Bromwich.
Samuel Cornelius Roberts, June Quarter 1868, W. Bromwich.
Harry Cardigan Roberts, June Quarter 1871, W. Bromwich.
Ralph Roberts, March Quarter 1875, W. Bromwich.
Ada Elizabeth Roberts, June Quarter 1877, W. Bromwich.
1861 Census
[Where?] Walsall.
Thomas Roberts, aged 38, Screw Fitter, born Netherton, Worcestershire
Jane Roberts, 24, born Bloxwich, Staffs.
Thomas Roberts, 3, born Walsall.
Amelia A. Roberts, 1, born Pleck.
1871 Census
4, Church Street, Wednesbury.
Thomas Roberts, aged 52, Fishmonger, born Netherton, Worcestershire.
Jane Roberts, 33, born Bloxwich, Staffordshire
Thomas Roberts, 14, Fitter, born Walsall.
Emelia [sic] Roberts, 12, Scholar, born Walsall.
Mary Ann Roberts, 5, Scholar, born Wednesbury.
Samuel C Roberts, 2, born Wednesbury.
1881 Census
4, Church Street, Wednesbury
Thomas Roberts, aged 62, widower, Clerk (Time Keeper), born Netherton, Worcestershire.
Alma Roberts, 21, born Pleck, Walsall.
Samuel Roberts, 12, Scholar, Wednesbury, Staffs.
Harry Roberts, 9, Scholar, Wednesbury, Staffs.
Ralph Roberts, 5, Scholar, Wednesbury, Staffs.
Ada Roberts, 3, Wednesbury, Staffs.
Jane Roberts*, 1, Wednesbury, Staffs.
CP: Jane Roberts is the daughter of Alma, Tom's eldest daughter on the 1881 Census. The child was born in the West Bromwich Union Workhouse on the 10th April 1879. No father's name was provided but she was given the name Jane Elizabeth Bird. Whatever the situation was at time, with her mother terminally ill and her father seriously incapacitated, Alma married a William Bird on 15th October 1882, two weeks before her father died.
Death registered
Jane Roberts [wife], 42, December Quarter 1879, W. Bromwich.
Death certificate
Died 14th December 1879, Jane Roberts, 42 years, wife of Thomas Roberts, a Time Keeper at an Iron works, Cancer of uterus /1 year 6 months & Exhaustion. Informant, T. Roberts, widower of deceased, present at the death, 4 Church Street, Wednesbury. Registered 15th December 1879.
Died on the 30th of October 1882. (Some sources say 1st of November 1882.)
Death registered
Thomas Roberts, aged 65 years, December Quarter 1882, W. Bromwich.
Death certificate
30th October 1882. Thomas Roberts, 65 years, Pensioner, Chronic Rheumatism / 20 years & Diarrhoea / 2 months. Signed with the mark of Alma Roberts, daughter, 4 Church Street. Registered 31st October 1882.
Buried with military honours, Saturday 4th November 1882
From the "Army and Navy Gazette" for the 11th of November 1882:
"A man named Roberts who was at Balaclava died at Wednesbury last week. He died, wanting it is said the very necessaries of life. He was buried in the local cemetery on the 5th of November 1882."
Mr Horton, of Stourbridge, provided the information that a "Thomas Roberts", the son of John Roberts, a miner, and his wife Elizabeth, was baptised on the 16th of September 1821 at St. Thomas's Parish Church, Dudley. His father was said to be from Tipton. There is a copy of his baptismal certificate in the "Certificates" file.
Also according to Mr Horton, the "Balaclava hero" named Roberts who died at Wednesbury is recorded in the Cemetery records for Wood Green Cemetery (now held at West Bromwich):
"Grave No. 647 Section C. Buried. Thomas Roberts, aged 65 years [sic] years, a night-watchman of Church Street in the parish of St. Bartholomew."
There is a strong possibility (apart from an age difference at death, 65 instead of 61/62) that these were one and the same man: the place of death, Wednesbury, borders on the parish of Tipton, the place of birth.
There is a photograph of the grave site, No. 647 Section C. in Wood Green Cemetery, Wednesbury, in the 11th Hussar file.
Extracts from the "Wednesbury Herald " for the 4th and 11th of November 1882:
"Death of a Balaclava Hero"
"We regret to announce the death of Mr. Thomas Roberts, of Wednesbury, late of the 11th Hussars and who took part in the memorable Balaclava Charge. The deceased will be buried with military honours, Saturday (today). when it is expected that a detachment of Hussars will be present to pay their respects to their late comrade. Previous to Mr. Robert's death there had resided in Wednesbury three individuals who took part in the Balaclava Charge, whilst in London we believe there is not one living."
"Funeral of a Balaclava Hero"
"On Saturday afternoon the funeral of Private Roberts, who was one of the brave fellows who took part in the memorable Balaclava Charge, took place at Wood Green Cemetery, in the presence of several thousand persons.
A procession, consisting of a detachment of Hussars, the Staffordshire Yeomanry, the Wednesbury Volunteers, Superintendent Holland with a number of police officers, and headed by the Volunteer Brass Band, started from the deceased's late residence, the Band playing the Dead March in "Saul". At the graveside the service was read by the Revd. Mr. Agnew, a returned missionary, after which a number of Hussars and Volunteers fired three volleys.
The deceased, who was 62 years of age, was one of those wounded in the Charge, and owing to having frequent attacks of rheumatism it was stated that for some time he had lacked the very necessities of life."
There is a letter in the files from a Mr J. Campbell asking for "particulars of service to be used on behalf of the man's daughter", dated the 5th of November 1883.
1891 Census
25 Aston Road North, Aston
Ralph Roberts [son], 17, boarder, Chemist's assistant, born Wednesbury.
1891 Census
Bustlehouse Lane, West Bromwich.
Harry Roberts [son], 19, General Labourer, born Wednesbury.
1901 Census
19, Hateley Heath, West Bromwich.
Ada Roberts [daughter], 23, visitor, born Wednesbury.
Marriage registered
Ada Elizabeth J Roberts [daughter], June Quarter 1901, W. Bromwich.
Additional Census information for 1841-1901, and details of a number of registrations of births, deaths and marriages kindly provided by Chris Poole.