Born in the parish of Bishop's Stortford, Herts.
Enlisted at London on the 2nd of April 1845.
Age: 19 years 2 months.
Height: 5' 9".
Trade: Groom.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Hazel eyes. Brown hair.
Invalided to England from Scutari in March of 1855.
From Private to Corporal: 5th of March 1859.
Tried by a Regimental Court-martial on the 4th of September 1860 for "drunkenness" and reduced to Private.
Embarked for India from Tilbury aboard the "Agememnon" on the 25th of July, arriving at Bombay the 25th of October 1866.
Discharged from Netley Hospital on the 8th of June 1869: "Own request, after 24 years' service."
Served 24 years 68 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years (sic). East Indies, 2 years.
Conduct: "very good".
In possession of two Good Conduct badges.
Five times entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Once tried by Court-martial.
To live in Stanstead, Herts., after discharge.
Awarded a pension of 1/1d. per day.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 21st of April 1870, with a gratuity of £5. This was after he had left the Army.
The Docklands Museum hold some of the archives of the former Dock Labour Board and show that he entered the employment of the East and West India Dock Company as a night watchman on the 28th of September 1870 and remained as such throughout his time with them. (Although his death certificate shows him as a Dock-Policeman, he was never sworn-in.)
His commencing wage was 18/- per week, but on the 7th of February 1871 this was increased to 21/- a week and he was also "issued with a greatcoat". On the expiration of his probationary period on the 8th of January 1872, his conduct was classed as "Conforming to his required duties." Although his date of death is also confirmed, there is nothing recorded on the reason for it.
Died in the East London Pension District on the 5th of May 1872.
The death of a "Henry Sealey", aged 46 years, is shown in the St. Catherine's House records in the Poplar District of London, during the April-June Quarter of 1872.
His death certificate shows that he died at the West India Dock, Poplar, on the 5th of May 1872, aged 46 years, a Dock Constable, the cause of death being "Found Dead. Drowned. How, non-proven." This information received from John Humphreys, Coroner for Middlesex, following an inquest held on the 8th of May 1872.
(There is a copy of the death certificate in the 11th Hussars "Certificates" file.)
No report can be found in any of the local newspapers of the time regarding the holding of an inquest or of any funeral, and a search of the Coroner's inquest records at the Greater London Record Office shows that any such for the period have not survived.
He was buried in the City of London Cemetery, Little Ilford, on the 12th of May. 1872. The records show him as being aged 46 years, formerly of No 12 Hartley Street, off Bonnars Lane, in the parish of St. Matthew, his death being registered in the St. Matthew's Coroner's District. He was interred in a 3rd Class common grave in consecrated ground, Section No. 316, Grave No 33728, and no headstone was erected.
At some time in the mid-1950's several sections of the cemetery (including his) which had been used for public graves, were turned into Memorial Gardens, the flower beds being mainly of roses planted by relatives following the scattering of cremated ashes and the erection of a name-plate. (See photograph of the grave-area in the 11th Hussar files.)
A painting exists of Sealey, wearing his Crimean medal, dismounted and holding his horse. The caption underneath is: "Private Sealey, E Troop. 11th Hussars, and the horse he rode at the Balaclava Charge."
There is no recorded confirmation of his having ridden in the Charge, but going to the trouble and expense of having the portrait done and his dying before the formation of the Balaclava Society in 1877/1879 may imply that this was so. (There is a copy of a photograph of this painting in the 11th Hussar files.)