Born in Kensington, London.
Enlisted into the 2nd Bn. of the Rifle Brigade at Parkhurst Camp on the Isle of Wight, with the Regimental No. of 3256. He was then named as "Shergold." No other enlistment details apart from his trade as a baker are shown.
Transferred to the 39th Foot on the 1st of April 1850. Regimental No. 850.
Transferred to the 11th Hussars at Clonmell on the 1st of September 1852. Extra bounty paid of £1/15.6d, "this being that of the cavalry over the infantry."
Slightly wounded in action at Balaclava.
From Private to Corporal: 10th of September 1857.
Corporal to Sergeant: 13th of April 1859
Discharged from Dublin on the 22nd of December 1861: "By claim, time expired."
Conduct: "very good".
In possession of one Good Conduct badge when promoted.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
Signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887.
Attended the Annual Dinner in 1890 and appears in a photograph taken at the time. (See copy in the 11th Hussar file)
Appeared with other Crimean War veterans as a "Battle of Balaklava Hero" in theLord Mayor's Show, 1890. Shergold is shown travelling in the 11th carriage in the procession.
See record of1481 Thomas Shergold (named as Thomas Sheargold on the medal rolls), who could possibly have been a relation, perhaps his brother.
Marriage registered
Henry Sheargold [sic] married Sarah Kempsell, December Quarter 1866, Wandsworth.
Henry Shergold married Sarah Kempsell at St. John's Parish Church, Clapham, London, on the 24th of November 1866. He was then shown as being a "Glazier" and his father, Richard, as a "Brewer's Clerk.
Births registered
Mary Ann Sheargold, December Quarter 1867, Kensington.
Martha Alice Sheargold, September Quarter 1869, Chelsea.
Henrietta Sarah Sheargold, June Quarter 1871, Kensington.
Ada Elizabeth Shergold [sic], September Quarter 1873, Kensington.
Robert Henry Sheargold [sic], March Quarter 1876, St George's Hanover Square.
1871 Census
12, Chapel Place, Kensington.
Henry Sheargolds [sic], 33, Carman, born Kensington.
Sarah Sheargolds, 30, born Chipstead.
Mary A Sheargolds, 4, born Kensington.
Martha A Sheargolds, 2, born Chelsea.
1881 Census
2 Phoenix Place, Westminster.
Henry Sheargold, 52, Labourer, born London.
Sarah Sheargold, 40, born London.
Martha Sheargold, 23, Dressmaker, born London.
Hetty Sheargold, 17, Dressmaker, born London.
Ada Sheargold, 15, Dressmaker, born London.
Robert Sheargold, 13, School, born London.
[NOTE: For some reason all the 1881 above ages are c.10 years more than they should be. Everything else adds up — all the family names agree with the EJB file. But who knows what went on at the front door of these houses? [CP]]
1891 Census
25 Little Cadogan Place, Chelsea.
Henry Shergold [sic], 58, Club Steward, born Kensington.
Sarah Shergold, 50, born Reigate.
Died on the 3rd of October 1893.
Death registered
Henry Sheargold [sic], aged 63, December Quarter 1893, Chelsea.
He was buried (from Chelsea Parish Church) in a private grave, No. 73651 Section Aa in Brompton Cemetery on the 9th of October 1893. He was then living at No 26 Rawlings Street, Chelsea.
Two others of the same family name are buried in the same grave-space: Richard Sheargold, aged 75, of 556 Wandsworth Road, London, on the 15th of December 1873 (brought from Clapham Parish Church) and Martha Sheargold, aged 73 years, on the 23rd of November 1876 (brought from Harwich). It is possible that these two were his father and mother, although the names are not confirmed from previously known information. A flat yellow sand-stone slab was placed over the grave, but any inscription is now (1982) totally illegible.
There are photographs of his tombstone and also that of his greater family in the 11th Hussar file.
Extract from the West London Press for the 6th of October 1893:
"Sergt. Henry Sheargold, one of the survivors of the famous Balaclava Charge, died on Tuesday last at his residence, 26 Rawlings Street, Chelsea. The deceased served many years in the 11th Hussars, leaving that regiment about 1862. He was employed for 17 years by Messrs. Willmore and Sons, of Brompton Road, and lately held the post of caretaker at Trinity Church, Sloane Square.
It is distressing to announce that his wife and family are in very reduced circumstances, and having great difficulty in raising sufficient funds for a decent burial. Having enlisted under the old twelve-year service regulation, the poor old man had no pension, although he attained the rank of Sergeant in his famous regiment. Some friends have set a movement on foot to raise a small fund for the relief of the family."
In February 1979, Henry Shergold's grandson, then living in Liverpool and admitting to be 83 years of age, wrote to say that his grandfather, Henry, and grandmother, Sarah, had five children: Robert, Ada, Annie, Martha and Henrietta. When Sarah died a grave space was obtained within twenty yards of Henry Sheargold's grave in Brompton Cemetery.
His grandson remembered seeing his grandfather's grave-stone with his name on it. He also remembers his grandmother having a silver Hussar's tankard and three medals, which were kept on the mantel-piece at her home in Lincoln Street, Chelsea. The daughter, Henrietta, inherited the medals, but was killed in an air-raid in early May 1941 (in a block of flats at 7 Sloane Street, Westminster, London). The medals and everything else were lost in this air-raid which occurred "on the night that Parliament was hit".
Further letters to him to say that Sarah Sheargold's grave had been found met with no response. It has not yet been possible to find Henry Sheargold's grave — no date of death being known.
Marriage registered
Henrietta Sarah Sheargold [daughter] married Arthur Stephen Houghton, March Quarter 1898, Chelsea.
1901 Census
6, St Katherine's Precinct, St Pancras.
Sarah Sheargold, Servant, widow, 60, Cook Domestic, born Chipstead, Surrey.
Birth registered
Arthur Sereld Houghton, Chelsea, December Quarter 1899 ***.
1901 Census
35, Bywater Street, Chelsea.
Arthur Houghton, aged 30, Plumber, born Chelsea.
Etty Houghton [HS's daughter] 28, born Chelsea.
Sereld [probably Gerald] Houghton, 1, born Chelsea.
A boarder is also shown.
1911 Census
6 St Katherine's, Regent's Park.
Sarah Sheargold, widow, 70, House Keeper, born Chipstead.
1911 Census
35, Graham Street, Eaton Terrace, S.W. [London]
Arthur Houghton 40, Boarder, Plumber.
Henrietta Sarah Houghton, 37, House Keeper to Lady of House.
Arthur S Houghton, 11, Scholar.
Death registered
Sarah Sheargold [sic], aged 84, December Quarter 1924, born Chelsea.
Death registered
Henrietta S Houghton [HS's daughter], aged 71, June Quarter 1941, Chelsea.
A number of registrations of births, deaths and marriages, and additional Census information for 1871 — 1911, kindly provided by Chris Poole.