Added 23.12.12. Minor edits 5.4.14, 31.5.14. New info. added 14.2.2015.
IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION
836, Private Henry STANCHER — 11th Hussars
Birth & early life
Born in Spilsby, Lincolnshire.
Enlistment
Enlisted at Maidstone on the 17th of January 1835.
Trade: Servant.
No other enlistment details are shown.
Service
He was "Batman to the Lieut. General" when in Ireland from early 1853 until going to the Crimea with the regiment in May of 1854.
The muster roll for October-December states, "At the Veterinary Depot." Sent to Scutari on the 10th of January 1855.
Died, "in the General Hospital at Scutari", on the 14th of March 1855.
Next of kin: Wife, Ann Stancher living in Willishaw, Staffs.
Marriage of Henry and Ann Stancher, and remarriage of Ann to George Pepperell
[PB, Feb.2015: We are very grateful to Helen Schmidt for contacting the EJBA with some new information about the Ann and Henry Stancher, who married in St Paul's, Dublin, Ireland, on 15th of March 1853. She was about 24 years old, and he probably in his late 30s. Her father's name is given as David Hadley and his as James Stancher. Helen Schmidt came across this when researching her own ancestor, 1843 George Pepperell, also 11th Hussars, who married the widowed Ann Stancher in Kildare, Ireland, in February 1856, less than a year after Henry's death. (Notice both marriages took place in Ireland, though she seems to have been resident in England before that.) The information was found in Irish marriage records on The Family Search website.]
Ann married my ancestor, George Pepperell in 1856. Her maiden name was Hadley, and her father is listed on the marriage certificate as David Hadley. She gives her place of birth as Willesden [Willishaw], Staffordshire, on the 1861 Census. The family is living at the Calvary Barracks, Hulme, Lancashire.
I don't know much more about George other than he was born in Plympton St Mary's, Devon, and was an Ostler before he went into the army. The family also lived in Nottingham as their second child, Mary Jane, was born there in 1860, and then in the 1871 census they are living in Middlesex.
Ann died sometime between the 1871 and the 1881 Census. In the 1881 Census George was remarried, and listed as a pensioner of the 11th Hussars, living back in Devon, in an area close to Plymouth.
His son, William Pepperell, also joined the 11th Hussars, and became the Bandmaster of the Northamptonshire Regiment.
Bandmaster Pepperell 1904
"In Loving Memory
William Arthur Pepperell
Bandmaster Carrow Works
Late Bandmaster 1st Northamptonshire Regiment
Also formerly of the 11th P.A.O Hussars.
Who fell asleep 29th December 1904
In his 47th Year.
Thy Will be done"
William can be seen in a photograph taken at Secunderbad in 1896.
"Non-commissioned officers of the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1896 at Secunderbad, India. Schoolmaster D. Gould (on the left) is shown with Sergeant-Major Noon and Bandmaster Pepperell" [Source: www.achart.ca/york/schoolmasters.htm (2015: site no longer working)]
(Click on image to enlarge)
On the 1901 Census, the 44-year-old William, who had been born at Newbridge in Ireland, was living at 18, Old Palace Road, Norwich, and was employed as a Starch Maker. He was living there with his 40-year-old wife Caroline who had been born in Colchester, and their 18-year-old daughter Maud who was born at Leeds. Their eldest son, Arthur William, or William, became the 3rd generation to choose the army. He also joined the Northamptonshire regiment and served in India, as well as South Africa and WWI.
[Source: Email correspondence between Helen Schmidt and Philip Boys, 6th February 2015.]
Medals
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Inkerman and Sebastopol.
Death & burial
Died, "in the General Hospital at Scutari", on the 14th of March 1855.