Born in the parish of St. James, London.
Enlisted at London on the 7th of January 1851.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Servant.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Light brown hair.
1851 Census
Piershill Barracks, Leith South, Midlothian, Scotland.
Robert Stanger, 18, Private Soldier, born London, England.
Note: It has not been possible to consult an image of the original Scottish Census document. The above information relies on the transcription available 28.3.2012, which is not always accurate.
Members of the Light Brigade in Piershill Barracks at this time, who would later go to the Crimea, include 1127 William Cresdee 13LD, 1029 Joseph Gammage 13LD, 762 John Linkon / Lincoln, 1140 Robert Lowthorpe 13LD, 1319 Daniel Mahoney 13LD, 1367 Isaac Manning 13LD (appears as Isaac "Maussings"), 1208 Edward Martin 13LD, 1207 Benjamin Marshman 13LD, 1339 Thomas McBrine 13LD, 1254 James Pamplin 13LD, 1424, 1424 Robert Stanger, and many more.
Transferred to the 17th Lancers on the 10th of September 1857. Regimental No 111.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S. S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.
The muster rolls for the July-September 1858 period show him as "On Field Service" during the whole of the period.
Served in the field at Rajghur and Mungrowlee with Captain William Gordon.
A Board sat at Secunderabad, India, on the 10th of January 1863 to "Consider his discharge on the expiration of his stipulated term of service."
Left the regiment for Bombay en route to England on the 18th of April 1863, and joined the Depot at Maidstone on the 13th of August
Discharged, "time expired", from Maidstone on the 20th of August 1863.
Served 12 years 236 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years. India: 5 years 5 months,
His conduct, "has been good", has never been tried by Court-martial and is in possession of one G. C. badge.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Mutiny medal without clasp.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, the Turkish medal, and the Indian Mutiny medal, without clasp.
To reside at No. 3 Friendly Place, Mile End Old Town, London.
Granted a "Special Campaign Pension". No date is shown, but there is a date stamp of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, dated the 17th of March 1892 and a number, in ink, on his documents. This could well be the date from which he received a "Campaign" pension.
Marriage registered
Robert Stanger married Sarah Ann Willsher, December 1868, Wandsworth.
1871 Census
Eastfield Cottage, All Saints, Wandsworth.
Robert Stanger, 39, Stock Clerk, born Westminster.
Sarah A., 38, born Blocking.
John, 5 months.
All these children are named in his will.1881 Census
Wood Street, Walthamstow, Essex.
Robert Stanger, aged 49, Greengrocer, born Middlesex London.
Sarah A. Stanger, aged 47, wife, born Essex Bocking.
Four children are shown:
John, 10, born Surrey Wandsworth.
Peter, 8, Scholar, born Surrey Wandsworth.
Mary, 7, Scholar, born Surrey Wandsworth.
Sarah A., 1, born Essex Walthamstow.
Death registered
Sarah Ann Stanger, 56, September Quarter 1889, Gravesend.
1891 Census
5, Wood Street, Walthamstow.
Robert Stanger, 59, widower, Greengrocer, born London St James.
John, 20, son, Greengrocer's Assistant, born Surrey Wandsworth.
Peter, 18, son, Wheelwright's Assistant, born Surrey Wandsworth.
Mary E., 17, daughter, General Servant Domestic, born Surrey Wandsworth.
Sarah A., 12, daughter, Scholar, born Essex Walthamstow.
Marriage registered
Robert Stanger married Hannah Matilda Curtis, June Quarter 1896, Eastbourne.
1901 Census
53 Jevington Gardens, Eastbourne.
Robert Stanger, 69, living on own means, born Westminster.
Hannah, 41, Lodging House Keeper, born Stepney.
Also two nieces, a visitor and 2 boarders.
Marriage registered
George Bean married Hannah Matilda Stanger, September 1904, Eastbourne.
Death registered
Robert Stanger, aged 72 years, June quarter of 1903, Eastbourne.
An obituary notice for him appeared in the "Sussex Country Herald":
"STANGER. On the 24th of May at No 53 Jevington Gardens, Eastbourne, aged 72 years."
Death certificate
He died at 53, Jevington Gardens, Eastbourne, on the 24th of May 1903, aged 72 years, an Army Pensioner, no occupation, from "Cerebral Haemorrhage 8 days. Hemipheligia 2 days."
[Presumably "Hemiplegia", the total paralysis of the arm, leg, and trunk on the same side of the body, usually caused by strokes. [PB]]
His widow, Hannah Matilda, of the same address, was present at, and the informant of, his death.
He was buried in Section UB3/Con. of the Ocklynge Cemetery at Eastbourne on the 28th of May.
Research shows two later inscriptions on the gravestone:
"Also my second husband, George Bean, who entered into rest May 11th 1925 aged 67 years. For ever with the Lord."
"Also in loving memory of Hannah Matilda Bean, widow of the above, who departed this life December 20th 1937, aged 78 years."
There is a photograph of this in the 13th Hussar file.
A comparison of ages shows that Stanger's widow at the time of his death in 1903 would have been only 44 years compared with his 72, so perhaps she was his second wife, and the sons noted in his will may be from his first marriage.
He was not resident in the county of Sussex (or in London) according to the 1881 Census s and neither in the street index for Jevington Gardens at Eastbourne in 1891 (the house numbers only going to 39, and the remainder presumably not yet built.)
The then-residents were mainly people on annuities, of private means, or retired service personnel. In his will, made at Eastbourne on the 24th of July 1900, he left all of his "real and personal estate of every description to his widow," but that three houses belonging to him in Goodrich Street, Dulwich, London, were to be sold and the proceeds divided equally amongst those persons named in the will as shall be living at the time of the sale."
Those named included his eldest son, John, who was then living in Manitoba, Canada; his second son, Peter, then serving in South Africa with Strathcona's Horse; an unmarried daughter, Mary Edith, living in London, and another, Sarah Ann, living at a different address to her parents in Eastbourne. Also named were a man and woman (with different surnames) living in Walthamstow, London, and another man of a different surname living in Rochester, New York, America.
When made probate at Lewes on the 27th of June 1903, the gross value of his estate was £527/5/5d. (See copies of the will and probate in the 13th Hussar file.)
1911 Census
Jevington Gardens, Eastbourne.
George Bean, 53, Apartment House Keeper.
Hannah, 52.
Registration of death and marriages, and Census information for 1871, 1891, 1901 & 1911, kindly provided by Chris Poole.