Born at Nottingham.
Enlisted at Mansfield on the 10th of June 1849.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Mason.
At Scutari from the 26th of September and sent to rejoin the regiment on the 20th of October 1854.
Wounded in action at Balaclava on 25th of October 1854.
Discharged, "by purchase", from Cahir on the 12th of August 1856 upon a payment of £20.
Served 7 years 32 days.
Conduct: "good". In possession of one Good Conduct badge.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Attended the first Balaclava Dinner in 1875.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
1861 Census
14, Convent Street, Nottingham.
David Stanley, 31, widower, Milk Seller, born Nottingham.
David Stanley evidently tried to re-enlist into the Army Reserve, as this letter — addressed to an unknown third person — shows:
AR War Office,
Genl. No. 65. Pall Mall, S.W.
1st July 1863.
Sir,
I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd ultimo on behalf of David Stanley, late of the 17th Lancers, and to express his Lordship's regret that he is unable to comply with your request as the Warrant and Regulations for the Army Reserve Forces rigidly prohibits the enrolment of any man who has been discharged for more than five years.
The man's discharge certificate is herewith returned.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
[The signature is illegible.]
In an Address and Account Book formerly used by James W. Wightman when the Secretary of the Balaclava Society, his address was shown as No. 43 Wellington Street, Sheffield.
1871 Census
43, Wellington Street, Balaclava Inn, Ecclesall Bierslow, Sheffield.
David Stanley, 40, Grocer, born Bulwell.
Maria, 47.
1881 Census
43, Willington Street, Eccleshaw Brierlow, Yorkshire.
David Stanley, aged 51, Greengrocer and Builder, born at Bulwell, Nottinghamshire.
Maria Stanley, aged 58, wife, born Nottingham.
A General (Domestic) Servant is also shown.
1891 Census
Victoria Road, [Bradway Bank], Norton, Bradway, Ecclesall Bierlow.
David Stanley, 60, Mason, born Bulwell.
Maria, 68, born Nottingham.
A Servant is also shown.
Died 11th of May 1893 in Sheffield.
There is a copy of his death certificate in the "Certificates" file (and a copy of the report of an interview given to a newspaper in October 1875, which was published in the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent, 25th of October 1875) in the 17th Lancer file.
The only reference that can be found in local newspapers of an obituary notice is in the Sheffield Independent, 13th of May 1893, which reads:
"Stanley. — David Stanley (late of the 17th Lancers and one of the veterans of the famous Charge of the Light Brigade) at his residence, Balaclava House, Totley. May the 11th, aged 63 years. Friends to kindly accept this as the only intimation."
Mr F. Rogers of Leeds has supplied the following information:
David Stanley was buried in Grave No. W1 26 in Norton Cemetery, Derbyshire Lane, Sheffield, on the 16th of May 1893. His address was given in the records as Bradway Bank, Sheffield, and his occupation as that of a "Contractor".
Also buried in the same grave space was Maria Stanley, died 26th of October 1896, aged 73 years, and George and Maria Rogers, who died on the 5th of December 1894 and the 25th of May 1914 respectively, aged 52 and 69 years. The former was the great-great-grandfather of Mr. F.J. Rogers.
George Rogers was born in White Street, in the parish of St. Mary's, Nottingham, on the 19th of March 1846, the son of Joseph Rogers and his wife, Susannah, nee Allit. Joseph Rogers was a whip-maker by trade.
(There is a copy of a photograph of the memorial stone erected to them in the 17th Lancer file.)
From the obituary and funeral reports of T.S.M. Francis Dickenson in the Sheffield Independent, 17th of June 1898:
"It is interesting to note that the last veteran of the Light Brigade who lived in Sheffield was Corporal David Stanley (17th Lancers) who died four or five years ago."
There are copies of these, and a photograph in which he is shown together with Francis Dickinson, in the 17th Lancer file. [TO BE SCANNED AND UPLOADED.]
Also provided by Mr. Rogers was a photograph of Stanley in his later years. The original has a history in the fact that Mr. Rogers remembered this being in the family when he was a child, but it had disappeared, Shortly before the family home had been sold a fireplace had been covered up — but changing hands some twenty years later and alterations being made the photograph was found, and after a while, returned to the family.
David Stanley's old home "Balaclava House," has been demolished and now has flats built in its place, but an old archway entrance was left and the words "Balaclava House" are still visible.
Mr. Rogers also remembers seeing items of 17th Lancer uniform etc, when young, but has no idea where it or his medals are now. There is also a family story of some silverware that Stanley brought home from the Crimea said to have been looted from a Russian General's belongings. This is believed to have been presented to a museum — but where, or which, no one knows.
[PB: DS mentions silverware in his account.]
[PB, February 2015: There is an article and photograph of David Stanley on the excellent website of the Totley History Group.]
(Click on image to enlarge)
David Stanley — Totley charger
This imposing looking gent is David Stanley. He lived in Totley at the end of his life and died here on 11 May 1893, aged 63 and is buried in Norton Cemetery, Derbyshire Lane. In his 20's he was part of an event which even now has the power to shock us.
He was born in 1830 in Nottingham, the son of an agricultural labourer. At the age of 19 he joined the 17th Lancers, a cavalry regiment, giving his occupation as mason. In 1853, the British Empire became involved in the war being fought over the disintegrating Ottoman Empire. The 17th Lancers joined with other regiments to create the Light Brigade and in 1854 were sent to the Crimean peninsula.
On 25th October 1854 the battle for Balaclava was underway. Ambiguous orders led to the Light Brigade mounting a charge against Russian forces who far outnumbered them and who were heavily armed with canon. The soldiers of The Light Brigade must have known they had little hope of surviving the battle. Despite this they charged into the valley and came under withering fire from all sides. What was left of the Light Brigade engaged the Russians at the end of the valley and forced them back.
Eventually overwhelmed, the Light Brigade retreated back up the valley still under fire. Of the 673 men who charged fewer than 200 survived, and one of them was David Stanley. He was seriously wounded and in 1856 was discharged from the Lancers.
The Charge of the Light Brigade is legendary for the courage of the soldiers and the ineptitude of their commanders. The survivors of the Charge were treated as heroes by the public for many years after and it is no surprise then that David Stanley carried his Balaclava history with him in the naming of all the places he lived.
After his discharge he moved back to Nottingham, where he married Maria Dawson in 1857. In the 1871 census he and Maria were running the Balaclava Inn at 43 Wellington Street in Sheffield. They were still there 10 years later. By1891 they were living in Balaclava House at the top of Queen Victoria Road where it meets Prospect Place and this is where both he and Maria died. A block of flats stands on the site today and bears the name Balaclava House.
[Source: http://www.totleyhistorygroup.org.uk/people-of-interest/david-stanley-the-totley-charger/ (accessed 7.2.2015)]
Census information for 1861, 1871 & 1891 kindly provided by Chris Poole.
[PB: Article from CWRS March 2016, including David Stanley's account of the Charge, as printed in the Sheffield and Rotherham Independent, 25th of October 1875.]
DAVID STANLEY 1830 — 1893
by Sue Graves
CWRS March 2016
I became a member of the Crimean War Research Society because my great great grandfather, James Reece (1827-1911), was a Crimean Veteran, in the 31st Foot. He was born in Huntingdonshire, lived in Grantham, and died in Lowestoft. It also prompted me to start researching Crimean Veterans in Sheffield where I live. I have so far found about 100 names, including at least 4 'Chargers', who took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade on 25 October 1854 during the Battle of Balaclava. David Stanley was a 'Charger' who settled in Sheffield.
David Stanley was born in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, probably baptised there on 21 February 1830, the son of Samuel and Sarah Stanley. In 1841, aged 11, he is living with his parents in Bulwell. His father Samuel, aged 55, is an agricultural labourer. By 1851, he is a grocer, born Mardin, Kent, and his wife (born Nottingham) and two children and granddaughter, aged 9 (all born Bulwell) are involved in the lace and glove industries. David was not at home because he had enlisted in the 17th Lancers on 10 July 1849, giving his occupation as mason. According to the Liverpool Journal, 5 January 1850, the regiment was stationed in Dublin, Ireland. When Britain and France declared war on Russia on 27/28 March 1854, the 17th Lancers became part of the Light Brigade, led by Major General Lord Cardigan. During the Charge of the Light Brigade, the 17th Lancers suffered heavy casualties. Out of 147 men, only 38 reported at roll call next morning. David Stanley was wounded, but lucky to survive.
Stanley, and a fellow charger Francis Dickenson, were interviewed by the local newspaper, The Sheffield and Rotherham Independent. Stanley's narrative appeared in the paper on Saturday 23 October 1875, and reads as follows:
"In the charge of the Light Brigade, and Lord Cardigan was in the front of our regiment when Captain Nolan brought the order. He told Cardigan he was to charge and take the guns. He was asked "What guns? " He says "There's the guns, my lord, and here's the order. You're to charge and take them Cardigan threw his sword in the air, and said "Here goes the last of the Cardigans! " Nolan said he would go with him. We were all very much excited, but started without delay. The first order was, as I understood, after we had started the charge, "Three's right which was taken to mean that we must take the guns on the right. In a moment afterwards we were ordered to "Front and forward and that moment Captain Nolan was shot dead. I rode right to the Russian cavalry. Sergeant Talbot rode next to me in the front rank. When we were half way down he had his head blown off and he rode sixty yards in the saddle before he fell. Corporal Hall, who rode on my other side, had his leg blown off and his horse was shot. He fell, and was taken prisoner, and died a prisoner. I was left alone once because of all the men being blown to death around me, and I had some difficulty in regaining my regiment. I rode right up to the Russian cavalry, and assisted in driving them back until we got into the centre of them. They tried to surround us. We went three about, came back, met the second line, fronted, and drove them again. Then we left the battery that played upon us on our front. We shot one of the horses in the shaft of the front gun. We beheaded some of the men of the battery, and ran others through with our lances, and dismounted every one of them. It was a cold-blooded affair, and that's certain; but we were forced to do it, or they would have blown every man of us to pieces. After that we retreated. We didn't spike the guns, because we hadn't any, and if we had had spikes we couldn't have used them, because we had not time. It took us all our time to look after ourselves. I was wounded at the guns a lance in my right side; it was only a flesh wound. on returning I had my horse shot from under me. The Russian Lancers were forming line in front of us as we were retreating, and we cut our way through them the best way we could. Their own infantry and artillery opened a volley of fire upon us all, Russian and English, and shot at any of us. As far as things goes. it was just the same as shooting dogs. There were four of us together who had our horses shot under us one got on the ground and could not get up. Three Russian Cavalry rode down to him, took his carbine from his side, and put it to his hair, and of course I thought he was going to blow his head off but he lay down on the ground, and they left him. He was severely wounded. I stood there and saw the sight. They left hint and rode down to me, and they muttered something to me, but I could not tell what it was. I slipped my sword belts undone, took hold of my scabbard, in self defence. All three of the swords came clash on to me at once one of them cut through my epaulette, shoulder knot. and jacket, and another cut three eights of an inch into my sword scabbard, and I thought if one of them offered to make a point at me as the others were cutting at me, I should be a done man, so I fell on my back on the ground, and they went away, and left me for dead. As soon as they rode away I was on my feet again. I felt I was all right when they went away. In about a minute afterwards, there were five horses came galloping up all in line. I stopped one of those, the nearest to me, and mounted it, and the saddler-sergeant of the regiment, named Scarf tried to do the same, but his hands were scored the same as you'd score a piece of pork, and they were useless, and he couldn't stop the horse, and his head was cut to a mummy nearly. A moment afterwards the remains of the 1 I "' Hussars came riding up and they had a few spare horses with them, and they said "What's those in front of you, my lads: are they the 17th, or are they the enemy? " I said, "They are the enemy". They mounted Sergeant Scarf I don't know whether he died or not. We got in front of those two regiments, 11 Lancers and 12th Hussars, and we broke them the best way we could. Then we rode back again to our lines, and had to keep turning out of our way for the dead and the wounded, and when we got back we cheered by the remains ofour comrades. When we got back Lord Cardigan, who looked as if he was nearly dead, poor fellow, raised his sword, and said, "0 my poor Light Brigade, they're all murdered I was sent with the wounded to Scutari. Captain Webb died there of his wounds, and I helped to bury him in Scutari. We were sent back to the regiment the day after lnkerman was/ought. That candlestick on my table I took from Count Worrezoff sixteen miles from Balaclava. He made his escape and each man was allowed to take a trophy. We enjoyed ourselves in his house very well, and brought some champagne home with us at night. I am going to send the candlestick to the Alexandra museum. They say they'll be very glad to have it. One of our chaps, named Andrew Styne, had seventeen lance wounds in him after he lost his horse. The Cossacks kept pricking at him with their lances as they rode past. He survived after all his wounds. I have not met any of my comrades except Dickenson since I left my regiment, so you may well suppose I shall be glad to meet them at the banquet on Monday. The night before the charge there were fourteen and fifteen men in a tent; but the next night there were only two and three in a tent, and in some tents only one."
Stanley received the Crimea Medal with clasps for the Battles of Alma, Balaclava and Sevastopol, and was discharged on 12 August 1856, by purchase £20.
David Stanley married Maria Dawson in 1857 in Nottingham (Registered M1857). 1 have been unable to trace David and Maria in 1861, but they were living in Sheffield by 1871. David, aged 40, grocer, and Maria, aged 47, were running the Balaclava Inn, 43 Wellington Road, and they were still there ten years later, David now listed as grocer and builder. He attended Crimean Reunion Dinners in 1875, 1877 and 1879, and received a pension from the Light Brigade Relief Fund. In 1891, David is listed as a mason, and they were living at Bradway Bank, Victoria Road (now Queen Victoria Road), Norton, Derbyshire (now in Sheffield, Yorkshire). That year he claimed £15 from the Light Brigade Relief Fund.
David Stanley died on 11 May 1893, aged 63, at his home, Balaclava House, Queen Victoria Road, Totley (then in Derbyshire, now in Sheffield). He is buried in Norton Cemetery, Derbyshire Lane, Sheffield, with his wife Maria who died on 26 October 1896, aged 73. His estate was valued at £1570 lsh 2d.
There seems to be no obituary and/or funeral report in Sheffield newspapers, but his death was reported in the Leicester Chronicle, 20 May 1893:
"Mr David Stanley, of Balaclava House, Totley, near Sheffield, one of the Six Hundred who charged the Russian ranks at Balaclava, died on Saturday. There are now only three men who took part in the famous charge resident in Sheffield Sergeant-Major Dickenson [sic] and Larry Marsh, of the 17th Lancers, and Trumpeter Davies. The last had his trumpet carried from under his arm by a shot and his horse killed under him early in the attack."
It is also reported in the North Eastern Daily Gazette, 13 May 1893.
More research is needed to find out if Stanley actually built Balaclava House, now demolished and replaced by a block of flats, also called Balaclava House.
Acknowledgements
Crimean War Research Society (www.crimeanwar.org),
Sheffield Local Studies Library (for permission to reproduce the photograph of David Stanley).
Sources
Ancestry.
www.chargeofthelightbrigade.com.