LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive
Added 17.9.11. Minor edits 2.4.14, 4.4.14. New info. added 7.11.16, 26.11.2018
IN PROGRESS - NOT FOR PUBLICATION
721, Sergeant George TERRY - 17th Lancers
Birth & early life
Born at Alverthorpe, near Wakefield, Yorkshire c.1829 (acc. to 1841 Census), c.1825 (acc. to Enlistment and Headstone).
[PB: If the 1841 Census is accurate, he was no more than 14 or 15 when he enlisted in January 1843. At GT's marriage, his father's name was given as Joseph. According to the 1842 Census his mother's name was Sarah.
From Mr. R.G. Pearson of Wakefield came further information on George Terry's parentage. This was obtained from the Wakefield Parish records held in the West Yorkshire Record Office at Wakefield:
"The entries for the year 1824 showed that he was baptised on the 17th of April 1824 (in brackets it notes that he was born on the 18th of November 1823) the son of Joseph and Sarah Terry (he sent money from the Crimea to his mother) of Alverthorpe, where Joseph Terry was said to be a 'Clothier'. The register was signed by G.W. Lewis, Curate."
1841 Census
Alverthorpe with Thorns, Yorkshire
Sarah Terry, 45, widow, born Alverthorpe.
Alice Terry, 14, Worsted factory - Girls, born Alverthorpe.
George Terry, 12, Worsted factory - Boys, born Alverthorpe.
[PB: Was this two factories, or one with separate workshops for boys and girls?]
Enlistment
Enlisted at Leeds for "unlimited service" on the 9th of January 1843.
Age: 17.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Labourer.
Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Brown hair.
Service
From Private to Corporal: 25th of November 1849.
Corporal to Sergeant: 12th of September 1851.
Appointed to Troop Sergeant Major on the 2nd of February 1855.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.
The musters for July-September of 1858 show him as being "On Field Service" from September of this period.
Marriage
The India Office records show him as having married Mary Ann Carr, widow of Private M. Carr of the 14th Light Dragoons, at Kirkee, India, on the 7th of September 1858, by licence. Both were described as being "of age". His father was shown as Joseph Terry and hers as Charles Savory.
Promoted to Quarter-Master Sergeant on the 21st of August 1863.
Discharge & pension
Discharged from Brighton on the 27th of November 1866: "By own request, after 24 years service."
Served 24 years 1 day.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years 1 month. In India: 7 years 1 month.
Conduct: "Very good. Would have been in the possession of five Good Conduct badges if not promoted to an N.C.O."
Never entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Next of kin his wife, Harriet Terry. He also sent money from the Crimea to his mother, Sarah Terry, (no address shown).
Awarded a pension of 2/3d per day.
Medals
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Can find no trace on the Mutiny medal roll.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal with a gratuity of £15 on the 20th of October 1864.
Commemorations
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in both 1877 & 1879. His name appears as "Sergeant G. Terry".
Life after service
Intended to live after discharge in Guthlanton Street, Leicester [PB: I have been unable to find this road], but he was living in the Derby District in 1875.
EJB: It would seem from various extant letters of recommendation from officers of the 17th Lancers that he that he was serving in the Leicestershire Yeomanry after leaving the service. [PB: since confirmed - see the 1871 Census.]
1871 Census
Hill Cottage, Desford, Leicestershire.
George Terry, 46, Staff Sergt. Leicestershire Y[eomanry]. Cavalry, born Alverthorpe, Yorks.
Harriett Terry, 27, born Stanway, Essex.
"Saracen's Head Inn", Bridge Street, Burton upon Trent, decorated to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887. George Terry was landlord here when he died in 1881. His widow Harriet would have been running it at the time this photograph was taken.
[Source: Burton Library: Staffs Past Track: Bridge Street, 1887. (accessed 27.11.2018). 1887 was the Golden, not the Diamond, Jubilee. So if the Diamond Jubilee, this photograph would have been taken in 1897. The Saracen's Head has been incorporated into the Queen's Hotel, next door. It is now [2018] called the "Three Queens Hotel". ]
(Click on image to enlarge)
1881 Census
"The Saracen's Head", No 4 Bridge Street, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire.
George Terry, Licensed Victualler, aged 57, born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, with his wife, Harriet, aged 37 years, born in Stanway, Essex, two Domestic Servants and a Lady's Companion.
From the obituary notice in the Burton Mail, 3rd of August 1909, for 813, Joseph Reilly:
"One of his greatest friends in the town was the late Mr. George Terry, formerly landlord of the "Saracen's Head" and another survivor of the Charge..."
This was almost certainly 721 George Terry as the Pension Books show him as living in the Derby District at one period. The "Saracen's Head" was formerly in Bridge Street [see photo], but there is no evidence of this now as the building has been incorporated into the next-door Queen's Hotel when it was enlarged.
Death & burial
Death registered
George Terry, aged 57 years, June Quarter 1881, Burton.
George Terry's funeral reported in the Derby Daily Telegraph, 9 April 1881.
Note article wrongly states "11th Lancers".
(Click on image to enlarge)
George Terry died, aged 57 years, on 4th of April 1881 at Burton upon Trent, and was buried in Burton Cemetery, Stapenhill Road, in Grave No. 2220 on the 8th of April 1881. He was described as an "Innkeeper". A stone cross was later erected, but this is now said to be broken and has sunk some inches below the turf, so making the inscription no longer visible. (See report of his funeral, taken from the Burton Chronicle for the 14th of April 1881, in the 17th Lancer file.) His wife Harriet, although dying at Paddington, London, was buried in the same grave. A much younger woman, she would seem to have been his second wife.
Stapenhill Cemetery (also known as Burton Cemetery), Burton upon Trent, Staffs.
- Three men of the Light Brigade are buried in this cemetery: 1480, Samuel Potter, 4th Light Dragoons, and 815, Joseph Reilly, 17th Lancers, and 721, George Terry, 17th Lancers.
- EJBA page on Stapenhill Cemetery (also known as Burton Cemetery), Stapenhill Road, Burton-upon-Trent.
There is further information about the cemetery and surrounding area in the following, though I have not seen any reference to the Chargers buried there.
- East Staffs Borough Council: Cemeteries
- HistoricEngland: Stapenhill Cemetery
- HistoricEngland: Stapenhill Cemetery map (pdf)
- British History Online: Stapenhill
George Terry had left instructions that, on the death of his widow, his medals were to be given to the town. It is not clear just when this was, but it seems the medals were handed over to the local museum some time in the 1920s. (They cannot, at present [PB: 1990s?], be found by the curator.) Included with them were extracts from local newspapers of the time, as well as a number of letters written to Terry on various matters as well as letters dealing with the giving of his medals to the town, but these remain in the Museum. (There are copies of the latter in the 17th Lancer file).
The Wakefield Express for the 15th of March 1902:
"The town having been presented with the medals of the late Quarter-Master Sergeant George Terry, who was a native of Wakefield, here are some details of a most distinguished career:
For 17 years he was in the 17th Lancers and was one of the "Noble Six Hundred" who made the memorable charge at Balaclava. His medals were the Crimean War medal with clasps for Sebastopol, Inkerman, Balaclava and the Alma, also the Turkish medal and the medal for long Service and good Conduct. Q.M. Sergeant Terry died in 1880 [sic] at Burton-upon-Trent, having since he left the Army served as a Yeoman of the Guard [sic].
The wish of the deceased was that when his wife died his medals should be presented to his native city, Wakefield.
Footnote - We are informed the late Q.M. G. Terry, whose medals were presented to the Corporation on Monday last, lived in Alverthorpe, and at the time of his enlistment was employed at the Bective Mills."
From Mr. Kenneth Horton, following a visit to Terry's grave in Burton Cemetery in 1979:
"The complete plinth and kerbing lies just below the surface and has similar proportions to the Reilly memorial stone. The middle plinth only, bears any inscription. Perfectly preserved below ground, the stones were raised and photographed.
The inscription reads:
"In loving memory of George Terry, late of the 17th Lancers and one of the survivors of the grand charge at Balaclava, who departed this life, April 4th 1881, aged 57 years."
On the left-hand side of the plinth, "Also of Harriet Terry, beloved wife of the above George Terry, who died January 2nd 1901, aged 57 years."
The cemetery authorities felt that as the stone had some historical interest it might be raised to its original position again, but it was pointed out that it would be better preserved below ground and all is now re-buried. A photograph of the stone and a copy of the inscription were given for the cemetery records.
[PB: EJB'd notes say KH visited "Burtonwood" Cemetery. I assume this was a typo. Burtonwood is in GT's home town of Wakefield, but GT was buried in "Burton" cemetery.]
There is a photograph of this stone in the 17th Lancer file.
Further information
1891 Census
3, Bridge Street, Saracen's Head, Burton on Trent.
Harriett Terry, 46, widow, Pub Hotel Keeper, born Stanway, Essex.
Death registered
Harriet Terry, aged 54 years [sic], March Quarter 1901, Paddington.
The Archives of the Yeoman of the Guard hold no record of his ever having served in the Corps. The regulations of the time required these men to live locally and he may not have wished to move to London from Burton-upon-Trent.
Among the letters preserved in the Wakefield Museum are several from regimental officers whom he had approached to further his claim to be appointed a Yeoman of the Guard, and also one from the War Office dated the 9th of January 1875 asking if he still wished to be considered for a vacancy and informing him that:
"In the event of his being selected he could not be permitted to hold any situation or employment which would interfere with the personal [underlined] performance of his duties, each Yeoman's tour of duty being eight fortnights during the course of the year."
A further letter, dated the 15th, refers to an original application made on the 6th of May 1866, and informed him that he had been selected and he was to report himself without delay to the Clerk of the Exchequer and Adjutant at St. James's Palace "from whom you will receive further instructions".
At this time he was the publican of the "Saracen's Head" (in Burton-upon-Trent), although a letter of congratulation from Colonel Learmonth says:
"I do not know if this involves you giving up the Yeomanry Cavalry, but no doubt you will know as to this. It appears that men are ineligible after 50, so I suppose you have not reached that venerable age yet." [EJB: His date of birth would suggest that he was then 51.]
References & acknowledgements
Cutting from the Derby Daily Telegraph, Census information for 1841, 1871 and 1891, and registrations of death, kindly provided by Chris Poole.
