LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

1177, Private James William WIGHTMAN — 17th Lancers

Also recorded as "Wightam", and "Weightman".

Birth & early life

Born York, Yorkshire c.1834.

[PB: Laurence Crider states: "James William Wightman, son of James Thomas Wightman, was born on 3 Nov 1834 in York."]

Both his father and grandfather, also named James Wightman, had been in the Army. See Further information, below.

1851 Census

Mile-end House, Eaton, Norwich.

Jas Wm Wightman, 15, Scholar, born York, Yorkshire.

Johnie [spelling?] Wightman, 14, Scholar, Hampton Court, Middlesex.

About 20 scholars, aged 9-15, are listed. The head of household was a married Curate, living with his family, a cook and domestic servants. A "Teacher of Classics", 19, and a "Teacher of French", 54, were also resident.

[RM: He is to be found in the 1851 Census as a scholar at Eaton, Norfolk, born Yorkshire. Presumably "Johnie" is his brother, John Alexander Wightman. Norwich, York and Hampton Court were all cavalry barracks.]

Enlistment

Enlisted at Hounslow on the 19th of October 1852.

Age: 19.

Height: 5' 9".

Trade: None shown.

[PB: Notice the inconsistency in ages between the 1851 Census, when he was recorded as 15, and enlistment in the following year, when he said he was 19. Assuming LC is correct, he would have been 17 in March 1851, and not quite 19 in October 1852.]

Service

Wounded and taken prisoner-of-war at Balaclava. He is said to have received thirteen wounds.

Rejoined the regiment from Odessa on the 26th of October 1855.

Wightman wrote an article entitled "Balaclava and the Russian Captivity", published in the Nineteenth Century Magazine in May 1892, in which he described his experiences in detail. (There is a copy in the "Memoirs" file, and a transcription here.)

The muster roll shows him as having been paid "Balance of credit for October-December of 1854, £2/9/2d. And one year's ration money, £3/6/3d/".

From Private to Corporal: 1st of September 1856.

Corporal to Sergeant: 7th of September 1857.

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" during the whole of this period.

Served in the field at Rajghur and Mungrowlee with Captain William Gordon.

[PB: He subsequently wrote an account of this period of his life, which included the "Chase of Tantia Topee — The Indian Rebel Leader during the India Mutiny, September 1857." In hand, to be uploaded.]

On route to Bombay from the 9th of December 1860 and embarking for England on the 4th of February 1861. He was at the Maidstone Depot from the 3rd of June.

Transferred to the 21st Hussars on the 21st of February 1864. Regimental. No. 767.

____________________

Marriage

Marriage registered

James William Wightam [sic] married Eliza Buckingham, June Quarter 1864, Maidstone.

James William Wightman married Elizabeth Buckingham at Trinity Church, Maidstone, Kent, on the 27th of March 1864. [Crider says 12 June 1864, and was shown as a Troop Sergeant-Major in the 21st Lancers.] He was then 28 years of age and she 27. He was serving at Aldershot at this time. The witnesses were George and Caroline Buckingham (probably her parents) and the officiating priest was the Revd. William Barnes, Church of England.

Only one child is recorded in WO/24/602 (Record of Officer's Services) — Helen Elizabeth, born on the 25th of March 1865 and baptised on the 30th of April.

____________________

He was promoted to Troop Sergeant Major and to Ensign in the Military Train (without purchase) on the 10th of November 1866.

EJB: It has been suggested that he was mentioned in despatches and promoted to officer rank for bravery in India, but this is improbable in view of the long gap in time between his return from India and promotion. There are copies of two letters in the "Memoirs" file that his father, James Thomas Wightman, wrote to the authorities requesting that his son might be considered for a commission. These negate the story that his promotion was because of his conduct during the Indian Mutiny campaign.

Discharge & pension

Resigned his commission in the Military Train on the 28th of October 1868. (See below)

Medals

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal

Mutiny medal without clasp.

Further detailed medal information archived.

Commemorations

[LC: He signed the Loyal Address of 1887, and attended the Annual Dinners in 1890, 1892, 1894, 1895, 1897 and 1899. ]

He appeared with other Crimean War veterans as a "Battle of Balaklava Hero" in the Lord Mayor's Show, 1890.

James Wightman is shown as a Lieutenant travelling in the 20th carriage in the procession, along with Berryman VC, Bird 8th Hussars and Ford 4th Hussars.

Trooping the Colour at the Royal Military Tournament, May 1892: Sergeant Hibbert 4LD, Corporal Eastoe 11H, and Lieutenant Wightman, Private Mugg, and Private Mullins, all 17L, St James's Gazette, 25 May 1892

(Click on image to enlarge)

Life after service

Births registered

Helen Elizabeth Wightman, June Quarter 1865, Canterbury. [LC: Helen Elizabeth, born 25 March, 1865 in Canterbury barracks, Northgate.]

John A Wightman, June Quarter 1866, Farnham. [LC: John Alexander, DOB unknown, but enlisted in the 17th Lancers in 1880.]

James Thomas Wightman, March Quarter 1868, Elham. [LC: James Thomas (named after his father), born c. 1867 in Shorncliffe, Cambridge.]

William Wightman, March Quarter 1871, London C. [LC: William born c. 1870 in London.]

Herbert Osborne Wightman, December Quarter 1871, Lambeth. [LC: Herbert born c. 1872 in Paddington.]

Margaret Annie Wightman, March Quarter 1875, Kensington. [LC: Margaret born c. 1874 in Paddington.]

Matilda Rose Wightman, March Quarter 1878, Kensington. [LC: Matilda born c. 1878 in Kensington.]

George Liberty Wightman, March Quarter 1880, Kensington. [LC: George born c. 1879 in Kensington

1871 Census

41, Clinton Road, Tower Hamlets, Mile End Old Town.

James W Weightman [sic], 37, Clerk Money Order Off. GPO, born York.

Eliza, 35, born Maidstone.

Helen E Whiteman [sic], 6, born Canterbury.

John A, 5, born Aldershot.

James T, 3, born Shorncliffe.

William H, 5 months born Mile End.

One Servant is also shown.

Career as a Sanitary Inspector, 1877-1891

[PB: the following needs tidying up.]

James William Wightman was originally appointed by the Kensington Council Medical Officer of Health because of the unsatisfactory way the disinfection of rooms was being carried out after the occurrence of infectious diseases, from the ignorance of the mainly poor occupiers — in April of 1877 as a special officer to oversee the work, his time being filled in with attending to minor sanitary matters and in learning the duties of an Inspector.

Soon after this, and following the terminal illness of another Inspector, he was appointed in his place as a Sanitary Inspector and Inspector of Nuisances, but continued, with the assistance of a labourer, to oversee the whole of the area disinfectation requirements. By this point in time the population of Kensington had increased to about 152,000 people, the number of occupied dwellings being about 20,000 (including stables and mews) and the length of streets subject to the control of the five Inspectors appointed by the Council to between 65 and 70 miles.

He ceased to be employed as a Sanitary Inspector in 1891. In March 1891, although the exact details are not disclosed, a minute by the Vestry Committee implies some dissatisfaction. They:

"had before them an allegation made by a Member of the Vestry against Inspector Wightman, and having heard the Inspector's explanation with regard to the same deemed such explanation to be very unsatisfactory and consider that his Conduct, in view of the position he filled, has been indiscreet..."

Whether any pressure was put on him is not known, but on the 20th of May a letter was read to the Vestry in which he stated that:

"Owing to his failing powers [he was then only 57 years of age] he was unable to perform his duties with the energy and efficiency necessary, declared that in prospect of his being awarded a superannuation allowance of £35 per annum he placed the resignation of his appointment in the hands of the Vestry..."

A further minute of the same date: "Resolved that the resignation of Mr. John [sic] William Wightman be accepted from the 24th of June next".

And another on the 24th of June:

"The Vestry considering the award to him of a superannuation allowance of £35 per annum, such sum being 14/60ths of the salary and emoluments attached to his office and resolved that the Vestry being satisfied that Mr. James William Wightman is incapable of discharging the duties of his office of Sanitary Inspector and Inspector of Nuisances by reason of his present infirmity of body and Mr. Wightman's resignation being in accord of an Act of Parliament in the reign of our present Majesty Queen Victoria, grants him a superannuation allowance of £35 per annum..."

There is no record of a vote of thanks being passed for his services (as one would have expected after fourteen years' service) so the question that he left in some disgrace is still open.

1881 Census

45, Gordon Place, Kensigton.

James W. Wightman, aged 46, Sanitary Inspector, born York.

Eliza, 44, born Maidstone, Kent.

Ellen, 16; James, 14; William, 11; Herbert, 9; Margaret, 7; Matilda, 3; George, 14 months.

George Kerley, 17, son, Telegraph Clerk, born Kensington.

[PB: Notice the last-named, George Kerley, aged 14, is also shown as being a son — was he perhaps an adopted one?]

1891 Census

8a, Durham Place, Kensington.

James W. Wightman, 56, Sanitory Inspector, born York.

Eliza Wightman, 54, born Maidstone.

William H, 20, Herbert 17, Rose 13, George 11.

Three boarders are also shown.

Marriage registered

Rose Matilda Wightman [daughter] married Thomas Samuel Sellwood [sic], December Quarter 1899, Brentford.

1901 Census

18, Chaucer Road, Acton.

Thomas Selwood, 20, Plumber & Painter, born Kensington.

Rose M Selwood [daughter], 22, born Acton.

Rose E.E. Selwood, 10 months, born Acton.

1901 Census

Wembley Golf Club, Wembley.

George Wightman [son], 21, single, Servant, Barman, born Kensington.

Portrait of James Wightman, aged about 62, illustrating an article in The Regiment, 1896.

(Click on image to enlarge)

At some point in the 1890s, JWW lived at 8, Durham Place, Camden Hill Road, Kensington, London.

Death & burial

James William Wightman died at 47, Seagrove Road, Fulham, London, on the 17th of February 1907, aged 72 years [?].

The cause of death was given as "Cerebral softening, Arterio Sclerosis & Heart failure", and his occupation as "Sanitary Inspector" (Retired)". Annie Wightman, his daughter-in-law, was shown as being present at his death. (There is copy of his death certificate in the "Certificates" file.)

Death registered

James William Wightman, aged 72, March Quarter, 1907, Fulham [EJB appears to have said St George's Hanover Square].

He was buried in Grave No. 135750 Compartment Ad. of the Brompton Road Cemetery, close to the Cemetery chapel, on the 23rd of February 1907. The memorial erected over the grave is a stone cross and bane, but unfortunately there is now no longer any readable inscription.

[LC says he was buried in Brompton Cemetery in grave no. 168238.]

Also interred in the same grave plot are his sister Helen Wightman, born in Brighton in 1842, who died in the Chelsea Hospital for Women and was buried in the 8th of October 1886, aged 43 years. And his son, Herbert, who had died in the Morden Mental Hospital at Epsom and was buried on the 8th of February 1912, aged 37 years. (There is a copy of a photograph of this stone in the 17th Lancer file.)

After his death his wife, Elizabeth, returned to her own people at Maidstone, and this was probably where she died.

1911 Census

21 Gloucester Road, Acton.

Eliza Wightman [wife], aged 77, Mother, widow, boarder, born Maidstone.

[Note added: 9 children, 7 living, 2 died].

She was living with Thomas Selwood, 31.

Rose Matilda Selwood [daughter], 33.

Five children are shown: Rose Elizabeth, 11, Thomas Whiteman, 9, Violet Helen, 7, Dorothy Alice, 5, George Liberty, 1 year 10 months.

Death registered

Eliza Wightman, aged 89, March Quarter 1924, Maidstone.

Further information

James Wightman and "All that was left of the 600"

In later life, James Wightman was indefatigable in drawing attention to the condition of many survivors of the Charge, as here:

Wightman's article on the "starving survivors of the Light Brigade", originally published in the Pall Mall Budget [date?], was widely reproduced in local newspapers around the Empire. This is the version published in the Caulfield and Elsternwick Leader, North Brighton, Victoria, Australia, 7 June 1890.

(Click on image to enlarge)

"ALL THAT WAS LEFT OF SIX HUNDRED.'

THE STARVING SURVIVORS OF THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

(PALL MALL BUDGET)

Lieutenant Wightman, the secretary of the Balaclava Committee, has been interviewed by a Kent paper, and, after furnishing a graphic description of the fatal charge and the experiences of the Light Brigade men as prisoners in Russia, proceeded:

"At a meeting of the Balaclava Committee on the 5th of October last, we resolved to rescind a rule of our constitution that forbade us asking assistance from the general public. The committee has existed so far for the purpose of celebrating the anniversary of the charge of the Six Hundred by a dinner at St. James's Hall, London. We have been a sort of mutual admiration society, gathering to toast our noble selves and each other, subscribing ourselves and asking subscriptions from our army connections only for the purpose of providing a free annual meal for our less fortunate comrades-in-arms. We others have paid for our own meal, and that was all there was to it.

But we are all getting older every year, and with the lapse of time, while many have it died, a good number have fallen into dire misfortune. Our subscriptions have fallen off, too. We have now but £21 in the bank; and last year we collected only £3 altogether, and were unable to entertain our old comrades, who could not pay their own railway expenses and other incidentals."

LORD CARDIGAN'S PROMISE

"Lord Cardigan's words to the survivors of the Six Hundred the morning after the charge have been repeated to me, although I wasn't there to hear them. He said: 'Men, you have done a glorious deed! England will be proud of you, and grateful to you. If you live to get home, be sure you will be provided for. Not one of you fine fellows will ever have to seek refuge in the workhouse!'

Now, you perhaps know how that promise has been kept. I cannot tell you, even from my secretarial records, the full extent of the misery that has fallen upon my old comrades in the charge of the Light Brigade; but I can give you a few details that should be made widely public. If we cannot make the authorities open their hearts, we may at least cause the public's ears to tingle.

Of course, many of us are still in situations; some of us are comfortably off: we boast, indeed, one alderman (Mr. Kilvert, of Wednesbury) in our ranks; but here is my list of the old, worn-out, and miserable heroes of that day, for whom our general fund is about to be opened. I cannot give you particulars as to pensions, but remember that a sergeant's pension under the old system is but 1s. 3d. a day, a private's is, of course, lees, and some have no pensions at all.

I put my own old regiment first:

SURVIVORS OF THE SIX HUNDRED

17th Lancers.

Private Brennan — In a London workhouse.

Private Marshall — Worked in a machine shop at Lincoln till he lost three fingers; now disabled and in extreme want.

Private Holland, of Ormskirk — No resources.

Private Smith — Cripple, in the Strand Union, London.

Private Burns, of Northampton; Trumpeter Brown and Private Butler — Addresses unknown, but all aged and very poor for several a years past.

13th Hussars.

Private Cooper — Sweeping roads for the Kensington Vestry; will soon have to give over.

Private Mayhew — Miserably poor.

11th Hussars.

Sergeant Brown — Stood outside Lewis's, Manchester, placarded "One of the Survivors, etc.;" has worked at an explosive factory: left through ill-health; seventy years of age, and failing: pension, 1s. 3d. day.

Private Spring — — In extreme poverty.

Private Glanister, of Liverpool, ditto.

Private Richardson — served twelve years, no pension: has Crimean medal with four bars, and the Turkish medal; suffers from stricture, has lost the sight of one eye, the other going past help. Drifts from workhouse to common lodging-house when he gets a little help from concerts, etc., then back to workhouse. The only Manchester man now surviving of the Six Hundred.

Private Lawson. — Lost an arm in the charge. has been lucky enough to get into Royal Hospital, Chelsea, by which he forfeits his pension.

8th (King's Own) Light Dragoons.

Private Doyle. — Almost starving in Dublin; was Duke of Cambridge's orderly at Inkerman, I got £4 from H.R.H. after earnest solicitation, and four months' waiting last year. The £4 came from the Cambridge Fund, supported by public contributions.

Trumpeter Donoghue — Living on charity; can get no employment.

Private Rogers — Helpless through age and disease; in Withington Workhouse.

Private Keeghan (Birmingham) — Out of work.

Private Grant — In the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, making two only of the survivors so fortunate.

Privates Farrell, Carroll, and Brewington — Known to be without work and in great distress.

THE PUBLIC V. THE WAR OFFICE

"There may, of course, be other cases beyond our knowledge. What I would lay stress upon, however, is that all these poor old fellows have worked as long as they were able since they left the army. We want no help for those who can help themselves. But most of them are crippled and physically ruined by the frightful exposures and hard fighting of the campaign.

No doubt they have their weaknesses; one or two, I know, will sometimes I take a glass too much, if tempted. But, generally speaking, they have borne first-rate characters, and are knocked out simply through old age and hard service. And there being only a score of them, who will not live long, it would not put a ruinous strain upon the Exchequer if the country gave them £1 a week all round.

But I am sick of asking help from the War Office. What the committee desire is to touch the public conscience through the Press, to inaugurate a really national movement, and see if we cannot shame the authorities into action.

Letters will reach me at Kensington Vestry Offices, London; or Mr. Herbert, at 119 Warwick road, Kensington: and their contents will be properly acknowledged by myself.

[Source: Caulfield and Elsternwick Leader, North Brighton, Victoria, Australia, on 7 June 1890 (accessed from Trove, 20.4.15).]

The resignation of his commission

At the time of the resignation of his commission in October 1868 he was serving with No. 12 Troop of the Military Train at Shorncliffe, his name occurring in the muster rolls for the October-December quarter of 1868, but deleted in that for January-March of 1869. The reason for his resignation was not "by sale of commission" which was usual for ex-rankers who had be promoted to officers, but as the following:

In the Commander-in-Chief's Memoranda series of correspondence in the National Archive, a letter is to be found written from the War Office (dated the 10th of November 1868) to the Commanding Officer of the Military Train, requesting that Ensign Wightman be asked for an explanation regarding his private affairs that had reached that office. Wightman wrote a long letter in reply:

"[To:] The Military Secretary, Horse Guards, Dec. 1868.

5, York Buildings, Adelphi, Strand

"Sir, With reference to the interview on Tuesday last I was directed to write to you upon the subject of my case:

When quartered at Aldershot I was introduced by Riding Master Pouch of the Military Train, to a person named Briant, generally believed to be a person of means and position. Upon one occasion he came into my hut and asked me if I would become security with two other gentlemen for £200 from the West of England InsuranceCompany:

I consented reluctantly, and in a day or two whilst he was sitting in my quarters, I received a letter from the Company, consisting of questions to be answered, and Mr, Briant, seeing where it came from, asked me to let him have it, proposing to write the answers in pencil and me to write over them with pen and ink. I very foolishly did as he asked and not thinking for a moment the consequence of so doing, he folded the letter up and posted it himself.

About a year after, he became insolvent and the Company came down upon me, but being entirely unable to pay the amount, having no private income of my own, I, by the advice of several acquaintances, went through the Insolvency Court, the whole of my debt being the bill to which I unfortunately signed my name, the result of which slip I deeply regret, and after a few weeks was ordered by His Royal Highness, The Field Marshal Commanding in Chief, to resign my commission without being allowed to sell, which severe sentence has caused my wife, myself and three young children to be cast upon the world, penniless.

I served my Queen and Country for 15 years, and during that time went through the whole of the Crimean war and a portion of the Indian Mutiny with the 17th Lancers, and was wounded in thirteen parts of my body:

My grandfather was all through the Peninsular War, losing at Waterloo his right arm — my Brother I lost at Balaklava and my Father is still serving as Captain and Adj. of the Notts. Yeomanry — I deeply regret the disgrace upon the Service and my family by signing my name to a bill I knew not the danger of — I ask you, General, to assist me in this great calamity in obtaining my commission back again or something equivalent to it. I have always been told that you are a good friend to an old soldier — especially to one who was always, and is still willing to die for my Queen and Country.

I have the honour to be, Sir

Your most obedient Servant,

J. W. Wightman."

[EJB: Over-written on the first page is "HRH the Commander-in-Chief is unable to do anything in this case, 22 Decree. 1868."]

What Wightman did not mention at the time was that a tradesman, Thomas White, had also complained that Wightman owed him £23/7/6d "for goods supplied that he and his family might live in the same style as other officers", that applications for at least some part payment had been ignored and that he had learnt that at the bankruptcy proceedings Mr. Wightman had promised a partial repayment to his debtors of 7/6d in the £, but he "despaired of getting anything at all".

The Commander-in-Chief was not disposed to be generous:

"Ensign Wight man be advised to resign his commission for the sake of his own honour and that of the other officers and the regiment. As for his being allowed to sell his commission, in no way would this be allowed to happen, his being a non-purchased one, the £450 statutory sum required for this being found by the Reserve Fund and he had no right to any part of it."

His actual resignation letter read:

"Shornclilffe

28th September 1868

Sir, In obedience to the letter of the Assistant Military Secretary I beg to forward this my resignation, not being allowed to sell it, of the commission I hold as an Ensign in the Military Train.

I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

J. W. Wightman, Ensign, Military Train."

In forwarding this resignation letter Captain Edward Webb, commanding the 12th Troop of the Military Train at Shorncliffe, wrote that he "sincerely regretted the loss of a man who had proved himself a gallant soldier and an equally good officer" but "found he must concur in what was to be done as the best for all concerned."

[PB: The dispute must have continued because his case was referred to in the House of Commons on the 7th of May 1869. This may well be worth following up.]

"HOUSE OF COMMONS — YESTERDAY

A SURVIVOR OF THE BALACLAVA CHARGE

In reply to Major Dickson, Mr. CARDWELL stated that Mr. James William Wightman, late ensign in the Military Train, and one of the few survivors of the Balaclava charge, was appointed after the Military Train was converted into a non-purchase corps, and having been called upon to resign, he had no purchase money to receive.

[Source: Bradford Observer, Saturday 8th May 1869 — http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000155/18690508/010/0003 (accessed 07 November 2012)]

James Wightman's Scrapbook

In 1989, a number of his possessions were found in the house of a family descendant. These included a large "Scrapbook", an original copy of the Nineteenth Century Magazine describing his part in the Charge, and an Account and Address book formerly used by him when he was Secretary of the Balaclava Society (which he took over from Charles Aldous on the 29th of November 1879).

Various hitherto unknown scraps of information were gleaned from this document and all has been inserted in the records of the men concerned in this archive. The names of men of the 17th who were members of the 1879 Society are clearly shown, some of whose names have been "crossed through", apparently having died before his own death in 1907, though no dates are actually shown.

With reference to a clock presented to him and later given by his grandson to the Regiment, there is in the scrap-book formerly owned by him the original receipt for the purchase of this, at a cost of £5/0/0 and dated the 13th of November 1890 and the comment "The above handsome time-piece was presented to me by the Survivors of the Charge of the Six Hundred — in commemoration of the Fund I raised on their behalf viz., £6,500, and assisted by Mr. Herbert, 4th Light Dragoons:

"Present at No 49 Warwick Road, South Kensington — Mr. Herbert's house, and spent a happy evening — Mr. Herbert, 4th Lt. Dgns, Mr. Mustard, 17th Lancers, Mr. Marsh, ditto, Mr. Bird, 8th R.I. Hrs., Mr. Eastoe, 11th. P.A.O.Hrs. and myself. Mr. Herbert was presented also with a handsome silver tankard, which was kept well charged. Wives and daughters were present."

James Wightman [grandfather]

JWW's grandfather, also named James Wightman, was born at Penpont, Withsdale, Dumfriesshire, on the 27th of March 1782 [CHECK YEAR] and enlisted into the Royal Artillery as a "Matross" on the 26th of March 1797 at the age of 15 years.

[PB: Source of following?]

He served in the Peninsula and France from September of 1811 to March of 1814 and was present at the siege of the forts at Salamanca, heights of San Christobal, battle of Salamanca, affairs of Morales de Toro, battle of Vittoria, siege of Burgos and affairs in the advance to and retreat from, siege of San Sebastian, night attack on and capture of Santa Clara, passage of the Biddason, the Nivelle, Nive and Adour, four days' engagement in front of Bayonne, its investment and sortie.

He was severely wounded in the left knee at St. John de Luz when forcing the French entrenched camp on the 1st of November 1813 and was later dangerously wounded at the battle of Waterloo. Two ribs were fractured on the right side and his right arm completely carried away from the body by a cannon-ball — this was afterwards amputated from the shoulder joint.

At the conclusion of the war in 1815, James Wightman, instead of being invalided from the service with a pension as was usual, was appointed Brigade Sergeant Major at Woolwich, an appointment he held until being promoted Quarter-master on the 11th of May 1825 in the Royal Invalid Artillery. During his tenure as Brigade Sergeant Major he, together with other picked men, went to the Riding Establishment, then at Pimlico.

He also attended Angelo's Rooms in London, being an excellent fencer (he is said to have had few equals). About 1821-82 he was instrumental in the setting up of a new gymnasium at Woolwich.

Appointed to Lieutenant and Adjutant on the 30th of August 1834, he retired from the service (with full pay) on the 1st of July 1847.

A framed oil painting of him (circa 24" by 24") by an unknown artist is in the Waterloo Bay of the RA Museum situated in the Old Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. This was donated to the Museum by a Brigadier W.F.K. Thompson, RA., the Defence Correspondent of The Times, in December 1989. (There is a photograph of this in the 17th Lancer file.)

Two medals awarded to James Wightman (presumably that of the MGS for the Peninsula campaign with seven clasps and that for Waterloo) were lent to the 1st Regiment RHA for an exhibition and in 1979 were stolen by a soldier of that regiment. They were sold by him and never recovered. From this date it would seem that the medals were possibly then still with the painting.

Marshal Marmont in his Memoirs, published in Paris, recalled two interviews he had with him:

"Before leaving Ghent in 1815 (just before Waterloo) I wished to see a Troop of the English Horse Artillery which was there, the English material being so very different from our own. The comparison was curious and I therefore examined everything in great detail and greatly admired the simplicity of construction, since adopted in France.

This visit provoked a curious incident. They presented to me the Sergeant who, on the 23rd of July 1813, had laid the gun whose discharge had broken my arm an hour before the battle of Salamanca. There is no doubt that wound was caused by a single gun-shot fired at a certain time and from a known spot.

I gave this man a good reception and since that time I have seen this same man again as a Storekeeper when I was at Woolwich in 1830 to visit that famous Arsenal. Then however, he had but one arm, having lost the other at Waterloo. In consoling with him I said, 'My dear fellow, each has his own day.'"

James Wightman became a Military Knight of Windsor in 1848. The following extract comes from the Military Knights of Windsor, 1322-1944, by Edmund H. Fellowes, which contains the record of all the Knights between these dates:

"Quartermaster James Wightman, L.F. (Lower Foundation) vice Arthur Wellesley Casson (Promoted) of the Royal Artillery. He served in the Peninsula War (1811-1814) and was present at the actions of Cuidad Rodrigo, Badajos, Salamanca, Vittoria, Nive, and Nivelle. Also San Sebastian. He was wounded at St. Jean de Luz. (War medal with seven clasps.) He served in Flanders during the campaign of 1815 and was severely wounded at Waterloo (War Medal)"

Lower Foundation: from 1815 onwards appointments were made, first to the Lower Foundation, and when a vacancy occurred promotion to the Higher Foundation followed, with a fresh Patent.

He married twice. First, Ann Williams, whom he had married at the Parish Church of St. Nicholas, Plumstead, on the 29th of December 1806. She died in Portugal on the 14th of March 1827 while accompanying her husband during the Expedition to Portugal.

He subsequently married Ann Sidley, on the 19th of January 1828, at the English Chapel at Lisbon, Portugal. Two more children were born of this marriage, both in Woolwich: Mary Anne, born on the 14th of March 1829 and George, born on the 28th of March 1830.

James Wightman died, aged 66 years, on the 16th of April 1848 [PB: death certificate says 20th April] from "Intermittent fever 3 weeks. Continued Fever with Inflammation of the Liver 14 days".Geo. B. Pellatt, of Plumstead Road, Woowich, Kent, was present at the death. James Wightman was occupying a residence in Crane's Buildings in the Lower Ward of Windsor Castle at this time and was buried on the 20th of April 1848 [PB: probably slightly later than this since the death was not registerd until 25th April] in the precincts of St. George's Chapel, but no memorial has been found. (There is a copy of his death certificate in the "Certificates" file.)

James Thomas Wightman [father]

His father was James Thomas Wightman, the eldest son of James Wightman and his first wife, Ann (nee Williams).

He enlisted into the R.H.A, as a boy aged 15 years, on the 11th of April 1821 and transferred "at his own request," to the 7th Hussars on the 7th of April 1824. He was promoted to Corporal on the 1st of November 1831.

He married Elizabeth Milcocks [sic?] at Aston, Birmingham on the 13th of January 1834, then being described as "a bachelor, aged 25 years," and she as "a spinster, aged 29." The witnesses were Joseph Ridley and Mary Dean, the officiating priest being the Revd, J.H. Hanson, Curate.

[PB: 1871 Census [link below] says she was born Evenload, Worcester.]

Four children born of this marriage; James William, born at York on the 23rd of November 1834; John Alexander, born at Hampton Court on the 12th of June 1836; Anne, born at Maidstone on the 16th of April 1838; Helen Williams, born at Brighton on the 18th of January 1842. [PB: 1871 Census says both were born Maidstone.]

He transferred again, this time to the 4th Dragoons, on the 3rd of April 1837 and was promoted Sergeant on the 1st of May 1837 before being appointed Garrison Sergeant-Major at the Cavalry Depot on the 23rd of January 1839. Gazetted as Cornet and Riding Master in the 11th Hussars (without purchase) on the 28th of February 1843. Became Lieutenant on the 3rd of April 1844 and Captain on the 8th of April 1844, (both by purchase.)

He exchanged into the 67th Regiment of Foot and on to half-pay on the 30th of May 1851 and finally to Captain and Adjutant of the South Notts Yeomanry, where he attained the rank of Major on the 1st of February 1872, retiring on the same day. (See service of George Wightman of the R.H.A.)

During his service with the 11th Hussars he is said to have schooled"Ronald", the horse ridden by Lord Cardigan in the Charge.

1871 Census

Link for 1871 Census. His mother is named as Elizabeth, 68, born Evenload, Worcester.

John Thomas Wightman lived in retirement at Bassingfield, Holme Pierrepoint, near Nottingham, and died there from "Chronic cystitis" on the 9th of March 1892, aged 85 years. His occupation was shown as "Retired Army Officer". "Annie Wightman, Daughter" was present at his death. [There is a copy of the death certificate in the archive.]

In the Historical Records of the South Notts Yeomanry Cavalry is printed an appraisal of his career, including a mention that he compiled the regiment's records on succeeding to the Adjutancy in 1851 until he retired in 1872. There was also an obituary notice from the Nottingham Gazette stating:

"By many still living whose privilege it was to be connected with the Regiment during the period under review the memory of the deceased is held in high regard. The late Major Wightman was esteemed both as an officer and a gentleman and to the popularity of the Regiment during this period and some of the most eventful years of its history he contributed not a little by his energy and tact. Since the close of his military career deceased has been living in retirement at Bassingfield. He was a widower and leaves two children, a son and daughter."

From the Daily Guardian, 15th of March 1893:

"Funeral of the late Major J.T. Wightman

The funeral of the late Major J.T. Wightman, formerly of the 11th Hussars, who was Adjutant of the South Notts. Yeomanry Troop from 1851 to 1872 and had lived in retirement at Bassingfield from that time until Thursday last, when he died after about three weeks illness in the 86th year of his age, took place in Holme Pierrepoint Church-yard yesterday afternoon in the presence of a large gathering of his old comrades-in-arms, friends and neighbours...

James Thomas Wightman, was buried in the churchyard of St. Edmund's at Holme Pierrepoint, Nottinghamshire."

The erected stone bears the inscriptions:

"Elizabeth Wightman, died January 14th 1881, aged 73 years. Also Major Thomas Wightman, late of the 11th, Prince Albert's Own and of the South Notts Hussars "

"Also of Annie Wightman, who died..."

On the right-hand side:

"To the memory of John Alexander, son of Major Wightman, who served in the Scots Greys and died in the Crimea after the battle of the Alma on October 13th 1854, aged 19 years."

There are photographs in the 17th Lancer file of the gravestone of James Thomas Wightman, Earl Manver's house, and the church of St. Edmund at Holme Pierrepoint. Also negatives:

neg_108_20_Family_gravestone_of_James_W_WIGHTMAN_17L

neg_108_21_Family_gravestone_of_James_W_WIGHTMAN_17L

neg_108_22_St_Edmunds_Church_Holme_Pierrepoint_Notts

neg_108_23_St_Edmunds_churchyard

There is a brief mention of JTW on a Genuki page, here:

Major James Thomas WIGHTMAN lived here from at least 1871 through 1892. The Major was born in Woolwich, Kent, and was Adjutant to the South Notts Yeomanry Cavalry (later called the Southern Notts. Hussars). He died in March, 1893 and is buried in the local churchyard.

[accessed 24.10.2017]

John Alexander Wightman [brother]

His brother, John Alexander Wightman, had entered the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) at the Regimental H.Q. on the 22nd of March 1854. Aged 19 years, of "No trade", and 5' 8" in height, his regimental no. was 1248. Died "of cholera" at Camp Balaclava on the 13th of October 1854. Is shown as being present at Mackenzie's Farm and the capture of Balaclava Town and Harbour and to have been a Rough-Rider Corporal at the time of his death.

Children and grandchildren

[PB: This image has been copied from an article in 2006 by Laurence Crider, wrongly identified as JW. It is possible we have this image in the archive already, but I am using it as a temporary reference.] -->

[son — which?]

(Click on image to enlarge)

Three of the sons are known to have served in the Army:

John Alexander Wightman [son]

John Alexander Wightman, the eldest, born at Aldershot, enlisted into the 17th Lancers at Westminster, London, on the 15th of June 1880 at the age of 14 years and one month, his Regimental number being 2046. He eventually became a Rough-Rider Sergeant Major, he was discharged from Ballincollig, Ireland, "at his own request, after 18 years' service" on the 16th of September 1898 at the age of 32 years and 3 months. An article appeared in the United Services Gazette for the 15th of February 1907 relating to him.

His son, William Harry "Paul" Wightman [grandson] joined the 17th in 1921 and was invalided home from India in 1924 after 13 months there. He then transferred to the band of the 16th/5th Lancers and after a period in the Irish Guards Band (see picture of him in the uniform of this regiment) finally left the Army in 1938. He left England that same year to join his sister and brother-in-law in Australia.

Returning to England in 1967 after a successful business career, he presented a marble clock (which had been given to "Sergeant J.W. Wightman by the other survivors of the Charge for the interest he showed in their welfare") and also Sergeant Wightman's manuscript account of the chase of Tantia Topee during the Indian Mutiny to the 17th/21st Lancers Museum.

[PB: A photocopy of this account is in hand, to be transcribed.]

However he died shortly afterwards on 21st of June 1967 and his ashes interred in the Garden of Remembrance in West London Cemetery, Kensal Rise, London. An article had appeared in the "White Lancer" for 1962, Old Comrades News, concerning him.

James Thomas Wightman [son]

His second son, James Thomas, born at Shorncliffe, Kent, enlisted into the 17th Lancers at the Canterbury Depot on the 17th of July 1883 at the age of 15 years and 4 months, his Regimental number being 2859. He was appointed Trumpeter on the 12th of April 1887. Being discharged "on the termination of his period of engagement" he immediately re-enlisted into the 3rd Dragoon Guards as No. 3631 on the 28th of April 1895 and was appointed Bandsman on the 1st of February 1896.

He was discharged "at his own request, after 18 years service" from the Curragh Camp on the 10th of September 1902, at the age of 34 years and one month. To live C/o. Mr. A. Herbert, 81 Talls Street, Treorchy, South Wales. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa medal with clasps for Cape Colony, Transvaal, Orange Free State and South Africa 1901-02.

Herbert Wightman [son]

His third son, Herbert born at Paddington, London, enlisted into the 17th Lancers at London on the 8th of October 1887, at the age of 14 years and 6 months, his Regimental number being 3324.

He had only a short career in the 17th, being discharged from the Canterbury Depot on the 4th of March 1888 after only 148 days service as "not being likely to become an efficient soldier-musician."

However, on the 15th of June 1895 he re-enlisted into the Army Service Corps as a Driver, his Regimental No. being 11314. He was recalled to the "Colours" on the 23rd of October 1899, following the outbreak of the war in South Africa and served there, being awarded the Queen's South Africa medal with clasps for the Relief of Mafeking, the Transvaal, and the King's South Africa medal with clasps for 1901-02.

He again transferred to the Army Reserve on the 16th of May 1903, but he must have liked the Army life as he re-enlisted for a period of four years on the 18th of May 1903 and again for a further four years on the 5th of July 1909. He was discharged however, from Aldershot on the 1st of November 1910 "having been found medically unfit for further service (Insane)".

William Harry Wightman [son]

Of his other sons, William Harry, born at Bow East, London, and George, born in Kensington, little is known. The former married his brother Herbert's wife's sister Anne Frances Marie Lorentz.

George Wightman [son]

George, although he may possibly have served in the Army previously, went to America and as an actor played in many cowboy films under the name of Frank Foy. [PB: It might be interesting to follow him up.]

References & acknowledgements

Additional birth, death and marriage registrations, Census information for 1871-1901, and a press clipping about his presence at the Royal Military Tournament in 1892, kindly provided by Chris Poole.

To follow up

There are numerous files with "wightman" in the title on my hard drive.

neg_65_2_Medals_of_James_W_WIGHTMAN_17L

neg_65_3_Medals_of_James_W_WIGHTMAN_17L

neg_65_4_Medals_of_James_W_WIGHTMAN_17L

neg_512_14_James_W_WIGHTMAN_17L

neg_512_15_James_W_WIGHTMAN_17L

neg_513_18_James_T_WIGHTMAN_11H

neg_513_19_James_T_WIGHTMAN_11H