Born at Doncaster, Yorkshire, on the 2nd of February 1825.
Enlisted at Dublin on the 8th of February 1848.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Servant.
Severely wounded in action at Balaclava and sent to Scutari on the 26th of October 1854.
Invalided to England on the 7th of December 1854, but was left at Malta "en route." He is shown on the Depot roll at Brighton from the 25th of May 1855, so he must have spent some time at Malta.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.
The musters for July-September 1858 show him as being "On Field Service" from September of the period.
In action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 and at Baroda on the 1st of January 1859.
Batman in India to Lieutenant Nolan.
On passage to England from the 1st of February 1861 and on roll at the Maidstone Depot from the 29th of April 1861.
Discharged, "time expired", from the Maidstone Depot on the 4th of May 1861.
Served 13 years 87 days.
Conduct: "very good". In possession of two Good Conduct badges.
To live in Nottingham after discharge.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava. Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Mutiny medal without clasp.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
Awarded a Special Campaign Pension, no date shown. but most probably in early in the early 1890s.
Attended the Jubilee celebrations given by Mr. T.H. Roberts in his Fleet Street offices in June of 1897. (See note below) See photograph of him in old age in the 17th Lancer file.
He appears with three other men of the 17th Lancers in a photograph taken, it is believed, especially for Queen Victoria, as the original is in the Royal Library at Windsor. Pearson, the only Private, is third from the left. (There is a copy in the 17th Lancer file.)
1871 Census
1, Tower Street, York.
William Pearson, 45, Warder at York Castle, born Doncaster.
Hannah, 38, wife.
Three children shown: Annie 17, Kate 9, and Jane 8 days.
Present at the funerals of James Bolton, 4th Light Dragoons in 1879, William Bentley, 11th Hussars in March of 1891 and John Hogan, 8th Hussars in 1900.
He was living in Pump Yard, The Shambles, York, on the 3rd of April 1897, when he wrote to Mr. Roberts regarding his invitation to London for the Jubilee Celebrations. He also lived at some time at No. 3 King's Square, York, and also at No. 111.
On the 6th of August 1897 his niece, Alice Toye, wrote to Mr. T.H. Roberts sending him the donations which she had collected in her public house and thanking him for having invited her uncle to London.
"I never expected that he would be able to get to the Jubilee, but he was determined to come if possible and I was very glad he got back alright and had thoroughly enjoyed himself. He will never, I am sure, forget it. Aunt worked as long as she could, Uncle being under the doctor for the wounds in his side and body, but she is unable to do anything and is quite helpless. She is suffering from chronic asthma. I have to wash and do everything for them both."
He received a total of £225/16/6d in financial help from the "Roberts' Fund" during his lifetime.
Death registered
Hannah Pearson, 64, December Quarter 1897, York.
1901 Census
48, Goodramgate, York.
William Pearson, aged 76, widower, Army Pensioner, born Doncaster.
Living with George Toye, 64, wife Annie, 49, and family: son Frederick 18, Annie's daughter Jessie and husband, and a step daughter.
1911 Census
54, Monkgate, York (where William Pearson died).
Annie Toye, aged 59, widow, Head, Dressmaker.
Also 6 members of the White family .
Death registered
Annie Toye, aged 77, March Quarter 1929, York.
Died at York, on the 14th of June 1909 (see below), and is buried in York Cemetery, Grave No. 154. Aged 84 years at the time of his death, he was said to have been buried in a private plot and has a headstone and kerb. The "Robert's Fund" is said to have paid his funeral expenses.
His death certificate shows that he died at 54 Monkgate, York, on the 14th of June 1909, aged 84 years, an Army Pensioner, late 17th Lancers, from "Senile Atrophy, Cardiac Failure." An A. Toye, niece, of the same address, was present at, and the informant of, his death. (There is a copy of the death certificate in the 17th Lancers "Certificates" file.)
From information received from a Mr. Peter Seaman of Selby, Yorkshire a stone still exists which commemorates him, the inscription on it reading:
"In loving memory of Jessie S. B. White. Died April 13th 1931. Also John W. White, husband of the above, killed in France Aug 16th 1916. Also of William Pearson, "A Hero of the Light Brigade," Died June 14th 1909, aged 84." The John W. White recorded served as a Private in the 12th Bn. of the West Yorkshire Regiment as No. 21149. Was both born and enlisted at York, his medal entitlement being the 1914-15 Star, and the British War and Victory medals. Possibly a grand-son.) (See copy of a photograph of this gravestone in the 17th Lancer file.)
The grave space is also now said not to be partly under, but at the side of the path way.
From a 1909 newspaper report (source unknown):
"Another Light Brigade hero, Private William Pearson, late of the 17th Lancers, died at York on Monday in his 84th year. The deceased had been in failing health during the past two or three years, although his death was hastened by frequent attacks of bronchitis.
Private Pearson was born in Doncaster and joined the 17th Lancers at Dublin in 1848. With his regiment he was at the Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol, and at the conclusion of the campaign was certified as fit for Depot duty only as the result of a wound received in the Charge. In 1857 however, he volunteered to accompany his regiment to India, and went through the Mutiny. After 13 years service he settled in York, where for many years he was employed as the turn-key at the Castle."
Extract from the "Yorkshire Evening Press", Monday 14th of June 1909:
"Death of a Yorkshire Veteran who rode with the Light Brigade.
The late Private W. Pearson. - How he was wounded in the Balaclava Charge. York citizens will learn with regret of the death of Private William Pearson of 54 Monkgate, late of the 17th Lancers, the "Death or Glory Boys", who took part in the Balaclava Charge. The deceased was 84 years of age; he had been in failing health for some time, although it was only lately that he took to his bed. Death was due to senile decay, although his end was probably hastened by frequently recurring attacks of bronchitis.
The late Mr. Pearson was born at Doncaster on the 2nd of February 1825 and joined the 17th Lancers at the Royal Barracks, Dublin, on February 8th 1848. Having served several years at different stations in Ireland, his regiment went to Hounslow, but only for a short while, for at the outbreak of the Crimean War the 17th had received orders for the front and embarked at Liverpool in January of 1854, [sic]. He was at the Alma, Sebastopol and Balaclava and after having been certified as fit for Depot duty only as the result of a wound received in the Balaclava Charge he returned to Ireland in December of 1855.
The fighting spirit however, was still strong in him and so in 1857 he volunteered, and to his joy, was accepted, to accompany his old regiment to India. He went right through that campaign and at its end, having completed 13 years 87 days with the colours, returned to his native country and settled in York, where for many years he was employed as a turn-key at the Castle.
Of the Balaclava Charge, Mr. Pearson often related a thrilling story. Colonel Marley [sic] commanded the regiment, but he was absent at the time and Colonel White, who afterwards commanded them in India, led them into action. A Sir George Wombwell was his own Troop officer. Everyone knew the awful chances against returning from the mad ride, but no-one wavered.
It was every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost.
Three Cossacks tried to cut young Pearson off, and he gave rein to his charger, which required no urging and would have cleared them, having beaten off all three with his lance, but a fourth appeared, wheeling right across his path.
It was a moment in which the scales of life and death are balanced. There was no time for thought. More by inspiration than anything else, Pearson pressed his knees. He was a trumpeter [sic] and had taught his horse to do certain circus tricks. In response, the faithful animal reared itself and seemed as though it were to come down on the Cossack with its forefeet. The Cossack swerved, upset at this new mode of attack, and in a flash Pearson got through, not before, however, one of the other three had jabbed him in the side with his lance. At the time he hardly felt the wound, although it had penetrated the left lung, and he reached the British lines in safety.
Colonel White was with another officer when he pulled up and he heard him say, "Here's another back." Then Col. White called out, "Are you hurt, my man?" Pearson replied, "No, Sir, " but fell off his horse from weakness. The air had got into the wound and he writhed in awful pain. Till that moment he was unconscious of his injury.
Pearson was taken to Scutari, where he had the good fortune to come under the personal care of Miss Florence Nightingale. She went to his bed one day when he was nicely recovering and said to him, "Well, Pearson, you'll be going away tomorrow,. What clothes have you got." He hadn't any, and said so. "I thought as much," she continued. and fitted him out.
On the transport, Pearson nearly succumbed. He most probably would have done so except for one thing. He noticed a couple of soldiers trying on his togs. One man had already appropriated his top-coat and boots. The couple looked foolish when he suddenly opened his eyes and yelled out that "he was not dead yet". It was hard work living in that old packet, but he had set his heart on wearing his boots again.
He was, however, so bad that he was set ashore at Malta. Here he came under the care of a Doctor Frank, "who patched me up and made me fit for service again."
For a number of years Pearson regularly attended the Balaclava Dinner in London, but he has not been to the Metropolis since the Diamond Jubilee, when the survivors were given a prominent place on the line of route. Here the gallant little band, alas, now so depleted, saluted her Majesty, and he used to recall with pride the remembrance of how the Queen, for whom he had fought, had halted her carriage and bowed to them in return."
Resume of the report of his funeral, taken from the "Yorkshire Evening Press", 17th of June 1909:
The funeral of Private Pearson took place at York Cemetery today with military honours. The band of the 5th Royal Irish Lancers led the way, the drums being draped in black. Following, came the gun-carriage on which rested the coffin, covered with the Union Jack, and surmounted by the deceased's busby and sword.
The gun-carriage was drawn by four horses of the Army Service Corps, and following it was a beautiful black horse which was formerly with the 17th Lancers. The deceased soldier's boot were fixed uppermost in the stirrups as a symbol that he would ride no more. Beautiful wreaths were sent by the 5th Lancers, the Yorkshire Regiment and "With sincere regrets and sympathy" from Mr. T.H. Roberts (London), founder of the Balaclava Charge Survivors Fund.
In a series of booklets published in 1998 detailing the civilian and military service of local men the name of William Pearson was amongst them. Much of what is already known from local newspaper reports was repeated and although said to have been written with the co-operation of a Pearson family descendant, it contains several inaccuracies, e.g. it is claimed that he was awarded the clasp for "Central India" on his Mutiny medal and also awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct medal, but he did not have enough service to be eligible for the latter and the former clasp was not awarded to the regiment.
A number of photographs were included with the article. One purports to show him as a young man in the uniform of the 17th Lancersm but this could not possibly be him, not being a Lancer uniform of any period, although it may be that of some local militia unit in which he could have served. But in one of the other two (wearing civilian clothes) his medal entitlement is easily distinguishable and shows the Crimean medal with three clasps, the Indian Mutiny medal and the Turkish Crimea (with a modified form of suspension).
In his later life he went to live at No. 54 Monkgate, York, with his nephew, Sergeant George Toye, an ex-Royal Marine (this could have been the husband of the lady who wrote to Mr. T. H. Roberts in 1897), that he enjoyed painting and one of his surviving pictures remain in the greater family possession, as do his medals in a glazed frame and some service papers. (See copies of the photographs mentioned, in the 17th Lancer file.)
Registration of deaths, and Census information for 1871, 1901 & 1911, kindly provided by Chris Poole.