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

Added 17.7.11. Minor edits 10.4.14, 2.6.14. Photo added 15.6.15. Death certificate aded 2.12.2018.

653, Private William DIMMOCK — 17th Lancers

Birth & early life

Born at High Church, near Buckingham, c.1822.

[PB: I have not been able to locate "High Church".]

Enlistment

Enlisted at London on the 18th of June 1840.

Age: 18.

Height: 5' 10".

Trade: Groom.

Appearance: Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Dk. brown hair.

Service

Imprisoned for "absence", 6th — 28th of October 1843, and again, 24th of July — 20th of November 1850.

At Balaclava:

"This man returned to the field of the Charge and carried away Brevet Major White, who was severely wounded." [PB: see below.]

Sent to Scutari [PB: presumably injured — any info? Or to look after the severely wounded White?] on the 26th of October and embarked for England, with Captain Robert White, on the 9th of December 1854.

On the Depot roll at Brighton from the 2nd of January 1855.

Rejoined the regiment at Cahir on the 1st of June 1856.

From Private to Corporal: 1st of July 1855.

Discharge & pension

Discharged from Dublin on the 27th of November 1856, as: "Permanently unfit for the duties of a soldier from Inguinal Hernia which suddenly occurred at Clonmell whilst riding at drill. He was a rough-rider at the time."

He was granted a permanent pension of 9d. per day instead of a temporary higher rate of pension at the recommendation of the Governor of Kilmainham Hospital.

Served 16 years 27 days.

In Turkey and the Crimea, 1 year.

Conduct: "a very good soldier". In possession of three Good Conduct badges.

Aged 34 years 6 months on discharge.

Next of kin (in 1854): Wife, Mary Dimmock, living in London.

[PB: Ed Conroy reports that Mary Dimmock was nee Gardiner.]

Medals

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

He was presented with his Crimean medal by Queen Victoria at a ceremony on the Horse Guards Parade on the 18th of May 1855.

His name appears on the Nominal Return of those present at the presentation now in the National Archive, also on a similar roll which appeared in the United Services Magazine for June of 1855, and on that which appeared in the Illustrated London News of the 26th of May 1855.

The Nominal Roll record states, "This man returned to the field of the Charge and carried away Brevet Major White, who was severely wounded."

Further medal information archived.

Commemorations

Likenesses

He appears with three other men of his regiment in a photograph taken, it is believed, especially for Queen Victoria, as the original is in the Royal Library at Windsor. This was taken at Brighton in August 1855 and Dimmock appears second from the left. (There is a copy in the 17th Lancer file.)

(Click on image to enlarge)

[PB: In 2015 Roy Mills made a remarkable discovery of where exactly this photograph (and a comparable one for four men of the 4th Light Dragoons) was taken (in front of Moulscoomb Place, Brighton, just outside Preston Barracks). I wrote a blog about his find in June 2015: "Oh, the rapture on spotting where these two charger photographs were taken".]

Life after service

Whibley's Local Directory and Gazette for Twickenham, 1865-86, shows him as a Riding-Master, Friar's Lane, Richmond Green, in the employ of Mason and Margram, London Road, Twickenham. Copies of Kelly's Directory in Richmond Library show him as a Riding Master, 19, Sheendale Villas, in 1860, and in 1868 in the same capacity in Friar's Lane, Twickenham.

In 1870 he was keeping the "Alma" public house, Arroyan Road, Twickenham, and by 1876 this had been taken over by his widow, Mrs. Mary Dimmock.

1861 Census

19, Sheen Dale Villas, Richmond.

William Dimmock, 38, Riding Master, born Buckingham.

Mary, 35.

Mary Lacy, step-daughter.

Also a Servant.

• London Borough of Richmond upon Thames: Conservation Area Study: Kew Foot Road and Sheendale Road contains interesting material on the area, including Sheendale Villas.

1871 Census

The Alma, Arragon Road, Twickenham.

William Dimmock, 47, Publican, born Buckingham.

Mary, 45, born Dalston [?], Middlesex.

Also 3 staff: an Ostler, a General Servant, and a 13-year-old Pot Boy.

[PB: According to PubsHistory, William Dimmock was succeeded as Publican by his wife at least until 1878. However, another Publican is listed in 1881. The pub was demolished in the 1960s.

1870-1872, William Dimmock (Kelly's Directory)

1874, Mrs Mary Dimmock (Post Office Directory)

1878, Mrs Mary Dimmock (Post Office Directory)

[Source: PubsHistory: Alma, Arragon Road, Twickenham (accessed 15.6.15)]

Death & burial

William Dimmock died in the South London Pension District on the 8th of February 1874.

Death certificate for William Dimmock, who died 8th February 1874. He was described as a "Riding Master", but he was also the landlord of The Alma pub, Arragon Road, Twickenham.

(Click on image to enlarge)

He was buried in Percy Road Cemetery, Twickenham, in Grave No. BA320, Class A. No headstone was erected. (See copy photograph of his gravesite in the 17th Lancer file.)

[PB: Add photo.]

The grave is a common one, three of the four other people all bearing the same surname were buried there between January of 1873 and March of 1894 (although all the names are crossed through.) Dimmock was the third to be interred there. He is shown as being aged 50 years, and a Licensed Victualler.

References & acknowledgements

Census information for 1861 & 1871 kindly provided by Chris Poole.

The editors are very grateful to Ed Conroy for providing William Dimmock's death certificate, shown above.