Born c.1822. According to the 1881 Census, in "Gloster [unreadable] Gloster" [?]. The 1891 records born "Tullshill", Gloucs. I have not found this placename, but there is a Tutshill, a small village in the Forest of Dean [as it happens, a childhood home of JK Rowling].
Enlisted at Gloucester on the 27th of November 1841.
Age: 19.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: None shown.
Joined the regiment from the Maidstone Depot on the 31st of March 1842.
Sent to Scutari on the 14th of December 1854 and invalided to England on the 26th of February 1855.
Granted a "Free discharge" from Brighton on the 4th of February 1857.
Served 16 years 39 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 8 months.
Conduct and character: "Indifferent." Not in possession of any Good Conduct badges.
He was awarded a "Special Campaign Pension" at a later date (not stated when.)
Entitled (according to the medal rolls) to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Inkerman and Sebastopol. The "Balaclava" clasp may have been awarded later, but nothing is shown on the roll for this. On the roll for the AIma/Inkerman clasps there is no letter "B' as shown for others who were awarded it but in the "Remarks" column is the initial letter "D." What the letter signifies is not known, it only appearing in a few other instances, but then accompanied by a date, a check showing the men named were still serving, as was Pitt, after the return to England.
He is shown on the medal rolls as a "Farrier."
Attended the first Balaclava Banquet in 1875.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
Present at the Fleet Street offices of T.H. Roberts for the Jubilee celebrations held there in June 1897 and signed the testimonial given to Mr. Roberts on that occasion. (See copy in the "Memoirs" file.)
Signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887.
Lived at one time at 1, Stein Gardens, Brighton.
1881 Census
61, William Street, Brighton, Sussex (Boot Shop).
The 1881 Census shows him as a Shoeing Smith, aged 61, born in Gloucester [?], with his wife, Sarah, a Charwoman, 58, born in Manchester. No children are shown who might have been born to the couple, but there was a 2-year-old "Boarder", Elizabeth Busman, and a Lodger, 31-year-old Thomas Osborne, born Steyning, a Fish Hawker.
They are living as a separate household at the same address as William Holland, 52 [82?], Bootmaker, and Alfred Holland, 40, House Painter, and his wife Frances, Ironer.
1891 Census
69, Spa Street [?], Brighton.
William Pitt, 71, a Hawker, born "Tullshill" [Tutshill, a small village in the Forest of Dean?], Gloucs, is living with his wife Sarah, said to be 60, in the same house as a widow, Jane Brown, 85, a hawker,
Died on the 23rd of February 1901.
William Pitt is buried, with his wife, in the Bear Road Cemetery, Brighton, in Grave No. W12-49. There is no headstone, it being a common grave. His wife, who died two days later, was named Sarah, and was buried with him. The funeral was paid for by the Robert's Fund, he having been a pensioner of the Fund for some time before his death.
See copy of the funeral report for both he and his wife, taken from the "Brighton Gazette" for the 7th of March 1901, in the 4th Hussar file.
Extract from the Army and Navy Gazette (unknown date):
4th Hussars — Mr. Pit [sic?] died at Brighton in late February of 1901. He was a farrier and was badly wounded [sic] in the Balaclava Charge, where he lay on the ground until the next day.
[He is not shown in any official casualty lists.]
Extracts from the Sussex and Surrey Courier, 9th of March 1901 and from the Army and Navy Gazette, 10th of March 1901:
On Saturday last the mortal remains of the late Mr. William Pitt, of No. 15 Nelson Place, Brighton, were interred in the cemetery there with full military honours in the presence of a very large gathering. What added to the mournful interest was that his wife, who only survived him by a few days, was laid to rest with him.In front of the cortege came the firing party under the command of Sgt. Randy, with reversed carbines. The band of the 1st Sussex Volunteer Artillery came next — accompanied by Bandmaster Landfried [986 Martin Lanfried, 17th Lancers], himself an old Balaclava veteran — playing Chopin's impressive "Funeral March." Behind them came the gun-carriage bearing the remains of the late Farrier Pitt and the hearse in which reposed the body of his wife. The soldiers fired three volleys over his grave and the bugler sounded the "Last Post" in farewell to the dead warrior."
Another soldier from the now rapidly thinning ranks of the Light Brigade has answered the great bugle-call which ends for him all earthly warfare. William Pitt, who was a farrier in the 4th Light Dragoons (now the 4th Hussars) died in Brighton last week in his 82nd year. He took a great interest in the affairs of the regiment to the end and often spoke with great pride of the days when he wore the uniform of the 4th L.D. He took part in the Balaclava Charge and reached and spiked several of the Russian guns. Whilst doing so he was severely wounded and remained on the field of battle until the next day. Pitt received the British, Turkish and French medals and four clasps [sic]. The funeral, which took place of Saturday, was a military one, and was witnessed by a large number of people. Simultaneously was buried the body of Mrs. Pitt, who died two or three days after her husband, at the age of 76.
Sergeant Landfried, another Balaclava veteran, led the band in attendance and a detachment of the R.F.A. from Preston Barracks acted as escort, Lieutenant Berrill being in command. The coffin was draped in the national colours and several beautiful wreaths surmounted it. Following amongst the crowd were to be seen several old comrades. As the cortege wound its way along, hats were respectfully raised. Along the Lewes Road the band played the Dead March in "Saul", Chopin's "Funeral March" being played as the cemetery was reached. The service in the chapel was conducted by the Revd. T.W. Macintosh, curate of St. Martin's, members of the Royal Artillery carrying the coffin into the sacred edifice. At the graveside many had gathered, and as the coffin was lowered into the ground the usual three volleys were fired and the "Last Post" sounded."