David Stanley - Totley Charger

David Stanley

This imposing looking gent is David Stanley who lived in Totley in later life but in his twenties he was part of an event which even now has the power to shock us.

He was born on 21 January 1830 in Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, the eighth of ten children of Samuel Stanley, an agricultural labourer, and his wife Sarah Chambers who married on 11 January 1814 at St. Peter, Nottingham. On 10 July 1849, at the age of 19, he enlisted at Nottingham as a Private in the 17th Lancers, a cavalry regiment, giving his occupation as a mason. In 1853, the British Empire became involved in the war being fought over the disintegrating Ottoman Empire. The 17th Lancers joined with four other regiments to create the Light Brigade and in 1854 were sent to the Crimean peninsula.

On 25 October 1854 the battle for Balaclava was underway. Ambiguous orders led to the Light Brigade mounting a charge against Russian forces who far outnumbered them and who were heavily armed with canon. The soldiers of the Light Brigade must have known they had little hope of surviving the battle. Despite this they advanced into the valley with the 17th Lancers riding in the front line. They came under withering fire from all sides. What was left of the Light Brigade engaged the Russians at the end of the valley and forced them back.

Eventually overwhelmed, the Light Brigade retreated back up the valley still under fire. The numbers of men involved in the charge and the casualty figures have been widely misrepresented. There were 673 men on parade on the morning of the Charge but some of those would have later reported sick or been assigned to other duties. There were also a few foreign allies to add on so a figure around 650 is closer to the mark than the "six hundred" made famous by Tennyson's poem. Of these, 395 (60%) returned up the valley unscathed or with minor injuries that were not reported to the surgeons. Remarkably, less than 17% were killed although a number of those taken prisoner were later to die from wounds. 

One of those who was seriously wounded and who returned up the valley was David Stanley. In charging the Russian cavalry and attempting to disable and dismount a gun he received a lance wound in the side. When returning he had his horse shot from under him and he was further wounded by the Russian cavalry whilst on foot. Eventually he was able to mount a passing horse and ride back to safety. He was sent with the wounded to the hospital in Scutari and returned to his regiment on 6 November 1854, the day after the Battle of Inkerman.

He was later awarded the Crimean Campaign Medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol. The Charge of the Light Brigade is legendary for the courage of the soldiers and the ineptitude of their commanders. The survivors of the Charge were treated as heroes by the public for many years after and it is no surprise then that David Stanley carried his Balaclava history with him in the naming of the places he lived. 

David purchased his discharge from the Army on 12 August 1856 for the sum of £20. He moved back to Nottinghamshire becoming a butcher in Mansfield. On 27 January 1857 he married Harriet Walker at St. Barnabas Roman Catholic Church, Nottingham. Harriet was born in 1830, the daughter of John Walker, a cotton spinner, and his wife Anne Swift who married on 2 May 1808 St. Michael, Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire. Sadly Harriet died three years later and was buried at St. Barnabas on 22 June 1860. There were no children from the marriage. 

In 1861 David was a milk seller living at 14 Convent Street, Nottingham but by about 1864 he had moved to Sheffield. In the census of 1871 he was running the Balaclava Inn at 43 Wellington Street in the Devonshire Quarter. Living with him was Maria Burnham, the estranged wife of John Burnham, a book agent, who had married on 26 June 1842 at St. Peter, Nottingham. Maria had a daughter, also called Maria, who was baptised at Sneinton on 29 January 1843. John Burnham died in October 1872 in Halifax and in 1877 David married his widow in Leeds.

It appears that David's license to sell beer on or off the premises was issued in error and renewals were only to sell beer off the premises. By 1873 he was described as a grocer and provision dealer. David attended a number of reunion banquets in London, the first of which was held at Alexandra Palace on 25 October 1875 when the survivors were given free rail passes to attend. A few days before it, he was interviewed by the Buxton Herald. That interview is reproduced below.

In the 1881 Census David and Maria were still recorded at 43 Wellington Street which was no longer called Balaclava Inn and David's occupation was shown as a grocer and builder. We know that at some stage he was also the publican at the Sheaf View in Heeley because at the time this article was first written there was a framed display in the pub containing articles about his time in the 17th Lancers and subsequent employment. 

By 1886 David and Maria had moved to Totley Rise, living on Queen Victoria Road where it meets Woodland Place in a house they named Balaclava House. On 3 October 1890 David was the guest of honour at the annual dinner and prize-giving of the Dore, Totley and Holmesfield Agricultural and Horticultural Society which was held at Dore School. He replied to a toast given to "a Balaclava hero" by giving an account of the Charge in simple terms saying he was very proud to be one of their number. His remarks were listened to by a large audience with considerable interest and drew loud applause. 

David Stanley died at Balaclava House on 11 May 1893, aged 63, and was buried in Norton Cemetery, Derbyshire Lane five days later. The house was put up for sale the following spring together with four semi-detached houses (1-4 Stanley Villas?) and a plot of building land on the opposite side of Queen Victoria Road. Maria went to live with her daughter and her family at 150 St. Mary's Road, Sheffield. She died there on 26 October 1896, aged 72, and was buried with her husband three days later. We do not know when the original Balaclava House was demolished. A block of flats stands on the site today which bears the same name.

August 2012
Revised September 2020

David Stanley - In His Own Words

Thursday 21 October 1875 Buxton Herald (page 3) 

The Balaclava Banquet

Story of another Sheffield man who was in the Charge

David Stanley, of 43 Wellington street, says: - I was in the charge of the Light Brigade, and Lord Cardigan was in the front of our regiment when Captain Nolan brought the order. He told Cardigan he was to charge and take the guns. He was asked "What guns." He says, "There's the guns, my lord, and here's the order. You're to charge and take them." Cardigan threw his sword in the air, and said, "Here goes the last of the Cardigans." Nolan said he would go with him. We were all very much excited, but started without delay. The first order was, as I understood it, after we started in the charge, "Three's right," which was taken to mean that we must take the guns on the right. In a moment afterwards we were ordered to "Front and forward," and that moment Captain Nolan was shot dead.

I rode right to the Russian cavalry. Sergeant Talbot rode next to me in the front rank. When we were half way down he had his head blown off, and he rode sixty yards in the saddle before he fell. Corporal Hall, who rode on my other side, had his leg blown off and his horse was shot. He fell and was taken prisoner, and died a prisoner. I was left alone once because of all the men being blown to death around me and I had some difficulty in regaining my regiment. I rode right up to the Russian cavalry, and assisted in driving them back until we got into the centre of them. They tried to surround us. We went threes about, came back, met the second line, fronted, and drove them again. Then we left the battery that played upon us in our front. We shot one of the horses in the shaft of the front gun. we beheaded some of the men of the battery, and ran others through with our lances, and dismounted every one of them. It was a cold-blooded affair, and that's certain; but we were forced to do it, or they would have blown every man of us to pieces. After that we retreated. We didn't spike the guns; because we hadn't any, and if we had had spikes we couldn't have used them, because we had not time. It took us all our time to look after ourselves.

I was wounded at the guns - a lance in my right side; it was only a flesh wound. On returning I had my horse shot from under me. The Russian Lancers were forming line in front of us as we were retreating, and we cut our way through them the best way we could. Their own infantry and artillery opened a volley of fire upon us all, Russians and English, and shot at any of us. As far as thins goes, it was just the same as shooting dogs. There were four of us together, who had our horses shot under us - one got on the ground, and could not get up. Three Russian cavalry rode down to him, took his carbine from his side, and put it to his hair,and of course I thought he was going to blow his head off, but he lay down on the ground and they left him. He was severely wounded. I stood there and saw the sight. They left him and rode down to me, and they muttered something to me, but I could not tell what it was. I whipped my sword belts undone, took hold of by scabbard, in self-defence. All three of the swords came clash on to me at once - one of them cut through my epaulette, shoulder knot and jacket, and another cut three-eighths of an inch into my sword scabbard, and I thought that if one of them offered to make a point at me as the others were cutting at me, I should be a done man, so I fell on my back on the ground, and they went away and left me for dead. As soon as they rode away I was on my feet again.

I felt I was all right when they went away. In about a minute afterwards there were five horses came galloping up all in a line. I stopped one of those, the nearest to me, and mounted it, and the saddler-sergeant of the regiment, named Scarf, tried to do the same, but his hands were scored the same as you would score a piece of pork, and they were useless, and he couldn't stop the horse, and his head was cut to a mummy nearly. A moment afterwards the remains of the 11th Hussars came riding up and they had a few spare horses with them, and they said "What's those in front of you, my lads; are they the 17th, or are they the enemy?" I said, "They are the enemy." They mounted Sergeant Scarf. I don't know whether he died or not. We got in front of these two regiments, 11th Lancers and 12th Hussars, and we broke them the best way we could. Then we rode back again to our lines, and had to keep turning out of our way for the dead and the wounded, and when we got back we were cheered by the remains of our comrades. When we got back Lord Cardigan, who looked as if he was nearly dead, poor fellow, raised his sword, and said, "O my poor Light Brigade, they're all murdered."

I was sent with the wounded to Scutari. Captain Webb died there of his wounds, and I helped to bury him in Scutari. We were sent back to the regiment the day after Inkerman was fought. That candlestick on my table I took from Count Worresoff sixteen miles from Balaclava. He made his escape and each man was allowed to take a trophy. We enjoyed ourselves in his house very well, and brought some champagne home at night. I am going to send the candlestick to Alexandra museum. They say they'll be very glad to have it. One of our chaps, named Andrew Styne, had seventeen lance wounds in him after he lost his horse. The Cossacks kept pricking at him with their lances as they rode past. He survived all his wounds. I have not met any of my comrades except Dickenson since I left my regiment, so you may well suppose I shall be glad to meet them at the banquet on Monday. The night before the charge there were fourteen and fifteen men in a tent; but the next night there only two and three in a rent and in some tents only one.

Memories of Balaclava House 

Our article about David Stanley, the veteran of the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War, who lived the last years of his life in Totley and died here in Balaclava House on Queen Victoria Road, prompted Richard Tetley to get in touch and tell me his memories of the house and area.

During his childhood Richard lived at Oakwood (no.60); the house stands next door to the site of the old Balaclava House. The Dingle was the old house's other neighbour up the hill. When Richard lived at Oakwood the garden of Balaclava House was very overgrown. The owner, Mr Vickers-Edwards was rather reclusive and the house was a bit of a mystery. There was an orchard at the back of the houses on the land now occupied by Prospect Drive, and beyond that the fields up to Tinker's Corner were owned by Tedbar Tinker. Richard remembers the old house was still there when he moved away from the area in the early 70's, but thinks that it was demolished when Mr Vickers-Edwards died shortly after.

The Marstone Grange Estate from Bradway Bank , early 1940s

There is a possibility that Balaclava House is in the foreground of the picture on page 14 of Brian Edward's Totley in Old Photographs. The plot the old house stood on was extensive; far larger than the area now occupied by the flats and grounds of the present day Balaclava House. I had thought the old house was built further down Queen Victoria Road, so it was interesting to walk around the area with Richard as he remembered how it was and good to see that the name has survived the demolition of the old house.

The Totley connection with the Crimean War goes beyond David Stanley and Balaclava House. Another famous Totley resident was Tommy Youdan. In a trade journal of 1868, he is recorded as living in Totley Grove House. Youdan was a well-known Sheffield character and a bit of a lad! He converted his casino into the Surrey Street Music Hall in 1852 (it burnt down in 1865 after an extravagant production involving fire and explosions on stage); he also inspired the first association football competition with the Youdan Cup. The first match for the cup was played at the Sheffield Hallam ground; now Sheffield United.

The Crimean War ended in 1856 and in celebration Tommy Youdan asked the confectioner George Bassett to bake a cake. The cake was so huge (it weighed 4 tons) it had to be carried through the town on wagons three abreast. In total over 10,000 eggs were used, 2,000 pounds of flour, 1,300 pounds of butter, 3,400 pounds of currants and raisins. The icing alone weighed 412 pounds. There were complaints it was not properly cooked and Youdan's plans to sell tickets for a lottery of slices which contained medals was declared an illegal lottery by the Government.

* Alma and Balaclava were the most well know events and places in the Crimea and are commemorated in street and pub names all over Sheffield.

The details about Tommy Youdan's cake are taken from the Crimean War Research Guide produced by Sheffield Archives and Local Studies Library.. 

Christine Shimell

September 2012

David Stanley's Grave

We are grateful to Marlene Marshall who has sent us this photograph of the insciption on David Stanley's grave in Norton Cemetery.

New paragraph

The inscription reads:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

DAVID STANLEY,

WHO DIED MAY 11TH 1893, AGED 63 YEARS.

ALSO MARIA STANLEY.

WHO DIED OCT 26TH 1896, AGED 73 YEARS.

ALSO MARIA ROGERS,

WHO DIED DEC 5TH 1894, AGED 52 YEARS.

ALSO GEORGE ROGERS,

WHO DIED MAY 20TH 1914, AGED 69 YEARS.

ALSO ANNIE A. WEET,

WHO DIED JUNE 14TH 1953, AGED 78 YEARS,

THE BELOVED WIFE OF A.E. WEET.

AT REST

ALSO ALFRED EDWARD,

BELOVED & DEVOTED HUSBAND OF THE ABOVE

WHO DIED MARCH 5TH 1954, AGED 76 YEARS.

REUNITED

April 2015

Light Brigade Locals

Crimean War Memorial, Moorhead, Sheffield

Records show that Private David Stanley (a Nottingham man) rode with the 17th Lancers in the Charge (and was wounded). He was apparently a mason prior to enlistment in the Army on 10 July 1849. He purchased his discharge from the Army on 12 August 1856 for the sum of £20. Incidentally, if indeed, Stanley lived locally, he was not the sole participant in that historic event to have links with Sheffield. At least one other, Sergeant Francis Dickinson (curiously also of the 17th Lancers - whose usual recruiting area was Nottinghamshire/Leicestershire) lived at 20 Tillotson Road, Heeley in the 1890's. I believe also that the uniform jacket of Sergeant Major George Loy Smith, 11th Hussars was (and may still be) in the care of Kelham Island Industrial Museum. For those interested some 658 men participated in the Charge and 287 became casualties. Interesting displays of military items and medals relating to the Charge may be seen in museums at Cannon Hall, Barnsley and Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire.

S E Acaster
Society for Army Historical Research
Military Society

September 1999

David Stanley and the Charge of the Light Brigade

I no longer live in the area but enjoy ‘keeping tabs’ on the old place where I lived for over 30 years. My military studies and research continue unabated although much further North in The County but still include a continuing a 'watching brief' on Totley’s own military heritage which appears to go from strength to strength with interest and input, much stronger than when I left the village some five years ago.

On this occasion, I write specifically to the very interesting contribution regarding the old ‘Light Brigade Charger’ David Stanley, once a resident in the area, which should and I hope still does, create interest in at least some of those who read and contribute to, Totley’s excellent, ‘all aspects’ site. It is due to that prospect that I feel obliged to seek to correct a widely held/understood belief, quoted in the contribution, on the experience of The Light Brigade of 25th October 1854. 

That concerns the casualty numbers for that infamous engagement of The Crimean War. I think its now generally agreed by experts that The Brigade fielded something in the region of 650 mounted men (which included individuals, not part of the five regiments principally concerned but such personalities as two French/Sardinian liaison officers). Depending on what those with interest in the action have heard /believed over the years - including I’m afraid purely ‘artistic’ accounts, with nonsensical assertions that numbers as low as zero, failed to ride back to the by then, incredulous, horrified, British lines. Well, not only is that assertion untrue but, also, I'm afraid so is the often re-quoted figure of ‘less than 200’. 

Any single casualty of war is bad but those who plan and actually coordinate these things, had to and still have to, expect that a proportion of men and these days, women WILL die, be injured or taken prisoner by the enemy. All of these categories are regarded as ‘casualties’. In so far as the cavalry action at Balaklava on that day, is concerned, the modern calculations indicate that of the 650 or so who attacked the Russian gun lines, a figure just short of 400 came out and returned to the British position with only minor injuries, if any at all - some 60%!  Startlingly ‘only’ 17% of human casualties proving fatal. Quite different from the public perception of over a century and a half!