My Great-Great Grandfather’s Intimate Details

A soldier in the Victorian artillery c.1870

I have often explained to my clients that military records can contain personal details about our ancestors. This information can give us an interesting description of what they looked like. But, I wasn’t expecting to learn such up-close and intimate information about my great-great grandfather, Robert Benjamin Wait (1851-1920).

When I first discovered a note describing his desertion from the army in 1871, I was stunned. Many of my ancestors had bravely fought in various conflicts. Was it really him? I initially thought that it wasn’t. In my records he was always described as a carpenter. But, on closer inspection everything seemed to match. So, with trepidation, I investigated further.

Baptism

Robert Benjamin Wait was born on 19th December 1851 at 28 Ivy Street, Hoxton in Shoreditch. He was the son of a carpenter also called Robert Benjamin Wait (1826-1877) and Elizabeth Wait née Franklin (1824-1899). Robert was baptised on Christmas Day 1851 at the church of St John the Baptist in Hoxton.

Interior of St. John the Baptist, Hoxton

New Ivy Street, Hoxton (c.1878)

The Baptism of Robert Benjamin Wait in 1851

On the night of the 1861 Census, Robert's family were living in South Grove Road, Walthamstow. Robert’s father is described as a carpenter employing 2 men.

The 1861 Census showing the Wait family in Walthamstow

Royal Artillery

But 10 years later, Robert is in Wales, at a Barracks in Brecon. When he enlisted remains unknown at present. But we can see on the Census that he is a driver in the Royal Artillery. A 'driver' in this sense, was a soldier trained in the management and use of horses which pulled the heavy guns and ammunition wagons.

Robert is now 20 years old, single and his place of birth was Hoxton, Middlesex.

The 1871 Census showing Brecon Barracks

Detail showing Robert Benjamin Wait

The importance of Brecon as military centre began to grow after Victoria became queen in 1837. The barracks in Watton began as an armaments store in 1805, but many more buildings were added between 1842 and 1844.

The Keep at Brecon Barracks c.1895

The photograph above shows the keep at the entrance to the barracks from Watton, which was completed in 1879. The original barracks were built in 1805 and extended in 1813.

Desertion

My disappointment at discovering the desertion of my great-great grandfather was compensated by seeing a very revealing description of him in the 'Police Gazette' for October 30th 1871.

Police Gazette October 30th 1871

The newspaper heading is:

'Deserters from Her Majesty's Service. On and after the date (Dec.11th, 1857), until further notice, the Reward given by the War Offices? for the apprehension of a Deserter will be TWENTY SHILLINGS instead of TEN SHILLINGS; the object being to prevent the crime of Desertion, and to hold out a greater inducement for the recovery of Deserters to Her Majesty's Service.'

The list reveals that Robert Benjamin Wait's military number is 3940, he is in the Royal Artillery and described as being born in Hoxton, Middlesex. He is a carpenter by trade and is 20 years old. He is 5ft 4 and a half inches tall. The colour of his hair is brown and his eye colour is hazel. He is fresh-faced and wearing his military uniform. The date of his desertion was the 17th September in Brecon, Wales. 

Under 'Marks and Remarks' they describe the fact that he has 'varicocele left side.' A varicocele is an enlargement of the veins within the loose bag of skin that holds the testicle.

The description of Robert Benjamin Wait

Too much information? I never expected to learn that about my ancestor!

A transcription in the National Archives (WO 10/2629) shows that Robert was in the 11th Brigade, Royal Artillery from the 1st April 1871 till 30th June 1871 and his regimental headquarters were in Sheffield, Yorkshire. He was probably training in Brecon, when the Census took place on the night of the 2nd April 1871.

Brecon Barracks in c.1888

So was he captured and made to finish his military career? 

If Robert was caught, his punishment could have involved being branded or even flogged. The British Army held an inquiry into discipline between 1868-1879, due to problems like drunkenness. And, although flogging had been partly abolished by this time, it was still applied 'sparingly.'

...the challenge to traditional ideas on punishments such as flogging was forcing the army to explore alternatives. There were three forms of serious punishment available to courts-martial : imprisonment, flogging and marking (known as branding, this was itself abolished in 1871) – whereby the prisoner was 'marked' with a letter 'D' for deserter or 'BC' for bad character. Analysis of punishments handed out by British courts-martial during the three years prior to the abolition of flogging for most military offences in 1867 shows a shifting of emphasis towards imprisonment at the expense of flogging (see figure l). However, it is apparent that the army was still making wide use of flogging despite its imminent abolition.

British Military Law and the Death Penalty (1868-1918) by Gerard Oram 

A military flogging

After desertion

My investigation into Robert's army career is on-going. But I do know that on the 29th June 1873, he married Esther Hills at St Peter's Church, Bethnal Green. On the certificate, in the section for rank and profession he describes himself as a carpenter.

Marriage of Robert Benjamin Wait and Esther Hills in 1873

And on the 1881 Census, he is living in Tooting, with his wife Esther and two sons Robert Edward b.1874 and William Francis (my great-grandfather b.1877).

1881 Census showing Robert Benjamin Wait

Descendant chart for Robert Benjamin Wait (1851-1920)

Genealogy is a truly fascinating subject and can uncover a great deal about our ancestors' lives. But I never dreamt I would learn such up-close and personnal detail about my great-great grandfather.

If you would like me to research your family history, get in touch at tonywait@hotmail.com