By George Solly
Enquiry from Sally Rowe regarding Benjamin Soley and the Charge of the Light Brigade.
Sally wrote; Hi – I live in Ealing and am currently doing some voluntary work with Ealing Parks Foundation in South Ealing Cemetery. I found an old newspaper clipping about Benjamin Soley – he is buried in South Ealing Cemetery. According to The Gazette, April 28, 1906, Benjamin’s funeral was “conducted with full military honours” and the crowd at the Cemetery was so large that the gates had to be closed and some people were refused admittance. I was wondering if this article would be of interest to you; and whether you have any further information on Benjamin.
My reply: Thank you for your enquiry sent to the Sole Society.
Although we don’t know how Benjamin fits into the Solly family tree (if indeed he does), we do have an article about him in the August 2007 issue of our Journal: Private 1120 Benjamin SOLEY of the 17th Lancers.
Born 1834 Ealing, Middlesex. Parents: Benjamin Soley and ? Employed as a Labourer before enlisting in May 1852. Wounded during the Charge on 25 October 1854. At Scutari from 10 to 24 May 1855. Discharged 27 May 1866. Died 18 April 1906 at Ealing, Middlesex. Medal: Crimea (A,B,I & S). A member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society 1879 and signed the Loyal Address to Queen Victoria by survivors of the Charge in 1887 on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee. He attended the Annual Reunion Dinners in 1890, 1892, 1893, 1895, 1897 and 1899, where he was known as “Old Iron” because of his singing the song “Any Old Iron” at the Reunion Dinners. The 1851 Census shows him aged 17years a labourer residing at 3 Caroline Place, Ealing. Then in 1901, aged 67 years, a roadman labourer at 19 Castlebar Mews, Ealing. He married Matilda Nichols in 1865.
Interestingly, the article also includes biographical information on no less than four Sewells:
Sgt. Edward T Sewell 1832-1854
Cpl. John Sewell 1834-1854
Pvt. William Sewell 1830-1910
Cpl. Johnson Sewell 1823-1854
Sally thanked us for this interesting information.