Mallinders in the Army

While researching the band and drillmasters at the Philanthrophic Society’s Farm School, at Redhill, Surrey in the second half of the 19th century (all of them ex-Army), I came across the Mallinder family. Following the death of Sergeant Edward Holman in 1882 (see previous post in this topic), the position of bandmaster was taken by Henry Mallinder, former drum major in the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards.

Three generations of the Mallinders served with the Colours – most with the Grenadiers – during the 19th century.

The first of the family known to have been a soldier was William Mallinder, Henry’s father.

2163 Private William Mallinder Grenadier Guards (1806-1871)

Born at Reading October 1806 (extrapolated from age at enlistment and age at discharge) Parents not known. By trade a shoemaker who enlisted in the Grenadier Guards at Sheffield 24 January 1831 aged 24 4/12.

Promoted Corporal 5 March 1833 but tried by court martial 15 September 1833 for telling an officer and untruth and neglect of duty; sentence: reduced to private and 14 days Imprisonment.

Promoted Corporal 1 March 1838 and Sergeant 24 February 1842. Tried by court martial 30 December 1850 for disgraceful conduct; sentence: reduced to private and one month imprisonment (imprisonment remitted).

Regimental board 26 August 1852. Medical report: Chronic Rheumatism. Has had occasional attacks of Rheumatism & has in winter suffered from Bronchitis

Opinion: Worn out by length of Service and Rheumatic pains. Discharged: 14 September 1852. Age at discharge: 45 10/12 years.  Service after deductions 21 years 209 days. Never served abroad

Married 17 November 1837 Mary Ann Bryan, then aged 15. She was the daughter of Charles (a hatter) and Mary Ann and born in Westminster 16 April 1822.

William and Mary Ann had 20 children between 1838 and 1864 of whom 11 survived infancy. The first 11 children were born at, or close to, various barracks across London and South East England – Chichester, Windsor, Westminster and the Tower of London. The last nine children were born in Bow in east London where the family lived after William left the Army. Initially William returned to his trade as shoemaker, but he was later described as a watchman and a chandler/greengrocer. Indeed, on 17 November 1862, he was fined by magistrates under the Weights & Measure Act as a chandler with inaccurate weights and scales. He died in May 1871, aged 64, and Mary Ann survived him by seven years.

Of William’s eight sons who reached maturity, four joined the Army (three in the Grenadiers), one the Royal Navy, one died of epilepsy in his early 20s, and the other two emigrated to New Zealand.

The soldiers were:

Henry Mallinder served 1853-1882

Francis John Mallinder served 1859-1874

Ernest Alfred Mallinder served 1872-1878

Arthur William Mallinder served 1884-1889 (Royal Fusiliers – invalided)

6274 Sergeant Drummer Henry Mallinder Grenadier Guards (1843-1907)

Born in the parish of St Margaret’s, Westminster in about 1843 or possibly as early as October 1842 (no record found)

Enlisted October 1852 at the age of about 9 years as drummer

Pensionable service dated from October 1860

Discharged as Sergeant Drummer 14 March 1882

Became bandmaster at Philanthropic Society’s Farm School, Redhill

Married 23 December 1866 Hannah Moore (1844-1914) and had 13 children of whom eight reached maturity.

The first 10 children were born at, or close to, various barracks across Britain – Chelsea, Windsor, Westminster, the Tower of London and Dublin. The last three children were born in Redhill where the family lived after Henry left the Army.

All but the youngest of the six sons to reach maturity joined the Army (the youngest died when he was 24)

Henry William Mallinder (1868-1921) served with 2^nd Dragoon Guards (1885-1907)

Herbert Albert Mallinder (1875-1903) served with Grenadier Guards (1890-1900)

Leopold Robert Mallinder (1879-1931) served with Grenadier Guards (1893-1911) including a period with Military Foot Police (1907-1910); re-enlisted as driver RASC (1914-1919)

Richard Wentworth Mallinder (1880-1914) enlisted as boy solider, Grenadier Guards in 1895 but was discharged after 80 days as "unlikely to become an efficient soldier"

Sidney Charles Mallinder (1885-1918) served with 2^nd Dragoon Guards 1902-1905 (under the name Charles Moore and including a period in South Africa 1903-1905), transferred to Army Reserve and mobilised with Military Mounted Police 5 Aug 1914 (he had joined the Metropolitan Police as a PC in 1906). Suffered from TB and was discharged 25 Feb 1915, returning to the Met and serving as a PC until his death in 1918

798 Drummer Francis John Mallinder (c1847-1933)

Born in the parish of St Margaret’s, Westminster in 1846/7 (no record found)

Enlisted 18 November 1859 at the age of 13 years and 1 month.

Pensionable service dated from 1 November 1864

Never served abroad

Discharged 2 November 1874

Became a brewery watchman in Mile End, east London

Married 20 December 1874 Mary Ann MacVee (1848-1900) and had five children, including two sons only one of whom reached maturity

Married 12 October 1902 Elizabeth Jane Poulter (nee Smith) (1859-1937)

The marriage with the Widow Poulter in 1902 was later linked with the two marriages of Francis’s youngest son, Alfred Ernest Mallinder (1880-1939). In 1904 Alfred married Alice Mary Poulter (1881-1912), one of the daughters of Elizabeth Poulter by her first marriage (to Philip Matthew Poulter (1857-1891)). After the death of Alice, Alfred married her sister Rose Poulter (1888-1967) in 1916

Alfred Ernest Mallinder served as private with the 2^nd London Regiment in WWI

4284 Supernumerary Drummer Ernest Alfred Mallinder (1861-1919)

Born 23 August 1861 4 Ford St, Bow

Enlisted 1872 at the age of 11

Discharged for bad conduct 12 August 1878

Became a brewer’s drayman in Mile End, east London

Married 25 December 1891 Eliza Shepherd (1871-1948) and had seven children, the oldest and the youngest being boys. The eldest son – William Henry Mallinder (1892-1961) enlisted with the 17^th (County of London) Battalion of the Territorials and served in France 9 March 1915 to 28 September 1916. He was invalided out in February 1917

1355 Private Arthur William Mallinder Royal Fusiliers (1862-1912)

Born 15 July 1864 4 Ford St, Bow

Enlisted 18 July 1884

23 August 1886 awaiting trial for striking a superior officer, imprisoned until 17 November 1886

Served at Gibralter (13 Dec 1884-13 Dec 1885); Egypt (14 Dec 1885-8 Jan 1888); East Indies (9 Jan 1888-14 Oct 1889); returned to UK with palpitations

Discharged from Netley as unfit 14 Jan 1890

Conduct indifferent

Habits intemperate (he had been treated for syphilis in 1885)

Like his brother, he became a brewer’s drayman in Mile End, east London

Married 22 November 1891 Ada Ward (c1870-1935) and had three children, two of whom reached maturity including another

Arthur William Mallinder (1896-1972) who joined the Royal Marines on 23 November 1914, 12 days before his 18th birthday – those 12 days not counting towards his service! He left the Marines as a Gunner in June 1919, joining the Royal Navy as a Stoker. He was eventually discharged unfit on 14 April 1920 after dislocating a cartilage.