Henry Maidment was an agricultural labourer who lived in the North Dorset village of Pimperne. In 1866, Henry was one of the few surviving British Army veterans who had fought Napoleon Bonaparte’s French Army in the Spanish Peninsular War.
At 83, he could not work and had hit hard times. He was surviving on a parish handout of just two shillings and sixpence (12.5p) per week and a single loaf of bread. The octogenarian pauper had, in fact, a distinguished military record but had left the army without a military pension.
Henry Maidment fought in the Battles of Talavera, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle and Toulouse. For this, he was entitled to a Military General Service Medal with clasps. Each of his major battles was represented by a clasp on the ribbon. Such a medal was valued in 2006 to be worth £3,700. In August 1815, his battalion had even accompanied Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on the island of St Helena.
In March 1866, a letter about Henry Maidment appeared in the columns of the London Times newspaper. Signed by 2nd Lieutenant of Dorset, George Mansel, Henry was described as a fine old soldier now suffering hard times. Mansel invited the assistance of the public towards maintaining this old Peninsular War veteran, whom he said had no other maintenance than a tiny parish payout.
On Friday 6 April 1866 a more acidic but unsigned letter about Henry Maidment appeared in the Western Gazette.
‘I read in the Times of 28th, a letter signed by a gentleman of property and position, as I am told, in Pimperne – Colonel Mansel. If this be so, more shame, I think for the Colonel, Lord Portman, and other rich proprietors in the parish and neighbourhood, who must surely might afford, among them, to keep this poor old soldier in comfort, without invoking the powerful aid of your columns to assist them.’
By 1868, Henry had died. He was buried on the 26th March 1868 in the graveyard of St. Peter’s Church, Pimperne. He had lived in an era when an agricultural labourer rarely left his home village. However, as a soldier he experienced Ireland, Portugal, Spain and France and would have visited cities such as Cork, Porto, Toulouse and Bordeaux. Quite different places compared to the village of Pimperne! Undoubtedly though, the finest achievement of Henry Maidment was to survive the six major bloody battles of the Spanish Peninsular War. It was a period also, when armies lost more soldiers from disease than in battle. One can but hope that the appeal made on his behalf deservingly led to the old Dorset infantryman spending his last few years in a little more comfort.
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This is a guest blog which has been written by ‘an Old Pimpernian’ for Dorset History Centre.
It’s an interesting story, but a pity that I cannot see the pictures. I have tried with three different browsers on two different devices with no success. Why is this?
Hi Nigel, thank-you for your comment. Unfortunately there has been an issue with photographs and images on the blog recently, which we are trying to resolve as quickly as we can. We hope you will check back in coming weeks!
Respect et admiration pour ce vétéran .Suis heureux de le rencontrer par le biais de cette image .
What a marvellous man, then like now Do we do enough for those who keep us safe.
First Name:
Henry
Surname:
Maidment
Nationality:
British
Rank:
Private
Clasps Awarded:
Talavera
Salamanca
Vittoria
Pyrenees
Nivelle
Toulouse
Service:
British Army
Regiment:
53rd foot
Regiment Alias:
Kings Light Infantry (Shropshire Regiment)
Collection:
The Military General Service Medal Roll
Campaign Medals:
Military General Service Medal
military general service medal The Military General Service Medal (MGSM) was authorized by a General Order dated 1st June, 1847 and issued in 1848. This was a campaign medal for issue to officers and men of the British Army, and sometimes it was referred to as the Peninsular Medal. It covers military actions from 1793-1814; a period encompassing the French Revolutionary…
* Medal entitlement listed above is worked out using the same methodology the MOD used for issuing them
A shameful tragedy that these courageous men were treated with brutality and contempt by their officers and neglected in old age by the country they had fought for.
There is so much pathos in this portrait, an old impoverished man clinging to a sense of dignity with his worn top hat and coat and above all the medal and clasps which he had won with such courage and hardship.
I can only hope he received some kindness and concern from the villagers of Pimperne and had someone to tell his story to.
Henrys parents were James and Mary Maidment we think James was borne at Tarrant Rushton son of Thomas and Elizabeth( Moores) Maidment my ancestors but we are looking for the dates of James and Mary with Henry
Henry, son of James & Mary Maidment, was baptised on 5 January 1783 at Tarrant Monkton (source: Dorset Family History Society). Hope this helps?
I also have in my family tree a record listed on Dorset Baptisms, Tarrant Monkton of Henry being baptised on 5th Jan.1783, Parents James & Mary.
I am however not in direct line to this Henry. My direct line is from William Maidment married to Ann Butt in l562/3 in Gillingham, Dorset.
Did you ever get the link to James from Thomas and Elizabeth? They are also my ancestors but I can’t find a son called James.
This article provides a fascinating insight into the the hypocrisy of mid-Victorian, upper-class moral values. The story of Henry Maidment (1783?-1868), 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot, of Pimperne certainly deserves to be better known! Can anyone provide further details about his photographic portrait – date and photographer?
Hi, do you know where about in the graveyard hid headstone is? We have a friend visiting from the states who is so interested in Henry Maidment.
Thank you, Kate
Most likely he was buried in an unmarked grave as most Pimperne folk at the time would not have afforded a grave stone.
Does anyone know what evidence there is that the famous photo of the peninsular veteran and his wife are actually Henry Maidman? I would love it to be true, but hope it is more than wishful thinking.
Thank you,
Robin Stocks
Whoops. My apologies for mis-spelling Henry Maidment’s surname.
I had previously seen a claim on the internet that the photo had some link with a workhouse in the Birmingham area. But I don’t know with what evidence.
Unfortunately this is not an image of Henry Maidment but just one of a typical Peninsula War veteran. Several have mistakenly assumed it was him.
Thanks. I feared that would be the case. It must be almost impossibly difficult to identify a picture like that of an unknown working class couple. There were probably large numbers of men who were entitled to this particular medal; to identify which were alive at the likely time of this photo would be a mammoth amount of work.
Perhaps one day a photographer’s records or memoirs will turn up and provide more clues…
Until then the photo captures tragically well the experience of too many Napoleonic war veterans.