Trumpeter Thomas Crawford of the 4^th Dragoons

By John D Ellis

When Henry Spencer was writing about the former inhabitants who lived in Darlington during the first half of the nineteenth century, he referred to Thomas Crawford, a Black former soldier:

In the adjoining yard lived Thomas Crawford, a man of colour, who had formerly been a trumpeter in the Queen’s Bays and received his discharge with the grant of a pension, while a troop of his regiment were lying at Darlington. The sable pensioner was seldom referred to except as “Black Tommy”, and it has been no small difficulty to ascertain whether he was entitled to any surname, and if so, what it was. The probability appears to be that he was allowed to assume that of an officer by whom he was brought to this country. Tommy was an inoffensive, industrious man, and increased his means of maintenance by hard work as a bricklayer’s labourer. The death of his son, a fine tawny boy, at the age of thirteen years, in 1830, sadly distressed the old soldier, and he did not long survive his loss.^[1]Spencer, H. Men that are gone from the Households of Darlington. (Rapp & Dresser, Darlington 1864. Pp.219-220.

In 2020, Sean Creighton repeated the reference to Thomas Crawford in“The Involvement of People of African Heritage in the North East: An Introduction”, with Crawford’s regiment being identified as the 2^nd Queen’s Dragoon Guards.^[2]Creighton, S. “The Involvement of People of African Heritage in the North East: An Introduction”. Slavery and Abolition and People of African Descent in the North East. Part 5. (History & … Continue reading Whilst as recently October 2022, the story of Thomas Crawford’s time in Darlington was recounted by The Northern Echo during Black History Month.^[3]www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/23053443.black-history-month-part-3-meet-first-known-darlingtonian-woman-stowed-away-four-months/ His regiment was once more identified as the 2^nd Queen’s Dragoon Guards, although a more specific address in Darlington was noted: Bradley’s Yard, between Church Row and Church Lane.^[4]Ibid.

This article will explore the military service and life in ‘Civvy Street’ of Thomas Crawford.

Thomas Crawford was born in Guinea on the west coast of Africa c.1772.^[5]The National Archives (TNA) WO 97/35/38. WO 25/887. WO 116/17. WO 120/20. The 4th Dragoons, later the 4th Hussars are an antecedent of ‘The Queen’s Royal Hussars (Queen’s Own and Royal … Continue reading Nothing is known of his origins prior to his enlistment in the 4^th Dragoons in September 1790, whilst the regiment was stationed in England. (Between 1789 and the summer of 1791 the regiment were quartered in Lincolnshire and Northumberland). He may have been ‘brought’ to England by either a Royal Navy or British Army Officer, (his occupation, hairdresser, supports this theory), although it is equally possible that he arrived as a sailor on a merchant vessel. How he came by the name ‘Thomas Crawford’ is unknown. He may have been given it as an enslaved name, however, no evidence has been found thus far that the 4^th purchased enslaved men, in fact, the evidence is quite to the contrary as reported by the London Chronicle in March 1758:

Whereas a negroe called Joseph Blenheim, about nineteen or twenty years of age, short and thick in stature, the property of Capt. Richard Watkins, having ran away the latter end of last September, and enlisted in Sir Robert Rich’s Regiment of Dragoons, from whence he was discharged by the Secretary of War’s Order, the 19^th instant again run away from his said master’s service; and upon going away, declared his intention to again enlist in the said regiment. Whoever, will apprehend and bring the said negroe to Saunders Welch, Esq: at his office in Long Acre, shall receive from him five guineas reward: And any person who will give information to Mr Welch, by means of which the said negroe may be secured, shall receive two guineas reward. And if any person after this notice, shall harbour or detain the said negroe, Capt. Watkins will prosecute them with the utmost rigour of the law. N.B. That if the above negroe should be enlisted in any regiment the reasonable expenses of bringing him to Mr Welch shall be paid above the five guineas.^[6]London Chronicle, 16^th March 1758. findmypast.co.uk

Not all escaped enslaved men were returned though: Thomas Anson, described as “a negro man” escaped from his owner, Edmund Sill of Dent (then in Yorkshire), in August 1758. He enlisted in the 4^th Dragoons and served for eight years until discharged on a pension in 1768 having lost his tooth and being unable to play the trumpet.^[7]runaways.gla.ac.uk/blog/index.php/2018/12/14/thomas-anson/

Black soldiers served as enlisted military musicians in the 4^th between 1715 and 1841, initially as drummers and then later as trumpeters. During the service of Thomas Crawford the regiment was titled ‘The 4^th (Queen’s Own) Regiment of Light Dragoons’, which probably accounts for the confusion over which regiment he served in. One role that enlisted military musicians had within a regiment was the administering of the lash to miscreant soldiers. As the trumpeters of the 4^th were Black it was a role that they were forced to undertake. However, in the period of slavery it was an inverting of the racial hierarchy that was a step too far for many White soldiers and civilians.^[8]Ellis, JD. Soldiers of African origin in British Army Regiments in England and Yorkshire, 1700s to 1840s. A paper presented at “What’s happening in Black British History? VIII.” University of … Continue reading It is likely that Black drummers and trumpeters had been responsible for flogging their miscreant White enlisted peers since their arrival in the regiment. However, the first evidence of this appears in The Ipswich Journal, 3^rd December 1803:

The 6 privates of the 4^th Dragoons who were tried by a court martial for a burglary in the house of Mr. Arranah Verral, of Lewes Sussex, were taken from their place of confinement on Tuesday morning last week, to the centre of the new barracks in the town, and there punished. Tunstal, whose back bore witness to his former misconduct, was first tied up and received about 450 lashes, which was smartly inflicted by 8 blacks, trumpeters in the regiment. The others were tied up in turn, and equally felt the smart of the lash, though favoured in numbers, receiving about 350 stripes.^[9]The Ipswich Journal, 3^rd December 1803. findmypast.co.uk

Thomas Crawford was one of the Black trumpeters.^[10]Napoleonic War Records 1775 – 1817. 1806 Regimental Index. TNA WO 25/887. findmypast.co.uk

In a coffee shop at Lewes in May 1805 there was an altercation between Captains Delbiac and Patrickson and Cornet Willis of the 4^th and a group of printers. It was the continuation of an incident the evening before when one of the officers had been jostled in the street. However, an eyewitness suggested that a Black trumpeter accompanying the officers had “bustled” the printers, resulting in an escalation of the initial altercation.^[11]British Press (London), 15 August 1805 and Star (London), 16^th August 1805. findmypast.co.uk   The overly protective trumpeter was not identified. In Brighton, in August 1805, ten Black trumpeters of the 4^th Dragoons, with their kettle-drums, paraded before the Prince Regent.^[12]London Courier and Evening Gazette, 14^th August 1805. York Herald, 21st September 1805. Sporting Life Magazine, May 1806. Thomas Crawford was one of the Black trumpeters.^[13]Napoleonic War Records 1775 – 1817. 1806 Regimental Index. TNA WO 25/887. findmypast.co.uk

In April 1809, the 4^th travelled to the Peninsula where they served for the next five years. The regiment were subsequently awarded the battle honours: Talavera (1809), Albuera (1811), and Salamanca (1812). However, they were also present at the battles of Busaco (1810), Usagre (1811), Vittoria (1813) and Toulouse (1814). Thomas Crawford was present at Talavera (1809), but there-after served as a trumpeter “with the Provo Marshal” between September 1810 and June 1813.^[14]TNA WO 12/631. WO 12/632. David Gleave provided these references. The role of the Provost Marshal was to police the rank and file. Their brutality became infamous, being used by Wellington to instil fear into the rank and file whom he subsequently labelled the “scum of the earth”. Yet, they successfully reduced the number of crimes being perpetrated against Portuguese and Spanish civilians thereby maintaining positive relations (‘hearts and minds’) – albeit by flogging or hanging miscreant British soldiers. For Thomas Crawford this would be similar grim work to that he undertaken at Ipswich in 1803.

Trumpeter Thomas Crawford was discharged on a pension of 1s per day in September 1814, being completely worn out. On discharge he was 44 years old, 5/6″tall with black eyes, black hair and a black complexion. A hairdresser by occupation, he marked his records, suggesting that he was illiterate. A handwritten note had been made in his records, by no other than James Dalbiac:

“There cannot be a better-behaved man than the within named Thomas Crawford. I have known him for 4 years during which I never remember him either neglect his duty or be guilty of the most trifling misdemeanour. Colonel Dalbiac.”^[15]TNA WO 97/35/38. WO 25/887. WO 116/17. WO 120/20.

The note was intended to support Thomas Crawford’s application for pension, and it reflected the high regard in which he was held. James Charles Dalbiac (later Lieutenant-General, 1776-1847) had been commissioned in the 4^th c.1793 and served with it throughout the first few years of the Peninsula Campaign, including as the Commanding Officer between 1811 and 1812. Crawford and Dalbiac had served in the same regiment between 1793 and 1814, including the Battle of Talavera, so it is likely that a bond had developed between them.

It is not known where Thomas Crawford initially settled upon entering ‘Civvy Street’, nor what family he had. It is known that a son, also named Thomas Crawford, was born c.1817, and that as he was later described as “Tawney” his mother was almost certainly White.^[16]Spencer, H. Men that are gone from the Households of Darlington. (Rapp & Dresser, Darlington 1864. Pp.219-220.

By 1830 Thomas Crawford was residing in Darlington. Spencer suggested that Thomas Crawford “…received his discharge with the grant of a pension, while a troop of his regiment were lying at Darlington”.^[17]Ibid. However, in the period 1790 to 1814 the 4^th had only been stationed in County Durham once: Between 1801 and 1802.^[18]Cannon ,R. Historical record of The Fourth, or The Queen’s Own Regiment of Light Dragoons: containing an account of the formation of the regiment in 1685 and of its subsequent services to 1842. (JW … Continue reading It is possible that Thomas Crawford had met a partner in County Durham (or the environs) and that they had remained with him ‘on strength’ of the 4^th throughout his service and beyond. Many Black soldiers were married with families.^[19]Ellis, JD. Soldiers of African origin in British Army Regiments in England and Yorkshire, 1700s to 1840s. A paper presented at “What’s happening in Black British History? VIII.” University of … Continue reading It is also likely that the decision to settle in Darlington was influenced by Thomas Crawford’s relationship with James Dalbiac – his former Commanding Officer – and his wife; Susanna (nee’ Dalton). The latter was from Ripon, North Yorkshire and joined her husband in the Peninsula after he fell ill with fever. Described as being “…of gentle disposition and possessing a very delicate frame” Susanna Dalbiac gained an impressive reputation for organising care for wounded and ill soldiers and for her personal bravery at the Battle of Salamanca (1812), when – and at personal risk – she scoured the battlefield for her husband.^[20]www.floorscastle.com/blog/james-charles-dalbiac/ The Dalbiac’s purchased Moulton Hall, near Richmond, in 1815 and after service in India during the 1820s, the now Lieutenant-General Dalbiac served as MP for Richmond between 1835 and 1837.

Thomas Crawford (junior), described as “…a fine tawny boy” died at the age of thirteen years and was buried at St Cuthbert’s Church, Darlington on the 24^th of January 1830.^[21]National Burial Index For England & Wales. Births, Marriage, Deaths & Parish Records. (c)Cleveland Family History Society. findmypast.co.uk

From the Durham County Advertiser, dated 4^th March 1836:

Died. At Darlington…Mr Thomas Crawford, aged 64.^[22]Durham County Advertiser 4^th March 1836. findmypast.co.uk

Thomas Crawford was buried at St Cuthbert’s Church, Darlington on the 27^th of February 1836.^[23]Bishop’s Transcripts. Baptisms, marriages and burials. 1820-1836. Durham University Library. DDR/EA/PBT/2/73. findmypast.co.uk