Sempronius Stretton
Encyclopedia
Colonel Sempronius Stretton CB (1781–1842) was a officer in the British Army who served in numerous campaigns including the Battle of Waterloo
. He is also known for his sketches that recorded early Canadian life.
, a builder and antiquarian. He was born in Nottingham on 15 May 1781, and baptised nine days later at St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
He was given an unusual name beginning with "s" which was a common feature of all his siblings.
, in April 1800. In the following November, he entered the 6th Regiment of Foot at Chatham as an ensign.
In April 1801, he was promoted to a lieutenancy in the 49th Regiment
, and shortly afterwards sailed for Quebec
. Whilst he was in Canada he used his artistic skills to sketch not only landscapes but also made a valuable record of the wildlife and the local dress. Stretton's 1804 sketch of "York Barracks, Lake Ontario, Upper Canada, 1804" is credited as being one of the earliest pictures of what was to become the city of Toronto
. Lieutenant Stretton served under Colonel Isaac Brock
, who selected him to act as his aide-de-camp
.
Later he was promoted to a company in the 40th Regiment
. He returned to England and undertook duties in the recruiting service. Stretton ability as a draughtsman was acknowledged by his father and many of his sketches were included in his father's records.
, where he met his brother, then an ensign in the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)
and the two brothers proceeded to join the army under Lord Wellington. Captain Stretton’s first engagement with the enemy was at the Battle of Vittoria, 21 June 1813. This battle ended the rule of Bonaparte's eldest brother and Stretton returned from the battle with Joseph Bonaparte
's Forrage Cap Top which was kept in the regimental museum.
On 28 July 1813, Captain Stretton received the thanks of Lord Wellington, conveyed to him through William V, Prince of Orange
, for the gallant defence made by the 40th, under his command, supported by two Portuguese regiments, in defending the position on the heights before Pampeluna. For this he was awarded the Army Gold Medal
, and received the brevet rank of major. His account of his leadership in defending the heights of Pampeluna were included in the history of the regiment.
He was present in the numerous actions with the enemy which ended with the battle of Toulouse
, 10 April 1814. When the army was withdrawn from France
, he accompanied it to New Orleans in 1814, and nearly lost his life when shipwrecked in the Baring transport in Bantry Bay
on 10 October 1814. From Cork
, Major Stretton sailed in the Wellington transport, and arrived on the Mississippi River
on 9 January 1815.
The troops returned to Portsmouth
, and the 40th, with other regiments, proceeded to Flanders
, and joined the army assembled near Brussels
, in time to share in the memorable victory of Waterloo, during which he had a horse killed. On their arrival of the Allies in Paris, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
, in acknowledgment of Major Stretton’s services, appointed him commandant of the 15th arrondissement of Paris. He was awarded the silver medal for services at Waterloo.
On 21 June 1817 he obtained the brevet rank of Lieutenant-Colonel for special services.
On the corps being ordered to New South Wales
, he retired on half-pay and spent several years travelling in Europe, returning occasionally to Lenton. Colonel Stretton was given a Companionship of the Order of the Bath. Stretton was a guest at the Duke of Wellington annual banquet which took place on the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo. Stretton and all the other invitees are included in William Salter’s
1836 painting of The Waterloo Banquet at Apsley House
. The National Portrait Gallery in London has a three quarter length portrait of Stretton which was painted in preparation for William Salter's painting
of the Duke of Wellington's annual banquet.
. She died four months after their marriage. He married again on 14 October 1830 to the Honourable Anne Handcock, whose father was 2nd Baron Castlemaine
. She was to remarry after Stretton's death. There were no children as a result of either marriage.
Colonel Stretton died at Croydon
on 6 February 1842, and was buried in St Peter and St Paul, Bromley
, in Kent, where a plain monument marks his grave. The house in Lenton, Nottingham
, that he had inherited from his father and never made his residence was left to his brother Severus
.
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. He is also known for his sketches that recorded early Canadian life.
Early life
Stretton was the eldest son of William StrettonWilliam Stretton
William Stretton was a builder and architect based in Nottingham.-Family:He was the eldest child of Samuel Stretton and was baptised at Lenton on April 20, 1755....
, a builder and antiquarian. He was born in Nottingham on 15 May 1781, and baptised nine days later at St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
St. Mary's Church, Nottingham
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the oldest religious foundation in the City of Nottingham, England, the largest church after the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the largest mediæval building in Nottingham....
He was given an unusual name beginning with "s" which was a common feature of all his siblings.
Artist and the military
He entered the army at an early age, commencing his military career in the Nottinghamshire Militia, which he joined at DumfriesDumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
, in April 1800. In the following November, he entered the 6th Regiment of Foot at Chatham as an ensign.
In April 1801, he was promoted to a lieutenancy in the 49th Regiment
49th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) (Hertfordshire) Regiment of Foot
The 49th Regiment of Foot was a British Army line infantry regiment. During the Childers Reforms it was united with the 66th Regiment of Foot to form Princess Charlotte of Wales's Berkshire Regiment.-Service history:The 49th Regiment was formed in 1744, during the War of the Austrian Succession...
, and shortly afterwards sailed for Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Whilst he was in Canada he used his artistic skills to sketch not only landscapes but also made a valuable record of the wildlife and the local dress. Stretton's 1804 sketch of "York Barracks, Lake Ontario, Upper Canada, 1804" is credited as being one of the earliest pictures of what was to become the city of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Lieutenant Stretton served under Colonel Isaac Brock
Isaac Brock
Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB was a British Army officer and administrator. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada successfully for many years...
, who selected him to act as his aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
.
Later he was promoted to a company in the 40th Regiment
40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot
The 40th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1717 and amalgamated into The Prince of Wales's Volunteers in 1881.-Formation:...
. He returned to England and undertook duties in the recruiting service. Stretton ability as a draughtsman was acknowledged by his father and many of his sketches were included in his father's records.
Honours and the military
In 1812, Captain Stretton sailed for LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, where he met his brother, then an ensign in the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)
68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry)
The 68th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1758 and amalgamated into The Durham Light Infantry in 1881. It saw action during the Seven Years War before being converted to Light Infantry in 1808. Fighting with distinction in the Peninsular Army under Arthur...
and the two brothers proceeded to join the army under Lord Wellington. Captain Stretton’s first engagement with the enemy was at the Battle of Vittoria, 21 June 1813. This battle ended the rule of Bonaparte's eldest brother and Stretton returned from the battle with Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
's Forrage Cap Top which was kept in the regimental museum.
On 28 July 1813, Captain Stretton received the thanks of Lord Wellington, conveyed to him through William V, Prince of Orange
William V, Prince of Orange
William V , Prince of Orange-Nassau was the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, and between 1795 and 1806 he led the Government of the Dutch Republic in Exile in London. He was succeeded by his son William I...
, for the gallant defence made by the 40th, under his command, supported by two Portuguese regiments, in defending the position on the heights before Pampeluna. For this he was awarded the Army Gold Medal
Army Gold Medal
The Army Gold Medal , also known as the Peninsular Gold Medal, with an accompanying Gold Cross, was a British campaign medal awarded in recognition of field and general officers' successful commands in recent campaigns, predominately the Peninsular War...
, and received the brevet rank of major. His account of his leadership in defending the heights of Pampeluna were included in the history of the regiment.
He was present in the numerous actions with the enemy which ended with the battle of Toulouse
Battle of Toulouse (1814)
The Battle of Toulouse was one of the final battles of the Napoleonic Wars, four days after Napoleon's surrender of the French Empire to the nations of the Sixth Coalition...
, 10 April 1814. When the army was withdrawn from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, he accompanied it to New Orleans in 1814, and nearly lost his life when shipwrecked in the Baring transport in Bantry Bay
Bantry Bay
Bantry Bay is a bay located in County Cork, southwest Ireland. The bay runs approximately from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 3-to-4 km wide at the head and wide at the entrance....
on 10 October 1814. From Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Major Stretton sailed in the Wellington transport, and arrived on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
on 9 January 1815.
The troops returned to Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, and the 40th, with other regiments, proceeded to Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, and joined the army assembled near Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, in time to share in the memorable victory of Waterloo, during which he had a horse killed. On their arrival of the Allies in Paris, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
, in acknowledgment of Major Stretton’s services, appointed him commandant of the 15th arrondissement of Paris. He was awarded the silver medal for services at Waterloo.
On 21 June 1817 he obtained the brevet rank of Lieutenant-Colonel for special services.
On the corps being ordered to New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, he retired on half-pay and spent several years travelling in Europe, returning occasionally to Lenton. Colonel Stretton was given a Companionship of the Order of the Bath. Stretton was a guest at the Duke of Wellington annual banquet which took place on the anniversary of the battle of Waterloo. Stretton and all the other invitees are included in William Salter’s
William Salter (artist)
William Salter was an English portrait painter of the 19th century. His best known work was a painting of 83 people at a banquet in 1836 organised by the Duke of Wellington to celebrate their victory at the Battle of Waterloo...
1836 painting of The Waterloo Banquet at Apsley House
Apsley House
Apsley House, also known as Number One, London, is the former London residence of the Dukes of Wellington. It stands alone at Hyde Park Corner, on the south-east corner of Hyde Park, facing south towards the busy traffic interchange and Wellington Arch...
. The National Portrait Gallery in London has a three quarter length portrait of Stretton which was painted in preparation for William Salter's painting
William Salter (artist)
William Salter was an English portrait painter of the 19th century. His best known work was a painting of 83 people at a banquet in 1836 organised by the Duke of Wellington to celebrate their victory at the Battle of Waterloo...
of the Duke of Wellington's annual banquet.
Family
Stretton married twice. On 3 March 1821, he married the Honourable Catherine Jane Massey William, who was elder daughter of General the Right Hon. Nathaniel William, second Baron ClarinaBaron Clarina
Baron Clarina, of Elm in the County of Limerick, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 27 December 1800 for General Eyre Massey...
. She died four months after their marriage. He married again on 14 October 1830 to the Honourable Anne Handcock, whose father was 2nd Baron Castlemaine
Richard Handcock, 2nd Baron Castlemaine
Richard Handcock, 2nd Baron Castlemaine , known as Richard Handcock until 1839, was an Irish peer and politician.-Background and education:...
. She was to remarry after Stretton's death. There were no children as a result of either marriage.
Colonel Stretton died at Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
on 6 February 1842, and was buried in St Peter and St Paul, Bromley
St Peter and St Paul, Bromley
St Peter and St Paul is a church in the town of Bromley, Borough of Bromley, in south east London. Known familiarly as Bromley Parish Church, it is not far from Bromley High Street and approximately halfway between Bromley North and Bromley South railway stations. The church is part of the Diocese...
, in Kent, where a plain monument marks his grave. The house in Lenton, Nottingham
Lenton, Nottingham
Lenton is an area of the City of Nottingham in the county of Nottinghamshire, England. Politically, it falls within the Nottingham South constituency. Most of the area lies within the electoral ward of "Dunkirk and Lenton", however the "Lenton Triangle" area, considered by most residents to be part...
, that he had inherited from his father and never made his residence was left to his brother Severus
Severus William Lynam Stretton
Lieutenant-Colonel Severus William Lynam Stretton was a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. -Family:...
.