Colonel Wildman
(1794-1877)

Volume 1, page 88, sitting number 554.

Identified as 'Colonel Wildman' both in the Silvy daybooks and on the album page, this is Colonel John Wildman who died in 1877, at the age of 84. Some sources give the date of his death as 5 December 1877 but according to the abstract of his will, he died on 28 November 1877 at 23 Hanover Square, London. He left an estate valued at £20,000. 

According to his obituary in the Times (7 December 1877), he was a veteran of the Peninsular War and of Waterloo. However, this cannot be taken at face value since the obituary makes several mistakes, having confused the deceased gentleman with his brother Colonel Thomas Wildman, who had died in 1859. It states that Colonel John Wildman was for many years Equerry to the His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, fourth son of George III, when in fact it was Colonel Thomas Wildman who held that distinction. The obituary also states, erroneously, that Colonel John Wildman was for many years the owner of Newstead Abbey, when in fact it was his brother who had purchased the house from his friend Byron in 1817.

The Nottinghamshire Guardian (7 December 1877) was one of the few newspapers that did not repeat the mistake. 'Col. John Wildman, Peninsula and Waterloo veteran, and whose eldest brother was owner of Newstead Abbey, died on Wednesday night at his Chambers in Hanover-square. He obtained his first commission as cornet in June, 1813, served with the 7th Hussars in the Peninsula, and was present at the battle of Orthes. He subsequently served in France and Flanders, and was present at the battle of Waterloo. He afterwards exchanged into the 1st Dragoon Guards, and went on half-pay in February, 1826. The late Colonel's brother was for many years equerry to his late Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, who frequently visited Newstead Abbey while the venerable colonel was the owner. Deceased obtained his commission as lieutenant in 1814; captain, 30th March, 1820; major, 19th January, 1826; lieutenant-colonel, 23rd November, 1841; and colonel, 20th June, 1854.'

[From an album compiled and decorated by the Honourable Augustus Gough-Calthorpe, later 6th Baron Calthorpe.]