Mr Henry Robinson

Henry_Robinson_Marine_c1897 Henry_Robinson_Memorial_Portsmouth Henry_Robinson_Memorial_Portsmouth_2 Henry Robinson Marine Group Photo henry_robinson_marines_record_1900_cropped_a HMS Barfleur Low Wood Street Edge Hill where Henry Robinson lived A-Z 1901 Low Wood Street Where Henry Died Account of battle to take college where Henry was killed HMS Barfleur casualtylist china1900 china1900back chinamedalroll cm1900b cm1900f London Gazette 5th Oct1900 London Gazette Oct 5th 1900 orlando3

Henry was born on April 15th, 1879.  Henry's father was Mr Henry Robinson and his mother was Hannah Williams.  His paternal grandparents were Thomas Robinson and Ellen Wardle; his maternal grandparents were William Williams and Mrs Laura Griffiths. He had five brothers named George, Herbert, Thomas, William and Jack.  He was the second oldest of the six children.  He died as a war casualty, Boxer Rebellion, at the age of 21 on June 17th, 1900 in Tientsin.¹ 

• Death Notes

  Born in St. John's Liverpool (src: Military record)
  
  Killed in action - his father Henry used to say that he was shot between the eyes.

• General Notes

  He had a relationship at the end of December 1896 (aged just 17) with a girl called Cathleen Clancy.   She became pregnant and gave birth to Mary.
  
  He served in the Royal marines light infantry, and was killed in the Boxer rebellion in defense of Lecations, Taku Forts at Tientsin near Peking. There is a memorial to those who died from his ship, the H.M.S. Orlando in Victoria Park,Park Road
  Portsea, Portsmouth.
  
  According to the military record, on 4 Feb 97 he tried to join the Royal Marines Light Infantry (RMLI).  He was too young, and on his 18th birthday 15 April 1897 he joined up.
  
  The pictures attached were taken at Deal, Kent.
  
  He was then transferred to Portsmouth and on the 25th August 1898 (just 2 days before his daughter was born), departed for China on HMS Barfleur.
  
  According to the casualty list, Henry was killed on 17th June1900 at Langfang from a bullet to the head, being the first Marine through the front gates of the college which they had broken down.  This is at odds with the memorial at Portsmouth and the following telegraph that claim he was killed at Tientsin rather than in Seymour’s column. 
  
  
  See attached images of accounts in newspapers of the time detailing the assault on teh collage and detailing his name.
  
  Towards the Admiralty arch end of the Mall in London is a statue dedicated to Royal Marines Light Infantry casualties in South Africa and China. On the sides are bas-reliefs of fighting during the siege of Tianjin. Source: http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m1373/8_50/63986758/print.jhtml
  
  
  There was a film made about this rebellion called 55 days to Peking starring Charlton Heston.
  
  Quote from letter from May to Mary Ely:
  "Grandfather always used to have a saying, as a little boy, he would say to him: "Henry, that head of yours would stop a bullet"
  
  Henry's military records are held in the public records office, Kew, archive ADM159/15.  The ships log, detailing all happenings are in archive ADM53.
  
  HMS Orlando:
  Was sold to Ward's of Morecombe in 1905. 
  Heavy Armoured Cruiser
  56,000 tonnes
  2 x 9" guns
  10x6" guns
  10x3lb guns
  
  From his military record:  5' 6 3/4" tall.
  

Details of Henry's family with Cathleen Clancey