Captain Wallace Barrow

An inquiry sent in by Steven Goss revealed the identity and some biographical details of a former officer of the 17th Lancers. Steven only had the two cartes de visite of ‘Uncle Wallace Barrow’ wearing civilian clothes. The earlier one is dated 22 June 1863. Going through the Army Lists it became clear that he left the army many years before that date. The list for the 17th Lancers of 1841 showed that he entered the regiment as a cornet on 6 March 1835, promoted to lieutenant on 9 Dec 1836 and captain on 31 Dec 1839. He does not appear on the 1842 list so must have left the army some time in 1841 or early 1842, after six years service. As promotion was purchased in those days (pre 1871) he must have come from a wealthy family to have been able to buy his way to captain in six years.
Having supplied Steven with that information he was able to find out more about Wallace Barrow. He was born in 1817, so joined the 17th Lancers when he was 18. He was the youngest son of Colonel Barrow of the Coldstream Guards. He lived at Prinstead Lodge, Sussex with his wife Adelaide. He was appointed resident commandant of a cavalry college at Roehampton. His family connections were in the Ingatestone area of Essex and the Malvern area of Worcestershire. He died at Ingatestone on 23rd April 1877 (St George’s Day) aged 60.

Soldiers | Regimental details