William John McStea (66) was a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London from the 8 June 1857 replacing Christopher Bond (64), to his death in Shepards Bush, 24 April 1900, he was replaced by Yeoman Warder Frederick Withers (148).

William was born in Aug 1813, in the Shankill, Lurgan, Armagh, Ireland, he enlisted in the 1 Life Guards, 14 Sep 1831 aged 18, The Life Guards are part of the Household Cavalry, they would be the soldiers with the red tunics on the Horses on trooping the colour.  He had no overseas service.

  • 1st Life Guards Rank Trooper                                      11 Sep 1831 to 25 Feb 1845
  • 1st Life Guards Rank Corporal of Horse                   26 Feb 1845 to 27 Jun 1857

A Corporal of Horse (CoH) is equivalent to the rank of sergeant, his army No. 436.

YW William McStea (66) as a Yeoman Warder, wearing his Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.

He was discharged on the 7 July 1857 at Regents Park Barracks, at the time he had been awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (LS & GC), while serving at the Tower he received the 1897 Jubilee Medal.

He became a Yeoman Warder on the 8 June 1857, it is not unusual for soldiers to become Yeoman Warders while nearing the end of their military service, although in our records it also states he became a Yeoman Warder in the July, and he was a Troop Corporal Major.  The rank of Troop Sergeant Major was introduced in 1813 to replace the rank of Troop Quartermaster as the SNCO of a troop (Which were much bigger formations than they are now) equivalent to a colour sergeant in the infantry, a Squadron replaced the Troop as the main tactical and administrative division of the regiment, so the Squadron Sergeant Major superseded it, although in the Life Guards it would be Squadron Corporal Major.

He did not live in the Tower of London, Yeoman Warders are given accommodation with the job, be he lived out, in 1879 he was living at 10 The Greenaway, Hillingdon, and at his death on the 24 April 1900 he was living in 19 Macfarlane Road, Shepherds Bush.

I do not known the location of his grave.

I have also had problems with his family, there are records here at the tower about his family, and nothing in his military records.

It seems he was married to a Annie Born in Ireland, I think this might be incorrect as the dates do not look correct, but in 1871 he is married to a Helen Selina Jane Nee Hawkins born 1817, I think with Helen he has four children

  1. Mary born 1881 died 1969
  2. Annie Leta born 1885 died 1891 Fulham
  3. William John Nelson born 1887 Shepards Bush died 1961
  4. Leta Belinda born 1892 died 1976

William has the distinction, of being one of the longest serving Yeoman Warder some 43 years. His photo of which I put a copy, was one a group of Yeoman Warder photos contained in an album presented to the Duke of York, late King George V in 1893 to commemorate his marriage to Mary of Teck.

A picture of 19 Macfarlane Road, Shepherds Bush, where William was living when he died 24 April 1900.

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