James Draffin ( No.3) was a Yeoman Warder here at the Tower from 25 September 1829, replacing William Hitcher, to his death in the Tower 3 February 1837, he was then replaced by William Cunningham (15).  Within five months he had been promoted to Yeoman Porter (now called the Chief Yeoman Warder) over far more senior Yeoman Warder probably due to the influence and intervension of the Constable of the Tower the Duke of Wellington, who had already seen the first military Yeoman Warder promoted to being the Superintendent of A Division, metropolitan Police.

James was born 1786 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland.  He enlisted into the 1st Regiment of Foot Guard, now the Grenadier Guards.  He was a corporal by October and served in Sicily and the Walcheren fiasco in 1809

During the Waterloo Campaign, 16-18 June 1815, where at the epic day-long defence of Hougoumont James was serving in Lieutenant-Colonel Milnes’ light company of the 2nd Battalion. Early in the morning of the 18th June, Milnes’ company, together with the light company of the 3rd Battalion, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Saltoun, were ordered to the orchard in front of Hougoumont where they joined the other two Guards light companies (2nd battalions of the Coldstream and Scots Guards), who were inside defending the buildings, in a desperate attempt to keep the French at bay.

Both Wellington and Napoleon saw Hougoumont as the key to the whole Waterloo position and the enemy attacks were pushed home with great determination. By the end of the day the 2nd Battalion light company had lost all its officers and senior non-commissioned officers, either killed or wounded, including Draffin, severely wounded through both thighs and the testicles.  James was part of the Army that followed the French Army to Paris, and he was part of the occupation of Paris.

He had the following medals:

  1. Waterloo Medal
  2. Long Service & Good Conduct Medal in 1832 (William IV) (LS&GC)

His LS&GC is one of only 12 issued to the Grenadier Guards in 1832, all of these were to men discharged since 1830.

He married Charlotte Wells on the 5 December 1810, aged 24 at St Martins in the Fields London.  They had four children

Elizabeth Draffin born 1813

Richard Drain born 1824 Kensington, Middlesex

William Draffin born 1826 Middlesex

Charles Frederick Draffin born 1828 middlesex and died July 1856 St Margarets, Westminster

James passed away 3 February 1837 aged just 51 he was then buried in the Tower, his widow Charlotte then 48 was living at the Tower with he son Richard aged 17 with the family of Arnold Young, a Quarter Gunner.