United
Kingdom
3rd
(King's Own) Hussars
Cartes-de-Visite studio Moffat in Edinburgh |
Lieutenant Henry Francis Dent c.1864 |
Henry Francis Dent, was born in Ribston
Hall, Yorkshire, in 1839. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge (Trinity
College). He started his career in the Infantry : he was gazetted an Ensign, by purchase, on October 28, 1859, joining the 2nd Battalion of the 17th Foot. Due to the Fenian activity in Canada, the 2nd Battalion embarked at Queenstown on board the steamer Cleopatra on December 27 1861 for Halifax. I haven't found though the specific whereabouts of Esign Dent at that very period. He purchased his commission of Lieutenant on April 14, 1863 - and exchanged into the 3rd Hussars on December 1st, 1863, vice Strother. The London Gazette published on July 27 1866 : The Times tells us that Captain Dent attended the annual regimental dinner of the 3rd Hussars, held on monday evening, May 20 1867 at the albion Tavern, Aldersgate-street. The dinner was attended -among other officers- by Colonel Howard-Vyse and Captain Donaldson. He left for India with the regiment on board
the troopship Serapis, leaving Portsmouth on November 15 1868 for
Alexandria. A proper Cavalry officer, Captain Dent took a
keen interest in sports, as hinted in Hayes' "Indian Racing
Reniniscences" : He married Isabella, o.c. of Rev. J.Tomkyns, greenford Rectory, in 1870. His wife will be presented to the Queen at the occasion of a Drawing Room held at Buckingham Palace on May 6, 1872, by her sister-in-law, Mrs. John Dent Dent. Henry Francis Dent would be gazetted to the rank
of Major on January 22d, 1875 : He would not remain long with the 3rd Hussars, exchanging into the 7th Dragoon Guards vice Major Arthur Hare Vincent on April 28 1875. That did not prevent him from attending the annual regimental dinner of the 3rd Hussars, held at the Criterion, Regent-Circus on May 24, 1875. The London Gazette published on January 22 1878
: Henry Francis Dent apparently was much of a
sportsman, and is frequently mentioned in articles about fox-hunting or
pigeon shooting. His dogs won multiple prizes at Agricultural Shows. The photograph was produced by John
Moffat, who operated his studio at 103, Princess Street from 1861 to
1873 ; the 3d Hussars moved from Dublin to Scotland in April 1863 ; they
then moved to Manchester by mid-1864. A portrait of Major Henry Francis Dent was published in 1884 in Naily's magazine (42:203. Joseph Brown sc. after photo) |