C & T Auctioneers and Valuers Ltd
Los 438
Impressive Portrait Painting of Lieutenant Henry Butterworh 32nd (Cornwall Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot Grenadier Company, Veteran of the Peninsular War and the Battle of Waterloo Where He Sustained Three Wounds But Refused to Leave the Battlefield, a fine quality oil on canvas portrait painting of Henry Butterworth in full scarlet dress coatee uniform with white high collar, grenadier company winged epaulettes, cross belt plate with Grenadier Company regimental shoulder belt plate and proudly wearing his medals for Waterloo and Military General Service medal with six bars. Painting shows him as an elderly gentleman with well detailed features to the face. Does not appear to be signed, similar work can be found of this officer believed to have been painted by Edwin Greenwood (1808-74), this painting possibly copied from this work. Housed in a gilt work frame. Painting shows evidence of conservation and has a receipt to confirm this. Canvas measures 64 x 76cms, frame 84 1/2 x 96cms. We are unsure of the age of this painting, we advise all interested parties to arrange personal viewing to satisfy themselves as to the age and condition. Due to size the item is sold as seen. We are not able to offer in house post and packing on this lot. Specialist shipping or collection required.
An obituary for Lieutenant Henry Butterworth gives the following information, “Henry Butterworth Esq, of Heybrook, near Rochdale, a magistrate of the county palastine of Lancaster. In the year 1805 he obtained a commission in the 1st Royal Regiment of Lancashire Militia, from which he volunteered for the regular army, and on the 25th of August 1807, was appointed to the 32nd or Cornwall Regiment of Foot, taking with him 32 men (the same number as the regiment he joined) from the 1st Royal Lancashire. Shortly after joining the 32nd Regiment he was ordered to the Peninsula, and was in the battles of Roleia, Vimiera, Talavera, Salamanca (where a musket ball passed through his body), Pyrenees, Nevill, Nive and others; also at the lines of Torres Vedras, and in several minor affairs, for which he received the Peninsula medal with eight bars. Served also in the campaign of 1815, and was at the battle of Waterloo, for which he also received a medal, and, although there wounded three times, did not quit the field. For 12 years he was a Lieutenant in the 32nd Regiment, nine years in actual service, and during that period he was wounded seven times, three being severe body wounds.” The obituary also sates that 14 veterans of the Waterloo and Peninsula campaign attended his funeral wearing their medals.
Interesting to note that some old records state entitlement to eight clasps for the Military General Service medal, but the roll only states the six clasps he is wearing in this painting. The Book “Wellington’s Men Remembered” gives the following details about his severe wound during the battle of Salamanca, “He was well liked by his men and he when he was severely wounded at Salamanca, one of his men, Private Ashbridge from Smallbridge carried him to find medical assistance”.
See previous lot for portrait of his brother in the 3rd Royal Lancashire Militia
