Frederick Corbett

The Maldon District’s only Victoria Cross recipient forfeited his medal, died in the workhouse and was buried in an unmarked grave – but his bravery is still honoured in the town.

If you visit Maldon Cemetery, among the many war graves you will find one commemorating Private Frederick Corbett VC – the district’s only recipient of the country’s highest medal for honour, awarded only for “most conspicuous bravery, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice, or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy”.

Yet this official headstone remembering his bravery was only put up in 2004 - the war hero had died in Maldon Union Workhouse in 1912 and been buried in an unmarked grave after being one of just eight of 1,358 Victoria Cross recipients to have their medal taken away from them.

His strange story began in 1853 when he was born and given the name David Embleton. He joined the British Army in 1873, serving in the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, but for some unknown reason registered under the name Frederick Corbett. He initially served in Britain, but in 1879 he went with the Battalion to South Africa where he fought in the First Boer War.

In 1882 he was sent to Egypt, where a revolution was taking place, to protect the Suez Canal. During a reconnaissance mission, a small group of riflemen came under heavy fire from Egyptian forces, and Lieutenant Howard Vyse was seriously wounded. While his companions took cover, Corbett stayed in the open, totally exposed, trying to protect the dying lieutenant and stop his bleeding, before helping to carry him from the battlefield. His bravery was recognised with the presentation of the Victoria Cross in Cairo in March 1883.

History doesn’t record whether he suffered physical injury or, more likely, mental trauma from the incident, but he was discharged from the Army as medically unfit in June 1883. Facing financial ruin, Corbett, who was then believed to be struggling with alcohol, sold his medals a year afterwards and re-enlisted in the Royal Horse Artillery. A string of problems followed, and before he was discharged on medical grounds again in 1891, he had been court-marshalled for going absent without leave, theft and striking an officer, which resulted in his name being removed from the VC register and his VC pension being cancelled. He ended his days in the workhouse, dying in 1912 aged 59.

When George V came to the throne, he declared that no longer would anyone forfeit a Victoria Cross, no matter what they did in later life, stating in 1920: “Even were a VC to be hanged for murder, he should be allowed to wear the Cross on the scaffold." In 2004 a military ceremony at the cemetery in London Road, Maldon, unveiled the headstone recognising Frederick Corbett's bravery and a bugler from the Royal Green Jackets sounded the Last Post.

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Maldon Cemetery & Commonwealth War Graves

Maldon Cemetery dates back to 1855 and the older parts of the cemetery are both havens for wildlife and fascinating places to visit. The cemetery is home to 21 Commonwealth War Graves.
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The Blue Boar

One of the architectural gems of Maldon, part of this quaint pub and hotel date back to the 14th century. The oldest part of the complex is the timber framed range immediately to the left as you pass through the coaching archway from Silver Street, this dates back to the second half of the 14th century. In the 1750’s the Blue Boar was a stopping off point for the Maldon Stage ‘fly’ a coach which ran between Southminster and Aldgate, London and by the turn of the century was one of the principal coaching inns in the town. Today, the inn has gained further reputation as an ale house with usually 5 fresh ales on tap brewed on site at the Stable Brewery
Former Maldon Union Workhouse

Today, St Peter's Hospital in Spital Road is a valuable NHS centre, but the grand buildings have an interesting history. Built in 1872 to replace the smaller workhouse on Market Hill, the new Union Workhouse could hold up to 450 inmates and had its own chapel, mortuary and kitchen.

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St Barnabas Church

Address

Mayland Hill, Mayland, Essex, CM3 6DZ

Telephone
01621 742596

sallyannwood@hotmail.com

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The Old Rectory, Rectory Road, Tolleshunt Knights, CM9 8EZ

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West Chase, Maldon, CM9 6HN

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This Grade II Listed private home (not open to the public) was built in 1880 as a mansion for John Granger Sadd of the famous Maldon Sadd family. His daughter, suffragette and women's rights activist Myra Sadd Brown lived there and is commemorated…
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Station House, Station Road, Maldon, Essex, CM9 4LQ

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Ferry Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8PJ

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01621 784535

info@creekseaplace.co.uk

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Plume Building, Market Hill, Maldon, Essex, CM9 4PZ

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Outside All Saints Church, High Street, Maldon, CM9 5PF

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High Street, Burnham, CM0 8AG

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Former Maldon Union Workhouse

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St Peter's Hospital, Spital Rd, Maldon, Essex, CM9 6EG

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Today, St Peter's Hospital in Spital Road is a valuable NHS centre, but the grand buildings have an interesting history. Built in 1872 to replace the smaller workhouse on Market Hill, the new Union Workhouse could hold up to 450 inmates and had its…
Tollesbury Congregational Church

Address

East St, Tollesbury, Maldon, CM9 8QD

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01621 869230

philip.grove@tollesburychurch.co.uk

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Tollesbury Congregational Church has served the village since 1803.
St Giles Church

Address

Maldon Road, Langford, CM9 4SS

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St Giles' is a unique Grade II* Listed parish church dating from the late 11th century, with an unusual apse at the western end.
St Andrew's Church, Althorne

Address

Fambridge Road, Althorne, Essex, CM3 6BY

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St Andrew's is a Grade II listed building with a tower dating back to around 1500, although it is in need of restoration and funds are being raised. It has a modern church hall available for hire.
D'Arcy House, home of Margery Allingham

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1 South Street, Tolleshunt D'Arcy, CM9 8TR

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Seawall, 900m south-east of Holliwell Farm, Burnham-on-Crouch, CM0 8NG

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An unusual piece of wartime history can be found on the seawall heading out of Burnham-on-Crouch towards Bradwell-on-Sea. Around 4 miles from Burnham you will come to a unique hexagonal, two-storey control/observation tower and an accompanying…
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Hillside, Market Hill, Maldon, CM9 4QL

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St Cuthberts RC Church

Address

40 Chapel Rd, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8JA

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01621 852259

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The Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall

Address

East End Road, Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, CM0 7PW

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Address

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The Maldon District’s only Victoria Cross recipient forfeited his medal, died in the workhouse and was buried in an unmarked grave – but his bravery is still honoured in the town.

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