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
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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 own chapel, mortuary and kitchen.

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Burnham War Memorial

Address

High Street, Burnham, CM0 8AG

Burnham

Burnham’s war memorial remembers 98 local soldiers who died in the First World War, and 27 soldiers and 10 civilians who died in the Second World War. The pale stone obelisk, which looks out over the estuary, was designed by the renowned architect R…
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Address

St Peter’s Tower, Market Hill, Maldon, Essex, CM9 4PZ

Telephone
01621 851628

info@maelduneheritagecentre.co.uk

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The Maeldune Heritage Centre, set in the beautiful old St Peter's Church, is one of Maldon's most fascinating visitor attractions, mixing local history, temporary art and craft exhibitions, tourism information and the permanent home of the…
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Address

Promenade Park, Park Drive, Maldon, CM9 5JQ

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Address

Totham Plains, The Street, Little Totham, CM9 8JQ

Little Totham

Little Totham's moving modern war memorial was only built in 2019 and commemorates Private Ernest Albert Belcher who died in 1917 and Private Charles Chaplin who died in 1920. The memorial, next to the village sign, comprises three steel Tommy…
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Address

Junction of Main Road and Station Road, Althorne, CM3 6DB

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Althorne's unusual war memorial is in the form of a traditional, decorative lychgate, framed in oak, with a pitched roof covered with clay tiles. It was designed by local artist Walter Savage Cooper and built after World War 1. A metal plaque…
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Address

South Street, Tillingham, Essex, CM0 7TH

Telephone
01621 779160

philip_grove@msn.com

Tillingham

This church belongs to the Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches. It is the only remaining Congregational Church in the Dengie Hundred and as such draws a congregation from a wider area .
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Address

Abbey Turning, Maldon, Essex, CM9 6LL

Telephone
0345 603 7624

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Address

Saint Lawrence Hill, Steeple, Essex, CM0 7LN

Telephone
01621 776203

Steeple

This active rural parish church, situated on a hilltop overlooking the Blackwater Estuary provides exhibitions and community activities. Light refreshments available.
Woodham Walter War Memorials & Commonwealth War Graves

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Woodham Walter, CM9 6RF

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War memorials in the village of Woodham Walter include a Memorial Shelter, a Memorial Garden and a Memorial Clock on the parish church. The churchyard also contains two Commonwealth War Graves.
Former Maldon Union Workhouse

Address

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…
Burnham Clock Tower

Address

High Street, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, CM0 8AA

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Creeksea Place House and Gardens

Address

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

Telephone
01621 784535

info@creekseaplace.co.uk

Burnham-on-Crouch

Creeksea Place is a 16th century fairytale Tudor Mansion set in beautiful gardens. The house with its captivating façade and tranquil surroundings is steeped in history.
Buoys of Burnham-on-Crouch

Address

Various locations:, Burnham Yacht Harbour in Foundry Lane, Belvedere Road and Coronation Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, CM0 8BL

Belvedere Road and Coronation Road, Burnham-on-Crouch

If you walk around Burnham-on-Crouch look out for the three large buoys that now decorate the street scene. These historic buoys were once out in the water of the Crouch estuary, helping to guide ships safetly home, but when they were replaced at…
Rickett's Lock

Address

Ulting Lane, Maldon, Essex, CM9 6QB

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The site was first listed by Historic England in November 1985, and was constructed in around 1797 by engineer…
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Address

Friends Meeting House (Quaker Church), Butt Lane, Maldon, Essex, CM9 5HD

Telephone
01621 854056

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Maldon’s Quaker Meeting House was built in 1821. It comprises two separate rooms; originally one for women and one for men, but now everyone worships together. The Georgian benches and tiered elders’ benches remain.
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Address

Basin Road, Heybridge Basin, CM9 4RJ

Telephone
07950 636 660

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Address

52 Prince of Wales Road, Great Totham, Essex, CM9 8PX

Telephone
01621 893085

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Address

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

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Address

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

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Address

Lock Hill, Heybridge Basin, CM9 4RX

Telephone
020 8168 5202

lifeboat5202@gmail.com

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Now moored permanently in Heybridge Basin, Maldon, Essex, the Sir William Arnold lifeboat is a 52ft Arun class lifeboat that was built in 1973 and served all her lifesaving career at St Peter Port in Guernsey. During her career, the lifeboat went on…

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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