Sheffield's Waterloo Veterans

[Edmund]

12 hours ago, Ponytail said:

Gabriel M Plisson, Napoleonic Veteran, died 29th March 1875.

Sheffield Telegraph Obituary Index. 

Doesn't say he was at Waterloo. 

 

Gabriel Plisson was born in St Domingo, West Indies, on 12th May 1785. His father was Colonel Plisson, an officer of the French army who was a good friend of the Tascher family of the Empress Josephine. Her influence was used to set Gabriel up with a career in the army, commencing around 1798 as a cadet in a military college. He went on to serve in a number of campaigns, such as the battles of Jena, Eylau, Friedland and notably the retreat from Moscow. In the 1809 battle of Talavera between Wellington and Victor, he was in the reserve forces, but not actively engaged. In 1814 he was amongst the guards at Fountainbleau and saw Napoleon address them on his abdication. At Waterloo he was attached to the corps of Grouchy, which did not arrive in time to participate. In 1815 after the escape of Napoleon from Elba he unhesitatingly followed the Emperor and fought at Gembloux under Count Gerard against the Prussians. On 18th June at mid day, Gerard urged Marshall Grouchy to abandon the pursuit of the Prussians and head towards Waterloo. After the peace he still supported Napoleon, and left the army.

On 10th March 1835 he married Selina Shearman (born Saltash in Cornwall) in Doncaster, and they settled in Sheffield. Gabriel taught the French language - in July of that year he advertised as being a "PROFESSOR OF THE FRENCH AND ITALIAN LANGUAGES, No.1, Brook-place, near St George's Church, Sheffield." He could "give the best Testimonials to his Character and Method of Teaching; and reference will be given to Professional Gentlemen, in Sheffield, of literary eminence". A year later he was the French Master at the Collegiate School, and by 1839 he was also teaching French evening classes at the Mechanics Institute. In May 1841 he announced that following enquiries for German lessons, he had subcontracted to M. Albert Nelkenstranck of Heidelberg, lessons either privately or in M.Plisson's premises at 207 Bath Buildings. In April 1843 he announced Italian lessons to be be given by Signor De San Martino, a professor of Turin University. By August he had arranged for Mr William Von Fochlender, Professor of German, to relocate from Doncaster to Sheffield. Spanish lessons and translation of documents in all taught languages were also offered.

By May 1844 San Martino (a native of Sardinia) had been sacked from his £100 a year job by M.Plisson. San Martino had been calling at Sheffield shops to write letters to Ministers and "distinguished personages" and trying to cadge the penny for postage. He obtained an interview with the Mayor at his house, for a job, and hired a cab to get there. On reaching the Darnall toll-bar, the driver asked San Martino to pay, but found that he had set out with empty pockets. After failing to persuade the cab-driver to pay, he alighted and ran across the fields hotly pursued. He took refuge in Mr Gaunt's coach house, and took up a pair of shears, aiming a blow at the party assisting the cabman in his capture. He was transported to the police office, where as luck would have it, the Mayor was expected shortly. After hearing all the facts, the Mayor committed him to the Asylum at the Workhouse. The cabman withdrew, disappointed that he had taken the Sardinian for a free excursion.

During 1848 M.Plisson and Mr Fochlender were conducting lessons at the Athenaeum, and although the tuition rates were low, so was the take up. At the end of 1849 M.Plisson had fourteen pupils at the Church of England Instruction Society. In 1853 he was dismissed from his post at the Collegiate School by the new principal - he had been there for 16 years. He therefore advertised private lessons, willing to travel as long as there was a railway connection. The forthcoming "Exhibition of 1855" prompted him to offer a course of forty French lessons for Gentlemen on Monday and Thursday evenings, to be held at the Milk street Academy, where he now held a full time day job, but by July he was French Master at the Grammar School. November saw him as French and German master at Ulley College, near Rotherham. He was back at Milk street in mid 1856. In 1858 as well as lessons at his residence, Bath Buildings, he was travelling to Doncaster, Rotherham and Worksop.

In May 1858 he thanked his clientele for their 24 years of patronage and introduced his successor M. Jean Du Beau of 225 Gell street Terrace. M. Plisson's library of foreign books was sold during the year. Jean Du Beau died during 1858 and his wife continued with French and music lessons. The Plissons spent three years in France, returning in July 1861, and again offering language lessons from their new residence at Elm House, St. George's Square, though M.Plisson wanted a post as a Foreign Correspondent in a Merchant's Office to supplement to his income, along with translation of letters. In April 1863 he had a post at Rotherham Grammar School. By July 1868 he was giving lessons from his new residence at 34 Clarence street.

In 1871 Gabriel Plisson and his wife Selina were lodging at 34 Clarence street. Gabriel died aged 90 on 29th March 1875. His obituary stated that "M.Plisson will be long remembered as a fine type of the French gentleman, and as preserving to the last, a vivacity, gaiety and cheerfulness, rather indicative of youth, than of the advanced age to which he had attained. His upright figure was long most familiar to our streets, and even Time had a long struggle before he could make that military gait abate one jot of its erect carriage."

Selina died on 2nd February 1882 leaving £217 18s 2d.

[Ponytail]

Thanks Edmund, what a find, a French soldier who made his home in England and taught Englishmen French.