Watch more of our videos on Shots! and live on Freeview channel 276 The Waterloo Medal and Military General Service (1793-1814) medal with ‘Orthes’ Peninsular War clasp, presented to Lieutenant Robert John Uniacke (1795–1851) of the 7th Hussars, have been consigned by a collector to a militaria auction at Halls Fine Art in Shrewsbury from August 21. They are expected to fetch around £1,200. Lieutenant Uniacke was a member of a famous and wealthy Irish Protestant family who owned the Woodhouse Estate at Stradbally, County, Waterford .
Described as a ‘most gallant officer’ in Army records, he was made a cornet on January 25, 1812, Lieutenant on July 15, 1813 and retired from the Army on July 24,1817. In 1821, he married Lady Mildred Bourke, sister to Robert, 5th Earl of Mayo, with whom he had six children. The couple’s only surviving son and heir, Colonel Robert Bor Uniacke died in 1853, aged 29.
A justice of the peace and deputy lieutenant, Lieutenant Uniacke inherited the estate in 1802 as the eldest son of Colonel Robert Uniacke (1756-1802) and Annette Constantia. He died aged 55 in Clifton, near Bristol in April 1951, where the family had a home. Lieutenant Uniacke’s father was a Member of Parliament for the city of Youghal as well as being a Colonel of Waterford Militia and Surveyor General of the Ordnance.
His mother was the daughter of John Beresford, the First Commissioner of the Revenue of Ireland, whose brother, George, was the 1st Marquis of Waterford..
