Major-General William Wylde

A carte-de-visite portrait of Major-General William Wylde (1794-1877).

According to Hart’s Army List (1857): ‘Major-General Wylde served in Holland in 1813 and 1814, and commanded a battery before Antwerp and at the attack on Bergen-op-Zoom. Was attached to the Horse Artillery with the Army of Occupation in France. In April 1834 succeeded Lord William Russell as Military Commissioner at the head-quarters of Don Pedro’s army in Portugal, and continued with them until the Convention of Evora Monte; and subsequently from November 1834 to 1840 at the head-quarters of the Spanish Army, and in all the general actions during that period, including the raising of the siege of Bilboa, for which he received the thanks of the Spanish Cortes. In Portugal, again, in 1846, during the Civil War, and signed the Convention of Oporto.’

For many years Major-General Wylde was a Groom of the Bedchamber to the Prince Consort and his name appears frequently in Court Circulars during the 1850’s.

From 1868 to 1877 he was Master Gunner, St. James’s Park, the ceremonial head of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. The appointment of Master Gunner, St James's Park is held by a distinguished Royal Artillery Officer selected by the monarch in their capacity as Captain General, on the advice of the Colonels Commandant of the regiment and has honorary status over all other Commonwealth Artilleries. He was later also Colonel Commandant of the Royal Artillery.

He died on 14 April 1877 and was buried in Brompton cemetery in London.

Photographed by Camille Silvy of London on 9 March 1861.