George Teesdale was from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, born on 4 April 1777. He was commissioned in 1793 into the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards, promoted to captain in 1795 and major in 1805. He was a lieutenant-colonel in the army on 1 Jan 1812. He was at that time employed away from the regiment but after the death of Lt-Colonel William Fuller while leading the regiment at Waterloo he was appointed commanding officer of the KDG on 7 Sept 1815. He was a long serving CO during the regiment’s service in England, Scotland and Ireland. In April 1833 he was made a Knight of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order by King William IV. He retired on 11 May 1838 in which year the regiment was posted to Canada. He died in 1840 aged 63. The painting, by Richard Dighton, is of Colonel Sir George Teesdale c1830 in the dress uniform of the KDG with a cocked hat worn for evening occasions.
