Born at Falmouth, Cornwall.
[RM: But see the 1901 census entry below, where his birthplace is shown as Crondall (near Farnham), Hampshire. On his enlistment, could "Crondall" have been misread as "Cornwall", and "Farnham" assumed to be "Falmouth"?]
Enlisted at Piershill, Midlothian, on the 9th of August 1850.
Age: 20.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Servant.
Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Lt. brown hair.
Wounded in the leg at Balaclava and his horse shot under him.
Re-engaged at Aldershot for a further 11 years 324 days service on the 19th of September 1862.
Discharged from Colchester on the 20th of December 1873, at "Own request, after 21 years service."
Served 21 years 134 days. In Turkey and the Crimea, 2 years. In Canada, 2 years 11 months.
Conduct: "very good indeed". In possession of five Good Conduct badges.
Eight times entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Aged 43 years 4 months on discharge.
Awarded a pension of 1/2d per day.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol and the Turkish medal.
Documents confirm the award of the Crimean, Turkish Medal and the Long Service & Good Conduct medals.
A supplementary roll (undated) signed by Major Henry Holden shows him as being issued with the Crimean medal (with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Inkerman) on the 7th of October 1855.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 22nd of July 1870, with a gratuity of £5.
Attended the first Balaclava Banquet in 1875.
Member of Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
Signed the Loyal Address to the Queen in 1887.
Attended all the Annual Dinners between 1892 and 1910.
[RM: A number of Crimean War veterans from the Army and Navy appeared in the procession for the Lord Mayor's Show that took place in London on the 9th of November 1890. These survivors travelled in open topped carriages, which contained four people each, accompanied by the bands of the Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, and the 2nd Life Guards and pipes of the 1st Royal Warwickshire regiment. Eleven such carriages carried men of the Light Brigade under the banners of "Survivors of the Charge at Balaklava" and "Battle of Balaklava Heroes", notably included at their head, Trumpeters Landfried 17th Lancers and Perkins 11th Hussars. A specially printed programme for this event lists all these men and Lamb is shown travelling in the 17th carriage in the procession.]
Lamb's medals and a photograph of him wearing them were in possession of a descendant of J.G.Lamb, whose family emigrated to Waotu, New Zealand. Photographs of Lamb wearing three medals, and of these medals in a frame. Another descendan, a Mr. Massey, of Suffolk, states that James Lamb married the widow of a Corporal Gowan [sic] who had enlisted into the 13th Foot, but was discharged from the 55th Foot.
To live in Colchester after discharge, but he was living in Dublin in 1875.
1911 Census
James Lamb, Army Pensioner, aged 70, living in Battersea, but his birthplace is shown as Crondall (near Farnham), Hampshire . Could "Crondall" been misread as "Cornwall" upon his enlistment?] [RM]
Extract from "The Regiment", 30th of January 1904:
"James Lamb, one of the few survivors of the Charge of the Light Brigade, has, at the age of 74, been appointed temporary court-usher at the South Western Magistrates Court, where the Hon. John De Grey is the Magistrate. Lamb, who carries his years well, is in the enjoyment of excellent health."1911 Census
135, Salcott Road, Battersea, S.W.
James Lamb, 85, Lodger, Army Pensioner, born Farnham.
Mary, 89, Old Age Pensioner, born Queens County, Ireland.
Note added: married 53 years, 5 children born alive.
Died on 11th of June 1911 at Battersea.
He died at No. 135 Salcott Road, Battersea, London, on the 11th of June 1911, aged 82 years, and was buried in Grave No. 1576, Square 7, in Streatham Park Cemetery on the 16th of June 1911. No stone or memorial was placed over his grave.
Reports of his death, the inquest held on him, and the funeral, appeared in the "South Western Star" on the 16th and 21st of June 1911:
"Inquest on a Crimean Veteran:An inquest was held at the Battersea Coroner's Court on Wednesday on the body of James Lamb, aged 85, a pensioner of the 13th Light Dragoons, who was found dead in bed on Saturday. Deceased was in the Crimean War and had taken part in the Charge of the Light Brigade. Mary Lamb, the widow, said that her husband had served two years in the Crimea, and she had his medals. He did not serve in the Mutiny. His pension was 1/- per day, and 4d. added for wounds. He enjoyed very good health, but now and again had a severe cough. He had a old-age pension of 2/- per week and on Friday morning, when he went out to draw it, he was singing.
He died early on Saturday morning. During Friday night he had two cups of tea very early in the morning and when she went to get up she found him dead.
In reply to the Coroner, witness said she got an old-age pension and something from the Patriotic Fund, making 8/6d in all. She had not a friend in the world. Jane Cooper, of 135 Salcott Road, said that the landlady called her to the room and she found the old man dead. Dr. R. Trevor said that he had made a post-mortem examination and found the heart dilated. The aortic valve was incompetent through change due to old age and there was aneurisis on the aorta just above it. The cause of death was due to heart failure whilst the deceased was suffering from fibroid disease and old age.
The Coroner remarked that it would be satisfactory to know that the old lady would be well looked after. He only hoped that she could be taken care of in some institution. The jury returned a verdict of 'Death through natural causes'."
"Crimean Veteran's Funeral - Coffin carried on a gun-carriage.
The funeral of Mr. James Lamb of 135 Salcott Road, Battersea, one of the few remaining participants in the Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava, took place on Friday afternoon. The funeral started from the Battersea Coroner's Court about 2.30 p.m. By the courtesy of the General Officer Commanding the London District, General Codrington, a gun-carriage under the command of Cpl. Allen and Driver Brambly of the 10th Company of the A.S.C. attended from Wormwood Scrubs.The coffin, covered with the Union Jack, was conveyed on this honourable funeral-car to the Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Altenburg Gardens, where a large gathering had assembled. The first part of the service was conducted by Father Grey. The chief mourners were his widow, Mrs Mary Lamb, Mrs Massey (eldest daughter) and Mr and Mrs C. Neville.
Owing to the regiment to which the deceased had belonged being in Ireland, and no one connected with it being in England, it was unable to be represented, but there was a magnificent wreath inscribed: "A token of regard and esteem from the Officers, Non-Com's and Men of the 13th Hussars, formerly the 13th Light Dragoons."
The interment took place at Streatham Cemetery, where Father Grey also conducted the service. The cortege was met by Mr. T.H. Roberts, the administrator of the Balaclava Fund, who had also brought a lovely wreath. The Fund, we understand, subscribed £5 towards the funeral expenses, and Mr. Neville, of No. 23 Broomwood Road, is doing all he can to secure a competence for the widow."
Further information
According the "Married roll" of the regiment, Lamb was shown as being on the roll from the 6th of April 1864 and at the time of his discharge in December of 1873 there were three children in the family, aged 12 years 7 months, 5 years 4 months and 1 year 10 months.
He is believed to have married the widow of another soldier. (He married Mary ------ at Dundalk, Ireland, on the 24th of April 1858. See note below)
The children shown were:
Anne, born at Newbridge on the 20th of November 1851 [sic]. (Should read 1861)Louisa, born at Preston on the 19th of December 1862.
James, born at Hounslow on the 4th of October 1864.
His account book is in a Private Collection This shows details of his enlistment, service, clothing issues, etc., over the years, and the dates of birth of three children.
Following further research, it has now been established that the Corporal William Gowan, whose widow James Lamb is said to have married, was really 3429 William Gorman. Born at Colenan, Co. Queen's, he had enlisted into the 13th Foot at Dublin on the 11th of July 1845 at the age of 17 years and 6 months. On the 1st of April 1854, when serving in Gibraltar, he volunteered into the 55th Foot. Promoted Cpl. on the 13th of December 1854, he was discharged from Chatham Invalid Depot on the 11th of December 1855, as:
"Disabled by loss of power of the left hand after fracture of fore-arm next to elbow, and caused by heavy stones being knocked up by a round-shot on July 17th 1855 in the trenches before Sebastopol. Was hit at the same time by stones on the back of the head. His wounds however, are slight. States also that "he suffers from giddiness".
In possession of a "good" character, he was granted 1/- per day pension, having served 9 years 249 days, of which 3 years were spent in Gibraltar and 1 year 4 months in the Crimea. He died in the Birr, Ireland, Pension District on the 10th of June 1856.
A Medical Board sat at Chelsea Royal Hospital on the 3rd of June 1902 to re-assess Lamb's disability:
"Shell wound in the right leg during the Charge at Balaclava, carrying away a good deal of the fleshy part of the leg. - Some deformity to the calf of the leg by loss of muscle and loss of power in the limb."
His disability was adjudged to have increased since his discharge and lessening his earning power to three-quarters. He was in necessitous circumstances, earning only an average of three shillings a week on odd jobs.
EJB: Pte. Lamb, Cpl. Malone of the 13th L.D. and Sgt. Berryman of the 17th Lancers, went to the assistance of Captain Webb of the 17th, who was mortally wounded. For this, Malone and Berryman were awarded the Victoria Cross. According to Lamb, he and Malone drew lots for the decoration and Malone won. His portrait and account of this happening appeared in the "Strand Magazine" for October of 1891.
See also copy of a photograph of him which appeared in "The Picture Magazine" about the mid-1890's and also one of a group of the 13th with the Balaclava mare, taken at Colchester in 1873.