Born c.1827.
Enlisted at Dublin on the 30th of June 1848.
Age: 21.
Height: 5' 7".
Trade: Smith.
Next of kin (in 1854): Wife, Mary Edmunds, living in Pontypool, South Wales (to whom he sent money from the Crimea). .
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain", 8th of October 1857.
Appointed to Farrier-Major on the 15th of January 1858.
Kirklees [PB: Kirkees — error in original or transcription?], East India, 22 April 1858
From James Edmunds, Farrier Major 17th Lancers
My Dear Beloved Cousin,
I am so happy to inform you that I have received a very kind letter from you the other day and also one from my brother John. You can't believe how pleased I was to receive them and to find that you all was quite well.
Oh what a happy it is to received such pleasant letters from a brother and a cousin. I am very much oblige to you for your dear letters you can't believe how it has grieve me so much.
I am pleased that John [brother] receive my letter safe.
am sorry to say that the war is not over yet. Very hard sitting still but they keep everything very quiet. I am sorry to say this part is very hot. Can't go out much in the sun from 10 o'clock until 5 in the evening. The black men tends the horses during the day and the five days we have them before breakfast and in the evening after the sun goes down, we aim allowed to go out to the sun much.
Here is many, and many men gets the sun stroke and had to go to hospital. Thank god I haven't had it yet, and the smallpox is here. Very strong go sick in the villages with the same thing. 190 men in hospital of our regiment. Sick with the fever and different complaints. 300 hundred sick between 2 regiments.
They say this place is very unhealthy but I haven't been sick yet and I hope in the Lord that I will keep from sickness. I am looking at getting my wife over. I am going to stay for 15 or 16 years here and my wife will come over land with a lady as her servant. She must be very anxious about me poor woman she hasn't seen me for 2 years and more before I was in Crimea.
Since I am a soldier I have seen a great deal and suffer deal and come through all well so far Many one would break a heart coming out here after gone through all the Crimea and leave my wife behind. I hope I shall see her again. I shall send her 5 pounds the end of this month please God.
I often hear from Margaret [sister] she is very good for write to me she knows that I am lonesome and wish to hear from you all. I would like to know which Llewelin went to America, was it the son of your sister Little Llewelin.
I never heard anything about them, I have wrote to them a month ago.
Dear Cousin, you wanted to know about the Country, this Country is very hilly and rocky wild looking place altogether and very hot and great many wild animals. Here is plenty of snakes, they get into the houses and in the roofs of houses, the straw thatch houses. They get up a tree and will jump at us if they get a chance.
Here is plenty of wild boar hunting in the hills and monkies. Everything wild in this Country the men is naked they only have a bit of rag tied round. Then they have their heads shaved and they leave the whiskers on and the women is naked they have only a large scarf round them and they work like slave.
If the husband goes to market and buys anything his wife has to go with him and carry what he buys behind him. The brickers has a woman making mortar and tends him with bricks and the stone mason the same. The Thatcher's has women to tend them.
The Women at the [quarry] brow tow stones one on top of the other and they grinds all the wheat what the heat [eat] at night in the one houses.
They don't live the same as us the food is generally rice and curry and green vegetables.
Cucumbers they are very fond of and watermelons, anything on the cheap. They are very fond of Coconuts these are cheap here.
I am learning the language, very hard. In a few years I will be able to speak the language well. I have a black man can speak both languages and I have 10 men the native under him and he makes them do what I tell them. They look after sick horses and I have men come to them in the morning and evening to groom them as well. And I have 1o farriers of ours to look after and to see that they do the work and not beat the horses.
My dear Cousin how many children have you got. I can assure you that I did not know you had any at all, why you all got children except me. I can assure you it is not my fault.
Please to give my kind love to John and his family I mean John Hughes your brother, do you ever see him. I am very sorry to say they are going to keep us here for a long time in this unhealthy place.
I am often wish to go up the country where the fight is but we won't go. My wish is to go to Australia when I leave this regiment. I have only two years left to stay and they can make me stay 4 if they like. I am very happy and keep my spirits up well. I have made my bed and on it I must lay. Where the regiment goes i go and whatever the regiment wear I wear it. My life is for foreign Country and I don't think I will never do well in England. I broke my Mother her heart, and I disgrace my relations by being a soldier and my wildness of me before listed when my mother saw me last.
Little did she know that her son would ever where the Crown on his arm and a medal and 4 slides for 4 Battles. 6 battles i have been in. The day before Alma and Alma, MacKenzies Farm and Balaclava, Inkeman and
Sebastopol and stood all winter hot and cold. We haven't got no rain yet since we came to this Country and that was in December 1857.
I haven't much news to tell you at present but give my kind respect to Margaret and the children and my brother John and his family and (ex)spect the same yourself
From your true and affectionate Cousin
James Edmunds
[Source: see below.]
Reduced to Farrier on the 2nd of July 1858.
The musters for July-September of 1858 show no particular service movement during the whole of this period.
In action against the rebels at Zeerapore on the 29th of December 1858 and at Baroda on the 1st of January 1859.
His first wife, Mary Catherine, died of "Fever, C.C." at Secunderabad, India, on the 4th of June 1860, aged 36 years.
James Edmunds is later shown in the India Office records as marrying Ann Carroll, a widow, at Secunderabad on the 22nd of August 1860. Both are described as being "of full age". His father was shown as Thomas Edmunds and hers as Anthony Nicholson. The witnesses were T.S.M. George Terry and his wife (who had to make her mark.)
A son, Allen, is shown as born at Secunderabad on the 8th of October 1861 and baptised on the 6th of November by the Revd. H. Pigot-James, Chaplain. [There is more on Allen Edmunds below.]
James Edmunds died aged 35 years at Secunderabad, India, of "Acute hepatitis", on the 5th of June 1863.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Mutiny medal without clasp.
James Edmunds died aged 35 years at Secunderabad, India, of "Acute hepatitis", on the 5th of June 1863 and was buried on the same day by the Revd. H. Pigot-James, Chaplain. From the "Casualty Returns" of the period, he left the sum of £3/4/11d in his credits to his widow and son (with the Regiment).
[PB: It would be good if we could find out more about his widow and son.]
A son, Allen Edmunds, is shown as born at Secunderabad on the 8th of October 1861 and baptised on the 6th of November by the Revd. H. Pigot-James, Chaplain.
He entered the Royal Military Asylum (also known as The Duke of York's School) at Chelsea at the age of 8 years and 8 months [PB: so approx. May 1870?]. He was shown as the son of Farrier-Major James Edmunds and his wife, Ann. His father was shown as "Dead", and his mother as "Still alive".
He enlisted into the 17th Lancers at the age of 14 years, the Recruiting N.C.O. being Staff Sergeant S. Hunter. Born in Sikandrabad, India, on the 16th of November 1861 [PB: this date differs from the one given above.], he was 4' 9" in height, with a fair complexion, brown eyes and light brown hair. His trade was that of a shoemaker, his religion C. of E., and his Regimental number was 1841.
He was discharged from Gosport on the 12th of January 1888, "consequent on the termination of his limited period of service". His conduct and character were "Exemplary and temperate". His next of kin was shown as his mother, Ann, living in Mansfield, Notts. He had served 224 days in South Africa and 8 years 110 days in India. Entitled to the Zulu War medal, without clasp.
[PB: In 2016, Chris Poole found a number of records relating to James Edmunds's son, variously recorded as "Allan" and "Allen".]
Marriage registered
Allan Edmunds [son] married Ellen Rowley, March Quarter 1896, Aston.
1901 Census
9, Charnwood Road, Shipley.
Allen Edmunds, 38, Policeman, born India.
Ellen Edmunds, 30, born Clevedon, Somerset.
Annie Edmunds, 3, born Bradford.
1911 Census
31, Thwaites Lane, Keighley, Yorkshire.
Allan Edmunds, 48, Policeman Railway, born Secunderabad India.
Ellen Edmunds,40, born Clevedon.
Annie Edmunds, 13, school — p/time cotton spinner, born Bradford.
Emily Edmunds, 9, school, born Bradford.
James Allen Edmunds, 6, school, born Bradford.
John Edmunds, 5, school, born Bradford.
Note: Married 15 years. 5 children born alive, 1 since died.
Births registered [grandchildren]
Annie Edmunds, March Quarter 1898, Bradford.
Emily Edmunds, September Quarter 1901, N. Bierley.
James Allan Edmunds, December Quarter 1904, N. Bierley.
John Edmunds, March Quarter 1906, N.Bierley.
According to family sources, Allan Edmunds died during the 1930s.
[PB, May 2016: CP has recently established the approximate date.]
Death registered
Allan Edmunds, aged 70 years, June Quarter 1932, Derby.
His great-grandson, a Mr. Douglas Edmunds, was living in Canada in the 1980s. James Edmunds's Crimea medal and that of his son are said to be in the Royal Military College in Canada.
[PB: In April 2016 the EJBA was contacted (through Chris Poole) by Ian Smith, an old friend of EJB and frequent contributor to this archive. He sent a copy of a remarkable article by local historian Sandy Best that had recently appeared in her "Bygones" column in the Oswestry & Border Counties Advertizer [date]? I attempted to contact Sandy Best but have (so far) not succeeded.]
A letter home from India 100 years ago
There's a rare treat this week — a glimpse of what life was like as an Englishman in another country more than 100 years ago.
James Edmunds (b.1826) was one of the youngest of 11-plus children whose parents were Thomas Edmunds (1771-1841) a farmer and Margaret (nee Hughes) his second wife; his first wife being Ann, a widow, who died without producing children.
The Edmunds lived at Cefn Ucha which, according to the census, was in the township of Trefeiliw between Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant and Llangedwyn.
Evidence from his letters suggests James was a bit of a rebel when young and left home under a cloud, or ran away after which he listed in the 17th Lancers and took part in the Crimean War.
Following this he, along with his Company, was sent to Ireland for a year. His letters show he was married before Crimea — but to whom and where has not yet been determined.
After Ireland, he was posted to India where insurrection against the British was on the rise. James's letters give us an insight into everyday life as well as the issues of family and war.
So as to retain the essence of James Edmunds, I have transcribed his letters just as they were written with [...] around missing or difficult to transcribe words. I have put relationships in parenthesis.
Please remember to put the letter in context with the period when taking in certain descriptive terms.
Kirklees [PB: Kirkees — error in original or transcription?], East India, 22 April 1858
From James Edmunds, Farrier Major 17th Lancers
My Dear Beloved Cousin,
I am so happy to inform you that I have received a very kind letter from you the other day and also one from my brother John. You can't believe how pleased I was to receive them and to find that you all was quite well.
Oh what a happy it is to received such pleasant letters from a brother and a cousin. I am very much oblige to you for your dear letters you can't believe how it has grieve me so much.
I am pleased that John [brother] receive my letter safe.
am sorry to say that the war is not over yet. Very hard sitting still but they keep everything very quiet. I am sorry to say this part is very hot. Can't go out much in the sun from 10 o'clock until 5 in the evening. The black men tends the horses during the day and the five days we have them before breakfast and in the evening after the sun goes down, we aim allowed to go out to the sun much.
Here is many, and many men gets the sun stroke and had to go to hospital. Thank god I haven't had it yet, and the smallpox is here. Very strong go sick in the villages with the same thing. 190 men in hospital of our regiment. Sick with the fever and different complaints. 300 hundred sick between 2 regiments.
They say this place is very unhealthy but I haven't been sick yet and I hope in the Lord that I will keep from sickness. I am looking at getting my wife over. I am going to stay for 15 or 16 years here and my wife will come over land with a lady as her servant. She must be very anxious about me poor woman she hasn't seen me for 2 years and more before I was in Crimea.
Since I am a soldier I have seen a great deal and suffer deal and come through all well so far Many one would break a heart coming out here after gone through all the Crimea and leave my wife behind. I hope I shall see her again. I shall send her 5 pounds the end of this month please God.
I often hear from Margaret [sister] she is very good for write to me she knows that I am lonesome and wish to hear from you all. I would like to know which Llewelin went to America, was it the son of your sister Little Llewelin.
I never heard anything about them, I have wrote to them a month ago.
Dear Cousin, you wanted to know about the Country, this Country is very hilly and rocky wild looking place altogether and very hot and great many wild animals. Here is plenty of snakes, they get into the houses and in the roofs of houses, the straw thatch houses. They get up a tree and will jump at us if they get a chance.
Here is plenty of wild boar hunting in the hills and monkies. Everything wild in this Country the men is naked they only have a bit of rag tied round. Then they have their heads shaved and they leave the whiskers on and the women is naked they have only a large scarf round them and they work like slave.
If the husband goes to market and buys anything his wife has to go with him and carry what he buys behind him. The brickers has a woman making mortar and tends him with bricks and the stone mason the same. The Thatcher's has women to tend them.
The Women at the [quarry] brow tow stones one on top of the other and they grinds all the wheat what the heat [eat] at night in the one houses.
They don't live the same as us the food is generally rice and curry and green vegetables.
Cucumbers they are very fond of and watermelons, anything on the cheap. They are very fond of Coconuts these are cheap here.
I am learning the language, very hard. In a few years I will be able to speak the language well. I have a black man can speak both languages and I have 10 men the native under him and he makes them do what I tell them. They look after sick horses and I have men come to them in the morning and evening to groom them as well. And I have 10 farriers of ours to look after and to see that they do the work and not beat the horses.
My dear Cousin how many children have you got. I can assure you that I did not know you had any at all, why you all got children except me. I can assure you it is not my fault.
Please to give my kind love to John and his family I mean John Hughes your brother, do you ever see him. I am very sorry to say they are going to keep us here for a long time in this unhealthy place.
I am often wish to go up the country where the fight is but we won't go. My wish is to go to Australia when I leave this regiment. I have only two years left to stay and they can make me stay 4 if they like. I am very happy and keep my spirits up well. I have made my bed and on it I must lay. Where the regiment goes i go and whatever the regiment wear I wear it. My life is for foreign Country and I don't think I will never do well in England. I broke my Mother her heart, and I disgrace my relations by being a soldier and my wildness of me before listed when my mother saw me last.
Little did she know that her son would ever where the Crown on his arm and a medal and 4 slides for 4 Battles. 6 battles i have been in. The day before Alma and Alma, MacKenzies Farm and Balaclava, Inkeman and Sebastopol and stood all winter hot and cold. We haven't got no rain yet since we came to this Country and that was in December 1857.
I haven't much news to tell you at present but give my kind respect to Margaret and the children and my brother John and his family and (ex)spect the same yourself
From your true and affectionate Cousin
James Edmunds
A big thank you for permission to use this letter goes to Brian Morris of RI Christian the Jewellers, who is the owner of the original letters and whose brother David on a trip to Oswestry from Canada presented me with the opportunity of making copies to transcribe.
There are a few more which I hope you will be interested in seeing. If so, write in and I will be only too happy to oblige.
Interested in learning more about the past? Get in touch with the Oswestry Family & Local History Group. They meet at Oswestry Library. Details on 0345 6789034 or log on to www.oswestrygenealogy.org.uk
Thanks are due to Chris Poole, who brought Sandy Best's article and transcription to our attention, and generously provided a number of marriage, birth and death registrations, and Census information for 1901 and 1911.