Memorials
His name appears on a memorial in Beeston Churchyard, Nottinghamshire. Three others are named, including 838, Thomas Towson [or Toulson], 17th Lancers.
The memorial, erected on the 1st of June 1859, has a square base surmounted by a plinth and obelisk, with dedicatory marble tablets on the plinth bearing several inscriptions:
"This memorial was erected by the inhabitants of Beeston to perpetuate the memory of those who left this village to serve their country and died in the discharge of their duty in the Crimea."
That for John Lees reads:
"Private John Lees. 17th Lancers, enlisted 26th of April 1846 and was slain in the Cavalry Charge at Balaclava, Oct. 23rd 1854. Aged 30 years." [sic]
There is a photograph of this memorial in the 17th Lancer file.
[PB, March 2014:
John Lees and Thomas Toulson/Towson, 17th Lancers. Crimea memorial, St John the Baptist Church, Church St, Beeston.
(Click on image to enlarge)
Report in the Derby Mercury, 10th June 1857, Crimea memorial, St John the Baptist Church, Church St, Beeston. The foundation of the memorial contains a "a bottle, hermetically sealed"
(Click on image to enlarge)
MONUMENT TO THE CRIMEAN SOLDIERS AT BEESTON
The inhabitants of Beeston, who, from the commencement of the war displayed an amount of patriotism not exceeded by any village — meeting the returning wounded with bands, banners, illuminations, and appropriate presents — on Whit-Monday erected a neat and suitable monument to the four natives of the village who fell on the field of battle.
This monument is composed of Mansfield stone, eight feet in ec, height — an obelisk of five feet on a pedestal of three, with four marble panels, which bear the following inscriptions:
"This monument was erected by the inhabitants of Beeston to perpetuate the memory of those who left the village to serve their country, and died in the discharge of their duty during the CrimeanWar.
"Sergeant William Jowett, Royal Fusiliers, enlisted January Sth, 1847, fought at Alma, Inkermann, and twice at the Redan Battery, where he was struck by a shell, September 8th, 1855, which necessitated amputation of the right leg; and died from the effects of his wounds at Plymouth Hospital, October 11th, 1856, aged 25 years.
"Private John Lees, 17th Lancers, enlisted April 26th, 1846, and was slain in the cavalry charge at Balaclava, October 25th, 1854, aged 30 years.
"Private Thomas Toulson, 17th Lancers, enlisted April 20th [26th?], 1846, was in the cavalry charge at Balaklava, and died of diarrhoea at Scutari Hospital, December 15th. 1854, aged 32 years.
"Private Joseph Oldham, 95th, enlisted September 12th, 1840, fought at Alma and Inkermann, and died of diarrhoea, at Scutari Hospital I December 17th, 1854, aged 31 years."
"No farther seek their merits to disclose, Or draw their frailties from their dread abode."
At twelve o'clock a large concourse of people assembled in the church-yeard to see the foundation laid, in which was deposited a bottle, hermetically sealed, containing a printed copy of the diary of the war written by Sergeant Jowett, three coins of the Queen, and one of Napoleon.
The chairman, in a short speech, returned thanks to the subscribers for the prompt support the promoters had received to enable them to carry out their design.
He remarked with respect to the diary of Sergeant Jowett that when he enlisted he was unable to write, but was so bent upon his own improvement the that he soon mastered that art, and on starting to the Crimea had kept a diary of the war commencing on leaving Manchester, April 4th, 1854, and kept it with scrupulous regularity up to the time of his being struck by the shell on the 8th September, 1855.
The diary was published by Mr. Porter, and a copy presented to her Majesty the Queen, who most graciously and kindly acknowledged it.
He then stated that the amount received was £23 13s. 71/2d, the sum expended £23. 18s. 8d, and this entirely voluntary, without solicitation. and at a time when several other important subscriptions were going on in the village.
[Derby Mercury, 10th June 1857.]
The website "Exploring Beeston's History: Aspects of the Local & family History of a Midlands Town" contains useful information and images about this memorial (http://www.beeston-notts.co.uk/crimean_memorial.shtml (accessed 9.3.2014).
In the Churchyard at Beeston, by the path near to the Church Street entrance, stands a memorial to the men from the village who died in the Crimean War. Memorials to that war are very unusual and this one at Beeston is almost unique in terms of its format and for a community of this size.
Elsewhere, there are larger scale memorials in more urban centres — notably in London, Sheffield, Southsea and at Bath Abbey — several regimental memorials, some at public schools and other institutions, personal memorials, several commemorative windows — including one in St Mary's, Nottingham — and plaques and stones inside churches — such as the remembrance stone at North Collingham, Nottinghamshire.
But only the memorial at Southam, Warwickshire, another at Holywell in Wales and one at Balmaclellan, Scotland, appear to be outdoor memorials of a similar format and on the same scale in a community of a similar size to Beeston.
[PB: This site also includes transcriptions of a moving diary and letters home by Sergeant William Jowett, Royal Fusiliers, whose death is also recorded on the memorial. Jowett mentions the 17th Lancers a number of times, and the Charge, but does not name John Lees or Thomas Towson. Source: www.beeston-notts.co.uk/jowett1.shtml (accessed 9.3.2014)]
The Imperial War Museum's online War Memorial Archive includes the following:
Beeston Parish — Crimean War
St John the Baptist Church, Church St, Beeston, Nottinghamshire.
A square base surmounted by a plinth and obelisk, with dedicatory marble tablets on the plinth bearing the inscriptions:
Face 1: THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY THE INHABITANTS OF BEESTON TO PERPETUATE THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO LEFT THIS VILLAGE TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY AND DIED IN THE DISCHARGE OF THEIR DUTY IN THE CRIMEAN WAR
Face 2: SERGEANT W. JOWETT,/ ROYAL FUSILIERS. ENLISTED/ JANUARY 8TH 1847/ FOUGHT AT ALMA, INKERMAN/ TWICE AT THE/ REDAN BATTERY, WHERE HE/ WAS STRUCK BY A SHELL/ SEPT 8TH 1855 WHICH/ NECESSITATED AMPUTATION/ OF THE RIGHT LEG AND/ DIED FROM ITS EFFECTS AT/ PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL/ OCT 11TH 1856/ AGED 26 YEARS
Face 3: PRIVATE JOHN LEES/ 17TH LANCERS,/ ENLISTED APRIL 26TH 1846/ AND WAS SLAIN IN THE/ CAVALRY CHARGE AT/ BALACLAVA,/ OCTOBER 23RD 1854/ AGED 30 YEARS./ PRIVATE THOMAS/ TOULSON,/ 17TH LANCERS./ ENLISTED APRIL 26TH 1846,/ WAS IN THE CHARGE AT/ BALACLAVA,/ AND DIED OF DIARRHOEA AT/ SCUTARI HOSPITAL,/ DECEMBER 15TH 1854/ AGED 32 YEARS.
Face 4: PRIVATE JOSEPH/ OLDHAM,/ 95TH REGIMENT./ ENLISTED SEPTEMBER 1840./ FOUGHT AT/ ALMA AND INKERMAN,/ AND DIED OF DIARRHOEA AT SCUTARI HOSPITAL,/ DECEMBER 17TH 1854./ AGED 31 YEARS/ "NO FARTHER SEEK THEIR/ MERITS TO DISCLOSURE OR/ DRAIN THEIR FRAILTIES FROM/ THEIR DREAD ABODE"/ D. A. CHALL/ BEESTON/ JUNE 1857
[Source: War Memorial Archive, http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/show/conMemorial.27216/fromUkniwmSearch/1 (accessed 9.3.2014).]