Born at Woodstock, Oxfordshire, c.1828, and baptised there on the 28th of August 1828, the son of Richard Lay, a glove cutter, and his wife, Sarah.
His parents were married at Woodstock on the 18th of March 1828 by the Revd. J Carlyle, the witnesses being Mary Rimon and Hugh Goddard.
His father was baptised at Woodstock on the 7th of January 1810, the son of Richard and Susanna, and died there on the 18th of June 1866, aged 57. His mother died at Woodstock on the 31st of March 1877, at the age of 80.
Six other children — 3 boys and 3 girls — were also born into the family.
Enlisted at Woodstock on the 6th of March 1846: "being brought to Head-quarters by Lieut. Colonel Parlby".
Age: 17.
Height: 5' 6".
Trade: None shown.
From Private to Corporal: 22nd of June 1849.
At the Riding Establishment at Maidstone from the 2nd of June to the 24th of July 1851.
Reverted to Private, "at his own request", on the 9th of October 1851.
At the General Depot, Scutari, from the 22nd of September 1854 and sent to rejoin the regiment on the 3rd of October.
At Scutari again: 4th of April — 11th of May 1855.
From Private to Corporal: 1st of December 1855.
Corporal to Sergeant: 16th of March 1856.
Appointed to Troop Sergeant Major. 1st of May 1857.
1. Selina Simonds
His first marriage was to Selina Simonds at Christ's Church, Fordingham, Dorchester, on the 15th of September 1857. At that time he was aged 29 years 6 months and she 21 years. The ceremony was conducted by the Revd. Augustus Hands and the witnesses were Marion Simonds and Charles Deal.
The India Office records for the period show that Selina died of "dysentery" at Rajgur, India, on the 14th of May 1868 and was buried on the 15th of May by the Revd. J. S. Woodin, an American Missionary.)
Her tombstone in Dehra Dun Cemetery, India, bears the inscription:
"In affectionate memory of Selina Lay, wife of Cornet and Adjutant James W. Lay of the 4th L.D., who died on the 14th of May 1868, aged 33 years. This stone was erected by her husband. 'Weep not for me my husband dear, but pray and think of me. As I am now, so you must be. Prepare yourself to follow me.'"
2. Maria Augusta Rose
His second marriage was to Maria Augusta Rose at Meerut, India, on the 4th of February 1870. According to the India Office records he was then Lieutenant and Adjutant of the 20th [sic] Hussars, aged 40 years, and a widower. His father was named as Richard Lay. She was shown as 23 years of age, a spinster, and her father as Francis Rose. The witnesses were F. Rose and Frank Gooch and the service was conducted by the Revd. C. Mackay, Chaplain.
(The Meerut Cemetery records show a Francis Rose, aged 69 years, a Hon. Captain and Assistant Engineer (1st Class) in the employ of the D.W.D. (Department of Public Works), died on the 6th of November 1872 of "apoplexy" and was interred there on the 8th of November. Other printed details show him as being a Deputy Commissary at the time, having been such from the 1st of April 1865. His wife, Sarah, was buried in the same grave on the 9th of October 1884 at the age of 70.)
Maria Augusta died (presumably at Meerut) on the 9th of August 1910 at the age of 64 years, from "Measles", and was buried on the 10th of August in the "Family Plot" by the Revd. P. D. Johnson. She is shown in the Cantonment Cemetery records at Meerut as being the widow of the late Captain and Adjt. James William Lay, 4th Queen's Own Hussars. This was almost certainly the plot in the 2nd Cemetery Extension, opened circa 1855, in which her father and husband were also buried. There is a photograph of the main entrance to the Cemetery in the 4th Hussar file.)
By Authority of the Horse Guards he was promoted to Cornet and Adjutant in the 4th Hussars on the 7th of November 1865, without purchase, "in consideration of his long and distinguished service".
Cornet to Lieutenant: 23rd of December 1868.
Embarked for India from Portsmouth aboard the "Serapia" on the 15th of October 1867.
On leave to England from the 21st of August 1873 to the 20th of December 1874.
Lieutenant to Captain (as Paymaster): 4th of November 1874.
[PB: When/how dd he return to India?]
James Lay died "of consumption" at Rawalpindi, India, on the 16th of December 1877, aged 48 years 5 months.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.
The India Office records show James Lay died "of consumption" at Rawalpindi, India, on the 16th of December 1877, aged 48 years 5 months.
He was buried on the 23rd of December at Meerut by the Revd. W. J. Rowland, Chaplain, his grave number not being recorded in the cemetery records. His full name was given as James William Lay.
Extract from the Army and Navy Gazette, ? of January 1878:
"4th Hussars. — Died at Rawal Pindi on the 11th [sic] of December 1877: Captain James W. Lay. His body was transported to Meerut for interment in the family vault. He was the Paymaster and former Adjutant and was the Regiment's oldest soldier — with 32 years of service from Private to Captain — served at Balaclava."
Extract from the Army and Navy Gazette, 23rd of January 1878:
The death of Captain James William Lay took place suddenly at midnight on the 16th of December last at Rawal Pindi by the breaking of a blood vessel [sic]. The deceased, who was the last Crimean veteran left in the regiment, was very popular in the "Queen's Own" and the news of his death cast quite a gloom over the regiment.
He was for many years in the ranks of the Queen's Own, serving with it through the Eastern campaign of 1854-55, including the battles of Balaclava, Inkerman, the Tchernya and the siege and fall of Sebastopol. Awarded the Crimean medal with three clasps and was promoted Cornet and Adjutant from Troop Sergeant Major on the 7th of November 1865, receiving his Lieutenancy on the 23rd of December 1868 and his Troop on the 4th of November 1874. He held the Adjutancy for some time after receiving his promotion to Captain.
The following Regimental Order was issued by Colonel Montgomery Moore. — The commanding officer, with the deepest regret, announces to the regiment the sudden death of Captain Lay. Having served with the deceased officer for the last twenty years, part of which time he was his Adjutant, Colonel Moore is well able to testify to the high soldierly qualities as well as to his thoroughly honourable and unselfish character in private life, which endeared him to every one who knew him.
Colonel Moore feels he need not remind the regiment of the deep interest he took in its welfare and how unsparing he was of the time and trouble in anything which concerned the happiness and comfort of the men. In him, the Regiment loses one of the last remaining few who served in the Crimean War and every individual in it is a friend. His name will be long remembered in the regiment with affectionate regret. All officers will wear crepe on the left arm for one month."
His name appears on a brass memorial tablet, set in black marble, and measuring some 5 ft by 3 ft, on the wall of All Saint's Church at Aldershot. The design consists of a very handsome Gothic canopy, under which is an emblem comprising of busby, with lines, yellow bag, carbine, sword and pouch belt, which is worked in different metals. Some five officers and eighty-nine N.C.O.s and Men who died in India are commemorated on this.
In 1987 a Mr. Brown-Lay, of Banbury, Oxon, presented an oil-painting of him to the Regimental Museum of the 4th/8th Hussars. (See copy of this in the 4th Hussar file.)
In a later letter from Mr. Lay he said:
"My eldest sister, a Mrs Katherine Mainwood, died in the early part of this year, aged 84, and the portrait we had was presented to the Museum on her behalf. The Captain was a distant relation, and the portrait was always in the family from my earliest childhood. The picture was in a dull corner and as a small child I was scared to death of the fierce looking soldier with his moustache and beard. (In this respect the person figured resembles more an American or French officer of the period.) So much so that when my parents passed on I would not have the portrait.
Lay
"[As] a small child I was scared to death of the fierce looking soldier with his moustache and beard. (In this respect the person figured resembles more an American or French officer of the period.) So much so that when my parents passed on I would not have the portrait."
(Click on image to enlarge)
On my sister's death her son offered it to me, but I thought the idea of it going to the museum was the best way of disposing of it and into safe custody too. I do keep a most wonderful water-colour of Captain Lay on my study wall, and this was painted in beautiful colours which virtually live, and is signed "R. Simpkin, 1878." (after his death apparently, from what you now tell us.) It shows him in full dress and seated on a very fine horse. The size is about 8" by 6", plus surround.
There is a stained glass window, approx. 6' by 10" in the parish church at Woodstock which I was taken to see as a child, and as I remember it, was said to have been erected by his brother officers following his death at Rawalpindi, India, on the 16th of December 1877.
My father, I know, was very proud of the window and used to tell me they must have thought a lot of him to put it there. One small co-incidence that your research has thrown up is that when I was little I had an Aunt Selina, who was very probably named after the Captain's first wife. Both my nephew and I are of the opinion that the portrait was done in England and the former seems to remember the name, Windsor and Newton, recorded on the back.
Be assured that the research information sent by you on his life and career was most gratefully received and I shall treasure it and attach it in an envelope on the reverse of the water-colour I have, and in due course, on my departing this world, it could come to the museum, should they want it. Money would not buy it, and I know my son and grandson would have no interest, so if the museum want it one day it is here for the asking. I'll make a note of this along with your most valued information and place in the envelope."
The inscription on the window in St. Mary Magdalene, the parish church at Woodstock, reads:
"To Captain J.W. Lay, 4th The Queen's Own Hussars. Died at Rawal Pindi, Punjab, India, 16th December 1877. In affectionate remembrance by his brother officers."
(There is a copy of a photograph of this in the 4th Hussar file)
[PB: There is an IWM record of this memorial (accessed 16.2.2017).]
[PB: Locate and add this photograph.]
In Regimental possession is a photograph captioned "Balaclava men of the 4th Hussars in 1856." (This date is not thought to be correct, and actually to be some years later, perhaps as late as 1858.) This shows six men in different modes of uniform dress, and a civilian (and possibly an officer).
Only one of those pictured could possibly be truly identified, the one with six medals. (Only 1568 Robert Watling was known to be in possession of this number.)
There are also two men pictured wearing the medal for Ghuznee, the Crimean medal with four clasps, the Turkish Crimean medal and the Long Service & Good Conduct medal.
(See records of 828 William Robinson, and 855 John Moore, who were both awarded this combination of medals and were serving at the time the original photograph was said to have been taken.
Another is an N.C.O (with the badge of rank of a Rough Rider Sergeant above his stripes) and with (what appears to be a three clasp Crimean medal when viewed in comparison with others known to be four clasp) and Turkish medals, who could be any one of a number, no indication being in the musters as to who held this post at the time.
(The NAM, when asked to possibly identify the rank badge from the picture, confirm him as being as either a Sergeant Riding Instructor, Sergeant Rough Rider or Sergeant Remount Trainer.)
The only one of those named in the musters as being Sergeants at the time of the presumed taking of the photograph however and who is shown in his service record as having been on a course of instruction at the Maidstone Riding School was 1237 James William Lay. A known painting of him (as an officer) now in the Regimental Museum, has a marked resemblance in the expression across the eyes. (See copies of both pictures in the 4th Hussar file.)