Born at Leeds, Yorkshire, c.1816.
Enlisted at York on the 1st of January 1834.
Age: 18.
Height: 5' 8".
Trade: Labourer.
Appearance: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Lt. brown hair.
Tried by a Regimental Court-martial at Manchester on the 11th of February 1848 for "breaking out of barracks, who as a defaulter, was confined there by a previous incident, on or about the 7th of February 1848." Was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment, with hard labour.
>Discharged from Brighton on the 11th of June 1858 as "Free to pension at his own request, after 24 years service."
Served 25 years 125 days. In Bulgaria, Turkey and the Crimea, 2 years
In India: 2 years 6 months.
Conduct and character: "good."
In possession of two Good Conduct badges. Was granted a pension of 10d. per day.
Intending to live in Old Beck, near Leeds, after discharge, and was still living in the Leeds Pension District in 1875.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
His name appeared in the 1877 list of members of the Balaclava Society, but not in the 1879 revised list.
In 1986 a Mr. Accleton, of Ramsgate, Kent, offered a 1877 list of members of the Balaclava Commemoration Society, said to have belonged to James Barrass, to the Regimental Museum of the 17th/21st Lancers, but the Museum having others, he was advised to offer it to the Royal Hussars. Enquiry of Mr. Accleton revealed that he was no relation, having acquired the booklet from possessions left by an uncle who had died in a Kent Old People's Home, and he had no other knowledge of it.
1861 Census
119, Top Moor side, Holbeck, Leeds.
The 1861 Census shows him as aged 45, a "Labourer Chelsea Pensioner", living with his wife Eliza, 43, born Canterbury. [RM]
1871 Census
1, Carr Moor side, Hunslet, Leeds. [RM]
1881 Census
20, Hardwick Place, Hunslett, York.
The 1881 Census shows him as a Pensioner, Unemployed, aged 65 years, born at Holbeck, living with his wife Eliza, 64 years, born at Canterbury, Kent. No children are shown. [RM]
From the Manchester Evening News, 11th of October 1881:
"Death of One of the Six Hundred — One of the Six Hundred who so distinguished themselves in the Balaclava Charge died a few days ago at Hunslet Carr and was buried on Sunday last in Hunslet Cemetery. His name was James Barrass, a native of Holbeck. He enlisted at Leeds into the 11th Light Dragoons in 1833, afterwards joining the 11th Hussars. Of the twenty-five years he served in the Army, five were spent abroad.
He was in the Crimea, and obtained two medals, one with the clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol. Barrass escaped unhurt from the charge, and was indeed, never injured in any engagement.
At his own request he obtained his discharge on the 11th of June 1859, being at this time in possession of two Good Conduct badges, and was an Out-Pensioner of Chelsea Royal Hospital for 22 years. The deceased leaves a widow, but no children."
The Leeds Mercury of the same date, published an almost word for word similar account, but differed only in that it commenced:
"Death in Leeds of another of the Six Hundred. It may be interesting to learn that one of the Six Hundred in the Balaclava Charge died on the 7th inst. at Hunslet Carr and was interred last Sunday in the Cemetery at Hunslet."
Information received from Mrs. Sylvia Barnard of the Friends of Beckett Street Cemetery, Leeds, shows that he was interred in Grave No. 12358 in Hunslet Cemetery on the 9th of October 1881 as James Thompson Barrass, aged 66 years, of Hardwick Place, Hunslet, a Labourer by occupation. There was no trace of any memorial stone to him in the grave-area.
There is a photograph of his grave area (approximately in the centre of the picture) in the 11th Hussar file.