LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION

1581, Private James BAGSHAW — 4th Light Dragoons

Also recorded as "Backshall" (probably the correct spelling of his name).

Birth & early life

Born at Ardingly, Sussex in 1835.

The parish records at Ardingly show a James Backshall [sic], the son of David Backshall, an Agricultural Labourer, and his wife Mildred [sp?], of Fulling Mill in the parish of Ardingly, was christened there on the 15th of November 1835.

There is also a reference to a William Backshall, son of the same parents, baptised at St. Peter's on the 15th of December 1833.

This was almost certainly the William Backshall noted as buried in Ardingly churchyard in 1902, which would confirm the two as brothers (see Further information, below).

[PB, October 2014:

1841 Census

Fulling Mill, Ardingly, Sussex.

David Backshall, 30, Agricultural Labourer, born c.1811

Amidred [indistinct — appears to start with an "A" — is there a name "Amildred"?] Backshall, 30, c.1811

Benjamin Backshall, 11, c.1830

Ann Backshall, 9, c.1832

William Backshall, 7, c.1834

James Backshall, 5, c.1836

Jesse Backshall, 3, c.1838

Jasper [?] Backshall, 4 months, c.1841

This seems to be the James Backshall EJB found in parish records. The Ancestry transcription is "Backs", but it seems clear the name is in fact "Backshall". Notice the presence of an elder brother, William, and also of "Jesse Backshall", two years younger than James (see below). However, there are other Backshalls in Ardingly at this time.

JB has yet to be positively identified in the 1851 Census, but there is for example a James Backshall, age 14, a Servant in the home of Henry and Fanny Hobden in nearby West Hoathly, Sussex. ]

I am not sure why Lingfield workhouse (Surrey) mentioned in relation to Jesse Backshall (see below), since the family is shown as living at Hapstead Farm, Ardingly. It must be a different Jesse Backshall. But if so, which is the man who joined the 4th Light Dragoons?

1851 Census

Hapstead Farm, Ardingly, Sussex.

David Backshale [Backshall?], Head, 45, 1806, born Ardingly, Sussex.

Amelie [Amelia?], Wife, 40, 1811, female, West Hoathly, Sussex.

Jessee [?], Son, 12, 1839, male, Ardingly.

Jasper, Son, 9, 1842, male, Ardingly.

David, , Son, 7, 1844, male, Ardingly.

Molly, Daughter, 5, 1846, female, Ardingly.

John, Son, 2, 1849, male, Ardingly.

Enlistment

Enlisted at Brighton on the 18th of January 1854.

Age: 17 years 6 months.

Height: 5' 6".

Trade: Labourer.

Next of kin (in 1854): Father, David Backshall [sic], living at Ardingly, Cuckfield, Sussex.

Service

Taken prisoner of war at Balaclava and rejoined the regiment from Russian captivity on the 26th of 0ctober 1855.

A nominal roll of men of the regiment at the Cavalry Depot, Scutari, made out on the 9th of November 1855, shows him as a Prisoner under sentence of Court-martial from the 4th of November.

(See the record of 1292, Joseph Armstrong, 4th Light Dragoons for details of the Courts-martial held on the returned prisoners of war.)

James Bagshaw's statement to the Court:

"I was with the 4th Light Dragoons in the Charge at the Action of Balaclava on the 25th Octr. 1854, and on the return of the Regt. my horse was shot under me.

I was at once surrounded and taken prisoner, conducted to the Russian camp and a few days after sent into Russia with some other prisoners.

We remained in Russia until the 22nd August, when we were sent to Odessa and later forwarded from thence to Balaclava, which was reached on the 26th Octr. 1855."

An affidavit signed by him, dated 27th of May 1863, was filed in the Cardigan-Calthorpe law-suit. He was at this time a Private in "D" Troop and stationed at Newbridge in Ireland. The affidavit in full stated:

"1. I have been in the Regiment nine years. I remember the charge of the Light Cavalry Brigade at Balaclava on the 25th of October 1854. I was on the right of the right squadron and in the rear rank.

2. When we were within forty yards from the guns my horse was shot and I was then taken prisoner by the Russian lancers. A Russian officer came up to me and said in English, "Who was that English officer on the chestnut horse with the white heels." I said, "I did not know."

At that time I was not aware what coloured horse Lord Cardigan rode that day, but I gathered afterwards from several other English prisoners taken that day that his Lordship did indeed ride a chestnut horse with white heels during the charge.

I never saw his Lordship after we started."

Discharge & pension

Discharged, "by purchase", from Dundalk on the 16th of August 1864. Payment of £10.

Served 10 years 29 days, to count.

In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 10 months.

Conduct and character: "good".

In possession of two Good Conduct badges.

Medals

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol. (The medal roll however, does not record this last clasp.)

Commemorations

Life after service

[PB: I have not found JB in 1871. It has been suggested [by EJB] that James Backshall was living in London in 1881, but if he died in 1872 this could not be so. His wife's name given at this time — Ellen — is also different from the "Ann" noted at the time of his death. Furthermore, if this is not our JB, there is no need to explain the existence of children born in Gibraltar. ]

1881 Census

12, Bowling Green Lane, London, EC1.

The 1881 Census shows a James Backshall, a Beerhouse Keeper, aged 42, born at Ardingly, Sussex, living with his wife, Ellen, born at Harbury, Warwickshire, and two children, a son and daughter, aged 10 and 7 respectively.

Both children are shown as having been born in Gibraltar. Although they have the same surname, they were most likely step-children, as he had no known military service which would have caused him to serve there.

Death & burial

Died at Ardingly, Sussex, on the 11th of March 1872, and was buried there.

The burial registers of the same church record the burial of a James Backshall, aged 36 years [sic], on the 16th of March 1872. His place of abode was shown as Hapstead. (There is a small hamlet called Hapstead Green, close by.)

He was working as a groom at Knowle's Farm, Hapstead Green, near Ardingly, at the time of his death. His wife's name was Ann.

See the photograph of his gravestone, and those of his (presumed) possible great-grand-parents, and of St. Peter's church at Ardingly, in the 4th Hussar file.

Photograph of James Bagshaw's gravestone, St Peter's, Ardingly, Sussex.

(Click on image to enlarge)

The memorial stone to him in the churchyard of St. Peter's at Ardingly, Sussex, is situated about 5 or 6 yards from the western entrance to the churchyard, on the left-hand-side.

The inscription on it reads: "James Backshall. Died March 11th 1872, aged 37 years. In the midst of life we are in death."

At the foot of the grave is a small stone which simply says, "J.B. 1872."

Further information

The Backshall family must have been well-known in the Ardingly district. One of the earliest memorials that can be found in the older part of the churchyard, where James Bagshaw is himself buried, is inscribed: "In memory of Elizabeth, wife of John Backshell, who died January 28th 1775, aged 62 years". An almost identical stone reads, "In memory of John Backshall, who died May 21st 1776, aged 58 years".

In the other part of the churchyard, which is across the road from the church itself, there are several stones to the Backshall family, including one to a William Backshall who died in 1902, aged 80 years — possibly a brother.

There is also a stone to an Eric Backshall, who had died as an Aircraftsman, aged 20 years, from "enemy action" in 1940. The latest stone is to a woman who died in 1975.

[1985] Enquiry of the oldest inhabitant met, who had lived in the village since 1926, has shown that the family "once farmed in the district, but all had now gone away — several years ago."