1613, Private James KELLY — 11th Hussars

Birth & early life

Born in the parish of Kirk Onchan, near Douglas, Isle of Man, c.1831.

His parents were most probably William and Elizabeth Kelly, whose son, James, was baptised at Kirk Onchan on the 9th of September 1831.

It is difficult to establish the date of his parents' marriage, as there were three William Kellys who married women named Elizabeth during the 1820s, but none at Kirk Onchan.

Enlistment

Enlisted at Liverpool on the 7th of December 1853.

Age: 22 years 4 months.

Height: 5' 8".

Trade: Groom.

Appearance: Fresh complexion. Hazel eyes. Dk. brown hair.

Service

He transferred to the 18th Hussars at Hounslow on the 28th of February 1857. Regimental. No. 379. His trade at this time was shown as Shoe-maker.

From Private to Corporal: 19th of May 1858.

Corporal to Sergeant: 2nd of December 1862.

Sent to the Depot at Canterbury when the Regiment went to India on 21st of July 1864.

Re-engaged at Canterbury for a further 12 years service on the 4th of October 1865.

Transferred to the 7th Dragoon Guards on the 1st of November 1866. Regimental No. 869.

He is shown on the Regimental "Married roll" of the 7th Dragoon Guards from the 23rd of November 1867, his wife's name being given as Sarah Cecilia.

At the time of his discharge in May 1875, four children were shown in the family, aged 8 years 9 months, 3 years 5 months. 1 year 4 months, and 3 months.

Birth registered

Ernest Albert Kelly [son], March Quarter 1877, Keynsham.

[CHECK: file states December Quarter with a copy in file?]

Appointed to Troop Sergeant Major on the 10th of April 1872.

He transferred to the Somerset Yeomanry Cavalry "to complete his Army engagement" on the 11th of May 1875.

Appointed to the Somerset Yeomanry Cavalry as Permanent Staff Drill Instructor, from the 12th of May 1875.

Discharge & pension

Discharged, "Free to pension at his own request, he having been found unfit for further military service," on the 10th of July 1883.

On his original discharge from the 7th Dragoon Guards at Cahir, and dating from the 1st of June 1875, his service had been shown as 21 years 157 days and his age as 43 years 9 months. His total service was 29 years 216 days.

Served in Bulgaria 75 days, and in Turkey and the Crimea, 1 year 315 days.

Conduct: "very good". When promoted to Sergeant, he was in possession of two Good Conduct badges, and would now have had five.

Twice entered in the Regimental Defaulters' book, Never tried by Court-martial.

Intended place of residence, Bristol, Somerset.

Medals

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava Inkerman and Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.

Documents confirm the award of the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol, and also the medal for Long Service and Good Conduct.

He was awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 11th of November 1873, with a gratuity of £5.

His pension was increased to 28d. per day from the 17th of July 1883.

Commemorations

Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.

Life after service

1881 Census

8, West View, Keynsham.

In the 1881 Census for Keynsham, Bristol, James Kelly is shown as aged 49, a "Sergt. Instructor", born in Douglas, Isle of Man.

His wife was given as Sarah J. [sic], 36, born in London.

Seven children are shown:

Rose C, 14, born Canterbury.

Frances M., 9, Norwich.

Henry E, 7, Manchester.

Frederick W., 6, Cahir, Ireland.

Ernest Albert, 4, Keynsham.

Alice, 2, Keynsham.

Arthur, 1, Keynsham.

Kelly's County Directory for 1884 and 1885 record a James Kelly, Inspector of Nuisances for the local Council at Keynsham. However, this now seems most unlikely to be him, as by February 1884 he had been admitted to the Wells Asylum for the second time (see "Death and burial" below).

Wells Asylum, 1883-1887

The records of the Wells Asylum held at Taunton Record Office show him as having been admitted there on two occasions, the first being from February 1883 to July of 1884, following an attack of dementia believed to have been caused by a blow on the head.

The second period (of which more is known) gives his date of admission as 24th February 1884, Registered Number as 3354, aged 54, Religion, C. of E., an Army Pensioner, married, Education, fair, brought from Bedminster Union, and giving his nearest relative as his wife, Sarah Kelly, of 41 Bridlington Crescent, Bedminster, Somerset.

Certificate — There is a copy of that ordering him to detained and the medical certificate giving the reasons, in the "Certificates" file which shows that he was in Doctor Fox's Private Lunatic Asylum at Brislington from January 1883 to February 1883 before his second admission to Wells Asylum.

"Incoherent and rambling talk — Delusion that people have got into his house — Occasional violence to those around him.

On Admission — Patient is a man of about 5' 9", well built, muscular and fairly nourished — gait shaky and unsteady — Hair, dark and turning grey — eyes grey — pupils equal and healthy — no hernia, fractures or bruises, Face rather fat and devoid of expression — Marked over-reaction of the face muscles on attempting to speak, laugh, etc, — Tongue flickering, tremulous and protruded with difficulty — speech slow, hesitating and slurred — mentally, patient is rather feeble — his memory is impaired and uncertain and his mental operations are slow — He is contented and gay, laughing at anything and everything, but seems free from delusions. — Heart, healthy; Lungs; slightly deficient resonance and hardship of breath — sounds at right apex — knee jerk expressive.

February 25th. 1886. — Was quiet and slept well — says he is quite happy here, but would rather have remained at home.

February 28th. — Is very quiet and lost, takes but little notice of his surroundings but talks readily — Does not occupy himself in any way — Expresses himself as being quite happy

April 10th. — Is very slow and heavy mentally; when spoken to he looks steadily at the speaker with a puzzled expression before he recognises who it is — In the same way he has to reflect for some little time before he can gather the meaning of everything that is said to him. — Always seems very happy and says that he is so — Can talk rationally for a short time, when he can tell all about the Crimean War, giving exact dates, names, etc.

Similar accounts follow until November 1886, when he rapidly went into decline:

November 4th. — Has become much weaker physically and duller mentally during the last four days. Can understand very little of what is said to him and is almost totally unable to speak.

April 24th. 1886. This morning it seemed as if he had a seizure, but he had not been seen to have one; there was general muscular twitching and the right pupil was dilated — His bedsores had become gangrenous during the night, as there was no sign of gangrene when dressed yesterday evening.

He sank rapidly, and died this afternoon."

[PB: There is a large amount of information about the origins and development of Dr Fox's Asylum at Brislington which will be of interest at http://studymore.org.uk/4asylums.htm (accessed 30.1.2013).

Death & burial

Death registered

James Kelly, aged 55, June Quarter 1887, Wells.

The Family Records Centre shows his death, aged 55, was recorded at Wells during the April-June quarter of 1887.

His death certificate confirms that he died in the Wells Asylum on the 24th of April 1887 at the age of 55 years, the cause of death being "General paralysis of the Insane over 4 years". He had 'No occupation" but was an "Army Pensioner". The acting Superintendent was the informant of his death. (There are copies in the "Certificates File" of that from the General Records Office and also that from the Asylum)

(Clearly his illness being over a four-year period casts doubt on his being the James Kelly who was the Nuisance Inspector at in 1884/85, as this illness would seem to have started around the time he left the Yeomanry.)

1998: After information was sent from this archive in 1997 to a great-grand-daughter (descended from James Kelly's son, Ernest A.), regarding a possible burial place, a member of the Friends of Arnos Vale Cemetery at Bristol found a slab gravestone for him there.

His whole grave-area was very overgrown with shrubbery, but this has been cleared sufficiently for photographs to be taken. (There are copies of pictures of this and the slab gravestone in the 11th Hussar file.) Although very worn, the inscription on it states: "To the memory of Sergeant Major Kelly. One of the Six Hundred. Died 24th April 1887. Aged 57 years." Underneath this there is a quotation from either a hymn or psalm, but this is now illegible.

Other family members are also believed to be buried in the same grave-space, but because of the exorbitant fees being charged by the now privately owned cemetery company for any search of the records this has not yet been possible to confirm.

An article on its finding appeared in the "Bristol Evening Post" on the 7th of April 1998 and shows a picture of the stone and its finder as well as other details. (There is a copy of this in the 11th Hussar file.)

Identical obituary notices as "KELLY. April 24th at Wells Asylum, Sergeant-Major J. Kelly, a survivor of the Six Hundred, late Instructor to the Queen Charlton Troop." appeared in the "Bristol Evening News" of the 28th of April 1887 and in the "Bristol Observer" of the 2nd of May 1887, but no funeral reports appeared in these or two other local newspapers of the period.

It could be that dying where he did (and given the cause, as shown by his death certificate), his funeral was kept as quiet as possible from the family's point of view, there being a certain stigma in having a member of it being "put away" (the term used at the time). Equally though, his death not actually taking place in Bristol, no report was made of it, apart from the obituary notices, which would have probably been inserted by the family.

A certificate of his burial at Arnos Vale still exists in the family that shows this took place on the 29th of April 1887, the total bill coming to £2/17/6d. Itemised was a Private Earth Grave at £1/14/-, a gravestone at 6/-, Mortuary fee of 16/-, Entry of Grant when Ground Purchased at 5/- and the tolling of a Bell, 2/6d. There is a copy of this in the "Certificates" file.

Although it is believed that other family burials took place in the same grave there was no provision made at this time for any extra depth being dug nor were any charges made for Fees on Interment or Desk Service or use of Chapel on Common Interments or Interments in 34/- Earth Graves, the latter of which his was.

[PB: There is a reference to James Kelly as a "Notable" who is buried in Arnos Vale on the "Friends of Arnos Vale" website: "James KELLY, Army Sgt. Major — Light Brigade survivor, 1832-1887". Notice that 1445 Anthony Wilder, 11th Hussars, is also listed.]

James Kelly's grave, November 2013

In November 2013, Jayne Calder wrote to the EJBA asking about James Kelly: "I literally stumbled over his grave a couple of years ago. I laid a poppy in his memory this Armistice day and wondered if there was any information recorded about his life." We are very grateful to her for sending this photograph.

(Click on image to enlarge)

At the end of December 2013, an article appeared in the Bristol Post claiming that James Kelly's grave had recently been "found":

Charge of the Light Brigade survivor's grave found in Bristol

The Bristol Post, December 24, 2013

By Michael Ribbeck

Bristol-based Army Reservists (formerly Territorial Army), helping to uncover graves of old military men at Arnos Vale Cemetery. Picture is of Major Andy Morris, Officer Commanding, 93 (North Somerset Yeomanry) Support Squadron, part of 39 Signal Regiment, based at Horfield, beside the grave of a former Yeomanry soldier who survived the Charge of the Light Brigade.

(Click on image to enlarge)

VOLUNTEERS from an Army Reserve unit stumbled across a special historic find when they took part in a clean-up operation at a Bristol cemetery.

The team from the Army Reserve Signallers spent the day helping to clear out weeds and undergrowth, and tending graves, at Arnos Vale Cemetery.

And during the day they stumbled across the grave of a man who took part in what many people believe is one of the worst disasters in British military history.

The team discovered the grave of James Henry Kelly, who took part in the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade and lived to tell the tale.

The volunteers spent the day clearing greenery and roots that, over a number of years, had covered the graves of soldiers and sailors.

In just three hours, reservists from two squadrons of 39 Signal Regiment at Horfield TA Centre — 57 (City & County of Bristol) Squadron and 93 (North Somerset Yeomanry) Support Squadron — managed to clear a large area behind the cemetery's First World War memorial.

They also cleared some of the 300 war graves that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission look after at Arnos Vale.

Major Andy Morris was in charge of the operation, which was inspired by a recent visit his reservists made to First World War battlefields at Ypres in Belgium.

The squadron discovered it has a proud link with Arnos Vale because in a quiet corner of the cemetery they uncovered the grave of Sergeant Major James Henry Kelly, a North Somerset Yeomanry veteran with the special claim to fame.

Kelly, who died at the age of 55 in 1887, was one of the survivors of the 1854 Charge of the Light Brigade.

The suicidal British cavalry charge against Russian artillery during the Crimean War was immortalised in a poem by Lord Tennyson, and in a film.

Major Morris, a former officer in the regular Army, is now managing director of a Bristol-based commercial cleaning company.

He said: "This was an opportunity for us to make a contribution to the community.

"At the same time it proved a useful exercise for us in helping to build unit cohesion and team work — and the guys really enjoyed themselves."

Revealing some of Bristol's history after many years also proved a fascinating experience.

Among graves exposed was that of Chief Petty Officer WTJ Humpage, of HMS New Zealand, who died on 29 December, 1918, aged 29 — shortly after the end of the First World War. His grave includes the inscription: "We have whacked the Huns."

Arnos Vale Cemetery is attempting to raise £500,000 by June 2016. This will be matched by money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Army Reserve, formerly the Territorial Army, is to receive £1.8 billion investment in better training and better equipment as part of a plan to expand to 30,000 trained reservists by 2018.

[Source:http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Charge-Light-Brigade-survivor-s-grave-Bristol/story-20360580-detail/story.html#ixzz2onnYHZkc (accessed 28.12.2013).]

Further information

After his death in 1887, James Kelly's wife and children moved to Bristol:

1891 Census

118, Lawrence Hill, Bristol.

Sarah J. Kelly, widow, 44, Newsagent, born Fulham.

Frances M. Kelly, 19, Teacher, School, born Norwich.

Ernest A. Kelly, 14, Scholar, born Keynsham.

Ernest Albert Kelly [son]

His son, Ernest Albert, born at Totterdown on the 15th of December 1877 [CP: this cannot be so since his birth is registered in the March Quarter of 1877], was registered as the son of James Kelly of West View, and his wife, Sarah Jane, nee Doodad.

Birth registered

Ernest Albert Kelly, March Quarter 1877, Keynsham (Ref 5c 680). [CP]

He enlisted into the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry as Ernest Kelly, No. 4499 in January of 1894, at the age of 18 years 1 month, when his next of kin was shown as his mother, Sarah Kelly, of Cossham Street, St. George's, Bristol.

He had a long but stormy and complex military career, which is described in some detail here.

Was 1613 James Kelly the grandfather of Major John Sherwood Kelly, V.C.?

In his book on the "History of South Africa's Victoria Cross Holders", the author Ian S. Uys states that Major John Sherwood Kelly's grandfather was No. 1613 Private James Kelly, of the 11th Hussars, who rode in the Light Brigade Charge and received the maximum possible four clasps to the Crimean medal.

For an account of why this cannot be so, see here.

For further developments in the story, see the record of571 Edward Kelly, 17th Lancers, who is now known to have been the grandfather of the John Sherwood Kelly, VC.

References & acknowledgements

Additional Census information for 1891 and 1911, and details of a number of registrations of births, marriages and deaths kindly provided by Chris Poole. We are also grateful to him for drawing our attention to the article that appeared in the Bristol Post in December 2013.