Born c.1825, the son of the Honourable George Berkeley Molyneux, Lieutenant-Colonel of the 8th Hussars, of Croxteth Hall, near Liverpool, and Stoke Farm, Windsor, and his wife, Eliza.
His father died in London on the 27th of August 1841 and was buried at Manchester with military honours.
One incident involving his father was to mirror the shape of things to come.
When in Ireland in 1829, Colonel Molyneux was on leave, the Major off sick, and James Thomas Brudenell, the future Lord Cardigan, as senior captain, found himself in brief but complete command of a cavalry regiment. Though it was mid-winter in Dundalk, he at once ordered a field-day and a review.
Hours later the horses and troopers returned, chilled by the cold winter mists off the Irish Sea and exhausted by the wheeling and charging over the wet and muddied turf.
Lieutenant-Colonel Molyneux came back to find his regiment hardly fit for duty. Brudenell was carpeted and given such a reprimand that it seemed even his belligerent enthusiasm might have been checked.
His mother, who had previously been a Mrs. Stuart before her second marriage, later married a former Captain in the 8th., M.C. Laing Meason. In 1846 she was living at Seafield Lodge, Hove, Sussex.
Ensign in the 43rd Foot: 20th of September 1844.
Cornet in the 4th Light Dragoons: 9th of March 1845 and to Acting Adjutant on the 14th of April 1846.
Lieutenant and Adjutant: 1st of April 1847.
Part copy of a letter, relating to his being appointed Adjutant:
"Dublin
March 19th, 1847
My Dear Sir,
May I thank you for your kind letter concerning the Adjutancy of the Fourth.
I rejoice in that I have received it, as it gives me the opportunity of stating exactly what occurred, and in the part that I took in it, about which, I trust you will forgive me in saying, with every deference, that I think you have an erroneous impression.
When the Adjutancy became vacant, Colonel Parlby [the Colonel of the regiment at the time and the person to whom the letter was addressed, was Lt. General the Lord Fitzroy Somerset, KCB, Private Secretary to the Duke of Wellington] asked Cornet Molyneux whether he would like the appointment to which he distinctly replied; saying that in a general way he did not think the duties of the Adjutancy would suit him (he being already Acting Adjutant).
At the same time he maintained that the Regiment being on the eve of going to Manchester, where he would be in the middle of his friends, he would then be particularly adverse to constant confinement to the barracks.
All this, he repeatedly reiterated to Colonel Parlby, even after the appointment was settled, and so adverse was he to it, that he came to speak to me, and begged me to speak to Col. Parlby on the subject, which I did, and was assured that it was settled and must remain as it was.
I felt so aware at the time of how injudicious an appointment it was I spoke (I think) to General Brown [Assistant Adjutant General in Ireland] on the subject, which I think he will corroborate and I now most sincerely regret that I did not speak to you, with the dislike of troubling you (in the situation I was then in in being Major) prevented my doing so.
I can only repeat that I took every means I thought I was justified in, to stop the appointment and my belief that Mr. Molyneux should give it up and he tells me that Lord -------- [name illegible] does not think otherwise.
I sincerely trust that the peculiar circumstances under which he was appointed, against his own wishes, will enable you to think favourably of it.
I think I have shown to you that my part in the transaction was, from the first to the last, to do all I could to oppose it and I -------[word illegible] did so likewise.
The reference in that part of your Lordship's letter as to how he has failed to fulfil the expectations of him when he was placed in the situation.
I can assure you that he has failed in no expectations I ever entertained of him as Adjutant, which amounted solely to a perfect willingness and zeal to perform any duties required of him, which he has shown to the fullest extent and I have my great pleasure in bearing testimony to him and that a better troop and duty officer could not be. But for an Adjutant, I do consider him in any way qualified, either from his habits or from the short time he has been in the service.
As regards any private feelings I may have in the latter, I can assure you that they would tend make me anxious to retain him in the situation whereby he would hopefully obtain his promotion without purchase, which would of course, in his circumstances, and which therefore I should be most anxious for, for his sake and that of the family, from every member of whom. I have known, I have invariably received the greatest kindness.
Trusting that you will forgive my taking up so much of your time, which I would not do, but for the urgency of the case,
I have the honour to be,
Yours,
George Paget. Lt. Col."
Resigned from the position of Adjutant on the 5th of May 1848.
(See also the record of Cornet George Ellis, 4th Light Dragoons.)
He married Flora Emily, daughter of the Revd. John Meara, of Headford, Co. Kilkenny, at St. Anne's Church, Dublin, on the 9th of September 1851. He was then 25 years of age, and she 19.
The service was conducted by the Revd. the Dean of the Chapel Royal, Dublin, and the witnesses were James Tyrell and P.D. La Touche.
One-time Aide-de-camp to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
In March 1855 he was forbidden from taking a leave of absence:
"Horse Guards.
23rd March 1855.
Sir, With reference to your letter of the 9th inst, referred to this Department by the Military Secretary requesting that the usual leave of absence may be granted to the officer named in the margin, [Captain Molyneux] on retiring from the Staff of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, I am directed by the General Commanding-in-Chief that there is no such rule and the services of this officer are urgently required with either his respective regiment or Depot.
I have, etc. etc.,
R. P. Doyle.
A.A.G.
The Secretary,
Vice Regal Lodge,
Dublin."
Joined the regiment in the Crimea on the 25th of May 1855 and returned to England on the 10th of July 1855.
Retired, by the sale of his commission, on the 31st of August 1855.
Lieutenant and Adjutant of the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry Cavalry: 11th of December 1856.
Captain: 1st of October 1861.
Major: 25th of February 1874.
Retired from the Yeomanry Cavalry on the 18th of February 1880.
Campaign service
Captain Molyneux served the Eastern campaign in 1855, including the Siege of Sebastopol. (Medal and Clasp.)
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol and the Turkish Medal.
Not recorded by Lummis and Wynn.
On the 16th of November 1994 his Crimean medal with the clasp for Sebastopol and engraved in capital letters to "Captain C.B. Molyneux. 4th Light Dragoons" and the Turkish Crimean medal (British issue) un-named as issued, but with a silver ring and straight bar suspension, was offered in a Glendining's auction. With this pair, but as a separate Lot, were those of his son, Major G.P.B. Molyneux, of the Army Pay Department.
These consisted of the Queen's South Africa medal with clasps for Natal, OFS. and the Transvaal and the King's South Africa medal for 1901-02 with two date bars.
Together with corresponding miniatures, two original commission documents and a contemporary photograph and almost certainly dressed in the uniform he would have worn during the South African War) the medals being in a fitted case.
The "write-up" stated that his full name was George Philip Berkeley Molyneux, the son of Captain Charles Berkeley Molyneux of Penwortham Priory, Preston, born on the 3rd of December 1857.
Second Lieutenant in the 76th Foot (from the Militia), 1877: Lieutenant in the West Riding Regiment, 1879: (and as Aide-de-Camp to the Major-General, Eastern District from 1882-84).) Captain, 1884: Paymaster, Army Pay Department, 1891: Hon. Major, 1898: Staff Paymaster, 1901: Lieut-Colonel, 1906: First Class Assistant Accountant, Army Accounts Department, 1905.
He was mentioned in despatches whilst serving in the South African War.
1881 Census
The Priory, Penwortham, Lancashire
The 1881 Census Return shows him as Charlie B. Mulyneux [sic], aged 54, a Major, Adjutant DLO Yeomanry Cavalry, born in Edinburgh, Scotland, living with his wife, Emily, 43, born in Dublin.
Four children were recorded: two sons, one a Lieutenant 79th Foot and the other a Bankers Clerk, and two daughters, both Scholars.
Eight Domestic servants were kept, including a butler and a children's Governess.
After his retirement he lived in Eaton Square, London, Lindertis, Forfarshire.
He died at Lytham St. Anne's, Lancashire, on the 13th of September 1892.
Extract from the "Lytham Times" for the 17th of September 1892:
"Death of Major Molyneux. — We regret to announce the death at the age of 66 of Major Molyneux, which took place at his residence in Lowther Terrace on Tuesday morning.
The deceased gentleman was formerly a Captain in the 4th Hussars and afterwards for twenty-five years as the Adjutant of the Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry Cavalry.
He had resided in Lytham for the past eleven years and he had held several important positions in the St. Cuthbert's Parish Church as churchwarden, etc.
For the past three months his health has been in a very precarious state, the immediate cause of death being the failure of the heart's action. Dr. Hammond of Preston and Dr. Fisher of Lytham both attended on the deceased, who leaves four sons and two daughters.
A kind, genial, good-natured gentleman, he has gone to the grave, universally regretted.
The Funeral. South Shore, Blackpool. — The funeral took place yesterday afternoon of Captain Molyneux, the cortege moving off shortly after one o'clock towards St, Cuthbert's churchyard.
The mourners were met by the Revd. W.R. Pymm and the Revd. C. Bollington, followed by the surpliced choir. A sympathetic group of friends were assembled by the gates... [Then follows a list of relatives and friends who were present, including the names of his four sons, Mr. Berkeley Molyneux, Captain George Molyneux, Mr. Charlie Molyneux and Mr. Walter Molyneux, R.N.]
The coffin was of polished oak, and bore the inscription: 'Charlie Berkeley Molyneux. Born August 2nd 1826 — Died September 13th 1892.' The Revd. W.R. Pymm read the burial service and the coffin was lowered near the gravestone on which we read, 'In memory of Emily, wife of Major C.B. Molyneux. Died 6th of March 1882'. 'He loved and gave himself for me.'"
He was buried in the same grave-space as his wife, Emily. The stone erected is of white marble and consists of a cross on a three tier base.
The top two tiers record details of the death of his wife, and on the base are the words, "Also of the above Charles Berkeley Molyneux. September 12th 1892."
There is also a gravestone nearby to an Arthur Molyneux. (This churchyard is that of St. Cuthbert's at Lytham St. Anne's.
In his will he left a personal estate of £2,556.