Service
Embarked for the Crimea aboard the S.S. "Shooting Star" on the 15th of April 1854.
From Private to Corporal: 19th of June 1854.
Corporal to Sergeant: 27th of December 1854.
Births registered
A McNeff, daughter, 1849, born Ireland.
H McNeff, son, 1850, born Ireland.
G McNeff, son, 1852, born Ireland.
Amelia McNeff, 1858, born Dundalk Ireland.
John McNeff, September Quarter 1859, Westminster.
Mary McNeff, December Quarter 1861, Canterbury.
Martha McNeff, June Quarter 1865, Kensington.
1861 Census
Cavalry, Artillery at Northgate Barracks, Canterbury, St Mary, Kent.
J McNeff, 40, Sergeant in Army, born Whitechapel.
M McNeff, 35, born Ireland,
A McNeff, 12, daughter, scholar, born Ireland
A McNeff, 3, daughter, scholar, born Ireland,
H McNeff, 11, son, scholar, born Ireland,
G McNeff, 9, son, born Hounslow
J McNeff, 1, son, born Westminster
Discharge & pension
Discharged from Chatham Invalid Depot on the 14th of April 1863, being "unfit for further service."
"Sgt McNeff contacted his disease in the Crimea in 1855, it being attributable to sitting on damp ground — Unfit for duty from haemorrhoids, being unable to ride. His disease is not aggravated by vice or mis-conduct."
Served 24 years 4 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 1 year 10 months.
Conduct and character: "They have been good and he was when promoted in the possession of three Good Conduct badges when promoted and would now have had five."
Never tried by Court-martial and his name has never appeared in the Regimental Defaulters' book.
Aged 42 years 3 months on discharge. Awarded a pension of 1/9 per day.
Next of kin (in 1854): Wife, Mary McNeff, to whom he sent money from the Crimea.
There were three children in the family in 1861: Ann, Jane and James.
[Chris Poole has identified further children, born between 1849 and 1865.]
Medals
Entitled (according to the medal rolls) to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Inkerman and Sebastopol. One of the Alma/Inkerman rolls however has the letter "B" by his name, which usually signifies that a man was awarded the Balaclava clasp, but he does not appear on the individually named Balaclava clasp roll itself.
The muster roll for the period shows that he was on "Letter Party Duty" during October and November 1854. (There were two other O.R.s were also shown as being on this duty, but he being an N.C.O. was probably in charge.)
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 28th of June 1861, with a gratuity of £5.
His documents however, confirm the award of the Crimean medal with all four clasps and the Long Service and Good Conduct medal with a gratuity of £10.
Not recorded by Lummis and Wynn.
Life after service
He intended to live, c/o. 419 2/a Exchange Court, Strand, London, after discharge. From this address he most probably served in the Corps of Commissionaires. He is shown as living in the North London Pension District at a later date.
1871 Census
11 Hanover Street, St Pancras, London.
James McNeff, 50, Messenger at Stock Exchange, born St Pancras.
Mary McNeff, 45, born Ireland.
Amelia McNeff, 13, Artificial Flower Maker, born Ireland.
Mary McNeff, 10, Scholar, born Ireland.
Martha McNeff, 4, Scholar, born St Pancras.
1881 Census
20 Lisson Grove, Marylebone.
James McNeff, 60, Stock Brokers Messenger, born Whitechapel,
Mary McNeff, 54, born Ennis, Co Clare.
Amelia McNeff, 23, Dressmaker, born Dundalk, Ireland.
Mary McNeff, 19, Dressmaker, born Canterbury.
Martha McNeff, 16, Dressmaker, born Paddington.
Marriage registered
Martha McNeff [daughter] to Alfred Coatsworth, September Quarter 1886, Wandsworth.
Birth registered
Alfred Henry Coatsworth, (grandson), September Quarter 1887, Paddington.
1891 Census
18 Brown Street, Marylebone, London.
James McNeff, 70, Commissionaire, born Whitechapel.
Mary McNeff, 64, born Ireland.
1891 Census
39, Balcombe Street, Marylebone, London.
Alfd Coatsworth, lodger, 26, accountant, born Marylebone.
Martha Coatsworth [daughter], 26, born Paddington,
Alfd Henry Coatsworth, 3, born Paddington.
1901 Census
73, Chippenham Road, Paddington, London.
James McNeff, 80, Retired Commissionaire, born Whitechapel,
Mary McNeff, 72, born Ireland.
1881 Census
20, Lisson Grove, London.
The 1881 Census shows him as a Stock Broker's Messenger and Chelsea Pensioner, aged 60 years, born in Whitechapel, London, with his wife, Mary, a Dressmaker, 54, born at Clare, Co. Ennis, Ireland.
Three unmarried daughters, aged from 23 to 16, and all Dressmakers, were also shown.
Member of the Corps of Commissionaires from the 18th of April 1863. Corps No. 630. Although due for retirement from the Corps in April 1884 (upon reaching the age of 65 years,) he did not do so until 1888, when he received a pension of £5/4/0 a quarter.
[Along with a number of former Light Brigade soldiers (including Dawn, Glendwyr, Brown, Bird and Loy Smith) he attended the funeral of 597, Thomas Perry, 8th Hussars, at Abney Park Cemetery in 1884.]
[Newspaper cutting, 1884, recording that James "McNieff" ([McNeff] attended the funeral of fellow 8th Hussar, Tom Perry [unknown source provided by CP].]
(Click on image to enlarge)
Death & burial
James McNeff is said to have died in Fulham, London.
Deaths registered
Mary McNeff, 77 years, June Quarter 1904, Paddington.
James McNeff, aged 86 years, December Quarter 1907, Fulham.
Died (according to his will) at 15, Rayleigh Road, West Kensington, London, on the 14th of November 1907. He left his personal estate of £183 to his daughter, Mary.
Brought from 15, Rayleigh Road, Hammersmith [sic] he was buried in the Paddington Cemetery, Willesden Lane, London, in Grave No. 9210, Section P2 2nd Ground (Unconsecrated) on the 18th of November 1907.
He had purchased the grave-space on the 2nd of December 1893, when living at 19, Goldney Road, Paddington, and on the 6th of December 1893, an Amelia Thorogood, aged 35, of 35, Goldney Road, Paddington, was the first interment, followed on the 23rd of April 1904, by a Mary McNeff, aged 77, of 73 Chippenham Road, and on the 18th of November 1907, by James McNeff, aged 86, from No 15 Rayleigh Road, Hammersmith.
On the 6th of August 1908 the grant of right of burial had been transferred to a Mrs. Mary Marquis (nee McNeff) — almost certainly his daughter — and on the 1st of June 1973 to Samuel Valentine McNeff, of 15 Cromwell Avenue, N6.
Although a number of once-surrounding headstones are noted in the cemetery records as being "Removed", his has the notation "Not to be removed", and the year "1969".
The erected gravestone bears the inscriptions:
"In loving memory of Amelia Thorogood, who died on the 2nd of December 1893, aged 35 years. Also of Mary McNeff, who died on the 18th of April 1904, aged 77 years. Also of Sergeant James McNeff, husband of the above. Late of the old 8th Hussars. A Crimean veteran who served through the campaigns of Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol. One of the first to go out and one of the last to return. Died 14th Nov. 1907, aged 86 years. "God is Love.".
(The stone is immediately under a large tree and because of this has become very discoloured and the inscriptions now difficult to read. See photograph of this in the 8th Hussar file.)
