Born at Botesdale, Suffolk, on the 12th of April 1816 [one source states 1815], the youngest of seven children born to George Scarfe — shown as a Harness-maker in some records, in others as a "Knacker-man", buying and slaughtering useless horses — and his wife, Alice, nee Veasey.
His father was also born at Botesdale, but his mother at Gissing.
Enlisted at Ipswich Barracks (with a bounty of £2/12/0) by Private John Darrell, 17th Lancers, on the 8th of September 1836.
Age: 20 years 4 months.
Height. 5' 8".
Trade: Harness-maker.
Features: Fresh complexion. Grey eyes. Light brown hair.
John Scarfe and Harriet Hall were married at Dundalk Parish Church, Ireland, on the 8th of January 1847, the marriage being witnessed by her sister, Elizabeth.
A family story exists in that James Scarfe met his wife, Harriet, nee Hall, about the 12th of June 1846, when the regiment passed through Botesdale "on the march" from Nottingham to Liverpool in transit to Ireland. She was the fourth of five known children born to John Hall and his wife, Catherine, nee Warrington.
Her father, John Hall, a Coach-maker and Painter, came from Ashbourne in Derbyshire, his wife from Boylestone, also in Derbyshire. This family was living in Siddles Lane, Derby, in 1851. (See Further notes, below)
Four children were noted in the Army Chaplain's Baptismal Registers as born to Harriet and JS while he was serving in the Army:
- George J, born at Dublin in 1848.
- James at Dublin in 1849.
- Harriet at Newbridge in 1851.
- Edward at Brighton in 1852.
Another daughter, Alice, was born at Derby on the 25th of October 1854. (From this his wife Harriet could not have been in the Crimea with him and must have joined him at Chatham at some time after his return from the Crimea).
Births registered
George John Scarfe, born Dublin 1848.
James Scarfe, born Dublin 1849.
Harriett Scarfe, born Newbridge 1851.
Edward Scarfe, December Quarter 1852, Steyning.
Alice Scarfe, December Quarter 1854, Derby.
Elizabeth Scarfe, born March Quarter 1857, Pancras.
Catherine Maria Scarfe, born September Quarter 1859 [died 1861].
From Private to Saddler Sergeant (On the Staff): 10th of December 1849. The post of Saddler-Sergeant was a non-substantive one until July of 1852 (although still on the Regimental Staff). From this date it became substantive, the holder then ranking as a Sergeant.
From Saddler-Sergeant to Staff-Sergeant: 5th of July 1852.
Next of kin (1854): Wife, Harriet Scarfe. He sent two sums of money (both of £6) to her from the Crimea sometime during April to September, 1854, although no address is shown for her. She was possibly living in Derby.
Wounded in action at Balaclava, and sent to Scutari on the 26th of October 1854.
Rode with No. 4 Troop (T.S.M. O'Hara).
Extract from a newspaper interview given by 1009 David Stanley, 17th Lancers, in October 1875:
"After speaking of attempts made by other men to obtain horses after they had been dismounted... and the Saddler-Sergeant of the Regiment tried to do the same, but his hands were scored the same as you score a piece of pork and they were useless and he couldn't stop the horse, and his head was cut to a mummy nearly.
On the remainder of the 11th Hussars coming up they had a few spare horses with them. They mounted Sergeant Scarfe... I don't know whether he died, or not."
[PB: Source? It does not appear to be associated with the "The Balaklava Anniversary" Festival of October 1875 reported in the Daily Telegraph/ILN.]
Severely wounded he arrived at Scutari on the 30th of October, when he is initially shown as in "Hospital", but in a "Hospital Ship" for the remainder of the time until being invalided to England aboard the "Neptune" on the 25th of December 1854. He arrived at the Chatham Invalid Depot on the 11th of January 1855.
EJB: Something rather confusing arises here, however. Why did the muster roll show that he was "At Scutari" for the October to December musters, yet the Remarks column shows "To Saddler Sergeant, 27 November 1854" Vide Troop Sergeant? From Sergeant by authority of War Office letter dated the 11th of December 1854, yet in the same muster he is also shown in his old rank of "Saddler as Sergeant". In the Chatham Depot muster rolls from January 1855 he is shown as Saddler Sergeant. Was this perhaps because they wished to promote another man in his place?
He was accompanied by his wife, Harriet, when he went "on furlo, till discharge" to Derby on the 15th of March 1855, but it is not clear whether he returned to Chatham before his discharge from the service.
His discharge documents were made out at Brighton (the Regimental Depot) on the 26th of April 1855, and the Medical Officer's report that he was "unfit for the service" was dated at Chatham on the 23rd of May 1855.
The Invalid Depot muster roll for the April-June quarter shows him as being at Derby and London and that for July-September shows him as being at London until the 18th of July 1855, when he was discharged to Out-pension. This may only have been for accounting purposes, however. His wife may have been in the Crimea with him as her fare to Derby was also paid by the authorities.
Discharged 18th July 1855, as:
"Unfit for further military service. Disabled by partial contraction, and loss of power to fingers of both hands from sabre wounds of the wrists. Has also wounds of the head."
The Invalid Depot Report however further qualifies this last statement:
"Sabre cut across the forehead — another on the back of the head — a third on the neck and one on the ulna side of each wrist. These latter are the severest, but he appears to have tolerably good use of the hands and is likely to improve."
Comparison of his signature on enlistment and of this at the time of his discharge, however, shows just how much this latter injury had affected him.
Served a total of 18 years 312 days.
Awarded a pension of 2/- per day.
Conduct: "that of a good and efficient soldier". Equal to three Good Conduct badges, the first being awarded on the 28th of November 1842 and the second on the 10th of September 1846.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, and Sebastopol.
He was among the wounded Crimean soldiers seen by Queen Victoria in the Mess Room at Brompton Barracks, Chatham on the 3rd of March 1855. He was then recorded as follows:
"He has wounds to both hands, head, neck and thigh. Sight of both eyes much injured, ten sabre wounds to various parts of the body. He had been unhorsed and rode off the field on a Cossack horse."
Queen Victoria spoke to him personally and he told her of his experiences during the Charge. She later scribbled the following in her diary, the original being in the Royal Archives in the Round Tower at Windsor Castle:
"Private Scarfe 17th Lancers severely wounded and left for dead on the field, escaped on a Cossack horse."
RM: There is a coloured pen and ink sketch in the Royal Collection drawn by Victoria of Scarfe in profile, executed during her visit to Brompton Barracks on 3 March 1855.
Present at the first Balaclava Banquet in 1875. His portrait appeared in the Illustrated London News for the 30th of October 1875. Photographs taken at this time show James Scarfe with some of his fellow sergeants. These images would seem also to have been used by the magazine to make line drawings from, which also appear in the publication. (See copies in the 17th Lancer file.)
Treasurer of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
CP: James Scarfe was Treasurer for both 1877 & 1879 Balaclava Societies. Probably the death of his 1st wife in 1880 caused him to resign as treasurer and James Wightman, also late 17th Lancer, took over as treasurer.
In an account book used by James Wightman of the 17th Lancers when he was Secretary of the Society, Scarfe's address is given as the same one at which he died.
James Scarfe lived in the No. 1 London Pension District from the time of his discharge in 1855 at least until the last recorded date of 1875. (This last gives the impression that he did return to Chatham and only went to London on final discharge. Equally, this could have been his place of abode after commencing to draw his pension.)
Two more daughters were born in London after he had left the service: Elizabeth born in St. Pancras, London, in 1857, and Catherine in 1860, although she lived for only a few months. Alice, born in 1854, does not appear to have lived in Munster Square, London, with her parents, but was brought up by her aunt, Elizabeth, at Derby. It was she who, after marrying a Henry Taylor, was present at her father's death in 1886.
Appointed a Yeoman of the Guard in 1855, but exempted from duty in 1884 at the age of 68.
A "James Scarfe" was sworn as a Constable "to keep the peace in all the Royal Parks and Gardens within the Metropolitan Police District" on the 15th of July 1856. Family sources suggest that following his move from Derby to London, the Census Returns show that he was doing duty as a Park Constable in Regents Park in 1861, but otherwise marriage and birth certificates describe his occupation as a "Yeoman of the Guard."
1861 Census
15, Munster Sq, St Pancras, Marylebone.
James Scarfe, 45, Park Constable, born Botesdale, Suffolk.
Harriett Scarfe, 34, born Manchester, Lancs.
George John Scarfe, 13, Scholar, born Ireland.
James Scarfe, Scholar, born Ireland.
Harriett Scarfe, 10, Scholar, born Ireland.
Edward Scarfe, 8, Scholar, born Brighton.
Elizabeth Scarfe, 4, born St Pancras.
Catherine Scarfe, 1, born St Pancras.
Death registered
Catherine Maria Scarfe, December Quarter 1861, aged 2 years, Pancras.
15, Munster Square, Pancras, Marylebone.
James Scarfe, 55, Park Constable, born Suffolk.
Harriett Scarfe, daughter, 20, Keeping house, born Ireland.
Elizabeth Scarfe, daughter, 14, Scholar, born Pancras.
1871 Census
16, Munster Square, Pancras.
Stephen Lappage, 43, Farrier, born Essex,
Rachel Lappage [next door neighbour and JS's future 2nd wife], 38, wife, born Essex
Death registered
Stephen Lappage [neighbour], aged 50 years, December 1875, Pancras.
Again from family sources it is known that JS re-married following the death of his first wife in 1880 from cancer, aged 54. His second wife (whom he married in 1883) was a widow, Rachel Lappage, who had been his housekeeper.
Death registered
Harriett Scarfe [1st wife], aged 54 years, December Quarter 1880, Marylebone.
1881 Census
15, Munster Square, St. Pancras, London.
James Scarfe, a Pensioner, aged 65, born at Botesdale, Suffolk, was living with an unmarried daughter, Elizabeth, 24, a Dressmaker.
1881 Census
15, Munster Square, Pancras, Marylebone.
James Scarfe, 65, widower, Pensioner, born Botesdale.
Elizabeth Scarfe (daughter), 24, Dressmaker, born Pancras.
Also at 15 Munster Square:
William Felton, 28, Carman
Emma Felton, 26
Rachel Lappage, widow, lodger, 49, Laundress, born Coggleshall [sic? Coggeshall], Essex.
Marriage registered
James Scarfe to Rachel Lappage [second wife], December Quarter 1883.
Died on the 1st of January 1886.
Death registered
This date is supported by the GRO records which show the death of a James Scarfe during the January — March Quarter of 1886, in the Wandsworth District of London.
Death registered
James Scarfe, aged 70 years, March Quarter 1886, Wandsworth.
According to his death certificate he died at 4, Mundella Terrace, East Battersea, on the 1st of January 1886, from "Sclerosis of the spinal cord", aged 70 years. His daughter, Mrs A[lice] Taylor, of 44, New Road, Battersea, was present at his death. There is a copy of his death certificate in the "Certificates" file.
[PB: Mundella Terrace appears to have been renamed Thessaly Road shortly after James Scarfe's death. Charles Booth visited and wrote detailed notes for his Poverty study c.1890. "New Road" must have been nearby because this too was renamed Thessaly Road in 1937. There is some detailed information about the immediate area in the English Heritage Survey of London (2013), chapter on Nine Elms, available online as a draft at http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/content/imported-docs/a-e/battersea-vol-50-chap-4.pdf (accessed 12.4.2015).]
Formerly of 15, Munster Square, St. Pancras, London, in his will he left his personal estate of £96 to his widow, Rachel [sic].
His grand-daughter, a Mrs. Pearson, was living in Essex in 1979. She stated that James Scarfe was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery, London, in Terrace Square, Grave No. 106.
She was then extremely elderly and lived with an unmarried daughter. The only memorabilia she had was a photograph of James Scarfe with some of his fellow sergeants at one of the Balaclava Annual Dinners. Her mother, she remembered, had Scarfe's book listing all the survivors and in which he recorded their death dates, but this had now "gone missing".
The grave is by the side of the main path going round the edge of the square, and has a headstone, now very much overgrown and weather worn. Only part of the inscription is legible:
"In loving remembrance of James Scarfe — One of the Noble Six Hundred — who departed this life on the 1st of January 1886, aged 70 years".
Below this is what appears to be part of the text from a hymn or psalm, but none of this is now readable. (See photograph of the stone in the 17th Lancer file.)
Next to his headstone is another which bears the inscription:
"Sacred to the memory of Mr. Edward Scarf [sic?] of Berwick Street, who departed this life, December 29th 1852, aged 42. Deeply lamented by all who knew him".
"Also of Elizabeth, widow of the above, who died 19th May 1863, aged 54. (Died at Islington)
Also of Edward Samuel Scarf, eldest son of the above, who died 20th of ----- 18--, aged 39 years."
The stone facing has broken away at this point. At the extreme top of the stone is an emblem of the Masonic Order. The first-named was possibly a brother of James Scarfe. Again from family sources it is known that those interred in this second grave were his brother, Edward (1810-1852), his widow Elizabeth (1808-1863), and the elder of their two sons.)
In 1994 a Mrs Brocklebank of Prestbury, near Cheltenham, made enquiries at a local History Society meeting regarding James Scarfe, from whom she said she was descended. From later correspondence with her it ensued that she and her brother, a Mr. David Taylor, had compiled and produced a book on James Scarfe solely for family interest. [RM: See copy in collection.]
They are descended from a daughter, Alice, who was born at Little Eaton, Derby, on the 25th of October 1854. With their permission, various extracts have been taken from this book and entered in their correct place in this record where previously unknown, as well as the possession of the many family photographs referred to. (There are copies in the 17th Lancer file.)
Also possessed is a tinted picture of a Sergeant in the 17th Lancers pictured in full dress circa 1850 and believed by them to be James Scarfe. (The face however is in silhouette and could be purely notional. Similar pictures have been seen of this and other regiments — some to named individuals — but they are more likely to have been done as "representative" figures.)
Later contact having been made with some of Edward Scarfe's descendants, they have produced a photograph of James Scarfe which was seemingly taken well before 1875. More curious still is that the photographer, whose name is embossed on the mount, was one "Tin Wah, Pottinger Street, Hongkong."
Since James Scarfe was shown in the 1861 and 1871 Census Returns as being a Park Constable at Regents Park, and there is no mention in the Pension Records of his ever having drawn his pension anywhere other than the London Pension District, it would appear that the photographer must have come to England, bringing with him mounts from his former place of business.
A No. 1267 Edward Scarfe (and almost certainly the son born at Brighton in 1852) enlisted into the 17th Lancers at Hounslow on the 28th of July 1869. Only his trade as a gardener is shown.
From Private to Corporal, 2nd of June 1875, to L/Sergeant, 1st of June 1878 and to Sergeant on the 1st of August 1878. Discharged from Hounslow "by purchase," on the 1st of September 1878, paying the sum of £16. He had served 9 years and 52 days.
On leaving the Army he is said to have become a policeman, ending his days at Oldham, Lancashire. During World War One, and although over 60 years of age, he went back into uniform as a drill instructor with the rank of sergeant, possibly in some local unit as he did not serve overseas. (See photographs of him in civilian clothes and in uniform in the 17th Lancer file.)
Extract from the White Lancer and Vedette, 1929:
134 Mill Street,
Ancoats,
Manchester.
To the Editor.
Dear Sir,
I am enclosing a copy of a group photograph for publication in your Journal.
It is a group of the survivors of the Balaclava Charge, taken at the Alexandra Palace on October 25th 1875, at a banquet held there to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Charge.
The following are some of the 17th present: Wooden, Joy, Wetherby [sic], Cattermole, Scarfe, Clarke, Curry, Burns, Mustard, Dudley, Ireland, Nunnerley, Purvis and Sewell.
I was personally acquainted with most of the above, as my father was Treasurer of the Balaclava Fund and some were in the Regiment when I joined. I was present at the Palace on this occasion, as I was on furlough from Island Bridge, Dublin. My brother would have been there, but, as he had just taken over a Troop as T.S.M. he was unable to get away. It was a great day at the Palace, as it was crowded with the public. The massed bands of the Guards were present, and in the evening performances were given by the then famous Army Quadrilles.
Hoping I have not taken up too much of your valuable space and wishing the Regiment the best of luck.
I am,
Yours fraternally,
E. Scarfe.
(There is a copy of the picture mentioned in the 17th Lancer file.)
James Scarfe's third son, James, born in Dublin in 1849, worked for his sister's husband, Henry Taylor, for a while. His first wife had died after a short marriage and in 1878 he married a Sarah Ann Lewis and then emigrated to Queensland, Australia, in the early 1880s. In 1884 he and an infant daughter died, but their other two children brought up families now resident in Australia.
A No. 841 Troop Sergeant Major George Scarfe was serving in the 17th Lancers in 1883, but it has not yet been possible to establish any relationship. He was a Troop Sergeant Major during the Zulu War of 1879 and was entitled to the medal with clasp. He did not go to India with the regiment, but returned to the Depot in England. He is shown in the Long Service & Good Conduct book as being noted for the medal but the letters N.S. are by his name. (A note in the front of the book indicates that this stood for "Not Satisfactory" and the medal does not appear to have been awarded.)
George Scarfe had originally enlisted in the 4th Regiment of Foot at London on the 28th of July 1869 as No. 864. He was aged 18 years 2 months, height 5' 6". No trade was shown.
He transferred to the 17th Lancers on the 9th of June 1865. From Private to Corporal on the 9th of January 1869, to Sergeant on the 1st of January 1871, and to Troop Sergeant Major on the 17th of October 1875. The first muster roll of the 17th Lancers names him as "John" and the St. Catherine's House marriage records as "George J." when he married in the Marylebone District during the October-December Quarter of 1876.
He is shown on the Regimental "Married roll" from the 31st of October 1876, his wife being named as Alice Mary. (She was a daughter of 556 Edward Talbot, 17th Lancers, who had been killed-in-action during the Charge.) Two children were shown in the family by the 31st of March 1878. A "George Scarfe", possibly their son, was born into the 17th Lancers at Hounslow in 1878.
After leaving the regiment on the 6th of October 1879 George Scarfe was "on board ship" from South Africa from the 26th of November until the 14th of January 1880 when he joined the Cavalry Depot at Canterbury before being transferred "on probation" to the Hertfordshire Yeomanry Cavalry on the 1st of January 1881. He continued being shown as such until the April-June 1884 pay-list of the Canterbury Cavalry Depot, when he is shown as "Hertford Yeomanry. Died 6th March." (But the family record him as dying at Hertford in March of 1884 from brain disease at the age of 36.)
See photograph of George Scarfe in uniform in the 17th Lancer file. Said by the family to have been taken in a studio in Hertford, it would appear to be in the uniform of the Yeomanry, and as he is wearing a crown above his stripes he was perhaps ranked as a Troop Sergeant Major in this as well.
His eldest son, also named George, was drowned in Australian waters when serving in the Merchant Navy. The younger, James, served with the Imperial London Yeomanry during the Boer War and later emigrated to Canada.
Additional marriage, birth and death registrations, and Census information for 1861, 1871, and 1881 kindly provided by Chris Poole.