Born on the 12th of March 1825, the son of John Vivian, Esq., of Pencalick, Cornwall, and his wife Cordelia, daughter of Thomas Grylls, Esq., of Bosnahan, Cornwall. His father was originally a John Tippet, who had assumed the arms and surname of Vivian in 1820.
Cornet in the 15th Light Dragoons, 25th of February 1848.
Lieutenant, 15th Light Dragoons, 17th of May 1850.
Lieutenant in the 13th Light Dragoons, 15th of December 1854.
Retired, by the sale of his commission, on the 13th of February 1856.
Lieutenant Vivian served the Eastern campaign from the 14th of August 1855, including the Siege and fall of Sebastopol. (Medal and Clasp.)
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasp for Sebastopol and the Turkish Medal.
Lummis and Wynn state, "Not on medal roll" but he joined the regiment from England on the 14th of August 1855 and is shown on a supplementary list dated, Camp Crimea, near Balaclava, 3rd of September 1855.
He was shown on a nominal roll of men of the Regiment made out at the Cavalry Depot, Scutari on the 9th of November 1855 as being the Riding Master there, but no date of arrival is shown. From this he did not serve with the regiment in Eupatoria.
[CP: According to the original EJB notes, James Vivian married Constance Barham, the daughter of Charles Barham, Esq., on the 17th of August 1857, when she would have been 15 or 16. But it would seem it was her twin sister Bertha he married, and probably not until 1867 (which ties in better with their having young children in 1871).]
Births registered
Bertha Carlyon Barham [future wife], June Quarter 1842, Truro.
Constance Eli Barham, June Quarter 1842, Truro.
[CP: Bertha and Constance are twins.]
1861 Census
Strangways Terrace, Truro.
Charles Barham, 57, M.D. Cantab., Physician.
Caroline Barham, 49.
Constance E Barham, 19, unmarried.
Bertha C Barham [future wife], 19, unmarried.
Also Dorothea V, 12, Ernest F, 10, Mildred H, 7.
Thirteen servants are also shown.
[CP: both daughters are shown as unmarried at this time.]
Marriage registered.
James Edwards [sic] Vivian to Bertha Carlyen Barham, September Quarter 1867, Truro.
Births registered.
Charles Ernest Vivian, September Quarter 1868, Lewisham.
Nora Constance Vivian, December Quarter 1869, Lewisham.
1871 Census
Perry House, Lewisham.
James E Vivian, 46, Merchant, born Heston, Cornwall.
Bertha C Vivian [wife], 29, Truro.
Charles E Vivian, 2, Lewisham.
Nora C Vivian, 1, Lewisham.
Four servants are also shown.
1881 Census
Strangways Terrace, Truro.
Charles Barham, 77, Physician.
Caroline Barham, 69.
Bertha Carlyon Vivian, 39, widow, daughter, born Truro.
Others shown: Four sons & daughters of Charles Barham, with Nora Constance Vivian, 11, granddaughter [i.e. James Vivian's daughter], and 3 servants.
Death registered
James Edward Vivian, 54, Kingston December Quarter, 1879.
Extract from the "Richmond and Twickenham Times", 27th of December 1879:
"Death. - December 18th. At No. 3 Coburg Road, New Hampton, Surrey, James Edward Vivian, Esq., aged 54 years.
He was buried in Teddington Cemetery in Grave No. 535, Section: C, Class: B. and the base of the erected cross has the following inscription: "James Edward Vivian, son of the late John Vivian, Esq., of Pencalick, Cornwall. Died 18th Dec. 1879. Aged 54 years. "At Rest." There is only the one interment in the grave.
His will shows him as being a Merchant, late of No. 117 Leadenhall Street, London. He left a personal estate of under £1200.
Death registered
Bertha Carlyon Vivian [wife], 47, December Quarter 1889, Truro.
Marriage registered
Nora Constance Vivian [granddaughter] married Augustus Edward Crowder, June Quarter 1899, Truro.
1901 Census
Arbroath, Scotland.
Augustus E Crowder, 42, Minister of Scottish Episcopal Church.
Nora C Crowder [granddaughter], 31.
Harold V Crowder, 8 months.
Death registered
Nora C Crowder [granddaughter], 61, December Quarter 1930, Long Ashton.
A considerable number of additional birth and death registrations, and Census information for 1861, 1871, 1881, and 1901, kindly provided by Chris Poole.