|
a.
|
Note: SERGT. MAJOR ROBERT HUGHES 1822 - 1896 , notes by R.B.Howroyd 10/93 Robert Hughes served England through a period remarkable for her domination of the western world. That domination was not the least because of the men who were part of Britain's armed services. For the army enlistment was usually for life, in return for which the army assumed responsibility for the soldier & his dependent family. Records of a soldier & his family including marriage, birth, or death were jealously kept, & when they can be found provide details of a soldier's life not normally available for people of other occupations. From those records we know that Robert was born in 1822 in Rockcurry, Co Monaghan Ireland, the son of James Hughes. He was five feet eight inches tall, of fresh complexion with blue eyes & dark brown hair. In 1840 he joined the 63rd Regt of Foot at Tullamore Queens Co when he was 18 years old. The 63rd was sent soon afterwards to India & returned to Chatham in 1846. By then Robert was a Sergeant & in 1848 while in Chatham barracks married Eliza Reeves, the daughter of Sergt Charles Reeves of the 90th Regt. From 1848 to 1850 the 63rd was at Salford near Manchester & it was there that Robert's first child, Robert W., was born. The regiment then served in Ireland at Dublin, Limerick, Kilrush, & Kilmainham the birthplace of Charles James. On 21st July 1854 Robert left in the regiment for the great Crimea adventure . It was at the Battle of Alma that Robert, by now sergeant major, distinguished himself in the field where despite a severe wound in the throat he seized the colours as the bearer fell & carried them throughout the battle. For this exploit he was to receive the Medaille Militaire from Napoleon III. At home in 1855 Robert's first daughter was born & was called Alma, a name to become very popular. Robert was one of only 48 officers & other ranks from the regiment to serve throughout the Crimea campaign. The regiment returned in triumph to England in June 1856 & in 1857 left for Canada to serve in New Brunswick, St.John, Montreal & other locations. Apparently there was no military action for it's stay of 4 years & the 63rd left for home arriving there in August 1865 quartering at Aldershot. While on service in Canada three more children were born to Robert & Eliza, Augustus & Gustavus in 1857, & Eliza L. in 1859, all at Halifax Nova Scotia. Apparently Robert, by now Regimental Colour Sergeant, applied for his discharge from the 63rd at Halifax in 1861 & went home to Burnley, to join permanent staff of the 5th Royal Lancashire Militia stationed at Clifton. In 1880 Robert left the Militia & joined the staff of the Burnley Borough Surveyor where he worked until about 1887 when his long army service & war wounds took their toll. Robert died on November 5th 1896 at his home 16 Burton St.Burnley Wood. This was reported by the Burnley Express & Advertiser under the heading "Death Of A Crimea Veteran at Burnley - Bravery at The Battle of Alma." The funeral was conducted with military honours. It is left for the 63rd to have the last word on Color Sergeant Robert Hughes for on his discharge papers there is written " .. after 21 years & 82 days service ... He has never been tried by Courts Marshall & there are no entries in the Regimental Defaulters Book against him." There is a connection between the Vallance family of Hobart & the Hughes & their descendant Sutherland & Howroyd families formerly of Scottsdale. When F.H.Vallance first came to Tasmania he went with his wife (nee Brown or Morton) to his uncle C.J.Hughes to work in his cabinet maker's shop in Scottsdale, but the arrangement failed. Unhappily something else occurred to mar the relationship between the families over a walking stick inscribed 'Major Skingley to Color Sergeant Hughes in acknowledgement of his zeal & integrity 21 March 1871'. According to a friend of Les Vallance, one John Farrer of Rokeby, he carried the stick to Tasmania & gave it to Les' father. Subsequently it is said, C.J.Hughes sent for it but the Vallance family never got it back. John Farrer told me his grandmother was Eliza Letitia Hughes who married a Harry Vallance which only seems to suggest that ownership of the stick could have been vested in either party. C.J.'s daughter Maude, was adamant the stick was her father's & anyway it now resides in Canada with Terence Howroyd who is unlikely to give it up. Happily Les & Keith Vallance have not allowed this little story to spoil the friendship I have with them.
|
