Index
John & Mary 1780 - (Dissents)
George 1839 to 1918 ( Settled in Sheffield shot his wife)
John 1846 to 1902 (Served in India with British Army)
William 1852 to 1896 (Settled in Sheffield)
John Francis (Frank) 1889 to 1915 (Died at Gallipoli WWI)
Percy 1893 to 1917 (British soldier in WWI)
Trueman 1912 to 1944 (Canadian soldier in WWI)
John & Mary PEPPERDINE 1780 -
First reproduced in PEPPERDINE News Dec 1997
PEPPERDINE DISSENTERS
For most of the seventeenth century England was ruled by the Stuart Kings who were Catholics. This century was notable for constant social turmoil. Intellectual discussion about all manner of subjects persuaded many of the population to change their loyalties and beliefs. In the previous century the Church of England had split with the Church of Rome. In 1664 it became a penal offence to attend the services of some other nonconformist sects and the following year preachers of these sects were forbidden to preach within five miles of a town and were not to keep schools. These religions met in secret until James II, the last Catholic King was overthrown and replaced by William and Mary.
In Lincoln Record Office there are a number of Dissenting Certificates from a later century:-
(1) Sutterton Dissenting Certificate 1811
(Diss/3/1811/55 Pd)
To the Right Reverend Father the Bishop of Lincoln or others it may concern. We whose names are here onto subscribed being his Majesty's Protestant subjects, but now under the temporary government of the Prince Regent, dissenting from the Church of England have agreed to sit apart for the worship of Almighty God the house now in the tenure of William EATON situate in the parish and township of Swineshead in the county and diocese of Lincoln and desire that same may be registered according to an Act of Parliament made in the first year of the reign of their late Majesties King William and Queen Mary entitled 'An Act for exempting their Majesties' protestant subjects dissenting from the C of E from the penalties of certain Laws. As witness our hands this 9th day of April in the year of Our Lord 1811.
John BIFIELD, Richard COWHOLME, John PEPPERDINE, Edward BISSILL, William BAMPTON.
The Act referred to here is the Toleration Act of 1689 which allowed Protestant dissenters to worship in premises provided they were licensed for that purpose. The John PEPPERDINE (C.7.1) is probably the eldest son of Robert and Elizabeth (B.7)who moved south from Metheringham to Algarkirk. John's brother Aquila (C.7.7) must have left for USA about this time). There were Baptist, Wesleyan and United Methodist chapels here by 1930.
(2) Kirton Dissenting Certificate 1817 (Diss 3/1817/37)
To the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Lincoln. We whose names are hereunto subscribed, being Protestant Dissenters resident in the parish of Kirton in the parts of Holland in the county and Diocese of Lincoln do hereby certify that the dwelling house of Joshua DENT in the said parish of Kirton is a fit and convenient place for the Religious Worship of Almighty God and request that it may be recorded in this Court Pursuant to the Direction of the statute in that case made and provided. Given under our hands this 12th day of March 1817.
R BIRKETTS, S CAWTHORN, Thos KNOWLES, Richard VICKERS, Stephen DOBMAN, M DENT, John HODGSON, Elizabeth GAY, Mary PEPPERDINE, Ann SIMPSON, Mr Davis DENT of Lincoln paid.
In 1812, towards the end of the reign of George III, a new Toleration Act introduced amended procedures for registering meeting houses and if more than 20 people attended the meeting, registration was compulsory unless they were only members of the family and servants. Again it is difficult to identify which PEPPERDINE is listed here, perhaps she was wife of the John mentioned above. A Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built in Kirton Holme in 1820 and a Congregational Chapel in 1821.
George PEPPERDINE 1839 to 1918
The George PEPPERDINE who founded the University in Los Angeles is perhaps the most famous but another George must perhaps be regarded as the most infamous.
We can read
in The Times 1903:
The Assizes
North-eastern circuit
At Leeds yesterday before Mr A T LAWRENCE KC sitting Commissioner, George
PEPPERDINE 63 grocer was charged with the murder of Elizabeth PEPPERDINE at
Sheffield on February 14 1903.
Mr C MELLOR and Mr T R D WRIGHT prosecuted on behalf of the Treasury and the
prisoner was defended by Mr H T WADDY and Mr Harold NEWELL.
The facts of the case were shortly as follows:
The woman who was the wife of the prisoner was at the time of her death 54 years
of age and had been married to him for six years. It was proved that the two had
lived fairly comfortably together/ They lived at No 67 Bridge Street Sheffield
just opposite to the Punch Bowl Inn, which was kept by a Mr MARPLES. During the
afternoon of the day in question there had been a slight quarrel between the
prisoner and his wife. At 9.20 pm on the same day the prisoner and his wife were
together at the Punch Bowl Inn. They had for some time been on friendly terms
with Mr MARPLES. In about a quarter of an hour the prisoner went out leaving his
wife sitting in the smoking room. He returned very shortly afterwards carrying
in his hands a double-barrelled gun which had been in his possession for some
time past. He stood in a passage in which there was a window looking into the
smoking room and his wife was standing in that room at a distance of 12ft 6in
from him. Mr MARPLES who was at the bar turned round and saw the prisoner raise
the gun to his shoulder pointing it in the direction of his wife. Mr MARPLES who
was between the prisoner and his wife seeing the gun raised jumped back. The gun
was immediately fired and the woman received the full charge of one barrel about
her waist the charge having gone through the passage window. Immediately
afterwards the prisoner left the inn and whilst standing near the door of his
house placed the muzzle of the gun under his chin and fired off the other barrel
but did not inflict any injury upon himself. Mr MARPLES then assisted the woman
to her house and whilst he was doing so she said that her husband had shot her
but she could not believe that he had done it on purpose. Mr MARPLES himself
thought that the prisoner had brought the gun over for him to look at. When the
woman had been taken to her house she said to Mrs AMOTT who was a neighbour
“George has shot me; God love him, he didn’t mean it”. After the occurrence
Walter BUNNY went to the house and saw both the prisoner and his wife. The
latter said “My husband shot me; he’s there”. On hearing this, the prisoner
replied, “Yes, I did; I ought to have done it long since”. He was then charged
with wounding his wife with intent to murder her and he made no reply to the
charge. The prisoner and his wife were then taken to the Infirmary. The prisoner
was only detained there for a short time but his wife died there on February 21
last. The prisoner had been examined by Dr CLARK the medical superintendent of
the West Riding Asylum who stated that he had spoken to the prisoner about the
charge but he gave no account of the matter. The witness however added that
there was nothing to show that the prisoner could not have given an intelligent
account of the occurrence if he had been so minded. The prisoner did not give
evidence and no witnesses were called on his behalf. Mr WADDY commented strongly
on the absence of motive for the crime and placed great reliance on the words
used by the woman. He asked the jury to come to the conclusion that the death of
the woman was the result of an accident.
After the summing up of the learned Commissioner the jury retired to
consider their verdict. After an absence of 50 minutes they returned into Court
with a verdict of Guilty. When the prisoner was asked if he had anything to say
why sentence of death should not be passed upon him he replied: “I don’t know
anything about the charge. I don’t remember anything”.
The learned Commissioner passed sentence of death in the usual form.
The Police Budget of 1903 gives a shorter account:
Sent to the Scaffold
George PEPPERDINE, a grocer and off-licence holder aged sixty-three years was
sentenced to death at the Sheffield Assizes for the murder of his wife
On February 14 the parties quarrelled and the woman left the house and went to
the Punch Bowl Inn. There she was followed by the prisoner who went out five
minutes later and returning with a double-barrelled gun shot the woman.
“I ought to have done it sooner” was PEPPERDINE’s comment when charged with the
crime. At the hospital the woman asked; “Is it our George?" and being assured
that it was added; “God bless him, he cannot have done it on purpose”.
The judge held out no prospect of mercy
Subsequently a 45,000 signature petition meant that he was not hanged.
The above accounts were found by contacting the Black Sheep Police Index
It will be interesting to see where George was at the time of the 1911 census
when it is released in 2011
George died 1918 age 79
Eliza his first wife died 1865
Elizabeth nee SYlERS was born at Uplyme in Devon and was George’s second wife
marrying him in 1897
John PEPPERDINE 1846 to 1902
Colour Sergeant, British Army in India
First published in PEPPERDINE News December 1996
Compiled by John PEPPERDINE. Norwich.England.
ANCESTRY
John was born Jun 1846 in the fen country north of Boston in Lincolnshire. Here
in 1837 his father Aquila, a farm labourer, had married Rebecca SMITH in her
parish of Sibsey. A national registration system was introduced for the
recording of births, marriages and deaths in England and Wales to commence 1837
Jul 1st and their marriage should be the first PEPPERDINE marriage to appear in
the London indexes. For some reason the event on 1837 Jul 2nd is recorded in the
old type of parish register and was never notified to the registrar. Aquila was
born in the parish of Algarkirk in 1817, son of John, a small farmer or
cottager, and almost certainly named after his uncle Aquila (or Aquila) who was
to emigrate to USA shortly afterwards.
Aquila and Rebecca had a number of sons, all but one left the land for other occupations. George (1839) settled in Sheffield first as a labourer and later as a retail grocer and beer seller. Albert (1843) moved much further north to Darlington and Bishop Auckland where he was first an iron works labourer and later a domestic gardener, Joseph (1848) remained an agricultural labourer and today his descendants are perhaps the most numerous PEPPERDINEs in Lincolnshire, William (1852) joined his elder brother George in Sheffield where he was an ironworks labourer, weighman and lay preacher, Robert(1855) moved with his wife and a growing family from Hull, where they had married, back to Grimsby in Lincolnshire then to Barnsley in Yorkshire and Sheffield, finally retiring with his second wife to Derbyshire. Along the way he had been a fisherman, carter, railway porter and guard and a blacksmith in a brewery.
ENLISTMENT
If these brothers seem to be restlessly affected by the general drift from the
land to seek employment in newly growing towns and industries, consider now
their brother John. I have not yet found him on the 1861 census but he turns up
in the City of York in 1870, how he came to be there is not clear perhaps he had
travelled north to visit his brother Albert and been attracted to the City of
York which he would have passed through on his journey. Whatever the reason, we
can see that he was persuaded to join the army
”At four o’clock on twenty fifth of November 1870 he had signed attestation
papers in the presence of Justice John Colburn to the effect that at 11.15 the
previous morning he had been recruited by sergeant John BROMLEY of the fifth
fusiliers. He is aged 23 and gives his trade as farm servant and in total
provides answers to 16 questions from which we learn that he was not an
apprentice. not married, had never previously applied for a post or served in
the army or been found unfit to serve. This declaration is witnessed by John
ROSE and is followed by another (the form is printed with capital letters in
unusual places, as follows):- “I John PEPPERDINE do solemnly declare, That to
the best of my knowledge and Belief the above answers to the foregoing questions
made and signed by me are true; and that I am willing to be attested for the
Term of Twelve Years provided Her Majesty should so long require my Services,
and also, if abroad, or if a state of War exists between Her Majesty and any
Foreign Power, for such further term, not exceeding Twelve Months, as shall be
directed by the Secretary of State for War, or the Commanding Officer on any
Foreign, Colonial, or Indian Station.” And then:- I John PEPPERDINE do make
Oath, that I will be faithful and bear Allegiance to Her Majesty, Her Heirs, and
Successors, in Person, Crown, and Dignity, against all enemies, and observe and
obey all orders of Her Majesty, Her Heirs, and Successors, and of the Generals
and Officers set over me, So help me God”
Her Majesty of course was Queen Victoria who reigned from 1837 to 1901, was
concerned to consolidate the British interests on the Indian subcontinent and
was declared Empress there in 1877. During her reign the population of Britain
increased from about 25 million to about 41 million.
REGIMENTAL HISTORY
In 1674 Charles II disbanded much of his army. Previously fighting forces had
been raised to meet particular demands and disbanded when the crisis was over.
On this occasion many of the soldiers moved to Holland and the first moves to
establish a standard army took place under William Prince of Orange. The fifth
regiment he established was to become the Northumberland Fusiliers. They
distinguished themselves at the battle of Wilhelmstahl. At St Lucie in 1778 they
earned the right to wear a red and white plume usually in a racoon skin. Their
badge and motto is amongst the oldest in the British army. It depicts St George
and the dragon and reads “Quo Fata Vocant”. This is the only regiment whose
uniform has facings of gosling green. Naturally the regiment traditionally
celebrates St George’s day on 23 April. Wherever they are in the world they have
red and white roses flown out to them on the day dedicated to the patron Saint
of England.
JOHN FRASER
We can learn much about what our John experienced by reading the autobiography
of John Fraser who enlisted in Newcastle on Tyne seven years later. In his book
“Sixty years in uniform” he says:- On journey to Chatham he was allowed 3 days
in London where his party visited Tower of London, St Peter’s church, the
gallery at the Lyceum and the dark stations of the inner circle underground
where steam engines were used and of course did not yet have vacuum brakes. The
streets of London, he said were an unceasing roar of noise, horses hoofs, rattle
of iron rimmed wheels over granite in main streets and cobbled side streets, all
illuminated by flickering gas light.
He then goes on to describe the routine when he arrived at Chatham barracks:- 20
men per barrack room Reveille called 5.30, Drill 6.20 before breakfast.
Breakfast of basin of tea and ration of bread (butter if paid for). The
government provided free ration of 3/4lb of meat and 1lb of bread per day. They
earned 1 shilling per day less daily stoppages of:- 3d for food above basic
ration and 1/2 towards the weekly laundry bill for shirt, towel, socks. Other
expenditure would be 3d for haircut, 1d for library subscription and kit had to
be replaced out of pay. If careful they could save £1 per month to spend on
amusements.
After breakfast there was a free period for smoking etc and tidying the sleeping
quarters. At 10.00 there was a further drill period. 3.15-4.15 daily school
parade for those who could not read. At least a second class certificate was
required for promotion. Others were free to polish their equipment. 4.00 tea
consisted of a basin of tea and 1/4lb of bread. Then free time to drink beer in
canteen 4d per quart or visit coffee bar or make purchases at the stores, e.g.
soap, blacking, matches or pipe clay (used to clean belts and straps)
JOHN PEPPERDINE’S FAMILY
Our John married later than any of his brothers or sisters on 1877Nov 17th at St
John’s Woolwich in South London. At 29 he was already a sergeant in the fifth
regiment Northumberland Fusiliers and based at Chatham barracks, he married
Catherine MORTON of 1 Montague Cottage, Nightingale Vale, daughter of Thomas
Morton a labourer. Children followed and their births help us to trace the
couple’s movements. Amy was born in Chatham (1879) then Albert G (1880) and
Edith Kate (1882 Nov 9th) in Agra India (south of Delhi) followed by Florence
Catherine (1887) in Mean Mear (or Mian Mir) an area outside Lahore where there
was a military cantonment and John Francis (1889) in Murree. The family then
returned to Britain as Ella (1891) and Sidney (1893) are born in Derby
registration district and finally Millicent (1896 May23rd) and Harold (1900) in
neighbouring Shardlow registration district but of these last four only
Millicent survived infancy.
A regiment is an administrative and social unit which provides and maintains one
or two battalions. Staff officers were appointed to one or other of two
branches. The Adjutant General was responsible for human resources, training,
discipline and personnel. The Quarter Master was responsible for supplies,
accommodation, communications and intelligence. As the 2nd battalion was
reformed in 1857 many NCOs were leaving after 21 years service, and as vacancies
arose they were filled by promotion. On his 18th birthday 1 Aug 1878 John FRASER
was promoted to corporal. They were warned to prepare for war with the Zulu and
sergeants and corporals were increased by 8 each.. Corporals duties were less
‘fetch and carry’ and more command of small guards and routine duties. In Feb
1879 John became sergeant over the heads of others as he had a second class
educational certificate. John FRASER quotes his Commanding officer, Colonel
Thomas BIGGS as saying. “Keep in mind that the discipline and smartness of the
battalion depends on the way the sergeants carry out their duties on and off
duty. Be an example in smartness and behaviour. Do your duty fairly and be
afraid of nobody”.
THE JOURNEY
In September a change of orders was received they were to go to India
Unmarried soldiers could only take what they could carry on their backs and John
FRASER had some hard decisions about what to take, whilst it was convenient for
our John to be appointed hospital sergeant, so that he would not be far from his
wife and two infants during the period of travel.
On 30 Dec the troop ship Crocodile was loaded with quartermaster’s stores, mess
property, family baggage and officer’s documents and on Feb 4th they arrived in
Bombay after a trip through the Suez canal. We refer once more to John FRASER’s
account:
India has a characteristic smell, the native’s turbans and saris are of many
colours and they had brown skins and gleaming white teeth. There were bazaars
selling brass, ivory and ebony trinkets, beads and bracelets. Many coloured
fruits and spices. The European streets were spacious and lined with public
offices of Gothic/Saracenic architecture.
Little time was wasted in Bombay they were almost immediately transported by
train through the Western Ghauts to Deolali where they spent five days unpacking
equipment and were each issued with two white suits of cotton drill, one of
khaki and light underclothing. With a months pay saved during the sea voyage
they were sightseeing at the first opportunity.
A cake of tobacco cost 2d/oz and cigars 1/2d each. There was no drill just one
parade per day for inspection. From Deolali the troop train travelled overnight
to Jalalpur then to Agra which was to be their home for the next three years.
There were three days spent moving into the barracks
THE BARRACKS
John FRASER writes:- “we were soon at liberty to explore the new barracks. After
Chatham they were a revelation. there was a certain nobility about them; a
certain affinity in size and shape to a cathedral. One for each company. Long
and wide and spacious, they were cut off in the middle by a transept like mess
room fitted with tables and forms where the whole company could sit down at
table at one time. The two halves for sleeping accommodation consisted each of a
long, high space, fifty feet to the roof and twenty feet wide, the walls
interspersed with arches. The bare stone slabs of the floor added to the effect
of cloistered coolness. the customary shelves, cots and kit-boxes were fitted
between each arch at the side. All this was down the centre of the room while
through the arches on either side was a corridor about fifteen feet wide with
doors opposite the arches. Outside this was a veranda of the same width,
supported by a row of pillars on the outer edge, and beyond this was a plinth of
five steps running right round the building. Although, it was a harmonious
building, the architecture of which gave an effect of nobility and dignity. Add
to this, extreme cleanliness, for it was made of stone that was almost white in
colour and was lime-washed inside once a year, and you will have some idea of
the simple austerity of the place There were ten of these buildings,
symmetrically arranged along a roadway, so that each might catch the wind, the
smaller buildings were of the same type, so as to preserve the effect of
uniformity. They had been built about 1860 after the Indian Mutiny, and nothing
could have been a greater contrast to the uninspired bareness of the usual home
barracks”
The town of Agra was rich in history and specimens of Mogul architecture. The
place had been a fortress for centuries due to its location and the Taj Mahal
etc made this a romantic city in a dead flat plain. Roads were straight with
metalled surfaces and lined with trees.
THE HEAT
It was the hot season and they were sweltering in white clothes, duties were
performed in a desultory fashion. They drilled only once per day at 6.30 am.
Punkah Wallahs worked on ropes from 10.00-4.00pm and 9.00-5.00 cooling the
barracks. At times the temperature could be 185F in sun and 135F in shade and
for all efforts to cool it the hospital could not be kept below 117F on such
days.
What was referred to as sunstroke was a common problem for Europeans in India
but is not a correct medical expression (1) Heat exhaustion is due to loss of
water and salt due to excessive sweating. (2) Heat stroke occurs in hot
conditions combined with high humidity. the body over heats as it cannot lose
heat by sweating. (3) Sunburn is blistering and soreness of the skin. Not until
1840 was any attempt made to provide suitable dress/uniforms. pith helmets were
in use by 1860’s
The soldiers felt they were treated like Lords. Native servants shaved, cooked,
carried meals to table from the cookhouse, swept rooms and carried water from
wells. the daily ration of 1lb of meat was perhaps too much for the climate.
There was a daily allowance of 1 pint of beer and one dram of rum. The NCO
carried a list of names and crossed them off as men were served in tin pots. On
pay day some became drunk by evading the checks and the penalty of 5-7 days
confined to barracks was imposed after at least 24 hours to sober up. If there
was drunkenness it was possibly the fault of the authorities who provided little
alternative recreation for the ordinary soldier. The sergeant’s mess was a
dining room, billiard room, refreshment bar and once a month ladies were
admitted at a quadrille party. All festivities, card parties, billiard
handicaps, smoking concerts were eclipsed by the St George’s Day celebrations.
This began with trooping the colour, sports day, canteen parties and a grand
ball for officers and their friends followed by supper in a marquee.
THE RAINS
There were 5 months without rain each year. All grass dried except the cricket
pitch and wealthy private gardens. The annual storm broke when the wind changed
from E to SW. Parts of India have 500 inches of rain in the monsoon (England has
40 inches per year). The air was now damp and winged and crawling insects
abounded. Frog choruses were heard and of course the mosquitoes brought the risk
of malaria. This weather lasted 3 months to Mid-October when drill, musketry and
field practice resumed.
In 1880 Oct 2nd their sister battalion the ‘first’, passed through Agra to
England after 15 years in India, they had seen the Afghan war 1878-1880 but
involvement was confined to keeping border tribes quiet. Some 250 men did not
wish to return home and joined the second battalion including a Colonel T
ROWLANDS CB of the first battalion who took over from Colonel T BIGGS of the
second. Rowland was a sportsman who enjoyed polo and pig sticking. This was not
to John Fraser’s taste but he did hunt hares and a local kind of partridge. Of
the wild animals only peacocks and monkeys were protected by religious belief.
ROWLAND regularly granted sports leave from Wednesday pm to Sunday pm provided
they avoided trouble with the natives. And they set out in parties of at least
three of which one must speak the local language, if there was no interpreter
and one must be skilled in first aid. They rode two to a trap and carried their
equipment in a further pony trap.
TRAINING
In hot weather there was no surplus energy, but with the onset of cooler weather
drill and other training recommenced. Two companies at a time were told off for
annual two weeks musketry course marching out daily to the rifle range on the
plains. Two other companies engaged in field exercises, outposts, skirmishing in
attack formation preparing defences etc. The remainder were at the will of the
sergeant major and adjutant who kept them busy. One day a week they were route
marching eight miles into country along metalled roads in full kit with band.
The length was increased to fourteen miles as well as providing necessary
training it impressed the local Indian population. Also in Agra at this time
were two batteries of British field artillery and two battalions of native
infantry.
In mid November the climate was more like an English summer but less variable.
The “chota”, or little monsoon rain came at Christmas. Amateur theatricals were
organised, cricket and football were not played by lower class schools but
sergeant’s mess funds enabled NCOs to develop cricket skills. Whilst in Agra our
John was appointed Colour Sergeant. It is unlikely that he would have known this
but his father’s name Aquila which was the Latin word for eagle, was used by the
standard bearers in the Roman armies.
MARCHING ORDERS
The second battalion was eventually ordered to march to Meerut where discipline
was much lighter but where there was opportunity to move out to the hill station
of Chakrata in the foothills of the Himalayas to escape the heat. Here the
monsoon caused the hillsides to turn green with maidenhair fern etc. Fires were
needed in barracks for warmth. There were no mosquitoes or flies but leeches
against which puttees were some protection.
Next they moved on to Mian Mir a few hundred miles away in the plains. The place
had a reputation for unhealthiness and was nicknamed ‘graveyard of India’. In
Nov 1883 Col ROWLANDS returned to England and Pocklington replaced him. Sergeant
Major THOMPSON was sent to the hills in April 1885 with his invalid wife and
John FRASER took on his duties. In May 1885 Rudyard KIPLING arrived as a
journalist with the Civil and Military Gazette, he was eventually to write
‘Soldiers Three’ after chatting to the privates in the mess. He later always
said the Northumberland Fusiliers were his favourite regiment.
In 1885 there was an increase in malaria and in Nov 1885 a large concentration
of troops on manoeuvres (simulating a war). 1886 Mian Mir sergeants and colour
sergeants of 12 years service could return home. Sergeant Major THOMPSON
returned to Newcastle, England and John FRASER was promoted out of H company to
become Sergeant major 1886 May 24th. In Nov 1886 another batch of men returned
to England, and the new draft brought a knowledge of Association Football and
Lawn Tennis. In 1887 during a months leave in Dalhousie hill station John FRASER
met his future wife and they married 1888 March 28th in Gujrat. In October 1887
two men died of cholera in Mian Mir. They marched to a cholera camp 10 miles
into the jungle. Ten more died then cases became less virulent and milder after
8 days with no fresh cases normal life resumed. (Cholera is a water borne
disease which did not spread to Europe until 1830s. It is characterised by
vomiting, violent intestinal pain, dysentery followed by thirst and dehydration
with high mortality rate. To treat the disease a regiment would march until the
symptoms disappeared among the troops). In the first half of 19thC mortality
rate from various causes amongst soldiers was up to 7% per annum, in some
stations up to 10%. A Royal Commission in 1864 reported that this could be
reduced to 2%. Improved barrack accommodation was introduced in 1882 and the
rate fell to 1.7%.
They did not return to Mian Mir but marched on to Rawal Pindi. Prior to 1889 3
to 4 regiments equal one brigade, 3 to 4 brigades equal one division of perhaps
10,000 men, 2 or more divisions equal an army corps and 1 to 2 divisions equal a
field force. In practice troops were scattered through a large number of
different stations, in brigade strength but often in single regiment strength.
After 1862 there were 8 companies of about 100 men each in a battalion. Each
company had a captain assisted by 2 subalterns each responsible for half of the
company. A company would normally have 4 sections each with a sergeant, and the
captain was assisted in administration by a colour sergeant.
Overall the Indian Army was suitable for frontier wars, internal security
emergencies and as an imperial garrison force but inadequate for prolonged major
action. In peacetime regiments were based in cantonments (self contained
military townships usually on the outskirts of the larger cities
No doubt much more can be discovered about John PEPPERDINE and his conditions of
service etc. If any reader can contribute further details, they would be most
welcome
APPENDIX
Our John’s ‘Military History Sheet’ on form B267 tells us:-
He served at home 1870 Nov 25 to 1879 Dec 31 (9 years and 37 days)
in India 1880 Jan 1 to 1889 Dec 19 (9 years and 353 days) and
at home 1889 Dec 20 to 1894 Feb 28 (4 years 71 days)
Full details are:-
Attested Private 1870 Nov 25 to 1873 Jul 24
with good conduct pay first grade from 1872 Nov 25
Promoted Corporal 1873 Jul 25 to 1875 Oct 18
Appointed Lance Sergeant 1875 Oct 19 to 1876 Dec 23
Promoted Sergeant 1876 Dec 24 to 1879 Dec 5
with good conduct pay second grade from 1876 Nov 25
Appointed Hospital Sergeant 1879 Dec 6 to 1880 Mar 25
Reverted Sergeant 1880 Mar 26 to 1881 May 31
Appointed Colour Sergeant 1881 Jun 1 to 1881 Jul 5
completed 12 years service and re engaged at Agra to complete 21 years and
thereby assented to the application to him of the full provisions of Part 11
Army Discipline and Regulations Act 1879
Continued Colour Sergeant 1881 July 6 to 1884 Mar 24
with good conduct pay third grade from 1882 Nov 25
Resigned Colour Sergeant 1884 Mar 25 to 1884 Mar 27
Appointed first class Sergeant instructor mounted Vol.
Struck off the strength of the battalion
Remanded from unattached list returned to military duty
Remanded Sergeant 1884 Sep 1 to 1885 Oct 27
Promoted Colour Sergeant 1885 Oct 28 to 1889 Nov 4
with good conduct pay fourth grade from 1886 Nov 25
continued Sergeant 1889 Nov 5 to 1889 Nov 21
Posted to 1st battalion Notts Foresters 1889 Nov 22 to 1990 Feb 19 i.e. Sherwood
Foresters
The rest is difficult to decipher but mentions York again and suggests that he
spent his final period of service as an instructor.
Our John finished life as a night watchman in a factory in Derbyshire and the
rest of his family events are recorded in the Shardlow registration district of
that county.
John died 1902
Florence Catherine married Charles Frederick WALLIS, a railway employee 1910
Amy married Robert ALLEN in 1912
John Francis had joined the ninth Notts and Derby regiment and was 25 when he
was killed in action in WW1, in Gallipoli 1915 Aug 21
Millicent married John T BATES 1919
Catherine John’s wife died 1935 aged 78
finally Edith Kate who had not married died 1970
What happened to John’s eldest son Albert G PEPPERDINE is not yet known.
Sources
1) From the series Historic Armies and Navies. ‘The Indian Army, The Garrison of
British Imperial India 1822-1922’ by T A HEATHCOTE
2) ‘Sixty years in uniform’ (Stanley Paul and Co) by John FRASERr 1939
3) Service records from Kew Record Office, London ref WO97/3640 were located for
us by Alan WEST, a member of the Lincolnshire Family History Society, who lives
in London.
William PEPPERDINE 1852 to 1896
The personal name index in Sheffield Archive office leads us to a document which mentions William several times as one of a group of trustees involved in the purchase of land and building of a non conformist chapel.
The whole group of trustees of the Brunswick Road, United Methodist
(formerly Wesleyan) Free Church were GEORGE FOX 302 Bainsley Road, Contractor,
JOHN GIBBINS 65 Lopham Street, Foreman, WILLIAM ATTWOOD, 38 Grimesthorpe Road,
Ironworker, JOHN KIRK, 65 Hilton Street, Railway foreman, JOHN HOPKINSON, 150
Whitham Road, Coal agent, WILLIAM NEWTON, 8 Nottingham Street, Carrier, WALTER
TRETHEWAY, 21 Ditchingham Street, Blacksmith, WILLIAM PEPPERDINE, 26 Thorndon
Road, Weighman, ROBERT DICKMAN, 29 Houghton Street, Labourer, ALEXANDER DENIAL,
36 Peter Street, Goods guard, WALTER ROADHOUSE, 66 Fitzalan Street, Tailor, JOHN
FARMER, 2.1 Court Street, Storekeeper, THOMAS LEGGETT, 167 Sutherland Road,
Steel Miller, GEORGE DUTTON, 38 Kingston Street, Furnace man, WILLIAM WOOD, 78
Nottingham Street, Hammerman, THOMAS FREESTONE, 1 Lopham Street, Coal dealer,
THOMAS HENRY MARSDEN, Nether House Grenoside, Cashier.
The land was sold by Charlotte WEBSTER, widow of Samuel WEBSTER deceased for the
sum of £240. A rectangular piece of ground of 144 superficial square yards
approximately.
The children of Samuel Webster also signed the document GEORGE WEBSTER, carter,
SARAH SCOTHERN, wife of James Scothern, and JAMES SCOTHERN, traveller, MARY
HILLMAN, wife of Samuel Henry Hillman, shunter and SAMUEL HENRY HILLMAN,
CHARLOTTE BENTLEY, wife of James Bentley, traveller and JAMES BENTLEY, JOHN
WEBSTER, carter, SAMUEL WEBSTER, carter all residents of Sheffield
1891 June 23 between (1) Joseph Hudson and (2) Charlotte Webster
I Henry Duke of Norfolk Do hereby consent and give licence to Charlotte WEBSTER
of Sheffield in the county of Yorks, Widow, to assign absolutely to -The
Purchasers (Trustees of the Brunswick Road, United Methodist Free Church) 144
square yards adjoining Lopham Street in Brightside Bierlow, Sheffield, and
other tenants which by an indenture of lease dated 21 June 1854 between
(1) Noble Lord Charles, then Duke of Norfolk and (2) Samuel WEBSTER along with
the other premises in the whole 350 square yards
subject to yearly rent of £2-18s-0d demised by the last Duke of Norfolk to the
said Samuel WEBSTER from 25 March 1854 for the term of 99 years
When the land was transferred to the purchasers it had a stables erected upon
most of the 144 square yards
The north westerly side abutting on Lopham Street.
The south westerly abutting on leasehold premises of Luke GREEN
The whole 350 square yard leasehold site running through to Bramber Street on
the north east
As this was a leasehold purchase the trustees had to undertake to pay Charlotte
WEBSTER an annual payment of £1-9s for the remaining period of the 99 year lease
(part of the £2-18s for the whole site which she in turn had to pay to the Duke
of Norfolk in whose estates the whole was located).
The purchasers were entitled to light and air but any windows they installed, in
their proposed building overlooking the rest of Charlotte’s land were to be made
of dull or opaque glass.
The “purchasers” needed a mortgage to finance the building of their church and
another document deals with this arrangement. Transfer of the mortgage took
place on 1892 August 8
Frank PEPPERDINE 1889 to 1915
John Francis, born Murree Rawal Pindi India
John Francis known as Frank enlisted with the 9th Battalion Sherwood
Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) as a private and died in Gallipoli on
Saturday 21st August 1915. He was the son of John and Catherine
formerly Morton of 13 Market Street, Draycott, Derby He now lies at Helles
Memorial, Turkey. Grave reference Panel 150 to 152. the memorial stands on the
tip of the Gallipoli Peninsular and takes the form of an obelisk over 30 metres
high which can be seen by passing shipping. It commemorates the whole of the
Gallipoli campaign so far as the forces of the Commonwealth were concerned in
it. The names include over 20,000 of those with no known grave from the United
Kingdom, India and Newfoundland at Suvia, Helles and Anzac and those of
Australians at Helles.
Almost 1,400 of the names are officers and men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, over 15,000 soldiers of the United Kingdom and Australia and over 1,500 soldiers of the Indian Army, all of whom fell on the Peninsula. In addition there are over 1,000 names of soldiers of the United Kingdom and Australia who were lost at sea, and over 1,700 soldiers of the United Kingdom who died and were buried at sea after the evacuation of the Peninsula. Also inscribed on the memorial are the names of all the ships that took part in the campaign and the titles of the army formations and units which served on the Peninsular. There are almost 21,000 casualties of the 1914-18 war named on the Helles Memorial
Percy PEPPERDINE 1893 to 1917
Percy born Sheffield 1893
Percy was the eleventh of fifteen children of Robert by his first wife Susanna
formerly Gould and was born 13 October 1893 in Sheffield
Private 13034 in the 8th Battalion King’s own Yorkshire Light
Infantry he died 10th October 1917 shortly before his 24th
birthday. He now lies in the Railway Dugouts Burial Ground at Ieper,
west-Vlaanderen, Belgium grave ref IV, H, 27. this cemetery is 2 kilometres
south-east of Ieper town centre
Truman PEPPERDINE 1912 to 1944
Trueman PEPPERDINE born Canada private Nova Scotia Highlanders
In Trueman’s case the Debt of Honour entry on the internet is much more
informative and the full text is reproduced below.
“In memory of Trueman PEPPERDINE private F/15346 North Nova Scotia Highlanders
R.C.I.C who died on Saturday 21 October 1944 aged 31.
Citation: blank
Additional information: Son of George and Rose PEPPERDINE of Springfield
Cumberland Co Nova Scotia
Cemetery: Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Maldegem, Oost-Viaanderen Belgium
Graves or Reference: XI. G. 6
Location Adegem Canadian War Cemetery is located midway between Brugge (17 km)
and Gent (26 km) on the N9 which connects the two towns. From Brugge, Adegem is
approached via Sijsele and Maldegem. On reaching Adegem the cemetery is located
on the Prins Boudewijniaan on the right hand side of the N9
Historical information: In the last week of September 1944, the Allies held the city of Antwerp, but the Germans held both shores of the Scheldt estuary, so that the port of Antwerp could not be used. The task of clearing the southern shore of the estuary was allotted to the 3rd Canadian Division, aided by the 4th Canadian Armoured Division and the 52nd Division. Their operations lasted from October until the beginning of November 1944; by 3rd November the Germans had been cleared from the north-west corner of Belgium and the south shore of the Scheldt was free. There had been fierce fighting for two weeks for the crossing of the Leopold Canal. The majority of the men buried at Adegem died during the operations for clearance of the south bank of the Scheldt but many Canadians who lost their lives elsewhere in Belgium were also brought here for burial. A number of isolated graves from various communal cemeteries and churchyards in Belgium have now been concentrated into this cemetery. There is 1 unidentified burial of the 1914-18 war and there are 1,119 burials of the 1939-45 war in this site, of these 44 are unidentified