SEYMOUR JAMES CAREY
Born: 5th August 1874, Margate, Kent.
Died: 6th January 1900; age: 25; KiA during a night attack near Rensburg, Colesberg, Northern Cape, South Africa.
Residence: 21, Rosary Gardens, South Kensington, Middlesex.
Seymour entered the Royal Military College, at Sandhurst in July 1893.
In January 1895, Seymour entered the 1st Battalion, of the Suffolk Regiment, as a 2nd Lieutenant, before progressing to Lieutenant in May 1897.
Seymour went out to South Africa with 1st Battalion in November 1899.
Rank: Lieutenant.
Regiment: Suffolk Regiment, 1st Battalion, South Africa Field Force.
Clasps Awarded: Cape Colony.
CENSUS
1881 10, Dagmar Road, Camberwell, South London.
Seymour was 6 years old and living with his parents & sister.
Arthur Carey, 38, a Civil Engineer, born Dalston, Middlesex.
Elizabeth Carey (nee Skipper), 40, born 28, Russell Square, St. George Bloomsbury, London.
Laura Adeline Carey, 11, born Southend, Essex.
1 nurse.
1891 83, Mount Ephraim, Speldhurst, Kent.
Seymour was 16 years old, an Army Student. He was living with his parents & siblings.
Arthur, 48, a Civil Engineer.
Elizabeth, 50.
Laura, 21.
Arthur Reginald Carey, 20, a 2nd Lieutenant – The Duke of Cambridge’s Own, Middlesex Regiment, 4th Battalion, born Southend.
3 visitors.
Seymour was educated at St. Paul’s School, London – entered as a Capitation Scholar in 1887 – the same time as Gilbert Keith Chesterton. Seymour resided right next to St. Paul’s School, at 56, Talgarth Road, West Kensington. ‘The Pauline’ records in April 1889, that Seymour passed 3 of the Army preliminary exams – but not all of them. Then in July 1889, he passed ‘all subjects’ of the Army preliminary exams. In February 1893, Seymour took part in a school gymnastic competition.
St. Paul’s School information courtesy of Ginny Dawe-Woodings – Archivist, The Kayton Library, St. Paul’s School, London.
From November 1898 – July 1899, Seymour served as Chief of Police at Monofatsi, Heraklion, Crete. He was mentioned in Despatches for his services.
Probate to Arthur Carey – father, a Gentleman.
Soldiers’ Effects to Arthur Carey Esq. – father.
Seymour is also remembered on a plaque at St. Mary Abbots Church, Kensington Church Street, Kensington, London, and on the St. Paul’s School, South African War Memorial, unveiled in June 1906, at the school’s old site at Hammersmith.
Seymour’s maternal grandfather, Charles Skipper (1789 – 1884), was a banknote printer, a bookseller, stationer, lithographer & letter press printer, at No.1, St. Dunstan’s Hill, Great Tower Street, London. He became the Justice of the Peace for Middlesex, Essex & Westminster, and Deputy Lieutenant for London.
One of the notable Battles with a large loss of Suffolk life was the “Battle of Suffolk hill” at Colesberg, Northern Cape 5th- 6th January 1900. The hill was originally called Red or Grassy Hill. The Suffolk regiment was ordered to make a night attack on a Boer position on the heights, four companies, 354 of all ranks, set out at midnight under the command of Col. Watson. The Suffolks were met by a storm of bullets. The Colonel was amongst the first to fall, and the party later retired with 11 officers and 150+ men killed, wounded or captured.
Leave a Reply