Boddington-Ingram Family History James BULLOCK

James BULLOCK
(1834-1896)

Family Links

Spouses/Children:

1. Amelia Barbara THOMPSON

BULLOCK

2. Ellen CAHILL

3. Mary Ann LEYLAND

James BULLOCK

Born: 5 Sep 1834, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India
Christened: 21 Oct 1834, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India ⁴
Marriage (1): Amelia Barbara THOMPSON on 16 Aug 1858 in <Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India> ¹
Marriage (2): Ellen CAHILL on 21 Apr 1863 in Palavaram, Tamil Nadu, India ²
Marriage (3): Mary Ann LEYLAND on 16 Oct 1879 in Emmanuel Church, South Black Town, (Georgetown), Madras (Chennai) Tamil Nadu, India ³
Died: 10 Feb 1896, Bangalore (Bengaluru), Karnataka, India aged 61 ⁵
Buried: 12 Feb 1896, St. John's Cemetery, (Kalpalli) Bangalore, (Bengaluru), Karnataka, India ⁶

Notes:

James BULLOCK was born in September 1834 in Cuddalore on the Coromandel Coast of southeast India. The transcribed record of his baptism shows his father as Pensioner Sergeant William Bullock of the General Depot (for European Pensioners), Cuddalore and his mother simply as Anna.

So far, there are no details of his adolescent life. He is known to have enlisted in the 2nd Madras (European) Light Infantry ^{Footnote
[1]} in 1851 at the age of 17, and rose to the rank of Sergeant in the Quartermaster Department. In 1856 his regiment was sent to Burma, but the following year it was recalled to India upon the outbreak of the Indian Rebellion (1st Indian War of Independence). In January 1858, his regiment transferred to Crown control and was posted to Meerut. James meanwhile had volunteered for service with the 1st Pegu Police Battalion which was at that time being raised in Palavaram for service in the Pegu province of Burma. ^{Footnote
[2]} He transferred and was appointed Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant.

James is known to have married three times and fathered at least 17 children. His first marriage was to Amelia Barbara Thompson in August 1858 in Cuddalore. In the entry of his marriage, he is recorded as a bachelor aged 24 and his occupation is shown as a QM Sergeant in the Pegu Police Battalion. ^{Footnote [2]} His father is shown simply as Thomas BULLOCK . The entry does not include details of his mother. The father of his 18 year old bride Amelia is listed as George Thompson.

The 1st Pegu Police Battalion deployed for service in former British Burma in September of 1858 and James, accompanied by his newly wedded wife set sail from Madras with the battalion, arriving at Pegu province some two weeks later. Tragically, Amelia Barbara died on 27 June 1859 only a few months after arriving at their Garrison quarters in Shwegyin. Evidently there was an infant child who also died. (So far no details of the infant's death has been found). The record of her burial states that Amelia Barbara, wife of QM Sergeant Bullock 1st Pegu Police Bn. died of Dysentry and was buried at the military cemetery at Toungoo. The entry is certified by Major H.W Blake, (Commanding 1st. Bn. Pegu Police Bn.), Shwegyin. James continued to serve with the battalion as QM until it returned to Palavaram for disbandment in late 1862.

His second marriage to Ellen Cahill took place in 1863 at St. Stephen's church in Palavaram. He is shown as a Widower aged 29 years and his occupation is shown as Quarter Master Sergeant, Pegu Sapper Battalion ^{Footnote
[2]}. His father is shown simply as Thomas BULLOCK. His bride, Ellen is said to be 16 years of age and her father is listed as James Cahill. Following the disbandment of the Pegu Police/Sapper Battalion in 1863, James returned to his parent unit, (now re-named 105th Regiment of Foot (Madras Light Infantry) which, at that time was stationed in Meerut. Later that same year, he was promoted to Warrant Officer and transferred to the "Effective Supernumeraries", (India Unattached List). In 1864, he was appointed Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant, WO1 (RQMS) to the 40th Regiment Madras Native Infantry (MNI) serving in Cannanore, (Kannur). His first three children were born here. He then appears to have been posted to Saugor in present day Madhya Pradesh after the birth of their third child Albert Henry Andrew in 1869. The family remained in Saugor for the next two or three years before returning to Cannanore (Kanor) about 1872. He was formally discharged with Pension from the 105th Regiment of Foot, (his parent regiment) on completion of indentured service in April 1873. He continued his service with the 40th MNI as Regimental Quartermaster, (Effective Supernumeraries) in Cannanore and Coimbatore until about 1877.

According to family "parlour" talk, his second wife Ellen died tragically in a kitchen fire accident in their home in Cannanore in 1875 or 1876. So far however, no record of her death has been found. Shortly after her death, James left the 40th Regt MNI and the military to enter the Prison Service at Salem . It was here that he is said to have sent for and employed Mary Ann LEYLAND as Housekeeper and Governess to his young children. Some years later Mary Ann became his third wife and bore him another ten children. The transcribed entry of his third marriage lists James as a widower of 44 years and his occupation is shown as "Head Jailer, Central Prison, Salem". His father is shown to be Thomas William BULLOCK . The entry does not state who his mother was. Mary Ann is shown to be 24 years of age and her father is listed as Richard Leyland.

He and his family evidently moved about the Presidency during his time in the Prison Service. He is known to have been living and working in Vizagapatam (Visakhapatnam) in 1889 when his 9 month old son Stephen Patrick Cahill died of malaria.

Two of his daughters and all of his sons with the exception of Albert, were educated at the Lawrence Memorial Military Asylum, (latterly Lawrence Memorial Royal Military School), Lovedale, near Ootacamund in the Nilgiri Hills.

James retired from the Prison Service in 1890 and lived with his wife and three daughters in Bangalore until his death on February 10th, 1896 at the age of 62. In his will, he bequeathed all his worldy possessions, property and pensions to his wife Mary Ann, certain bonds and indentures to his sons, and the dividends from his Company shares for the maintenance and support of his three unmarried daughters Ellen Millicent, Jane Maria Margaret and Ruth Anna Verduyn. James is said to have died of "Chronic Diarrhoea", (probably amoebic dysentry). He lies buried in St. John's (Kalpalli) cemetery in Bangalore. ⁷ ⁸ ¹⁷

Footnote ^[1]. The 2nd Madras (European) Regiment, (motto 'Cede Nullis') was raised by Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Brown-Dyce at Arnee in 1839. In 1842 it became a light infantry unit. In 1856 the regiment was sent to Burma, but the following year it returned to India during the Indian Mutiny (1857-59). In 1858 it joined other East India Company European units in transferring to Crown control. The following year it was renamed the 2nd Madras Light Infantry and in September 1862 it formally joined the British Army as the 105th Regiment of Foot (Madras Light Infantry). The 105th continued to serve in India until 1872, when it was sent to garrison the port of Aden for two years. The regiment then sailed to England for the first time, landing in 1874. It remained there until 1878, when it was sent first to Guernsey and then to Ireland the following year. The regiment was still in Ireland in 1881, when it merged with the 51st (2nd Yorkshire West Riding) Regiment of Foot to form The King's Own Light Infantry (South Yorkshire Regiment).
With acknowledgements to the National Army Museum.

Footnote ^[2]. The 1st Pegu Police Battalion, (later re-named Pegu Sapper Battalion) was raised in 1858 at Palavarum, near Madras for service in the recently annexed province of Pegu , British Burma. The Officers, Warrant Officers and SNCOs were seconded from existing Madras Native Infantry (MNI) Regiments and the other ranks, (sepoys) levied from the local Telugu speaking populations. The battalion was commanded by Major H. W. Blake from the 36th Regiment MNI. The battalion, accompanied by the wives and dependants of married Officers and SNCOs, set sail from Madras for Rangoon in September 1858, and then proceeded by boat up the Irrawaddy River to Pegu province, (present day Bago Division). It remained in Burma on garrison duties in Shwegyin and Moulmein until 1862 when it was relieved and recalled to India. The battalion returned to Palavaram where it was finally disbanded in 1863. (From the Memoirs of Captain David Dinwiddie, 1887). ⁹

Events:

1. He enlisted for military service with 2nd Madras (European) Light Infantry (Service No: 987) in 1851 in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India. ⁷

3. He volunteered for secondment with the 1st Pegu Police Battalion and on acceptance, was appointed Quarter Master Sergeant in 1858.

2. He served in the military as (Quarter Master Sergeant), Pegu Police Battalion. In 1858-1862 in Pegu Province, (Burma), Myanmar.

4. He transferred to the Effective Supernumeraries, (India Unattached List) and was seconded to 40th Madras Native Infantry in 1863 in Cannanore (Kannur), Kerala, India.

5. He served in the military WO II (RQMS) 40th Madras Native Infantry (seconded) in 1864-1873 in Cannanore (Kannur), Kerala, India. ¹⁰

6. He was discharged from his parent regiment, (105th Regiment of Foot) on completion of regular indentured service, (22½ years) in 1873 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. ¹¹

7. He served in the military India Unattached List (40th Bn MNI) in 1871-1877 in Cannanore (Kannur), Kerala, India. ⁸

8. He was employed as a Prison Governor from about 1878 to 1894 in Salem, Tamil Nadu, India.

James married Amelia Barbara THOMPSON, daughter of George THOMPSON and Mary Ann, on 16 Aug 1858 in <Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India>.¹ (Amelia Barbara THOMPSON was born on 28 May 1840 in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India, christened on 6 Jul 1840 in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India,¹² died on 27 Jun 1859 in Toungoo, Pegu, Myanmar (Burma) and was buried on 28 Jun 1859 in Toungoo, Pegu, Myanmar (Burma) ¹³.) There were evidently no surviving children from this short marriage.

James next married Ellen CAHILL, daughter of James CAHILL and Diana NEWBOLD, on 21 Apr 1863 in Palavaram, Tamil Nadu, India.² (Ellen CAHILL was born <1847> in Tamil Nadu, India and died <1875> in <Kannur, (Cannanore), Kerala, India>.)

James next married Mary Ann LEYLAND, daughter of Richard LEYLAND and Mary Ann WHITAKER, on 16 Oct 1879 in Emmanuel Church, South Black Town, (Georgetown), Madras (Chennai) Tamil Nadu, India.³ (Mary Ann LEYLAND was born on 10 Feb 1855 in Madras, (Chennai) Tamil Nadu, India ¹⁴, christened on 25 Apr 1855 in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, died on 8 Oct 1909 in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India ¹⁵ ¹⁶ and was buried on 10 Oct 1909 in St Mary's Church, Fort St. George, Madras (Chenai) Tamil Nadu, India ¹⁵.)

Sources

1 India Office Records, Parish Register Transcripts from the Presidency of Madras. (Ecclesiastical Returns 1698-1948 India. Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections, (APAC). Office of the Registrar General, British Library, London). Rec. Date: 11 May 2001, IOR Ref: Z/N/2/39 folio 186. Cit. Date: 14 Jun 2003.

2 India Office Records, Parish Register Transcripts from the Presidency of Madras. (Ecclesiastical Returns 1698-1948 India. Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections, (APAC). Office of the Registrar General, British Library, London). Rec. Date: 11 May 2001, IOR Ref: Z/N/2/44 folio 154. Cit. Date: 14 Jun 2003.

3 India Office Records, Parish Register Transcripts from the Presidency of Madras. (Ecclesiastical Returns 1698-1948 India. Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections, (APAC). Office of the Registrar General, British Library, London). Rec. Date: 11 May 2001, IOR Ref: Z/N/2/60 folio 286 [c/726]. Cit. Date: 17 May 2002.

4 India Office Records, Parish Register Transcripts from the Presidency of Madras. (Ecclesiastical Returns 1698-1948 India. Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections, (APAC). Office of the Registrar General, British Library, London). Rec. Date: 11 May 2001, IOR Ref: Z/N/2/16 folio 34. Cit. Date: 17 Mar 2002.

5 India Office Records, Parish Register Transcripts from the Presidency of Madras. (Ecclesiastical Returns 1698-1948 India. Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections, (APAC). Office of the Registrar General, British Library, London). Rec. Date: 11 May 2001, IOR Ref: Z/N/2/79 Folio 180. Cit. Date: 17 May 2002.

6 India Office Records, Parish Register Transcripts from the Presidency of Madras. (Ecclesiastical Returns 1698-1948 India. Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections, (APAC). Office of the Registrar General, British Library, London). Rec. Date: 11 May 2001, IOR Ref: Z/N/2/78 Folio 180. Cit. Date: 17 May 2002.

7 The War Office (British Army Service Records), Royal Hospital Chelsea: Admission Books, Registers and Papers 1702-1876. Pensions payable in the Colonies. (War Office, Whitehall, London dated March 1873), NA Ref: WO 23 Item 152. Cit. Date: 23 Feb 2017.

8 The War Office, British Army, Worldwide Index of serving soldiers, period 01.04.1871-30/06/1871 (War Office, Whitehall, London dated June 1871), NA Ref: WO 12 Item 9979. Cit. Date: 23 Feb 2017.

9 Dinwiddie, David, Memoirs of Capt. David Dinwiddie, Adjt. Pegu Police (Sapper) Bn., MNI (1858-1863) (Letter to Alexander Dinwiddie, Madras, India 1887 Private Collection BHG Duncan). Rec. Date: 14 Feb 2006, Cit. Date: 13 Jun 2006.

10 The War Office (British Army Service Records), Royal Hospital Chelsea: Admission Books, Registers and Papers 1702-1876. Pensions payable in the Colonies. (War Office, Whitehall, London dated March 1873), NA Ref: WO23 Item 152. Cit. Date: 1 Apr 2010.

11 The War Office (British Army Service Records), Royal Hospital Chelsea: Admission Books, Registers and Papers 1702-1876. Pensions payable in the Colonies. (War Office, Whitehall, London dated March 1873), NA Ref: WO 23 Item 152. Cit. Date: 1 Apr 2010.

12 India Office Records, Parish Register Transcripts from the Presidency of Madras. (Ecclesiastical Returns 1698-1948 India. Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections, (APAC). Office of the Registrar General, British Library, London). Rec. Date: 11 May 2001, IOR Ref: Z/N/2/20 folio 21 (1840). Cit. Date: 15 Jun 2002.

13 India Office Records, Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bengal, 1713-1948 India. (Ecclesiastical Returns 1698-1948 India. Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections, (APAC). Office of the Registrar General, British Library, London). Rec. Date: 17 Jan 2002, IOR Ref: Z/N/1/96 (Jul-Dec 1859). Cit. Date: 16 Nov 2003.

14 India Office Records, Parish Register Transcripts from the Presidency of Madras. (Ecclesiastical Returns 1698-1948 India. Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections, (APAC). Office of the Registrar General, British Library, London). Rec. Date: 11 May 2001, IOR Ref: Z/N/2/34 folio 127.

15 India Office Records, Parish Register Transcripts from the Presidency of Madras. (Ecclesiastical Returns 1698-1948 India. Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections, (APAC). Office of the Registrar General, British Library, London). Rec. Date: 11 May 2001, IOR Ref: Z/N/2/105-106 (1909). Cit. Date: 4 Jul 2001.

16 Extract from "Domestic Occurrences" reported in The Times of India newspaper published in Madurai, (Madras Presidency) (The Times Group, Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd). Rec. Date: 6 Dec 2010, Oct 1909. Cit. Date: 19 Apr 1999.

17British Library, India Office Records (APAC) Wills, Probate and Administration. Last Will and Testament of James Bullock, Quarter Master Sergeant (Retired) and Head Jailer (Retired) of Bangalore, signed dated 18th January 1896 IOR Ref: Z/L/AG/34. Cit. Date: 06 Feb 2016.