The Boddington-Ingram Family History

Thomas William BULLOCK

• Born: 1780, <Roxburgshire, Scotland>
• Marriage (1): Antonia about 1812 in <.. India>
• Marriage (2): Anna VERDUIJN on 20 Aug 1827 in the former Church Of St. Francis Xavier, Cochin (Kochi), Kerala, India ¹
• Died: 23 Apr 1865, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India aged 85 ²
• Buried: 24 Apr 1865, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India ²

   Other names for Thomas were Thomas BULLUCK and William BULLUCK.

Notes:

Bullock. Research into the origins of this family name shows it to be English and seated mainly in the area around the Wirral in Cheshire, Staffordshire and Lancashire with a few families occurring in the Scottish border counties and in northern Ireland. It seems that many of the Bullocks emigrated in the 18th and 19th centuries. Most of them sailed to America and Canada to settle. (President Theodore Rooseveldt's mother was evidently a Bullock). Some set off for the Far East and Australia either to settle, or as employees of one of the major European trading companies. Others were serving soldiers whose Regiments were posted to India and other parts of the former British Empire.

According to family lore, Thomas (William) Bullock was of Scottish or Anglo-Scottish descent and was born in Roxburghshire, (Scottish Borders), in about 1780. It is known that at the age of 17, he enlisted as a Trumpeter in the 25th Light Dragoons, (Gwynn's Horse or Hussars), later re-numbered 22nd, which had been raised in 1794 for service in India. He left Britain for the Cape, and then for India with his Regiment in the late 1790's. Arriving at Madras in December 1798, he later saw action at the Siege of Seringapatam, (Mahratta War) in 1799 and also took part in the Expedition to Java in 1811. After returning to India, he again saw action with his Regiment at the battle of Mahidpur in 1817. He is known to have married twice. The official record of his first marriage to Antonia is yet to be verified, but it is clear from the record of the birth and baptism of their first child in 1813, that she was a native (Indian) woman. There were altogether seven children from this first marriage.

In 1819 the 22nd Light Dragoons was disbanded and Thomas transferred to the 7th Native Light Cavalry, (Madras Native Cavalry) as Trumpet Major where he remained until pensioned off from the service in 1829. Having elected to remain in India, he was not sent home but admitted to the General Pensions Depot in Cuddalore, a small residential cantonment for European military pensioners and their families.

His second wife was Ann Verdyn, (born Anna Verduijn), another "local" girl of Dutch/Indian descent from the former Dutch colony at Cochin. The marriage was unaccountably omitted from the ecclesiastical returns, but a brief entry appears in the Register of Omissions and Corrections for the Madras Presidency. The marriage was solemnized at the former church of St. Francis Xavier in Fort Cochin in 1827. Thomas is shown as a widower and Ann as a spinster "of this place". Their ages are not shown but based on the record of their deaths, Thomas would have been about 47 years old and Anna about 16 at the time. Neither of their parents are listed, nor is Thomas' occupation shown. The officiating Minister was Rev. Samuel Ridsdale and the marriage was witnessed by J.P Heghtreischer, J. Van Wullen and H.R Lunel. There were four children from this second marriage, all born in Cuddalore. In the records of their births, Thomas (William) is shown to be a "pensioned Serjeant of the General Pensions Depot" (Cuddalore).

Sergeant Thomas (William) Bullock died in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu on 23 Apr 1865 at the ripe old age of 85, and was buried in St. John's Church where he is listed in the register as Thomas (alias William) Bullock, a Pensioned Sergeant.

In his Will, signed and dated 4th June 1852, he left "...all my Pension, Arrears of Pension, House Furniture and all Effects" to his beloved wife Anna, who was also named his sole Executrix. He also explains the acquisition of his alias (William) as follows: "...I solemnly aver that my proper name is Thomas Bulluck, that I enlisted and was married under that name but through some accident or error I was transferred from His Majesty's to the Honourable Company's Service under the name of William, by which name I am at present designated". The document is signed "Thomas Bulluck" and notarized by the Deputy Collector (sic), Cuddalore. ^{3 4 5}

Events:

1. He enlisted for military service with 25th Light Dragoons (Gwynne's Horse) circa 1797 in England.

2. He served in the military 25th (later 22nd) Light Dragoons (Gwyn's Horse/Hussars) circa 1797-1819 in India.

3. He served in the military 7th Native Light Cavalry (Madras Native Cavalry) in 1819-1825 in India.

4. He retired General Pensions Depot in 1829-1865 in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India.

Thomas married Antonia about 1812 in <.. India>. (Antonia was born about 1795 in <.. India> and died circa 1824 in <Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India>.)

Thomas next married Anna VERDUIJN, daughter of Josef Librecht VERDUIJN and Ruth Anna, on 20 Aug 1827 in the former Church of St. Francis Xavier, Cochin (Kochi), Kerala, India.¹ (Anna VERDUIJN was born circa 1811 in <Cochin (Kochi), Kerala, India>, died on 6 May 1893 in Chennai, (Madras), , Tamil Nadu, India ^{6 7} and was buried on 7 May 1893 in St. Thomas Mount, Chennai (Madras) Tamil Nadu, India ⁶.)