Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

James Henry Prince

1866 –1926

Served in India, South Africa and during WWI

• Melanie Hilton

Unmarked grave James Henry Prince (1866-1926)

James was born in 1866 in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, the son of James and Sarah Prince. His parents were both woollen weavers. James was the fourth of the thirteen children that Sarah would give birth to.

He and his younger brother Charley were baptised together 1 November 1868 at St Stephen’s, Trowbridge. Sadly, Charley died just a year later.

In 1871 the family lived at 22, Bond Street, Trowbridge.

On 5 May 1873 James was admitted to Trinity Boys’ School, Trowbridge which had opened just weeks before in Park Street.

By the time of the 1881 census James was living at home and, aged 14, was working as a woollen spinner.

He became a labourer but signed up to the 3^rd Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment, 29 December 1885. He stated that he was a Wesleyan.

James was promoted to Corporal 3 October 1888, and in 1891 was a Lance Sergeant based at Le Marchant Barracks, Devizes. He was promoted to Sergeant in September that year.

From his medical records we can see that he was in Jersey in April 1886 and Ireland from at least August 1887 to February 1893, then in Aldershot and Devizes, June 1893 to July 1894.

James married Alice Pattinson at Holy Trinity church, Trowbridge, 7 October 1896. His occupation was “Sergeant inspector”. Their first child, Alice Victoria, was born in 1897 in Devizes.

James was on  Guernsey in October 1897.

Doreen Elizabeth was born in Devises in 1898 and was baptised 20 November.

 On 7 March 1898 James was medically “examined for service in India”. He passed and embarked on the SS Dunera, a troop ship. He served in India 11 February 1899 to 21 June 1901, returning home to England on the SS Hardinge.

Alice and the children travelled with him, and sadly little Doreen died in Quetta (now in Pakistan) 15 July 1899 of “a slow continual fever”. Henry George (Harry) was born at Quetta 6 July 1900.

James was in the UK for only 13 days in 1901 and then went out to St Helena en route to South Africa where the Boer war was being fought.

He returned to the UK on 11 September 1902.

Marjorie Doreen was born in 1903 in Devizes and Stanley James in 1905 in Cricklade, Wilts.

James was discharged from the Army at Exeter, 7 October 1907, having served 21 years 283 days. He left with the rank of Colour Sergeant and with a character described as, “Exemplary. Thoroughly sober and reliable”. He had been employed as the Officers’ Mess sergeant and “understood catering etc”. He held the Queen’s South Africa medal and the Long Service and Good Conduct medals and was entitled to an Army pension.

His discharge papers show that James was 41 years old, 5’6” tall with a sallow complexion, had blue-grey eyes and brown hair and w a tattoo on his right forearm. His address on discharge was Trowbridge.

James put his experience in running an officers’ mess to advantage and secured a position as a club steward as the 1911 census shows. The family was living at 71, Gloucester Road, Trowbridge, a neat little semi-detached house in Bath stone. All four children were at school.

The 1^st World War broke out in June 1914 and on 4 September that year James volunteered and re-joined his old regiment as a private, giving his religion this time as Church of England. He was promoted to acting Mess Sergeant on the 8 September and appears to have held that post until he was discharged 19 December 1918 “being no longer physically fit for war service.” His address on discharge was 22, Frome Road, Trowbridge, Wilts.

What prompted the family to move to Berkhamsted after a lifetime based in Trowbridge is not known. Perhaps the employment prospects for Marjorie and Stanley were better closer to London.

Whatever the reason, in  June 1921 they were living at 8, Park Street, Berkhamsted. James, now retired, gave his previous occupation as “Temporary barrack warden” employed by “Officer i/c Barracks RASC [Royal Army Service Corps] Wareham sub div.”

Marjorie was working at Corby, Palmer & Stewart’s mantle factory in Lower King’s Road and Stanley was employed as a junior clerk at Smith & Nephew.

James died June 1926 aged 61.