TOPIC:

Charles Downes went by quite a few names but will best be remembered for leaving his wife and young daughter virtually destitute in the harsh environment of Victorian England. Here is his story:

(John) Charles (Henry) Downes

Private, 3rd Hussars & 2nd Dragoon Guards
3rd Class Trooper, South African Constabulary – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony & Orange Free State

Charles Downes was truly a case of what you see in terms of his medal is not representative of the man himself. In other words it doesn’t tell the full story.

Born in Sutton, Newport, Staffordshire on 25 May 1864 he was the son of Henry Downes, an Agricultural Labourer and his wife Hannah. At the time of the 1871 England census the family were living in rural Shropshire and, aside from his parents Charles was joined in the dwelling by siblings William (11) and Alfred (9)

Of Charles in the 1881 Census there was no sign. His parents and brother William had moved to Stokeheath Farm near Market Dreighton and it was only in 1891 that he surfaced on census day as a Visitor in the house of his brother Alfred who was an Agricultural Labourer in Astley Abbots, Shropshire. He had married a year before Elizabeth Blackwell in Settrington, York on 28 April 1890 at which time he provided his names as John Charles Henry. It was she who accompanied him on his visit to his brother. Interestingly Charles is recorded as being a Pensioner but was only 27 years of age.

The picture becomes clearer when we look at the Short Service Attestation Forms he completed at Hounslow on 14 July 1884. Claiming to have been born in the parish of Sutton in Newport in the County of Salop (old name for Shropshire) he was 19 years 3 months old and had, according to him, prior service of 2 years with the Shropshire Regiment.

A Labourer by occupation he was physically, 5 feet 7 inches in height, weighed 134 pounds and had a ruddy complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. By way of distinguishing marks he had the scar of a boil on the back of his neck. Having been found fit for the army he was assigned no. 2126 and the rank of Private with the 3rd Hussars. It wasn’t long before he blotted his copybook by going AWOL from 19 December 1884 to 12 January 1885 for which “Christmas break” he earned himself a 260 day sentence of imprisonment having been tried and convicted – this was from 14 February 1885 until his release on 31 October of that year.

For whatever reason his release coincided with a transfer to the 2nd Dragoon Guards with no 2995 on 1 November 1885. No sooner had Downes joined the Dragoons when they embarked for India where they were to spend from 21 November 1885 until 15 June 1888, a period of 2 years 267 days. It was whilst stationed at Umbella (India) that he sustained an injury, the Dilatation of Abdominal Artery, place of origin unknown.

He also, according to his medical record, picked up the normal soldiers dose of scurvy and syphilis whilst stationed there. Having returned home in July 1888 he whiled away his time before being discharged after 5 years 268 days service on 7 April 1890 “having been found medically unfit for further service”

His character on being discharged was classed as “latterly good” – a clear reference to the time he had spent in confinement. His intended place of residence was c/o J.C.H. Downes, Stokeheath Farm, Market Dreighton, Shropshire.

This would clarify why he was regarded as a Pensioner by the enumerator at the time of the census.

Downes now disappeared from the scene but, with the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War in October 1899 he couldn’t resist the call to arms and, on 21 January 1901 he walked into the S.A.C. Recruiting Office in York and completed the Application form for Candidates. Now aged 34 (he was actually 36) he confirmed that he was with the Reserve and had served with the 2nd Dragoon Guards providing the names of Major Torrance and Capt. Lamb as referees to his application. He was now a Miner by occupation and still married to Elizabeth Downes of 31 St. James Street, Heywood, Lancashire.

He claimed to have been discharged from the Dragoons with “very good character, but certificate of discharge lost” (conveniently perhaps?)

He was physically still the same height but had picked up weight and now came in at 151 pounds with a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. No mention was made of his previous discharge on medical grounds and he was passed as Fit.

Having signed up he sailed for South Africa landing at Cape Town on 27 March 1901. On 4 April 1901 he signed the Attestation Paper and was assigned no. E1532 and the rank of 3rd Class Trooper.

All went initially well with Downes until, on 26 December 1901 at Boshoff in the Orange Free State, where he was stationed as part of 13 Troop, E Division, he was found guilty of ill-treating a horse and fined £1.

His marriage certificate followed Downes out to South Africa (he was accepted into the S.A.C. as a Married candidate) accompanied by an affidavit signed by the Assistant Curate of Settrington which read as follows,

“Certificate that man is married to a European.

I hereby certify that Elizabeth Downes (formerly Blackwell), wife of John Charles Henry Downes is an English woman, being born at Scagglethorpe in the County of York, England in the year 1859.

Written by my hand this 4th day of November 1901.”

Downes got on with the business of policing a wide expanse of land in the Orange Free State. It wouldn’t have been without its perils as the Boer Commandos that remained in the second phase of the war were continuously criss-crossing the Free State in an effort to avoid the sweeping drives being undertaken by the Imperial forces to hem them in and bring about their eventual surrender. Combined with this he would have been required to fulfill a regular policeman’s role as well.

But things were starting to unravel for Downes – on 9 May 1902 the Assistant Priest at St. James in Heywood wrote to the O.C. S.A. Constabulary as follows,

“Sir

I am requested to write to you concerning Trooper C. Downes no. 1532 E Division S.A. Constabulary. He has served 12 months already and his wife is desirous to purchase his discharge.

She has been in ill health for some time past and would doubtless be benefitted by his return.

It appears most probable that she would be unable to live in South Africa if required to do so. Hoping to hear favourably from you.

Yours faithfully etc.”

Whilst the authorities were mulling over this they received a letter from Downes written from Lake Warden on 26 May 1902 stating that,

“I have the honour to request that you will be good enough to recommend me for discharge by purchase from the S.A.C.

My wife informs me that she is in very bad health, and is not likely to be able to get about again, and as, under these circumstances it will be impossible for her to come out to South Africa, I think it necessary that I should return to England at the earliest opportunity.”

On 28 May the O.C. 13 Troop wrote to the Staff Adjutant stating that he had seen the man

“and he is desirous of purchasing his discharge. He himself has never been in good health since he arrived in the country, and under the circumstances I strongly recommend that he be discharged” The Staff Adj. wrote back saying that “under existing circumstances this man would have to go back to his Regiment if discharged from the S.A.C. he being a Reservist.”

On 8 June 1902 the O.C. 13 Troop wrote back stating that “referring to your minute the man states that he is not liable for Reserve service as he came up on the Royal Reserves. His date of enlistment in the Army was October 1885.”

The upshot of this was that Downes was permitted to purchase his discharge, the process being delayed because he didn’t have the £15 required for the purpose. Downes was transferred to the S.A.C. Reserve on 18 September 1902 providing as his forwarding address the G.P.O in Kimberley where, it is assumed, he was going to work on the mines no mention of returning home to his sickly wife which was the reason for his discharge in the first place.

The next inkling the authorities had of what Downes was up to came in the form of a letter from his wife written on 25 February 1903 (six months after his discharge). It read as follows,

“Dear Sir

I beg most respectfully to ask if you will kindly give me any information which may be possible concerning my husband Charles Downes who served in the South African Constabulary in February 1901 at York, England and about that time proceeded to South Africa.

I have corresponded with him and received remittances up to August 1902 but since that time I have received no tidings or news of any kind from or about him.

I am most anxious to know what has become of him, for me and my child are in need and I would be very grateful indeed if you would kindly give me any information concerning him that you may possess.

Letters I sent to his Bloemfontein address have been returned to me.

Thanking you in anticipation.”

The search for Downes was on! On 3 July 1904 the S.A.C. in Caledon Rover, Cape Colony, wrote to the District Commandant Bethulie in the O.F.S. as follows,

‘The attached letter from the wife of Reservist E1532 C Downes forwarded to you. Will you please cause the man to write to his wife by the next mail, and return the letter to this office, informing me when he has written.”

The letter referred to was an impassioned plea as follows,

“Sir

I write these few lines to you hoping you will excuse me taking the liberty of writing to you but it is through want of a little help that I want from you.

I want to know if you can give me any information as to find my husband Private Downes of the South African Constabulary, Bloemfontein, O.R.C. as I do not know whether he is in the Constabulary now or not as I have not heard from him since the first week in January this year1904 and I have a little girl to keep and I am in very poor circumstances and needs a little of his help as I am trying my best to keep my home together for when he comes home and I should have been more satisfied if he would have wrote a few words to me.

I will be very thankful to you if you can send me news of any kind the last place I heard from him was

Riet Spruit, Ventersburg Road, Kroonstad, South Africa

Hoping you will excuse me taking this liberty I remain yours sincerely. Mrs Elizabeth Downes.

Please answer.”

This heart rending letter was passed down the line with the request that Reservist Downes “whose address is “Growden Relaying Gang, Railway Construction, Springfontein to write to his wife by next mail.”

On 26 August the reply came,

“With reference to attached, I am informed by the Railway Authorities here that Growden’s Relaying Gang is at present employed on a Material Train working from Kroonstad picking up old material.

The train will be at Riet River Siding, Edenburg District in about 10 days time. As far as I am ascertain Ex- Reservist C. Downes is working on this Gang. I will try to get hold of Downes when train is at the Siding.

The next correspondence proved that the news was not good – “Further to my earlier minute, Growden’s Gang arrived at Riet River Siding, this District, yesterday and I sent special Patrol up, Downes has left, is apparently in Bloemfontein.”

Eventually on 2 September 1904 the authorities admitted defeat stating that “this man cannot be located.” A last-ditch attempt was made which provided a new address for Downes as c/o Mr. Fyne, Marquee Tent, Hospital Road, Bloemfontein.”

Even this elicited no response and Downes’ wife’s letter was sent to almost every Police Station in the Colony in an effort to track him down. At last they woke up to the fact that he received a Reservist’s pay – if they could determine where he was receiving his money they could track him down. On 18 October 1904 the question was asked “Has Reservist Downes applied for last quarters pay yet, and if so, from what address please?”

The Paymaster wrote back, “Cheque value of £3, in settlement of Reserve pay to the 30/9/04 was forwarded to Downes on the 10th instant to the following address:

Zwaart Kopjes, Klip River, Transvaal.”

At last they seem to have had their man! A letter was despatched to Downes at the above address which read thus,

“After considerable trouble it has been ascertained that within the last few weeks, you have several times changed your place of residence without giving notification of same to any Constabulary authority. You must understand that it is most important that you notify this office immediately you make any change in your address.

Your wife has written to me to the effect that she has not heard from you for some time. Please write to her and let her know your whereabouts, etc.”

At the same time Mrs Downes was advised that her husband had been asked to write. Whether he did or not is another matter. Downes was finally taken off the Reserve on 1 March 1905 for failing to notify change of address.

One could be forgiven for thinking that that was the end of Downes’ saga. This was not to be – he resurfaced during the Great War enlisting with the Royal Engineers at Manchester on 22 April 1918 at the age of 58 (so claimed). He confirmed that he had served with the 2nd Dragoon Guards but neglected to mention his S.A.C. service. A Platelayer by occupation (this was also his last employment in South Africa) he was posted for duty at Sandwich with the R.E. Construction Company as a Sapper.

Sadly for Downes he was discharged on 8 October 1918 on account of his age and health after 169 days home service. The Medical Board described him as “an old man of 57 with defective teeth”

It is not known what happened to his wife or daughter Beatrice after he had returned to England.

Good Morning Rory.......

And a policeman at that..... Can we trust the Police????? Yes of course we can......

If Sam had heard about him he would have discharged much earlier.....

Great Write up.....

Mike