TOPIC:

William Hyde

Private, 1st Loyal North Lancashire Mounted Infantry – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with Cape Colony clasp to 4682 Pte. W. Hyde, 1st L.N. Lanc. Regt. M.I.

William Hyde was born in about 1877 in Preston, Lancashire the son of Timothy and Margaret Hyde. Both his parents were Weavers in a local cotton mill as indeed were many of the inhabitants of the town who were making their living from the thriving cotton industry.

The 1881 England census revealed that a 4 year old William was resident with his parents at 6 Moss Rose Street in Preston along with siblings John (6) and James (1)

Ten years later during the 1891 England census the family were still in Preston but had moved to 31 Harcourt Street. Sadly, as was the sign of the times, the entire family above the age of 11 were employed in the Cotton Mills as Weavers. William at 14 was no exception. The only children still at school were new additions since the last census - Thomas (7) and Annie (4)

With the industrial revolution mechanising more and more toward the latter part of the 19th century the jobs previously filled by men and women wages were being cut and positions made redundant on a large scale. To add to the woes of the working class was the fact that competition from other markets within and without the British Empire were cutting into profit margins making some of the mills no longer financially viable.

With this as a backdrop it was no wonder that an 18 year and 5 month old William sought relief in a uniform. On 13 November 1894 he completed the forms for Short Service (7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve) at Preston. Confirming that he was a Weaver by occupation he was 5 feet 5 inches in height, weighed 123 pounds and had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. Having been passed as Fit by the Doctor he was assigned no. 4682 and the rank of Private in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

Initially posted to the Depot he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion on 1 March 1895 before moving to the 1st Battalion on 22 October 1896. This coincided with a posting to Ceylon where he and the regiment were to spend 2 years 112 days until 10 February 1899 when they were routed to South Africa. This latter posting was a routine one and neither Hyde nor his comrades were to know that in a matter of eight months they would be caught up in the Anglo Boer War between the two Boer Republics and their comrades in arms in the forces of the British Empire.

On 20th September 1899 the headquarters and four companies of the battalion were sent to Kimberley, followed in a few days by 2 officers and 21 non-commissioned officers and men of the Mounted Infantry of the regiment. Quite why Hyde, who was a Mounted Infantry man, was not among them is unknown – perhaps he was ill. This would make sense as, on 18 April 1900 he was invalided from South Africa to Netley in England.

This could explain why he earned only the Cape Colony clasp to his Queens Medal and was not in the Siege of Kimberley.

Back in England Hyde whiled away his time before being discharged to the Reserve on 4 June 1902 and then being finally discharged after 12 years service on 12 November 1906.

Nothing else is known about him.

An interesting write-up and great pictures, Rory. Many thanks.

Another great piece of research.......

Thanks Rory......

Mike

Hello Rory,
I think that this recipient is the subject of another thread from a week or so ago is he not?

I think it important that people fully understand that the Anglo Boer War was deliberately engineered by a handful of people as soon gold had been found on the Rand, I am very confident that an average Tommy Atkins would have known that war was inevitable in South Africa from 1896 after the failure to take the Transvaal Republic, both by political means and insurrection, moreover, given that seeds were being planted in the British press, in a most conspicuous manner by members of the government in the new year of 1899, I do think that most people were in the "know" well before October.
Regarding Hyde and his service during the war, I was interested and a little confused, as I am sure you will know the battalions MI Coy was exactly that, a full company, the majority of those who served within it were not present in Kimberley during the siege, Jourdain's lads were rather busy elsewhere.
Could I ask how you know that Hyde was serving in his battalions MI on the 20th of September 1899?
It is a lovely medal though, these days, good MI medals are becoming much harder to find.
Regards Frank

Rory wrote: William Hyde

Private, 1st Loyal North Lancashire Mounted Infantry – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with Cape Colony clasp to 4682 Pte. W. Hyde, 1st L.N. Lanc. Regt. M.I.


Initially posted to the Depot he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion on 1 March 1895 before moving to the 1st Battalion on 22 October 1896. This coincided with a posting to Ceylon where he and the regiment were to spend 2 years 112 days until 10 February 1899 when they were routed to South Africa. This latter posting was a routine one and neither Hyde nor his comrades were to know that in a matter of eight months they would be caught up in the Anglo Boer War between the two Boer Republics and their comrades in arms in the forces of the British Empire.

On 20th September 1899 the headquarters and four companies of the battalion were sent to Kimberley, followed in a few days by 2 officers and 21 non-commissioned officers and men of the Mounted Infantry of the regiment. Quite why Hyde, who was a Mounted Infantry man, was not among them is unknown – perhaps he was ill. This would make sense as, on 18 April 1900 he was invalided from South Africa to Netley in England.

This could explain why he earned only the Cape Colony clasp to his Queens Medal and was not in the Siege of Kimberley.