TOPIC:

Thomas Clarkson

Private, 2nd Battalion, Royal Lancaster Regiment (Kings Own)
Sergeant, 19th Western Company, Rifle Brigade
Sergeant, 803 Company, Labour Corps – WWI

- Queens South Africa Medal (Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith) to 2910 PTE T. CLARKSON. R: LANC: REGT.
- British War Medal to 201127 SJT. T. CLARKSON. RIF. BRIG.
- Victory Medal to 201127 SJT. T. CLARKSON. RIF. BRIG.

Tommy Clarkson was born in Lancaster on 21 February 1873 the son of Ellen Clarkson and her husband John, a Sergeant serving with the 1st Royal Lancashire Militia. He was baptised on 23 March 1873 in the Parish of Lancaster.

By the time the 1881 England census rolled round he was 8 years old and the stepson of Mortimer Christie, a Cotton Weaver Overlooker, who had married his mother after his father had passed away in 1876. Mortimer, at 27, was a good deal younger than the 46 year old Ellen. The family lived at 23 Moor Road with all Thomas siblings being from Ellen’s first marriage – these were John (18), Florence (15) and Ellen (11).



Nine years later, on 1 March 1890, an 18 year old Clarkson, a Fitter by trade, attested for service with the Royal Lancaster Regiment at Preston. Claiming to belong to the 3rd Battalion North Lancashire Regiment, a Militia outfit, he was 5 feet 6 ½ inches in height, weighed a slender 110 lbs and had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He had a scar on his breast bone and right thumb by way of distinguishing characteristics and was a member of the Church of England.

Interestingly, the Colonel Commanding the Regiment provided a personal recommendation for Clarkson’s appointment stating that,

“This man’s father served for 38 years both in the line Battalion and Permanent Staff of the Royal Lancaster Regiment and was discharged as Colour Sergeant. He has two brothers at present serving as Sergeants in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Lancs.”

Having been passed as fit by the Doctor, Clarkson was assigned no. 2910 and the rank of Private with the Depot of the Royal Lancaster Regiment. On 1 July 1890 he was posted to the 1st Battalion. A bewildering round of promotions and reversions in rank from Private to Lance Corporal and back to Private now followed but, by the time he was transferred to the Army Reserve on 1 March 1897, he was a Private. All the while he had had a 4 year 34 day stint of service in India - from 22 January 1892 until 24 February 1896 with no medals to show for his efforts.

There was time to marry too – he tied the proverbial knot at Christ Church, Lancaster on 23 March 1897 wedding 25 year old widow Mary Ann Barrett (born Conabear.) He was 25 at the time and described as a Fitter. They both had the address, 8 Vincent Steet, Lancaster.

Clarkson could have been forgiven for thinking that his army career had been incident free when it initially ended, only to find that he was recalled from the Reserve to Army Service on 13 November 1899. But what had prompted this step? Quite simply, all available manpower was now being called upon to augment the pitifully small number of troops on the ground in South Africa where, on 11 October 1899, the two Boer Republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal had declared war on Great Britain.

Matters were not going well for the Imperial cause, certainly not in the initial stages of the war. Boer Commandos had surged over their borders into the Colonies of the Cape and Natal and were proving to be worthy adversaries – not at all what the Regular Army had had to deal with up until this point in the Victorian era. The enemy was not a spear throwing savage in a loin cloth or a turban bedecked Mohammedan whose only armament was the frenzy of his beliefs. Here the British Army and their Colonially raised colleagues had to deal with born horseman of European descent, comfortable not only in the saddle but natural hunters and crack shots to boot.

Clarkson was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Lancasters on recall and sailed with them from Southampton on the SS Dilwara on December 2nd, 1899, disembarking at Durban, Natal, on December 30th and making its way to the front without delay. The 2nd, along with the 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers, the 1st South Lancashire Regiment, and the 1st York and Lancaster Regiment, formed the 11th Brigade under Major General Woodgate, and part of the Vth Division under Sir Charles Warren.

At the time of their arrival operations were at a standstill, Colenso having been fought on 15th December, and General Buller being almost in a state of suspended animation, unable to do anything until reinforcements arrived.

Sir Charles Warren's division was taken to Frere as the battalions arrived, and on 10th January 1900 he set out from there to Springfield. In the actions about Venter's Spruit on the 19th, 20th, and 21st January the 11th Brigade was on the British right. On those dates the King's Own had no very heavy fighting, although other battalions of the brigade had serious casualties. On the 20th, when the fighting was very severe on the right centre, the brigade headquarters, with the 2nd King's Own and the 1st South Lancashire Regiment, were with the artillery, six batteries, which were massed on or about Three-Tree Hill, south-west of Spion Kop.

On the 22nd it was decided that Spion Kop must be taken. Next day it was reconnoitred, but chiefly on the south-east side, that being the portion of the hill which could not be seen from the other Boer positions. At 7 p.m. General Woodgate decided to assault from the south - west face. At about 10.30 p.m. General Woodgate marched from the rendezvous, near Warren's chief camp. His force was the 2nd Royal Lancaster, six companies of the Lancashire Fusiliers, Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry, 180 men and 18 officers, and a half- company Royal Engineers, supported by two companies Connaught Rangers and the newly arrived Imperial Light Infantry, a Natal raised corps.

When the troops, now extended in line, were near the crest they were challenged. As arranged before hand, they at once lay down when the Boers fired. When Colonel Thorneycroft thought that the magazines of the Boer rifles had been emptied he gave the command to charge. This was done, and about 4 a.m. the crest was carried. The Boers fled.

General Woodgate ordered a trench and breastworks to be made. The darkness and a heavy mist made it impossible " to get the exact crest for a good field of fire."

The rocky ground and a want of proper tools added to the difficulties ; however, a shallow trench about 200 yards long was dug and occupied by the Royal Lancasters, Thorneycroft’s Mounted Infantry, and the Lancashire Fusiliers. There was some intermittent rifle -firing through the mist, and before it lifted, men who had been pushed forward found that the trench did not command the ascent, there being much dead ground not 200 yards away. Tragedy awaited them.

About 8 a.m. the mist cleared, and the enemy then commenced to pour in the awful shell and rifle fire which was to last throughout the whole day. It was now seen that Spion Kop was not the commanding feature it was thought to be, but that it was itself commanded by several mountains which had been entrenched and fortified by the enemy. The trench which had been made by General Woodgate's men was found to be of little use, and troops had to be taken forward by rushes, and lying down near the edge of the plateau, they had there to use what cover they could find. Many most gallant attempts were made to hold patches of rocks. Often all the officers and men in these advanced positions were killed or wounded. This happened over and over again throughout the day.

Between 8.30 and 9 a,m. General Woodgate was mortally wounded. Lieutenant Blake Knox states that after receiving his wound the general ordered a signal message to be sent to Sir Charles Warren to the effect, " We are between a terrible crossfire and can barely hold our own. Water is badly needed. Help us." This message may never have been received. About 10.30 Colonel Crofton, who is said to have assumed command, sent off a message to General Warren, vid the headquarters' signallers at Swartz Kop urgently requesting reinforcements.

During the afternoon reinforcements arrived, first the 2nd Middlesex, 2nd Dorset, the Imperial Light Infantry, and the 2nd Scottish Rifles, — the latter coming from Potgieter's and ascending the southern slope.

At 2.30 Colonel Thorneycroft sent a message to Sir Charles Warren to the effect that the enemy's guns were sweeping the whole top, asking what further reinforcements could be sent "to hold the hill to-night," and that water was badly needed. Up till dark Colonel Thorneycroft seems to have had no answer to any of these messages. After dark, probably about eight — he states that he consulted officers commanding the Royal Lancaster and Scottish Rifles. These agreed that the hill was untenable, and some time after the troops were drawn in and marched off blissfully unaware of the fact that the Boers were preparing to withdraw as well. Victory could have been theirs.

The British losses on the 24th amounted to 28 officers and 175 men killed, 34 officers and 520 men wounded, 6 officers and 280 men missing. Some of the missing were undoubtedly killed. The Royal Lancasters lost 3 officers and at least 34 men killed, 4 officers and over 100 men wounded, 1 officer and about 50 men missing. In his despatch of 30th January 1900 Sir Redvers Buller "bears testimony to the gallant and admirable behaviour of the troops," and says, " the Royal Lancasters fought gallantly."

In the absence of muster rolls it is difficult to determine just who was involved in the fighting on the 24th – the consensus of opinion is that the entire 2nd battalion of the Royal Lancaster Regiment was involved whilst in the case of other regiments, for example the South Lancashire’s, it is known that two company’s were present but which two is not known. By the same token I cannot state with certainty that Clarkson was “there” although because his entire regiment was present, this can be assumed.

After retiring across the Tugela to Spearman's Camp General Buller gave his men a few days' rest before making his next attempt at Vaal Krantz. On the 5th February that attempt was begun. It will be remembered that the Lancashire Brigade, now under General Wynne, demonstrated against the Boer left at Brakfontein, while the real attack was developed opposite Vaal Krantz by General Lyttelton. The Lancashire Brigade did their part very well. Their losses were not heavy.

The 2nd Royal Lancaster and South Lancashire Regiment took part in the fighting between 13th and 27th February, the other two battalions being left to guard the bridge at Springfield and other points. On the 22nd General Wynne, whose brigade for the time being was the 2nd Royal Lancaster, 1st South Lancashire, and the Rifle Reserve Battalion, endeavoured to capture hills east of Grobelaar's and north of Onderbrook Spruit. In this the brigade had very severe fighting.

The York and Lancasters arrived at Colenso on the 27th, and the three regiments, along with the West Yorks, were put under Colonel Kitchener, and took part in the final and successful assault on the works between Railway Hill and Terrace Hill, and on the latter hill itself.

" General Kitchener's Brigade . . . gained the railway cutting. He then directed the West Yorkshire and the Royal Lancaster Regiments to attack Railway Hill ; but the men of the latter, seeing the main position, Terrace Hill on their left front, went straight at it, and were stopped by a heavy fire from the sangars in the valley. General Kitchener at once remedied the mistake and directed the South Lancashire on the right of the Royal Lancaster, between them and the West Yorkshire, who were then gaining the crest of Railway Hill. The Royal Lancasters and South Lancashire, pressed on, well supported hy the York and Lancaster on the right and the 4th Brigade on the left, soon gained the summit of the hill and the day was won."

Shortly thereafter, on 1 March 1900, Ladysmith was finally relieved and, after several weeks of inactivity whilst the men regained their strength, the campaign recommenced with General Buller attacking the Boer position north of Ladysmith, capturing Botha's Pass and occupying Van Wyk's Hill. A few days afterwards, on 11th June, there was a stiff battle at Alleman's Nek, in which the 2nd and 10th Brigades did the active work, the 11th being with the baggage and in support. After the Laing's Nek position was turned and the Natal-Pretoria line occupied, the 11th Brigade were largely employed in taking and afterwards in garrisoning the Wakkerstroom-Vryheid-Utrecht district, a very troublesome and difficult piece of country.

It was around this time, on 10 July 1900, that Clarkson’s South African odyssey came to an end. He was posted to the Depot on that day and repatriated to England where, on 13 September 1900 he was posted to the 1st Battalion and back to the Depot on 1 November 1901. He was discharged on the termination of 12 years with the Colours/Reserve on 1 July 1902 – one month after the last shot was fired in anger in the Anglo Boer War. His habits were described as Regular and his conduct Very Good.

Clarkson was 30 years and 6 months old when he was discharged with a forwarding address of 74 Steele Street, Askam-in-Furness. The 1901 England census has him living in the same street, but at no. 85, along with Mary Ann and 6 year old daughter, Dorothy, 3 year old son Thomas and baby John (1). He is described as an Army Private, Infantry Regiment (On Furlough)

Despite being described as of Regular Habits, Clarkson’s medical sheet paints a somewhat different picture – it reveals a man who, admittedly before his nuptials, often succumbed to the temptations of the flesh and who was indiscriminate as to with whom he shared his bed. At Aldershot on 1 January 1892 he spent 21 days in hospital with Syphilis. In India on 19 October 1893 he had an Ulcer on his Penis which laid him out for 8 days followed by a recurrence of the same complaint on 8 January 1894. At Neermush on 9 March 1895 the same again, this time 36 days in hospital were required but worse was to come – his ailment developed into Primary Syphilis on 10 July 1895 (10 days in hospital) which evolved into Secondary Syphilis on 9 August 1895 (24 days in hospital) and a further 44 days in hospital from 15 October 1895 until 27 November 1895. Fortunately he appeared to have both been physically cured by the time he married.

Clarkson now settled down to family life. The 1911 England census showing that he and his wife had been spending their time together productively. Now a Cotton Sizer by occupation, he was living at 19 Eastham Street, Lancaster along with his wife and seven children – Dorothy was the oldest at 16 followed by Thomas, John, Florence, Mary Ann, Ellen and Gladys (2).


19 Eastham Street as it looks today

Three years later, on 4 August 1914 the world found itself at war on a truly international scale – the Great War, between Great Britain, her Empire and her Allies was at war with Germany and her Allies in what was to be the bloodiest conflict hitherto known to man. Clarkson, despite being 41 years and 6 months old, put his hand up once more. At Garstang on 18 September 1914 he completed the Short Service (Three Years with the Colours) forms. Confirming that he was a Sizer and that he had previous service with the Kings Own Regiment, he expressed a desire to serve his county once more. He had more ink on him than on the previous occasion with tattoo marks of a lady on either breast; a star and a lady on his left arm as well as King George and Queen Mary on his forearm. On his right arm he sported a star and eagle and Queen Victoria on his forearm. Having been found fit by the doctor he was assigned no.14484 and the rank of Private in his old regiment – the Kings Own Royal Lancaster’s.

His service was due to be short-lived, he was discharged “Not likely to become an Efficient Soldier on Medical Grounds” on 6 March 1915 after 193 days in uniform. But the authorities had forgotten what a persistent and tenacious individual Clarkson was – a month later, on 15 April 1915, at Lancaster, he completed the Territorial Force 1 Year Service in the United Kingdom forms and was attested and embodied as a Corporal with no. 201127 (548457) on the same day.

Initially posted to the 5th Battalion he was promoted to Lance Sergeant on 3 September 1915 and to Sergeant on 5 October 1915. On 2 November 1915 he was transferred to 19th Western Battalion, Rifle Brigade with whom he was to see almost all of his active WWI service before being mandatorily transferred to the 803 Company, Labour Corps on 18 May 1918.

Embarking at Devonport on 30 December 1915, Clarkson was deployed to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, landing at Alexandria on 14 January 1916 and encamping at Ismailia on 15 January. Here he was temporarily attached to the 4th Battalion, Royal West Indian Regiment as an Instructor until 8 August 1916 whereafter he rejoined his unit. He was attached for duty at the Political Officers Camp in El Arish on 18 April 1917 before going with his unit to Kantara on 19 May 1917, Shortly thereafter he was compulsorily transferred to the Labour Corps.

Sadly Clarkson allowed the temptations of the flesh to get the better of him once more and, ere long, he was admitted to Alexandria hospital with his old friend Syphilis on 7 May 1918 which, according to his medical record, was contracted prior to enlistment. One shudders to think that he most likely transferred this “gift” to his wife, Mary Ann as well.

Clarkson was discharged on 22 April 1919 and was awarded a Kings Certificate and Silver War Badge.

Out of uniform for a second time he was still to be found at the same address - 19 Eastham Street, Lancaster. At the age of 48 he was now a Waggon Builder employed by Projectile Works in Caton Road, Lancaster. Projectile Works were a munitions factory built between Caton Road and the Midland Railway’s line to Leeds via the Lune Valley. It was well served by all forms of transport, including Lancaster’s canal (used for coal supplies) that formed its northern boundary. Construction work started on 11th September 1915 and production started on 5th March 1916 even though building work was not finished until November. The factory was designed to produce 6,000 6 inch, 3,500 9.2 inch and 6,000 60-pound shell cases a week. These were shipped out and many found their way to their sister factory on White Lund. In 1917 the Projectile Factory took in guns for repair alongside its shell case production.

For a long while nothing more was heard of Clarkson as the years wore on. It can be supposed that he was settling down to a welcome old age. The 1939 Register recorded him as being a General Labourer, Retired and still residing at 19 Eastham Street, Lancaster. Eight years later, on 28 March 1947, the Lancaster Guardian carried an article under banner, “Golden Wedding Celebration” which read thus:

“Celebrating the Golden anniversary of their wedding which took place at Christ Church on March 23rd, 1897, Mr and Mrs Clarkson, of 19 Eastham Street, held a family party at the Moorlands Hotel, on Monday. A veteran of the South African War and the first World War, Mr Clarkson served for 21 years with the Lancaster Battalion of the King’s Own Royal Regiment, the regiment which other members of his family served before him.

On his release he joined the staff of Lansil Ltd., retiring in 1938 after 10 years service with the firm. A native of Lancaster, Mr Clarkson is now 74 years of age. Mrs Clarkson (nee Mary Ann Conibear) lived in her native Plymouth until she came to Lancaster for her marriage. She has attained the age of 76 years.

Mr and Mrs Clarkson have a family of two sons and seven daughters. Their youngest son died in a Jap prisoner of war camp during the late war. Their eldest son is now in Australia and the other resides at Penwortham. One daughter married a R.Q.M.S. in the King’s Own and now resides in Derby. All the other daughters live in the district.”



The house at 19 Eastham Street, the one Clarkson had called home for many years, was to become the subject of a law suit in 1955. The Lancaster Guardian of 7 April reporting, under the heading “Judge Comments on hardships of the Housing Shortage” as follows:

“Mr Vincent W. Darbyshire of Park Lane, Forton, claimed possession of 19 Eastham Street tenanted by Mr Thomas Clarkson, who had lived there for 50 years. Mr Darbyshire owned the house which he had rented to Mr Clarkson for 10 shillings a week. He bought the house from his father in 1945, but Mr Clarkson had been the tenant for many years.

Mr Clarkson’s wife died in November last year and when Mr Darbyshire visited the premises a month later, he found the tenant living in only one of the six rooms. The rest of the house was cleared of furniture except the sitting room where Mr Clarkson was living. He told Mr Darbyshire that he wanted his daughter who lived in the next street, to come and live with him, but Darbyshire would not agree to this.

In December 1954 Mr Clarkson’s daughter, Mrs Gladys Jefferson moved in but still retained the tenancy of a house in Westham Street. Mr Darbyshire told the court that he wanted the house for his own daughter as she had had no home of her own since she was married seven years ago. He was willing to let Mr Clarkson remain in the front room of the house. His daughter was prepared to look after Mr Clarkson.

Mr Clarkson who is 82 years old and partially blind said he was retired from Lansil. He had lived at 19 Eastham Street for 50 years. He gave most of his furniture away when his wife died but kept one or two things. His daughter came to live with him and she brought her furniture. Her husband and three children also came. He said he preferred his own daughter to look after him rather than a strange woman.

His daughter, Mrs Gladys Jefferson said she had given her job up to go and look after him. Mrs Elizabeth Hughes, secretary of the local branch of the Institute of the Blind said she had been attending Mr Clarkson for 8 years. He was registered as blind although he could see light and dark. He was in desperate need of care and attention. He needed a member of his family to look after him as it would be a hardship for a man like him to have a strange woman looking after him.”

The judge dismissed the case and Tommy Clarkson continued to live in the house he knew so well.

The Lancaster Guardian reported on 18 November 1955 – six months after the court case, on a Clarkson “Family Tradition,”

“Along to the reunion went 82 year old ex Sergeant Thomas Clarkson of Eastham Street, who joined the regiment as a youngster in 1890 and served through the South Africa campaign and in Egypt in World War I. Almost totally blind, Mr Clarkson pulled from his pocket a faded photograph of a bushy-bearded soldier in striking uniform. “That’s my father, Sergeant John Clarkson of the King’s Own, who served in the Crimean War,” he told me proudly.

“And here’s my old general,” he said, showing me another old and a little more dilapidated photograph. “General Sir Redvers Buller. I served under him at the relief of Ladysmith,” he added with a touch of pride in his voice. “I have had the photo ever since then.” “I would like to see the old faces, but I can recognise voices,” he said.
With Mr Clarkson was his son-in-law, ex R.Q.M.S. with 26 years service, Mr M. Long, who is chairman of the Lancaster branch of the Regimental Association. The family tradition is being upheld by Mr Long’s son John, a sergeant who joined as a boy in 1940.”

This old warrior died in Lancaster in April 1958 – he was 85 years old.

Acknowledgements:
- Stirling, Our Regiments in South Africa 1899-1902: their record, based on the dispatches.
- Various newspaper reports credited in the body of the work.
- FMP & Ancestry for service papers, census data etc.