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Cyril Joseph Wilcocks

3rd Class Trooper, South African Constabulary

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony and Orange Free State
- Kings South Africa Medal with clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902

Cyril Wilcocks was born at Plymouth on Saturday, 6th March 1880 the son of Horace Stone Wilcocks the celebrated Anglican Priest, and his wife Caroline Elizabeth born Jemmett. He was baptised at the Cathedral in Plymouth on 15 March, nine days later. Horace, after a disagreement with the Bishop of Exeter as to his residence had resigned and was to hold no further preferment.

The Wilcocks family at the time of the 1881 census when Cyril was a mere 1 year old baby was a large one. Together with his parents in the house known as Stoke Cottage in Stoke Damerel were siblings Edith (14), Samuel (13), Clement (11), Mary and Lawrence (9) and Frances (4). As if that were not enough there was Horace’s 20 year old niece Margaret and three servants for good measure proving, to the casual observer, that Horace Wilcocks was a man of means. Mr Wilcocks’ occupation, remembering that he was now no longer a recognised clergyman, was given as “M.A. Cambridge.”

Ten years later the 1891 census rolled round and an eleven year old Cyril was a Boarder at St. Stephen’s School in Cornwall where Charles Langdon, a Roman Catholic Priest, kept a small school for boys. It was probably a measure of how far the Rev. Wilcocks had distanced himself from his Church of England roots by sending young Cyril to a “Papist” school for his education.

With the dawn of 1900 Cyril had finished his schooling and was scouting around for something constructive with which to occupy himself. Quite what suggested the Indian Police Force to him we shall never know but, early in that year he submitted an application for the examination for possible employment with that body. On 28 March he requested information on leave allowances and other matters and must have, based on their reply, decided that the more prudent course of action would be to not join them.

Their loss would appear to have been the South African Constabulary’s gain for, on 8 November 1900, he completed the Candidate for Employment Form for service with them. Judging from the scribbled notes on the form he was regarded as “Civilised” and as a “Likely man”. His references were also found to be “Private and satisfactory”. The next of kin address he provided was H. Wilcocks Esq., “Chieveley” Mannamead, Plymouth.

The S.A.C. was, despite being a Police Force on the surface of things, deployed in a military capacity whilst the Anglo Boer War raged on. The brainchild of Lord Baden Powell they were to number almost 10 000 when all was said and done and were in the thick of things alongside the Imperial and Colonial troops ranged against the Boers.

Armed with no. E257 and the rank of 3rd Class Trooper, Wilcocks set off on his three year stint with the S.A.C. Unbeknown to him or anyone else the Boer War was still to drag on for another eighteen months.

On 16 December 1901 a telegram was received by the Staff Adjutant of the S.A.C. at Bloemfontein (Wilcocks had been deployed in the Orange Free State Division) to the effect that “Trooper Wilcocks has been returned to my troop from hospital without any arms. I have not got any arms here” – Captain Hamilton.

Of course the arms referred to were rifles and on 17 December the O.C Depot Troop wrote to the Staff Adjutant as follows: “When a man goes into hospital he takes his Rifle with him, it is then taken to Asst. Cont. Stores where he should have obtained it before he went to his troop. My orders are very explicit on the subject of men going by rail without arms. Might I suggest the man being kept in for his rifle. I can then investigate the matter”

On 19 December 1901 Captain Douling asked, “Can you trace these arms on information supplied please?” whereupon a Captain Dudley stated that, “I have no trace of Trooper Wilcocks’ arms in my store and by the dates given it would appear that the transaction was previous to my receiving any rifles from Hospitals or A.O. Dept. That has been given in by S.A.C. men”

On 24 December the question was asked “Can you please inform me what hospital this man was in? The reply came back that “This man was admitted to Sydenham (hospital) on 20 October and I am sending out to find out when he was discharged” This question, once put to the Senior Medical Officer, solicited the reply that “No. 257 Tpr. Wilcocks C, was discharged from Sydenham on 12 December 1901”

Quite where this story was going is unknown but it would seem that Wilcocks, despite having negligently mislaid his rifle, got away with it. On 17 November 1902 he applied for re-engagement for a further two years which was granted whilst he was stationed at Jacobsdal in the Free State.

On 14 December 1903 he signed for receipt of the Queens Medal and two clasps and, on 25 February 1904, requested leave to get married – this was not approved for some odd reason but it didn’t appear to be a permanent obstacle as, on 14 July 1904, at St. Mary’s in Kimberley in the Parish of Griqualand West, Wilcocks married Aletta Johanna Elizabeth van Dijk, a 20 year old spinster from Jacobsdal.

Wilcocks was then posted to the Bethulie district from where, on 16 November 1904, he was discharged from the S.A.C. time expired. His Character was rated as Very Good. His discharge papers reflect the fact that he had changed his address to c/o J.J. van Dyk, Loco Shops, Bloemfontein.

Whilst all this was going on the District Commandant, Jacobsdal received the following memorandum, “Herewith please find the Kings S.A. Medal and 2 clasps for Wilcocks who is spending his furlough in Jacobsdal. Will you please cause this medal to be handed to the man, obtain his receipt on the attached form and return same to this office”

With the Boer War over Wilcocks was now in receipt of his full medal entitlement – the Queen and Kings South Africa Medals.

Cyril Wilcocks was to carry on in the service of the South African Railways until his untimely death from Pneumonia on 16 October 1916 whilst resident at 124 Railway Camp, Kroonstad, Orange Free State. He was only 37 at the time and a Railway Guard by occupation. He was survived by no fewer than seven children, John Joseph Wilcocks whom he had adopted as a baby, born 24 May 1902, Philip Horace Wilcocks born 5 July 1905, Winifred Mary Wilcocks born 9 October 1906, Lucy Mildred Wilcocks born 11 October 1907, Isabel Caroline Wilcocks born 23 September 1910, Cecily Agnes Wilcocks born 5 July 1915 and Lawrence Cyril Wilcocks who, having been born on 27 August 1916, was only 6 weeks old when his father died.

The large family were devastated by their father’s unexpected death but it was as nothing when compared to their mother’s passing a mere two years later, on 21 October 1918 from the same killer, Pneumonia. This, in effect, orphaned all the children with the oldest being only 15 at the time. Family members today still speak of the hardships their forebears had to endure just after World War I.

Today there is only a gravestone in the Kroonstad Cemetery to commemorate the passing of Cyril Joseph Wilcocks and his wife, Aletta.

The Probate entry for Wilcocks shows bequests to William Henry Maddock, law student, and Edwin John Maddock, Accountant and the attorneys of his adopted son John Joseph in an amount of £6 180. Quite a sum for an ex Policeman turned Railway man.

Hi Rory,

A nice well researched group. I have not noticed an excess of KSA's to the SAC. Well done!

Cheers,

Jim