Charles Froome 1824 – 1883
(3rd great great uncle)
Entries in italics and blue are extracted from the document “12th Regiment of Foot (East Suffolk) Service in Australia and New Zealand 1854 – 1867 Eureka, Lambing Flat and the New Zealand Wars” By Ken Larbalestier, May 2010.
Charles Froome 1824 - 1883 is the uncle of my Great Great Grandfather Charles Froome who married Elizabeth Howard in January 1865. His story is interesting as he served with the British Army for over twenty years and ended his days in the Royal Hospital Chelsea having spent six years there.
Service Book
Searching for Charles Froome in census records produced only 2 entries. The first being 1841 where he is shown as age 15 and a servant in Hornsey.
(3rd great great uncle)
Entries in italics and blue are extracted from the document “12th Regiment of Foot (East Suffolk) Service in Australia and New Zealand 1854 – 1867 Eureka, Lambing Flat and the New Zealand Wars” By Ken Larbalestier, May 2010.
Charles Froome 1824 - 1883 is the uncle of my Great Great Grandfather Charles Froome who married Elizabeth Howard in January 1865. His story is interesting as he served with the British Army for over twenty years and ended his days in the Royal Hospital Chelsea having spent six years there.
Service Book
Searching for Charles Froome in census records produced only 2 entries. The first being 1841 where he is shown as age 15 and a servant in Hornsey.
The 1841 census does not show birthplace but does indicate whether the person was born in the same county. In the case of Charles Froome this shows as ‘N’ which means he did not come from the Hornsey area. I have checked the complete 1841 census for Hornsey District 1 which covers Fortis Green and there are no other Froome’s mentioned. In view of this it is most likely that this is the correct person. This is also likely with his age conforming to what would be expected based on later Military records.
The second census entry is as a Licensee in Andover in 1871. Between these two dates there was no trace of him. However research has uncovered his story during
that thirty year period.
When my Great Great Grandfather was born in 1842 his uncle was serving with the 6th Regiment of Foot. He subsequently transferred to the 12th Regiment of Foot on the 6th June 1842.
The 6th Regiment of Foot later became the Royal Warwickshire Regiment while the 12thRegiment of Foot became the Suffolk Regiment. Most Foot Regiments recruited in their local county areas so why he would have joined either is not known. However perhaps he was just fortunate in encountering a Recruiting Sergeant who happened to be in Hampshire seeking recruits. Alternatively he may have wished to join the Army and the local Foot Regiment may not have needed anyone at the time.
Esprit de Corps
A significant strength of the British military system has always lain in the fact that Regimental roots were planted deep into the countryside such as that of Suffolk. This ensured the closest possible link between civilian and military worlds and built up a unique county and family ‘esprit de corps’. A Cockney Regiment, a West County Regiment and a Highland Regiment differed from each other greatly, though they fought side by side in scores of battles. In spite of miserable conditions and savage
discipline, a man often felt he belonged within the Regiment - he shared the background and the hopes of his fellows.
While this may have been the overall intent of the recruitment system, perhaps only a quarter of the rank and file of the 1st Battalion 12th Regiment, recruited between 1850 and 1865, were from East Suffolk.
Charles spent a total of just over 14 of his 21 years in the Regiment serving in foreign garrisons.
The second census entry is as a Licensee in Andover in 1871. Between these two dates there was no trace of him. However research has uncovered his story during
that thirty year period.
When my Great Great Grandfather was born in 1842 his uncle was serving with the 6th Regiment of Foot. He subsequently transferred to the 12th Regiment of Foot on the 6th June 1842.
The 6th Regiment of Foot later became the Royal Warwickshire Regiment while the 12thRegiment of Foot became the Suffolk Regiment. Most Foot Regiments recruited in their local county areas so why he would have joined either is not known. However perhaps he was just fortunate in encountering a Recruiting Sergeant who happened to be in Hampshire seeking recruits. Alternatively he may have wished to join the Army and the local Foot Regiment may not have needed anyone at the time.
Esprit de Corps
A significant strength of the British military system has always lain in the fact that Regimental roots were planted deep into the countryside such as that of Suffolk. This ensured the closest possible link between civilian and military worlds and built up a unique county and family ‘esprit de corps’. A Cockney Regiment, a West County Regiment and a Highland Regiment differed from each other greatly, though they fought side by side in scores of battles. In spite of miserable conditions and savage
discipline, a man often felt he belonged within the Regiment - he shared the background and the hopes of his fellows.
While this may have been the overall intent of the recruitment system, perhaps only a quarter of the rank and file of the 1st Battalion 12th Regiment, recruited between 1850 and 1865, were from East Suffolk.
Charles spent a total of just over 14 of his 21 years in the Regiment serving in foreign garrisons.
Military Service
Charles Froome attested at Winchester for the 6th Regiment of Infantry on 29th July 1841.
Service between 29th July 1841 and 28thSeptember 1841, some 91 days which did not count towards his total service in the Army as he was underage at the time. This must mean that he was born on 29thSeptember 1824 and attained the age of 17 on that date in 1841.
He continued to serve with the 6th Regiment of Foot from 29th September 1841 until 31st May 1842 a total of 216 days.
On 1st June 1842 he volunteered for the 12th Regiment of Foot and continued with this Regiment for 5 years and 122 days until 30th September 1847.
On 1st October 1847 he is recorded as being with the 1st Battalion of 12th Foot and continued for 9 years and 273 days until 30th June 1857.
Overseas Service
The 1st Battalion 12th Regiment
In the eleven years prior to departure for Australia, the 1st Battalion 12th Regiment spent five years in Mauritius and South Africa (1843-47), four years in England (1848-1851) and the following two years in northern Ireland (1852-53).
The Regiment’s official history makes no mention of any skirmish undertaken by the 1st Battalion in South Africa. In the immediate six years prior to departure for Australia, the 1st Battalion was at “home” (England and Ireland) and engaged in normal garrison duties, recruitment and training.
As far as Charles Froome’s service abroad is concerned the duration of each posting conforms with these dates.
The Mauritius - 4 years 211 days
It is known that the 1st Battalion of 12th Foot Regiment returned from Foreign Service in Mauritius in March 1848.
The Cape of Good Hope - 84 days
This service was probably carried out either on the outward or return voyages to Mauritius in 1843 and 1847.
The Australian Colonies - 8 years 239 days
The service in Australia was a continuous period between and 1854 and 1863. One Company of the 1st Battalion 12thFoot had embarked on the freight ship ‘Gloucester’ in Cork and it sailed on 20thJanuary for Van Diemans Land. The second division of the Regiment consisting of 2 Companies under Captain Atkinson embarked at Cork on board the transport ‘Empress Eugenie’ on the 28th July 1854 and disembarked in Melbourne on 6th November. The Commanding Officers at that time were Lieut Colonels Kempt and Percival.
8 years and 239 days service in tghe Colonies until 24th January 1863 would give an arrival date in Australia of 30th May 1854. Given that the July sailing took 3 months 8 days to get to Melbourne then applying a similar voyage time to the January sailing would produce a landing date of about 28th. Given that the date of his arrival in
Australia was before July and allowing for delays in the voyage it is almost certain that Charles Froome would have been in the first Company who sailed aboard the ‘Gloucester’. It has been confirmed that the ‘Gloucester’did actually arrive at Hobart Australia on 29th May 1854 with 102 men on board. The ‘Empress Eugenie’ arrived in November with a further 167 men aboard.
Without doubt Charles was with his Regiment at the time of the Eureka Stockade rebellion on 3rd December 1854. Whether he was one of the men involved in the incident or not is open to conjecture although I suspect that he was not directly involved as I have been unable to find reference to him in any of the accounts.
Arrival of the ship Gloucester
Embarkation to Australia commenced when a company of the 1st Battalion 12th Regiment proceeded from Chatham, England to Cork, Ireland and sailed on the 18th January 1854 in the freight ship Gloucester. Captain Hutchins, Lieutenant Cole, Ensign Wilkie, four sergeants, 102 rank and file, thirteen women and sixteen children arrived one hundred days later in Hobart, Van Dieman’s Land (later named Tasmania), on the 29th May 1854
“The first detachment of the 12thRegiment was landed yesterday from the ‘Gloucester’, and escorted to the barracks by a detachment of the 99th, to the tune of the British Grenadiers. The men, to use an “Irishism”, are mostly boys, and are evidently very raw recruits. Their appearance yesterday was certainly not very imposing; but great allowance must be made for the effects of a long voyage.” (The Hobart Courier reported on 1st June 1854.)
Disembarkation of the Troops
“The detachment of the 12thRegiment, which arrived in the Gloucester, landed yesterday between the hours of one and three, being conveyed from the ship in a large flat-bottomed barge, towed by a five oared whale-boat. The landing took place at the steps opposite the Ordnance Stores, in the neighbourhood of which a considerable crowd had assembled.
The band of the 99th was in attendance to escort the new arrivals to the Barracks on the New Wharf, where they will, for the present, be quartered. The “men”, if an Irishism may be excused, seem to be mostly boys, raw recruits, who had joined “jost” (before departure). They appeared yesterday for the first time in a span-new regimental uniform of glowing scarlet and but little skill has been exercised in distributing the “spits” which in most instances were far from suiting the wearers. Men with a tendency to obesity, increased by the inactivity of landsman’s life at sea, were squeezed into clothes that might have been“admirable fits”, for British soldiers of less extensive proportions; whilst on the other hand, habiliments that would have looked well on a warrior of the Fall-Staff School hung but loosely on some haggard form, on which sea sickness had made terrible inroads.
The appearance of the soldiers was certainly not of a very imposing or pre-possessing character, but the affair had all the traditional disadvantages of a “first” appearance, and probably our new friends may improve on acquaintance. A little drilling may work wonders; but as a point of commencement in the march of improvement, we would suggest particular attention to the order oft repeated to an awkwaard squad , “Dress up!” Turning from the men to their accoutrements, we notice several improvements, and that some are armed with men’s rifles in the proportion of twenty-four to a company. (Hobart, Colonial Times, 1st June 1854)
Disembarkation of the Troops
The first Division of the 12th Regiment, which arrived in the Gloucester on the 30th, was, on the 1stlast, about two o’clock, landed at Battery Point, where they were met by some of the officers and the band of the 99th. After the muster roll had been called over, they proceeded, headed by the band playing “So Our Conquering Hero Comes” along the wharf to the old wharf Barracks, where they were met by the gallant Colonel of the 99th and Lieutenant Colonel Ainsworth. The men having been drawn up in rank were dismissed to their quarters, loudly cheering as they went. (The Argus 6th June 1854)
Eureka Stockade Rebellion
“On the morning of December the 3rd 1854, 150 disgruntled miners stood in defiance of the Government. Under the flag of Victorian Republic ( now know as the flag of the Southern Cross ) they stood united against detachments of 2 British Army Regiments, the 12th Foot East Sussex Regiment the 40th Foot Second Somersetshire Regiment as well as men of the Foot and Mounted Police. These miners were to become known as the "DIGGERS "thus began a name and tradition that lives to-day and onwards.
History has recorded its beginning early October 1854 , with the death of a digger James Scobie near the Eureka Hotel Ballarat. Killed in a drunken brawl, the publican James Bentley and three others were eventually charged with his murder. These men were tried for the murder before Stipendiary Magistrate John D'Ewes, and despite overwhelming evidence of their guilt, the men were found not guilty. Bentley and D'Ewes were well known to be close friends, while D'Ewes was known to be of a corrupt nature.
On the 17th of October 1854 a protest meeting of about 5,000 diggers was held. The meeting got out of hand and the outcome was the Eureka Hotel being burnt to the ground. Three men who claimed to be the ring leaders were arrested and jailed. Another meeting followed and the Ballarat Reform League was formed . What followed has been well recorded. It includes the burning of the diggers licences, Gold field reforms and political confusion.
Of the estimated 500 men who took up position at Eureka only 150 remained inside the stockade area. At dawn, Sunday December 3rd 1854 these men faced a mixed strike force of 276 troops and police.
Within 15 minutes of the strike force attacking the battle was over. Six of the strike force and 24 diggers lay dead. The Diggers leader Peter Lalor was severely injured. 120 diggers were eventually arrested and tried for treason. These charges were dropped and the men released.
Another incident involving the 12th Foot was a Riot at Lambing Flats in March 1861. Again whether or not Charles was involved in this is unknown but he would surely have been aware of it.
“In March of 1860 an American Negro named Alexander discovered gold at Lambing Flat. The European miners of the time only found small amounts and therefore only dug in small areas. Not finding what they had hoped for they moved on to areas that may have produced more gold. The Chinese had moved onto the abandoned fields and began to dig with far more diligence, finding gold in much larger amounts. Meanwhile the European miners not finding much gold returned to the fields of Lambing Flat only to find the Chinese had occupied the area and were finding larger amounts of gold. They disliked the Chinese miners on the fields and posted notices to quit on the trees of the area, eventually driving about 500 of them out of their camps.
The Chinese miners located at Ironbark and set up a new mining camp. On December the 8th and 9th angry miners marched through the town burning many of its buildings. They moved to the Chinese camps and began an assault against them. Cutting off many of the Chinese miners pigtails and displaying them upon their belts. On January the 27th a James Stewart addressed a meeting of miners and called that no notice be given to the Chinese miners. Again they were attacked.
By February there were approximately 12,000 European miners in the area. compared to about 2,000 Chinese. Within the European ranks were men who had committed every crime possible as well as peace loving men. Some of the worst bushrangers known were among their ranks. Men such as Frank Gardener , John Gilbert, Ben Hall, Captain Melville and the Frances Brothers. During February of 1861 the Miner' s Protection League was formed. One of their first committed speeches called for
the ridding of the Chinese.
During March one of the key members of the League James Torpy addressed a meeting of its members. They called for the Chinese to quit the diggings. The government of the day called him a rebel and required his arrest. Chief Gold Commissioner P.L.Cloete, along with Captain Henry Zouch and fifteen Mounted Troopers arrested seventeen men. The following was the result of this arrest.
Unknown to the miners the men were released on bail almost immediately. The arrest sparked a riot. The miners met within the town to force the release. They raged through the town causing havoc, Destroying buildings, they fired their weapons and caused general mayhem. A detachment of the 12th Foot East Suffolk Regiment was dispatched along with Burtons Artillery Brigade. With the police presence of 116 and a military presence of 174 the total number was 290. The detachments arrived at Lambing Flat on March the 11th 1861. For several months the unrest continued. The Chinese mining camp at Lambing Flat had been totally destroyed by the rioters. Eventually calm would be restored but it would take many months for the tensions to ease.”
Service from 1st July 1857 until 29thFebruary 1860, 2 years 244 days are recorded as 12th Foot with no mention of the Battalion.
Service from 1st March 1860 until 24thJanuary 1863, 2 years 330 days are recorded as 12th Foot with no mention of the Battalion.
The 12th Foot were stationed in the following places during the period 1854 – 1863. As for Charles I have no idea at which o these places he served.
1854
The 1st Battalion was stationed in Tasmania (Hobart and Port Arthur) and Victoria (Ballarat, Castlemaine, Melbourne and Sandhurst).
1855
South Australia (Adelaide),Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia (Fremantle and Perth).
1856
South Australia, Tasmania (Eagle Hawk Neck, Hobart, Launceston, Oatlands and Port Arthur) and Western Australia.
1857
South Australia (Adelaide and Quicken Bay), Tasmania (Eagle Hawk Neck, Hobart, Launceston and Port Arthur) and Western Australia.
1858
NSW (Cockatoo Island, Goat Island and Sydney), South Australia, Tasmania (Bothwell, Campbelltown, Eagle Hawk Neck, Launceston and Port Arthur) and Western Australia.
1859
NSW, Tasmania (Launceston, Port Arthur) and Western Australia.
1860
NSW, Tasmania (Launceston and Port Arthur) and Western Australia.
1861
NSW (Goat Island, Lambing Flat, Parramatta, Sydney), Queensland (Brisbane), Tasmania (Hobart) and Western Australia.
Charles Froome attested at Winchester for the 6th Regiment of Infantry on 29th July 1841.
Service between 29th July 1841 and 28thSeptember 1841, some 91 days which did not count towards his total service in the Army as he was underage at the time. This must mean that he was born on 29thSeptember 1824 and attained the age of 17 on that date in 1841.
He continued to serve with the 6th Regiment of Foot from 29th September 1841 until 31st May 1842 a total of 216 days.
On 1st June 1842 he volunteered for the 12th Regiment of Foot and continued with this Regiment for 5 years and 122 days until 30th September 1847.
On 1st October 1847 he is recorded as being with the 1st Battalion of 12th Foot and continued for 9 years and 273 days until 30th June 1857.
Overseas Service
The 1st Battalion 12th Regiment
In the eleven years prior to departure for Australia, the 1st Battalion 12th Regiment spent five years in Mauritius and South Africa (1843-47), four years in England (1848-1851) and the following two years in northern Ireland (1852-53).
The Regiment’s official history makes no mention of any skirmish undertaken by the 1st Battalion in South Africa. In the immediate six years prior to departure for Australia, the 1st Battalion was at “home” (England and Ireland) and engaged in normal garrison duties, recruitment and training.
As far as Charles Froome’s service abroad is concerned the duration of each posting conforms with these dates.
The Mauritius - 4 years 211 days
It is known that the 1st Battalion of 12th Foot Regiment returned from Foreign Service in Mauritius in March 1848.
The Cape of Good Hope - 84 days
This service was probably carried out either on the outward or return voyages to Mauritius in 1843 and 1847.
The Australian Colonies - 8 years 239 days
The service in Australia was a continuous period between and 1854 and 1863. One Company of the 1st Battalion 12thFoot had embarked on the freight ship ‘Gloucester’ in Cork and it sailed on 20thJanuary for Van Diemans Land. The second division of the Regiment consisting of 2 Companies under Captain Atkinson embarked at Cork on board the transport ‘Empress Eugenie’ on the 28th July 1854 and disembarked in Melbourne on 6th November. The Commanding Officers at that time were Lieut Colonels Kempt and Percival.
8 years and 239 days service in tghe Colonies until 24th January 1863 would give an arrival date in Australia of 30th May 1854. Given that the July sailing took 3 months 8 days to get to Melbourne then applying a similar voyage time to the January sailing would produce a landing date of about 28th. Given that the date of his arrival in
Australia was before July and allowing for delays in the voyage it is almost certain that Charles Froome would have been in the first Company who sailed aboard the ‘Gloucester’. It has been confirmed that the ‘Gloucester’did actually arrive at Hobart Australia on 29th May 1854 with 102 men on board. The ‘Empress Eugenie’ arrived in November with a further 167 men aboard.
Without doubt Charles was with his Regiment at the time of the Eureka Stockade rebellion on 3rd December 1854. Whether he was one of the men involved in the incident or not is open to conjecture although I suspect that he was not directly involved as I have been unable to find reference to him in any of the accounts.
Arrival of the ship Gloucester
Embarkation to Australia commenced when a company of the 1st Battalion 12th Regiment proceeded from Chatham, England to Cork, Ireland and sailed on the 18th January 1854 in the freight ship Gloucester. Captain Hutchins, Lieutenant Cole, Ensign Wilkie, four sergeants, 102 rank and file, thirteen women and sixteen children arrived one hundred days later in Hobart, Van Dieman’s Land (later named Tasmania), on the 29th May 1854
“The first detachment of the 12thRegiment was landed yesterday from the ‘Gloucester’, and escorted to the barracks by a detachment of the 99th, to the tune of the British Grenadiers. The men, to use an “Irishism”, are mostly boys, and are evidently very raw recruits. Their appearance yesterday was certainly not very imposing; but great allowance must be made for the effects of a long voyage.” (The Hobart Courier reported on 1st June 1854.)
Disembarkation of the Troops
“The detachment of the 12thRegiment, which arrived in the Gloucester, landed yesterday between the hours of one and three, being conveyed from the ship in a large flat-bottomed barge, towed by a five oared whale-boat. The landing took place at the steps opposite the Ordnance Stores, in the neighbourhood of which a considerable crowd had assembled.
The band of the 99th was in attendance to escort the new arrivals to the Barracks on the New Wharf, where they will, for the present, be quartered. The “men”, if an Irishism may be excused, seem to be mostly boys, raw recruits, who had joined “jost” (before departure). They appeared yesterday for the first time in a span-new regimental uniform of glowing scarlet and but little skill has been exercised in distributing the “spits” which in most instances were far from suiting the wearers. Men with a tendency to obesity, increased by the inactivity of landsman’s life at sea, were squeezed into clothes that might have been“admirable fits”, for British soldiers of less extensive proportions; whilst on the other hand, habiliments that would have looked well on a warrior of the Fall-Staff School hung but loosely on some haggard form, on which sea sickness had made terrible inroads.
The appearance of the soldiers was certainly not of a very imposing or pre-possessing character, but the affair had all the traditional disadvantages of a “first” appearance, and probably our new friends may improve on acquaintance. A little drilling may work wonders; but as a point of commencement in the march of improvement, we would suggest particular attention to the order oft repeated to an awkwaard squad , “Dress up!” Turning from the men to their accoutrements, we notice several improvements, and that some are armed with men’s rifles in the proportion of twenty-four to a company. (Hobart, Colonial Times, 1st June 1854)
Disembarkation of the Troops
The first Division of the 12th Regiment, which arrived in the Gloucester on the 30th, was, on the 1stlast, about two o’clock, landed at Battery Point, where they were met by some of the officers and the band of the 99th. After the muster roll had been called over, they proceeded, headed by the band playing “So Our Conquering Hero Comes” along the wharf to the old wharf Barracks, where they were met by the gallant Colonel of the 99th and Lieutenant Colonel Ainsworth. The men having been drawn up in rank were dismissed to their quarters, loudly cheering as they went. (The Argus 6th June 1854)
Eureka Stockade Rebellion
“On the morning of December the 3rd 1854, 150 disgruntled miners stood in defiance of the Government. Under the flag of Victorian Republic ( now know as the flag of the Southern Cross ) they stood united against detachments of 2 British Army Regiments, the 12th Foot East Sussex Regiment the 40th Foot Second Somersetshire Regiment as well as men of the Foot and Mounted Police. These miners were to become known as the "DIGGERS "thus began a name and tradition that lives to-day and onwards.
History has recorded its beginning early October 1854 , with the death of a digger James Scobie near the Eureka Hotel Ballarat. Killed in a drunken brawl, the publican James Bentley and three others were eventually charged with his murder. These men were tried for the murder before Stipendiary Magistrate John D'Ewes, and despite overwhelming evidence of their guilt, the men were found not guilty. Bentley and D'Ewes were well known to be close friends, while D'Ewes was known to be of a corrupt nature.
On the 17th of October 1854 a protest meeting of about 5,000 diggers was held. The meeting got out of hand and the outcome was the Eureka Hotel being burnt to the ground. Three men who claimed to be the ring leaders were arrested and jailed. Another meeting followed and the Ballarat Reform League was formed . What followed has been well recorded. It includes the burning of the diggers licences, Gold field reforms and political confusion.
Of the estimated 500 men who took up position at Eureka only 150 remained inside the stockade area. At dawn, Sunday December 3rd 1854 these men faced a mixed strike force of 276 troops and police.
Within 15 minutes of the strike force attacking the battle was over. Six of the strike force and 24 diggers lay dead. The Diggers leader Peter Lalor was severely injured. 120 diggers were eventually arrested and tried for treason. These charges were dropped and the men released.
Another incident involving the 12th Foot was a Riot at Lambing Flats in March 1861. Again whether or not Charles was involved in this is unknown but he would surely have been aware of it.
“In March of 1860 an American Negro named Alexander discovered gold at Lambing Flat. The European miners of the time only found small amounts and therefore only dug in small areas. Not finding what they had hoped for they moved on to areas that may have produced more gold. The Chinese had moved onto the abandoned fields and began to dig with far more diligence, finding gold in much larger amounts. Meanwhile the European miners not finding much gold returned to the fields of Lambing Flat only to find the Chinese had occupied the area and were finding larger amounts of gold. They disliked the Chinese miners on the fields and posted notices to quit on the trees of the area, eventually driving about 500 of them out of their camps.
The Chinese miners located at Ironbark and set up a new mining camp. On December the 8th and 9th angry miners marched through the town burning many of its buildings. They moved to the Chinese camps and began an assault against them. Cutting off many of the Chinese miners pigtails and displaying them upon their belts. On January the 27th a James Stewart addressed a meeting of miners and called that no notice be given to the Chinese miners. Again they were attacked.
By February there were approximately 12,000 European miners in the area. compared to about 2,000 Chinese. Within the European ranks were men who had committed every crime possible as well as peace loving men. Some of the worst bushrangers known were among their ranks. Men such as Frank Gardener , John Gilbert, Ben Hall, Captain Melville and the Frances Brothers. During February of 1861 the Miner' s Protection League was formed. One of their first committed speeches called for
the ridding of the Chinese.
During March one of the key members of the League James Torpy addressed a meeting of its members. They called for the Chinese to quit the diggings. The government of the day called him a rebel and required his arrest. Chief Gold Commissioner P.L.Cloete, along with Captain Henry Zouch and fifteen Mounted Troopers arrested seventeen men. The following was the result of this arrest.
Unknown to the miners the men were released on bail almost immediately. The arrest sparked a riot. The miners met within the town to force the release. They raged through the town causing havoc, Destroying buildings, they fired their weapons and caused general mayhem. A detachment of the 12th Foot East Suffolk Regiment was dispatched along with Burtons Artillery Brigade. With the police presence of 116 and a military presence of 174 the total number was 290. The detachments arrived at Lambing Flat on March the 11th 1861. For several months the unrest continued. The Chinese mining camp at Lambing Flat had been totally destroyed by the rioters. Eventually calm would be restored but it would take many months for the tensions to ease.”
Service from 1st July 1857 until 29thFebruary 1860, 2 years 244 days are recorded as 12th Foot with no mention of the Battalion.
Service from 1st March 1860 until 24thJanuary 1863, 2 years 330 days are recorded as 12th Foot with no mention of the Battalion.
The 12th Foot were stationed in the following places during the period 1854 – 1863. As for Charles I have no idea at which o these places he served.
1854
The 1st Battalion was stationed in Tasmania (Hobart and Port Arthur) and Victoria (Ballarat, Castlemaine, Melbourne and Sandhurst).
1855
South Australia (Adelaide),Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia (Fremantle and Perth).
1856
South Australia, Tasmania (Eagle Hawk Neck, Hobart, Launceston, Oatlands and Port Arthur) and Western Australia.
1857
South Australia (Adelaide and Quicken Bay), Tasmania (Eagle Hawk Neck, Hobart, Launceston and Port Arthur) and Western Australia.
1858
NSW (Cockatoo Island, Goat Island and Sydney), South Australia, Tasmania (Bothwell, Campbelltown, Eagle Hawk Neck, Launceston and Port Arthur) and Western Australia.
1859
NSW, Tasmania (Launceston, Port Arthur) and Western Australia.
1860
NSW, Tasmania (Launceston and Port Arthur) and Western Australia.
1861
NSW (Goat Island, Lambing Flat, Parramatta, Sydney), Queensland (Brisbane), Tasmania (Hobart) and Western Australia.
In the Brisbane Courier edition dated 30th November 1861 the following event is reported:
Presentation of a Long Service medal to Private (1880) Froome in Brisbane
Private Charles Froome, of the 12th Regiment, has been presented with a medal, and a gratuity of £5 for Long Service (twenty years) and Good Conduct.
Conditions of Service
In 1854, enlistment in the Army was for ten years, or twelve in the case of war. The recruit received a bounty of £2, which was decreased to £1 after 1861. The pay of a Private soldier was one shilling per day, with an allowance of one penny (1d) per day termed “liquor money;” out of which he paid 8d. per day messing, washing 1s.3d. per month, sheet washing 2d., hair cutting 1d., and barrack damages an average of 4d. per month, the soldier getting the balance by daily payments, which usually came to
about 4d. if no other necessaries were required.
These conditions were grossly inadequate and it is not surprising that “No rations, no soldiers” became the rallying cry of disgruntled soldiers in Hobart when their conditions of service were reduced in March 1858.
Charles benefited from additional Good Conduct payments as shown below:
24/08/1847 commenced GC pay of 1d
28/10/1851 commenced GC pay of 2d
04/07/1852 GC of 1d deprived
04/07/1853 GC of 1d restored
25/10/1856 commenced GC of 3d
01/03/1860 commenced GC of 4d
Interestingly he was awarded the LS&GC medal in 1861 in spite of the Good Conduct payment being removed from him for 12 months. His service record shows that:
With regard to the CHARACTER AND CONDUCT of No 1880 Private Charles Froome the Board have to report, that upon reference to the Defaulter’s Book, and by the Parole testimony that has been given, it appears that his Conduct has been exemplary and he is in possession of four Good Conduct Badges, he is in possession of the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct.
He was never tried by Court Martial and has been six times entered in the Regimental Defaulters Book
Presentation of a Long Service medal to Private (1880) Froome in Brisbane
Private Charles Froome, of the 12th Regiment, has been presented with a medal, and a gratuity of £5 for Long Service (twenty years) and Good Conduct.
Conditions of Service
In 1854, enlistment in the Army was for ten years, or twelve in the case of war. The recruit received a bounty of £2, which was decreased to £1 after 1861. The pay of a Private soldier was one shilling per day, with an allowance of one penny (1d) per day termed “liquor money;” out of which he paid 8d. per day messing, washing 1s.3d. per month, sheet washing 2d., hair cutting 1d., and barrack damages an average of 4d. per month, the soldier getting the balance by daily payments, which usually came to
about 4d. if no other necessaries were required.
These conditions were grossly inadequate and it is not surprising that “No rations, no soldiers” became the rallying cry of disgruntled soldiers in Hobart when their conditions of service were reduced in March 1858.
Charles benefited from additional Good Conduct payments as shown below:
24/08/1847 commenced GC pay of 1d
28/10/1851 commenced GC pay of 2d
04/07/1852 GC of 1d deprived
04/07/1853 GC of 1d restored
25/10/1856 commenced GC of 3d
01/03/1860 commenced GC of 4d
Interestingly he was awarded the LS&GC medal in 1861 in spite of the Good Conduct payment being removed from him for 12 months. His service record shows that:
With regard to the CHARACTER AND CONDUCT of No 1880 Private Charles Froome the Board have to report, that upon reference to the Defaulter’s Book, and by the Parole testimony that has been given, it appears that his Conduct has been exemplary and he is in possession of four Good Conduct Badges, he is in possession of the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct.
He was never tried by Court Martial and has been six times entered in the Regimental Defaulters Book
1862
NSW, Queensland (Brisbane) and Tasmania.
1863
After the transfer of troops to New Zealand, Lieutenant Colonel Kempt with five officers and one hundred and twenty men remained at Sydney, NSW, with small detachments of the Battalion at Brisbane and Hobart
Queen Victoria’s 43rd Birthday Celebrations 1862
The celebration of the anniversary of her Majesty’s birthday in Sydney of course involves a general holiday and Saturday last was certainly no exception to the rule. The weather was in every respect “Queens”weather..... the principle attraction, however, was as indeed it was expected to be, the review of the troops and volunteers – a very great number of the latter having arrived from the country districts on the previous day. It is estimated that at the time there must have been, at the very least, thirty thousand people present. Colonel Hamilton commanded on the whole, the regulars being formed to the right, the suburban and country companies off Volunteer Rifles in the
centre, under command of Captain Laver and the eight companies of the Sydney Battalion on the left flank in charge of Colonel Kempt.
At noon the cannon of Fort Macquarie and from the ships of war in the harbour boomed out a salute to her Majest’s natal day. This was qucikly responded to by the field pieces of the artillery and subsequently by the “feu de joie” of the aligned troops. Three rounds of blank cartridges were fired by the Artillery and by the troops. Three
hearty cheers werethen given for the Queen and subsequently the usual parade evolutions were gone throough. The President of the NSW parliament proposed a toast to Colonel Kempt for his leadership of the NSW Volunteers. After Colonel Kempt’s reply, Mr Cowper then proposed a toast to Colonel Hamilton and the officers of the 12th
Regiment. Colonel Hamilton in responding said he was as much taken aback at what he then witnessed as any one can imagine. He had to thank them for the very kind
and cordial manner in which they had drunk the health of himself and the Officers of the Regiment. He was as yet but a stranger on the ground, but still, from what he had seen, he was happy to be able to say that Colonel Kempt’s exertions for the establishment of the Volunteer force had been most successful... Mr Cowper then proposed a toast to Captain Laver (QM 12th) of the NSW Volunteer Rifles(The Queen’s Birthday Sydney Morning Herald 26thMay 1862)
Discharge from Service
His service record shows that a Regimental Board was held on 24th January 1863 in Sydney, New South Wales where it was decided that he should be invalided out of the Regiment. He is shown as having a total service of 21 years and 91 days to that date. Of this some 14 years and 2 months had been spent serving abroad. The reason for Charles being invalided out of the Regiment is recorded as follows:
“Large inguinal hernia Right side constriction explained by long service. May earn a backhand”
“Has suffered from rupture for the last thirteen years which together with his age and length of service render him unfit to perform the active duties of a soldier. He has been a sober steady man”
I can find no details of the name of the ship on which he returned to England but it is known that twelve ‘invalids’ embarked on a ship which sailed from Sydney to England on 14thFebruary 1863.
The duration of voyages had improved since he went to the Colony some nine years earlier so it is likely that he was back home by mid April.
10th June 1863 Charles underwent a medical inspection at the Royal Victoria Hospital Netley.
On 7th July 1863 his record shows that his discharge was officially approved.
We next discover Charles in the census for 1871 where he is a licensee at the Chequers Inn, High Street Andover. He is now married to Margaret but with no children. It is not clear when they married although there are no records showing this happening in the United Kingdom between 1863 and 1871. It is likely that they were married in Australia while he was still serving with the 12th Regiment of Foot.
NSW, Queensland (Brisbane) and Tasmania.
1863
After the transfer of troops to New Zealand, Lieutenant Colonel Kempt with five officers and one hundred and twenty men remained at Sydney, NSW, with small detachments of the Battalion at Brisbane and Hobart
Queen Victoria’s 43rd Birthday Celebrations 1862
The celebration of the anniversary of her Majesty’s birthday in Sydney of course involves a general holiday and Saturday last was certainly no exception to the rule. The weather was in every respect “Queens”weather..... the principle attraction, however, was as indeed it was expected to be, the review of the troops and volunteers – a very great number of the latter having arrived from the country districts on the previous day. It is estimated that at the time there must have been, at the very least, thirty thousand people present. Colonel Hamilton commanded on the whole, the regulars being formed to the right, the suburban and country companies off Volunteer Rifles in the
centre, under command of Captain Laver and the eight companies of the Sydney Battalion on the left flank in charge of Colonel Kempt.
At noon the cannon of Fort Macquarie and from the ships of war in the harbour boomed out a salute to her Majest’s natal day. This was qucikly responded to by the field pieces of the artillery and subsequently by the “feu de joie” of the aligned troops. Three rounds of blank cartridges were fired by the Artillery and by the troops. Three
hearty cheers werethen given for the Queen and subsequently the usual parade evolutions were gone throough. The President of the NSW parliament proposed a toast to Colonel Kempt for his leadership of the NSW Volunteers. After Colonel Kempt’s reply, Mr Cowper then proposed a toast to Colonel Hamilton and the officers of the 12th
Regiment. Colonel Hamilton in responding said he was as much taken aback at what he then witnessed as any one can imagine. He had to thank them for the very kind
and cordial manner in which they had drunk the health of himself and the Officers of the Regiment. He was as yet but a stranger on the ground, but still, from what he had seen, he was happy to be able to say that Colonel Kempt’s exertions for the establishment of the Volunteer force had been most successful... Mr Cowper then proposed a toast to Captain Laver (QM 12th) of the NSW Volunteer Rifles(The Queen’s Birthday Sydney Morning Herald 26thMay 1862)
Discharge from Service
His service record shows that a Regimental Board was held on 24th January 1863 in Sydney, New South Wales where it was decided that he should be invalided out of the Regiment. He is shown as having a total service of 21 years and 91 days to that date. Of this some 14 years and 2 months had been spent serving abroad. The reason for Charles being invalided out of the Regiment is recorded as follows:
“Large inguinal hernia Right side constriction explained by long service. May earn a backhand”
“Has suffered from rupture for the last thirteen years which together with his age and length of service render him unfit to perform the active duties of a soldier. He has been a sober steady man”
I can find no details of the name of the ship on which he returned to England but it is known that twelve ‘invalids’ embarked on a ship which sailed from Sydney to England on 14thFebruary 1863.
The duration of voyages had improved since he went to the Colony some nine years earlier so it is likely that he was back home by mid April.
10th June 1863 Charles underwent a medical inspection at the Royal Victoria Hospital Netley.
On 7th July 1863 his record shows that his discharge was officially approved.
We next discover Charles in the census for 1871 where he is a licensee at the Chequers Inn, High Street Andover. He is now married to Margaret but with no children. It is not clear when they married although there are no records showing this happening in the United Kingdom between 1863 and 1871. It is likely that they were married in Australia while he was still serving with the 12th Regiment of Foot.
In 1871 the Froomes are employing a James Crouch as a servant. Like Charles Froome he was born in Andover in about 1840. It is possible that he is related to the Crouch families who form part of this research although I have not found him yet in any other census. It is probable that he is James Reeves Crouch born in Abbots Ann Andover Q1 1841 vol 7 page 4_3. Ann Froome who appears as a niece is the daughter of William Froome who is Charles’ older brother and his first wife Harriet Farley. The remaining
members of the household are billeted soldiers so it seems that Charles was keen to keep his links with the forces.
Margaret Froome died age 42 in Andover Q2 1874 vol 2c page 130.
Following his wife’s death Charles is admitted as an in-pensioner to the Royal Hospital Chelsea. This was on 1st January 1877 so he had spent a few years alone before this
happened.
In 1881 the census shows Charles Froome is an in-pensioner at the Royal Hospital.
members of the household are billeted soldiers so it seems that Charles was keen to keep his links with the forces.
Margaret Froome died age 42 in Andover Q2 1874 vol 2c page 130.
Following his wife’s death Charles is admitted as an in-pensioner to the Royal Hospital Chelsea. This was on 1st January 1877 so he had spent a few years alone before this
happened.
In 1881 the census shows Charles Froome is an in-pensioner at the Royal Hospital.
Charles Froome died aged 59 in Chelsea Q3 1883 vol 1a page 198. He is buried in an unmarked plot in Brompton Cemetery which was normal for Chelsea pensioners.