HUGH AMASS BOTHWELL

Photographs courtesy of Genny & Hugh

Born: 31^st March 1880, St. Nicholas, Ipswich.

Baptised on the 30^th May 1880, at St. Margaret’s Church, Ipswich – family home at 11, Navarre Street, Ipswich.

Died: 22nd March 1915; age 34; KiA – shot in the head by a sniper.

A family note:

Family account handed down has it that smoking killed my grandfather. He was standing between two other soldiers and lit up a cigarette – a sniper always aims in the centre of a group, and he was in the wrong place that night. The story went on that his mates buried him in a temporary grave, but as they moved away, the site received a bomb hit.   Hugh Green.

Residence: 135, Handford Road, Ipswich.

Occupation: Insurance Superintendent for the Refuge Assurance Company.

First attested to the regular army: 17th January 1900 – using the newly introduced form AF.B.111. Aged 20 years – had already served as an apprentice for 7 years. Discharged at his own request – served 8 months.

Second Enlistment Location: Ipswich.

Date of Entry Therein: 26th January 1915 – France.

Service:

Winter Operations 1914-15,

The First Attack on Bellewaarde,

The Actions of Hooge

The Second Attack on Bellewaarde.

Rank: Private; Service Number: 16153

Regiment: Suffolk Regiment, 2nd Battalion.

Medals Awarded: Queen’s South Africa Medal + 3 Claps – Cape Colony, Orange Free State & Transvaal and the Victory, British War & 1915 Star.

Suffolk Regiment link: Boer War.

Grave Reference:

B.9.

Suffolk Cemetery,

Vierstraat,

West-Vlaanderen,

Belgium.

Relatives Notified & Address: Eldest son of the late Hugh & Maria Bothwell, of Ipswich; husband of Georgina Bothwell, of 135, Handford Road, Ipswich.

CENSUS

1881   16, Peel Street, Ipswich.

Hugh was a year old and living with his parents.

Hugh Bothwell, 25, a Salesman for Messrs. Talbot and Co., born County Down, Ireland.

Marsh Maria Bothwell (nee Barber), 25, born Witnesham, Suffolk.

1891   2, Soane Street, Ipswich.

Hugh was 11 years old and living with his parents and siblings.

Hugh, 36, a Salesman for Messrs. Talbot and Co. – Mineral Water.

Maria, 36, a Shop Woman – General Shop – own account.

Lilian Alice Bothwell, 9, born Ipswich.

James Bothwell, 8, born Ipswich.

Amos Bothwell, 7, born Ipswich.

Beatrice Annie Bothwell, 5, born Ipswich.

Claude Bothwell, 3, born Ipswich.

1901   14, Silent Street, Ipswich.

Hugh was 21 years old, a Carpenter. He was living with his widowed mother and siblings.

Maria, 44, a Boarding House Keeper.

Lilian, 19, Assistant Teacher – Elementary School.

James, 18, a Plumber’s Apprentice.

Amos, 17, a Coach Builder’s Apprentice.

Beatrice, 15, a Pupil Teacher.

2 boarders.

HONOURS FOR ACTIVE SERVICE
VOLUNTEERS.
Suffolk Chronicle & Mercury – 17th May 1901

At the meeting of the Ipswich Town Council on Wednesday, the Deputy-Mayor proposed the following resolution:- “That this Council do, in pursuance of the Honorary Freedom of Borough Act, 1883, confer the honorary freedom of this borough upon these members of the Headquarter Companies of the 1st Volunteer Battalion Suffolk Regiment, who are resident in Ipswich, and who have rendered eminent services to their country and this borough by volunteering for active service in South Africa in time of emergency; and that a copy of this resolution suitably engrossed, be signed by the Mayor, and presented to each of the Volunteers specified, namely:- Marshall Duggan, William Jarrold, Charles Wright, John Thomas Pye, John Percy Rogers, Frederick Percy Godbold, William Lambert, George John Norman, Hugh Amass Bothwell, Ernest Charles Chamberlain, Jeffrey Charles Snelling, Charles Slingsby, Edward Thomas Roper, William Frost.
The Deputy-Mayor, in moving the resolution, said he was quite sure it was by a pure accident he was not able to carry this proposal into effect at the previous meeting of the Council, owing to there not being a sufficient number of members present. He asked the Council to now carry back their thoughts to the events of the autumn of 1899, which found Kimberley, Mafeking, and Ladysmith all besieged. Then came the black week, which none of them would ever forget, when the news of the disasters of Magersfontein. Stormberg, Coleneo made them realise suddenly that the country was face to face with one of the greatest crises which had occurred in the last 50 years at least. Calls were made for Volunteers, and men left their peaceful occupations and flocked to enrol themselves under the flag of the Motherland, not from this country alone, but from uttermost parts of the Empire. What about the men which Ipswich sent out? They had fought in several engagements side by side and shoulder to shoulder with their regular comrades; they had endured great hardships, hunger, thirst, and sickness, and they had done so uncomplainingly. Three of the local contingent at least could not be welcomed home again, because they lay under the veldt, 6,000 miles from their homes and friends. Lord Roberts, as was a matter of common knowledge, had spoken in a most flattering way of the service of the Volunteers; and General French, under whom the Suffolk men had served, had also spoken very highly of them. Colonel Mackenzie, too, before the men left South Africa, thanked them for their service; those who knew Colonel Mackenzie were aware he was not in the habit of saying what he did not mean. (Hear, hear.) How had these men served their town? Each county which had a battalion in South Africa, he reminded the Council, was asked to supply an active-service company of 110 men; if Ipswich had not sent its fair share of men, it would have been disgraced. These men, therefore, in coming forward and doing their duty so well, had saved their town from humiliation and conferred an honour upon it. (Hear, hear.) The hon. Freedom, which it was proposed to present to the Volunteers, conferred no privileges whatever upon the recipients, but he did not think it would be appreciated, say the less on that account. He would also like to include in this motion a proposal for the placing of a tablet in the Town Hall, bearing the names of these Volunteers; he should feel it a great honour if he were permitted to bear the cost personally. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. W.T. Pretty, in seconding, remarked that the attitude of the public towards Volunteers had changed a great deal during the last twelve months. The Volunteer forces stood between the public and conscription, and he thought for that reason they were deserving of a certain amount of gratitude. (Hear, hear.) Personally, he intended to look after the returned Volunteers in the matter of employment, should any of them be without work.
The motion was carried.
The Mayor said he had anticipated what would be the decision of the Town Council, and he had taken the liberty to draft and have engrossed a suitable address for presentation to each of these men. (Hear, hear.) He thought the valve of the hon. Freedom would be enhanced if the presentation were made promptly and accordingly. He had invited these 13 gentlemen to dine with him at the Town Hall on Thursday night, and he would take that opportunity of presenting them with the freedoms. (Hear, hear.) As to Mr. Churchman’s suggestion for the placing of a tablet in the Town Hall, no notice had been given of such a proposal, and its consideration might very well be postponed for a month.

1901  Following military service in South Africa, taking part in the Boer War. Hugh was awarded “Freedom of the Borough of Ipswich”. Freedom of the Borough is the highest honour given to an individual. Ipswich had given the honour to Lord Kitchener (High Steward of Ipswich). Hugh was honoured along with 13 other Ipswich men for their service to the country.

1911   135, Handford Road, Ipswich.

Hugh was 31 years old, an Assistant Superintendent at the Refuge Assurance Company. He was married and Head of the Household.

Georgina, 29.

Vera, 8.

Hugh’s father, Hugh Bothwell, died on the 20^th September 1891, at 2, Soane Street, Ipswich, of phthisis haemoptysis. His brother-in-law, Harry Frederick Baldwin, of 15, Peel Street, Ipswich, was present at the death. Hugh Bothwell was buried on the 24^th September at Ipswich Old Cemetery.

He had for many years been in the employ of Messrs. Talbot and Co., as a salesman of ginger beer.

Ipswich Journal – Saturday, 10^th October 1891 – BENEFIT CONCERT – On Monday, a concert was given at the Co-operative Hall, for the benefit of the widow and seven children of the late Mr. Hugh Bothwell, the youngest of whom, when left an orphan, was only three weeks old. Immediately on hearing of the sad event, his friends, led by Mr. James Ball, one of his former co-workers, came to the front and started a subscription and promoted a concert for the benefit of the bereaved ones. The latter was a complete success. The entire expenses were bore by friends and Mr. James Ball, and Mr. W. A. Stevens, Mr. John Cole, and Mr. S. Smith, undertook the arrangements, and they succeeded in raising, by subscriptions and the proceeds of the concert, the sum of upwards of £40 (which will be paid to the widow in full), and at the same time giving those who took tickets for the concert a pleasant and enjoyable evening. A capital programme was gone through, and though rather a long one, the whole were brought on with such promptitude, and no encores allowed, that it was all over by ten o’clock. The programme, which consisted of overtures by the Conservative Club Band (under the able conductorship of Mr. Fletcher Dorling), sentimental and comic songs, recitations, an ocarina solo, and a duet for violin and pianoforte, was ably carried out by the artistes.  

Ipswich Journal – Saturday, 24^th October 1891 – THE LATE MR. HUGH BOTHWELL – We are desired by Mrs. Bothwell to express her sincere thanks to the ladies and gentlemen who promoted, and so ably assisted at the concert given on the 1^st October for the benefit of herself and family, and also to all those who so generously contributed to the fund.

The net proceeds (£44), after providing for her immediate wants, had been placed in the N.P. Bank to her credit.

On the 22^nd December 1901, at the Presbyterian Church, Ipswich, by the Reverend Edward James Gilchrist, Hugh married Georgina Smith, born October 1881, Ipswich – youngest daughter of Hugh Smith, a draper’s traveller, and Annie Smith (nee Baker), of Cowper Terrace, 129, Handford Road, Ipswich.

Georgina and Hugh had four children:

Vera Annie Bothwell, born October 1902, Ipswich.

Sybil Jessie Bothwell, born in May 1908 at 135, Handford Road, Ipswich – died on the 29^th May 1908 at 135, Handford Road, Ipswich, aged 2 weeks, and was buried on the 2nd June in Section Q, Ipswich Old Cemetery.

Hugh Smith Bothwell, born in April 1910 at 135, Handford Road, Ipswich –  died on the 6^th June 1910 at 135, Handford Road, Ipswich, aged 6 weeks and was buried on the 10^th June at Ipswich Old Cemetery.

Edna Kathleen Bothwell, born October 1913, Ipswich.

Soldiers’ Effects to Georgina Bothwell – widow.

Second Lieutenant Noel Raymond Mossop wrote to Mrs. Georgina Bothwell.

Hugh is also remembered on the war memorial for the Refuge Assurance Company, at Fulshaw Hall, Wilmslow, Cheshire, and at St. Peter’s Church, Ipswich, and on the war memorial for the Presbyterian Church that was formerly on London Road, Ipswich – now kept at Ipswich Museum, and on the war memorial at Northgate High School. Formerly Ipswich Grammar School for Boys.

Suffolk Regiment, 2nd Battalion:

Suffolk Regiment Battalion movements

SUFFOLK REGIMENT MUSEUM

Friends of The Suffolk Regiment