Michael Heath-Caldwell M.Arch
Brisbane, Queensland
ph: 0412-78-70-74
alt: m_heath_caldwell@hotmail.com
Eliza Louisa Marsh-Caldwell – known as Louisa – aged 82/83 of Linley Wood
Rosamond Marsh-Caldwell – Posy – aged 78/79? of Linley Wood
Admiral Sir Leopold Heath - age 83/84
Lady Mary Heath – (ne Mary Emma Marsh) - age 76/77
Arthur R. Heath - age 46/47 (1854-1943)
Marion Emma Crofton (ne Heath) – May - age 44/45
Lt. Colonel Frederick Crofton Heath R.E. – (Gen. F.C. Heath-Caldwell) - age 42/43
Constance Mary Helsham Heath-Caldwell - aged 32/33
Cuthbert Helsham Heath-Caldwell -aged 11/12
Martin Fredrick Heath-Caldwell- aged 7/8
Cuthbert Eden Heath - age 41/42
Sarah Caroline Gore Heath (ne Gambier) age 41/42
Leopold Cuthbert Heath age 6/7
Genesta Mary Heath - age 1/2
Ada Randolph Broadwood (ne Heath) - age 40/41
Commander Herbert Heath R.N. - age 39/40
Capt. Gerard Moore Heath R.E.- age 37/38
1901 Census
Vigo (near Holmwood)
Head - Henrietta Helsham-Jones - Single - Aged 61 - Living on own means - born, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Constance Helsham Heath - niece - married - Aged 32 - born, Lochiance, India
Martin F. Heath - great-nephew - Aged 7 - born, Holmwood, Surrey
Elizabeth Dunny - servant - Aged 45 - Cook / Domestic - born, Midlesham, Suffolk
Grace Sobley - servant - Aged 29 - Parlour Maid, ditto - born, Eppgin, Essex
Mary Smith - servant - Aged 20 - Useful Maid, ditto - born Dunot, Caithness
From Lieutenant-Colonel F.C. Heath R.E.
A.A.G.to G.O.C. L. of C.
15 January 1901
Some of the farmers in our immediate neighbourhood now came in for protection, bringing their flocks and cattle with them which the Boers made repeated attempts to capture. On 15th January, they succeeded in taking away 80 head, we pursued with Artillery and Mounted Infantry for 5 miles but the start was too good for us; this mishap was due to neglect of order on the part of the Cossack posts who failed to send in word that they were being attacked, and to inattention on the part of our look-out men in the clock tower.
Saturday 19 January 1901
West Surrey Times
The Leatherhead Institute
The annual report for the year ended December 31st, of this popular institution, has this week been issued to the members by the hon. secretary (Mr F. Hue Williams), and is of a very satisfactory nature. - - - Admiral Sir Leopold Heath K.C.B., and Mr Webb also presented books. - - -
From Lieutenant-Colonel F.C. Heath R.E.
A.A.G.to G.O.C. L. of C.
25 January 1901
On the 25th our wood party was attacked, we lost 1 man killed; the Boers retreated hurriedly into the thick bush on finding that they had to deal with a detachment of the 3rd South Wales Border who behaved with great steadiness.
The Boers were now busy forming women's laagers and collecting the stock of the district. We found great difficulty in getting reliable news, the natives being thoroughly scared. No runners came back to us between December 29th and January 30th, so that during this time we were entirely without news as to what was going on outside. Most of the runners we sent out returned having failed to get through.
During latter half of January our Cossack posts were engaged almost daily with no loss on our side; the Boers lost one killed and it was reported that two more were wounded.
From Lieutenant-Colonel F.C. Heath R.E.
A.A.G.to G.O.C. L. of C.
26 January 1901
On 26th they made a similar attempt, but this time we had good notice and recaptured all the stock 4 miles out (grazing near the town had been so much eaten that cattle had to be taken a long way out to feed).
About this time a Maxim was put in the clock tower on a carriage made in our workshop. This clock tower was our Observatory and gave us good view and would have been a capital position from which to direct operations in case of attack. With this in view "Magaphone" (large speaking trumpets) were made, one for the tower and one for each work, by these means communication was made easy, and for everyday work the lookout men were able to give us early and accurate information of enemy's movements.
Saturday 26 January 1901
Army and Navy Gazette
Naval Training
THE time-worn subject of the training of our young naval officers is once more dealt with at length in the Times. The point particularly raised in the present discussion arises from an editorial examination of the relative claims of mathematics and foreign languages to the higher place in the curriculum of study.
The Times pointed out that the study of mathematics “now seems to hold the field almost exclusively,” and Admiral Bridge, supporting the leading paper, adduces reasons for giving the study of foreign languages a much more prominent position.
He says “Will you please engage to ask independently each of the six naval officers whom you first happen to meet, to tell you the number of occasions on which they found any knowledge of mathematics, beyond the rudiments, of any practical use. And will you follow up the question with a second, as to the occasions on which they either found, or would have found had they possessed it, knowledge of one or more foreign languages of use to them?
Sir Cyprian Bridge also takes occasion to advocate, even more than the study of either mathematics or languages, those practical subjects which are absolutely essential to the making of a naval officer.
He asks “ of two men of equally natural gifts, which is likely to be the more useful in war. The one who has just been four or five months running a destroyer about the Channel, or the one who has just been four or five months chasing x at Greenwich?
The trouble is, we are told, that as things are to-day it is only the mathematician who can hope by proficiency in his studies to find passport to early promotion, and until this is no longer the case the ambition of every man will make him turn from the sea to the shore.
The challenge thus thrown out is taken up by several distinguished officers. Sir Edmund Fremantle, while he agrees that foreign languages have been too much neglected in favour of mathematics, is apprehensive lest a desire to whittle down the academical or scientific training should result in a degeneration of naval officers into “ old salts with touch of the drill sergeant.”
Sir Leopold Heath also desires to produce evidence, as one of the six naval officers, and answers the questions of Sir Cyprian Bridge by citing two cases. The first of these, that of the saving of the Gorgon in 1845, he believes to have been always attributed in large degree to the scientific knowledge of the late Sir Cooper Key, who was in her as a lieutenant.
The second case is that of the Tiger, and he asserts that in all probability the loss of this vessel was due to the absence of scientific knowledge in her executive officer.
Nor does Sir Leopold Heath doubt that under the present system of education a considerable sprinkling of officers is to be found in every man-of-war capable of interpreting when a knowledge of languages is necessary. - - -
Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick.C. Heath R.E...(at Hoopstadt, South Africa)
1 February 1901
On 1st February, 30 Boers rushed a Cossack post at 5.30am and succeeded in disarming two men; the support to Cossack post coming up, Boers commenced a retreat on their main (bo--y?) without taking their prisoners. I ordered out the inlying picquet and the rest of Mounted Infantry to saddle up and follow, and commenced a pursuit.
We chased for 6 miles keeping up a running fight and getting within 600 yards of the enemy, but unfortunately we had been beaten in the race for a strong position. As we had now been fighting for two hours and the Boers were in a strong position with numbers equal to ours and within call of reinforcements, I ordered the return home. The Boers did not follow up until we had retired 1500 yards, they then fixed on us and succeeded in wounding Captain The Honourable M. O'BRIEN, of No.2 Company Northumberland Fusiliers, and the Company Sergeant Major of No.2 Company Royal Berkshires, M.I. These were our only casualties, with exception of two horses died in Camp of wounds and six others slightly wounded.
The Boers must have fired away at least 1000 rounds; I consider our small loss was due to the rapidity of the pursuit. The Boers are reported to have lost 4 men wounded (some say killed) and one horse killed, from good evidence I believe their loss was at least this. To prevent a recurrence of a surprise of this nature, I now put up a mile of wire fence in front of the right Cossack post and ran it to the river. This was two miles out of the town, but to guard it from being cut at night I armed two natives as a night guard on it.
At thist time I had 12 armed natives and employed them in mounting guard up and down the river, in the wood to the North of us and as a guard at night on native cattle. They were armed with Martinis, so as to give early notice of the approach of the enemy. Armed natives were not employed on the offensive.
1-8 February
From the 1st to the 8th February nothing of importance happened beyond firing on Cossack posts at long range.
Thursday 7 February 1901
Madras Daily Mail
An Improved Annuity Scheme
Although it is now fourteen years since Sir James Lyall was promoted from the
posts of British Resident of Mysore, and Chief Commissioner of Coorg to the of Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab - the Province for which he had put in the whole of his previous service - yet he made so many friends during his residence of three years in Southern India that not a few of our may be disposed to regard the appearance of his name on the Board of Directors of the Hand-in-Hand Fire and Life Insurance Society, of London, as constituting for that Society a special claim to their respect, as well as a guarantee of its high standing.
He is associated there with Sir David Evans, a former Lord Mayor of London; Admiral Sir Leopold Heath, at one time in command of the East India Station; and several other gentlemen of high repute.
The Society claims to be the oldest in the world, for it was established in the year 1696, during the reign of King William III, under the title of "The Amicable Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses."
In 1936, after having conducted its fire business for a hundred and fifty years, it commenced to undertake the insurance of life; and in 1896 it had the unique honour of celebrating its bi-centenary.
It has no shareholders like the majority of its more youthful rivals, so all its profits are either added to its Reserve, or are returned to the policy-holders who pay the participating rates, to whom, however, no liability attaches for any of the fire or life claims that may be made upon it. - - -
Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick.C. Heath R.E...(at Hoopstadt, South Africa)
8 February 1901
On the 8th Captain GUNTER, Commanding the Mounted Detachment of 3rd Battalion SOUTH WALES Border took his detachment of 15 men (without horses) to some kraals three miles out and lay in ambush all that night and the following day. Boers had been making a practice of visiting these kraals but unfortunately on this particular day did not do so.
11 February 1901
On the 11th I sent Captain GUNTER, supported by Northumberland Fusiliers Mounted Infantry Company to visit a farm 6 miles out. This resulted in an exciting chase after some Boers and their capture became a very near thing; one Boer held up his hands in token of surrender, but unfortunately being fired on, thought better of it and effected his escape in the bush leaving his hat behind him.
About this time natives came in from the North bringing rumours of English columns moving North of us in the TRANSVAAL, but we had had no news from outside for six weeks.The question of food for the civilian and native populations now became a pressing one; and I was forced to feed the civilians and "employed natives" from Military stores on repayment; the unemployed natives were allowed to feed on green mealies from a field two miles out of camp.
14 February 1901
On February 14th we got within effective shell fire of a Boer Cossack post.
20 February 1901
On the night of the 20th two mounted men came up within 600 yards of trenches.
22 February 1901
On 22nd having carefully watched day by day the movement of a Boer Cossack post and noticing that each day they took up the same position, I determined to endeavour to surprise it. The post was usually from 6 to 8 strong and was some four miles from the town.
I sent Captain H.PHILLIPS, at night with a party of 35 men of 3rd South Wales Borders to hide themselves in the bush. Captain PHILLIPS succeeded in surprising the Boers, two were wounded, one severely. Captain PHILLIPS's men were admirably disposed and with more luck several prisoners would have been taken. Some four hours after this some 50 Boers assembled on the position formerly occupied by the post; two guns were got out under cover and succeeded in landing four shrapnel shells amongst them. This all took place four miles South of the river.
Shortly afterwards our Cossack posts were attacked on the North side, but the enemy were driven off by the Berks M.I. under Captain M.FOLEY, Commanding No.2 Company Royal Berkshrie M.I.
With no news since January 12th and having only three weeks supply left, I considered it advisable to reduce the buscuit rations and get in as many green mealies as possible. There was a large patch of mealie fields five miles up the river, on either side of it, but Boers kept a watch on them and it was not safe to go to them except in force.
To get these mealie fields into our hands I decided to occupy a farm (Jouberts farm) commanding a drift connecting the two groups of mealie fields. We went out in force on 6th March to put the position in a state of defence and throw in a garrison of 50 3rd South Wales Border, 15 of whom were mounted.
During this operation the Boers attacked in force but finding that we were in superior numbers did not press home. On this occasion 150 of the 3rd South Wales Borders were engaged; they were very keen on a fight. One Boer was left dead on the field and at least another was wounded.The occupation of this farm caused the small Boer laager up the river and the larger laager to the North of the river to shift further away.
We had not six miles of river and three or four miles of country on either side in our hands and control of a large mealie area of 150 to 200 acres; but the mealies were still green and would not keep over 5 days, however they were good for man and beast and we were able to save oats, biscuit and hay and satisfy the civilian and native population. Indeed had it not been for these mealies the natives would have starved and the horses been without grain from the 20th March, on which date our oats ran out.
Saturday 2 March 1901
Chatham News
Writing on the attack on Faber's Put, Sir Charles Warren says:- - -
Major F.C. Heath, A.A.G., horse shot under him.
Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick.C. Heath R.E...(at Hoopstadt, South Africa)
23 March 1901
On March 23rd, a native scout was ambushed and shot by Boers. He was in mealie fields. We brought in his body.During the afternoon 100 Boers advanced on one of our Cossack posts and occupied mealie fields, but retired on our advancing with M.I. and one gun.The natives now fought shy of going to the mealie fields on the North side of the river, so that it became necessary to send out covering parties. Natives living on the South side still continued to pick without other escort than that which could be provided from Joubert's farm.
24 March 1901
On March 24th 200 head of cattle, which had been looted by Boers from natives, were re-taken from Boer Lager by natives.
27 March 1901
On March 27th a few Boers attempted to raid some cattle grazing between Joubert's farm and HOOPSTADT on South side of river. On this being discovered the Mounted Detachment 3rd South Wales Borders from Joubert's, went out and recovered the cattle, capturing at the same time one Boer rifle and wounding at least one Boer.The forage question now became serious, but thanks to the mealie fields a fair supply was obtained. The enemy did all they could to frighten the native mealie pickers.
30 March 1901
On the 30th Joubert's farm was sniped and one native seriously wounded.
31 March 1901
On the 31st two Boers surrendered and reported that the great majority of Boers were anxious to give in; to confirm this, a few days later, a letter was picked up from Franz BORDENHAST to Stoffel BORDENHOST saying that he as representing the HOOPSTADT Boers thought it now time in the interest of his District to go into HOOPSTADT with his whole Commando and surrender.
2 April 1901
At daybreak April 2nd a column under Lord ERROLL came in view; on the afternoon of the 3rd HOOPSTADT was evacuated.
Friday 5 April 1901
London Evening Standard
The following were the principal sums received at the Mansion House yesterday by the Lord Mayor towards the National Memorial to Queen Victoria - - - Admiral Sir Leopold Heath, £10 - - -
Wednesday 10 April 1901
Yorkshire Evening Post
Latest Buff Edition
At the Seige of Hoopstadt
A letter from the front has been received by Volunteer Artillery Corporal W.G.Tebbutt, son of Superintendent Tebbutt, of the West Riding Constabulary, Leeds, from Private Compounder Wragg, of Leeds, who went through the siege of Hoopstade. The write gives a lively description of his experiences in what he designates "This God-forsaken, respectable hole called Hoopstadt," where naturally at the time of penning the missive he was very much "fed up." A pleasant diversion was created by a concert given in the Court House, by permission of the Commandant, Lieutenant-Colonel F. C. Heath. Young Wragg sang "To Anthea" and "Jack's the Boy," and another of the items in the programme was a recitation entitled "The Wreck of the Armoured Train." He has forwarded the bill as "a curio of the siege of Hoopstadt."
Envelop. May not be related to above letter.
J. Isaacs return for S.A.Miss R. Marsh-Caldwell
Linley Wood
Talke o Hill
Staffordshire
Postmark Worcester, 12 April 1901
Saturday 27 April 1901
Chatham News
Naval and Military - The Army
To be Lieut. Colonels - Major F.C. Heath R.E. - - -
Frederick Heath(-Caldwell)
April - 29th December 1901 - A.A.G. to General Officer Commanding Midland District, Cape Colony.
From Lieutenant-Colonel F.C. Heath R.E.
A.A.G.to G.O.C. L. of C.
Diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick.C. Heath R.E...(at Hoopstadt, South Africa)
PB130135
Letter to Posy from her one of her sisters at the Isaacs place, Boughton Park, Worcester.
After April 1901
Boughton (Boughton Park, residence of John Swinton Isaac and Amy Isaac,(ne Crofton, daughter of Maojor General Richard H.Crofton)
Friday
Dearest Posy,
It poured with rain all day yesterday except for about an hour when it ceased so that the crowds who accompanied the carriage from St.Johns Church when they took out the horses and dragged Amy and her son in triumph to the Hall door did not get soaked with rain.
All the family went to [Shrub?] Hall to meet him. He arrived there with his brothers from Southampton by 4.30, and was utterly unprepared for such an ovation and was quite upset by it. Said it was more alarming than the Boers. In fact he did not like it at all! He got through his little speech at the Hall door very nicely all the same.
And though it was so very disagreeable at the time I think he must have felt gratified by this proof of affection and good will. He is universally beloved and popular. Quite the favourite of the whole family.
There were two handsome arches one at the Lodge gate and the other at the house gate, put up by Amys people and there was another arch over the road put up by the St. Johns people. Ross was immensely excited and [fested?] the people with cake and wine.
John [John Swinton Isaac?] looks well and not a bit changed and is so simple and delightful and recounts his wonderful escapes and adventures in the most natural way in the world and indeed it is quite marvelous how he escaped with his life. He gave his mother the bullet which had been taken out of his back. How any one can live for 5 minutes with such a thing in them as a modern rifle bullet would pass belief if one did not see the thing and the man. His wound in the head was so dangerous that the doctor told the soldier who was selected for his attendant that he would not live 2 days. And John says he supposes he is the only man who has seen his own brains!
It was lovely to see his dear mother's happy proud beaming face as she sat by him at dinner and she did look so gay and pretty. We were a larger party, Amy [Amelia A. Isaac 1849-1925] and her 5 children, Edie, Nele and May, Lucy, myself and Mr Banner, a great friend of Johns who is staying here.
John is very conversational and has told us a great deal, most interesting. I miss a good deal because he speaks very fast, like the rest of the family and at dinner there was quite a roar of conversation. John cannot use one of his hands very well at present. His face is not at all spoilt by the scar on his cheek, and the wound on the head is just a white mark about the size of a dollar piece.
The other wounds are, of course, under his clothes. I was so glad to hear that Fred [Frederick Heath-Caldwell] had left Hoopstadt and happy he will not have to go back, as the war may be over before his leave. I wish Gerard [Heath] was a safe. Also, I am very very glad to hear all is comfortable at St.Saviour and that Mr Davies has found after May Day the Bread he caste on the waters for indeed he did a very good deed at a considerable sacrifice and it must make him feel happy that all was not wasted.
I do so like hearing about all your friends near L.Wd [Linley Wood] and I shall be very glad my dearest sister to come back again but I do not think it will be just yet.
Saturday 11 May 1901
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Holmwood
Church Restoration - The following sums have been received, among others, towards the Queen Victoria Restoration Fund of North Holmwood Church: - Mr and Mrs J.B. Ball, £20, - - -Admiral Sir Leopold Heath £20, Mrs Helsham-Jones, £50 - - -
Saturday 29 June 1901
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
The Spread of Ritualism
Sir,-
The South Holmwood Church was consecrated somewhere about the year 1832, and from that date until quite recently the worship at the Communion Table has been according to the simple Protestant ritual - in spirit and in truth - without external symbolical decorations of any sort. But at Easter time this year the Communion Table was, without the slightest warning or consultation with the parishioners found to be deck out with what half the Churchmen in England object to as being Papal symbols, emblematic of Papal doctrines
The parish is not as yet been canvassed, but it is believed that a large number of the parishioners object strongly, not only to the emblems themselves, but also to being ticketed, without their consent, as a ritualistic community.
I have hesitated about issuing this letter to my fellow parishioners, but I think the future walfare of our country largely depends upon the issue of the contest now going on between those who a called Ritualists and those who hold to Protestant doctrines, and that it is every man's duty to take a part in a contest such as that which the new Vicar has boldly challenged in this parish, when it comes so directly before him.
I shall be glad to receive communications from those who think with me, in order that I may judge of the expediency of calling a public meeting on the subject, and I invoke that expression of opinion from all parishioners, whether Churchmen or not, as the interests of the school children are at stake.
Yours etc.
L.G. Heath (Admiral)
Holmwood, June 26, 1901
Saturday 6 July 1901
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
The Spread of Ritualism
Not being a member of the Holmwood congregation, I can hardly give opinion as to the merits of this controversy, but if Sir Leopold Heath will look at the page of his Prayer Book immediately facing the commencement of Morning Prayer, he will find the Ornaments Rubric with this direction: "The chancels shall remain as they have done in times past," and "such ornaments of the Church and of the Ministers thereof, at all times their ministrations, shall and be in use, as were in this this Church of England, by authority of Parliament, in the second year of the reign of King Edward the Sixth."
Now What were the ornaments, and those of their Ministers of the old parish churches, in the second year of Edward VI.? A cross and two candlesticks, with flower vases on or above the alte, as we have them today in numberless churches through the country; a special vestment for the Eurcharist, surplices for other services; these, as a matter of history beyond disput, were used; and these, our Prayer Book expressly says, are to be "retained and be in use."
It is hardly necessary to say that where these things, or any of them, have fallen into disuse, it is desirable or right in every case to revive them but it is certainly absurd and unfair to cry out against men as disloyal to the English Church and the principles of the Reformation, because they carry out those very usages which the prayer book plainly declares are to be retained
I am,Sir, yours. &c
Moderate Churchman.
July 2st, 1901
(We have received other letters in reply to the communication we published from Sir Leopold Heath, but we cannot open our correspondence columns to a general discussion on the subject. - Ed.)
Friday 12 July 1901
Dorking Petty Sessions
Before Mr A.C. Powell (chairman), Admiral Sir Leopold Heath, Col. Lewin, Messrs J.C. Deverell, H.C. Lee Steere, - - -
Imposing on a Landlord. - James Weller, a labourer, who did not appear - - -
Obstructions - Grace E. Jowett was summoned for having caused an obstruction by allowing a cask to remain on the pathway in South St, Dorking, for an unreasonable time - - -
A Nice Boy - Charles Chapman, a boy, was summoned for having used obscene language on the Cotmandene on Sunday, the 23rd ult. - - -
Furious Riding - Harold Taylor and Theodore Taylor were summoned for having ridden bicycles to the danger of the public at Mickleham, on the 16th ult. - - -
Friday 12 July 1901
Surrey Mirror
Dorking Petty Sessions.
Allegiance to the King - The Hon. E.F.Leveson-Gower, Admiral Sir Leopold Heath,and Col. Lewin took the oath of allegiance to King Edward VII, as Justicies of the Peace. - - -
Saturday 27 July 1901
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Capel
During last week the heat was very great, the barometer registering over 80 degrees Fahrenheit (in the shade) on several days.
On one day at Wigmore, it rose as high as 133 (in the sun).
On Wednesday (in last week) a farm labourer, named George Grantham, aged 81. who has for many years worked for Sir Leopold Heath, was overcome by the heat, and was lying down for a long time before he was found. He seems to have sustained a chill, and on Saturday evening he was taken into the Capel Village Hospital, where he died on Monday evening.
The cause of death, however, was bronchitis and congestion of the lungs, and not sunstroke.
—Kate, the 11 years old daughter of William Ruff, a porter at Ockley station, had a very severe attack of sunstroke, Inst week, and on Monday last became unconscious, in which condition she remained on Thursday evening, there being very little hope of her recovery
Bedford Record
Tuesday 20 August 1901
Death of Miss Pym.
With sincere regret we have to announce the death of Miss Elizabeth Emily Matilda Pym, which took place at her residence, "St Peter's Lodge," St.Cuthberts, on Thursday after a very painful illness, extending over the last two years, during the last two months of which she was in a critical condition. - - - (continues) - - -
There were a large number of exquisite floral tributes of respect among them being - - - "With tenderest affection" Miss Marsh-Caldwell and Miss Rosamond Marsh-Caldwell
Friday 27 September 1901
Surrey Mirror
Admiral Sir Leopold Heath contributed an interesting letter to the "Times" of Friday, on the subject of the drainage of Holmwood. The substance of his letter will be found elsewhere.
Friday 27 September 1901
Surrey Mirror
Holmwood
The Drainage Question.
In the course of a letter to the “Times” Friday, Admiral Sir Leopold Heath said:
I live in a “contributory place for drainage purposes.” At the date of the last published census there were within its area about 400 dwellings, mostly cottages, and they contained 1,734 inhabitants, of whom 191 were ratepayers. Its area is 4,519 acres; thus there is about one inhabitant to two and a half acres, and one dwelling-house to every ten acres, and it is a purely agricultural district. Water for domestic use is not, over plentiful, and the district is. in every respect, most unsuitable for drainage on the sewer system.
Through the neglect of successive sanitary authorities, many of the cottagers have drained their slops into a small stream which eventually finds its way to the Thames, and the Conservancy Board, who have power over this district, have directed that the nuisance shall be stopped.
Under these circumstances, the natural course for the Sanitary Authority to have adopted would have been to order the offending cottagers to cut off their communication with the stream, and to build water-tight cesspools in accordance with the Act of Parliament, but they were frightened by the judgment of Mr. Justice Stirling in the case of “Ainley v. Kirkheaton Local Board”; and, adopting unreservedly and against the wishes of t.he majority of the inhabitants of the contributory place and the remonstrance of its two members, the views of an eminent sewer engineer, they are carrying out a scheme at a cost of not lees, and probably more, than ,£ll.000, which it is generally believed will be a failure.
I would suggest first, that a contributory place should, where its own special wants are alone concerned, have the full powers of the Sanitary Authority, so as to avoid the unfortunate position in which we stand, of being overruled on a subject which concerns us alone by 12 representatives of other parishes having no interest in the matter.
Secondly, that the Public Health Act requires amendment, and that the Kirkheaton case, which has done much harm, should carried to the House of Lords. must not entangle your readers in the intricacies of the law; but, shortly put, the decision gives every householder a right to connect his drains with the Sanitary Authority’s sewers, not only when it is one built by that authority for the express purpose of carrying the sewerage of the public to a proper filtering bed, but also when the sewer is onlv one through a queer enactment of the Public Health Act the effect that, if two cottagers join their little drain-pipes together the prolongation is called a sewer, and is to become the property of the Sanitary Authority; which property thus becomes, unwillingly, the owner of a sewer illegally discharging drain-stuff into a stream, and stands in the eye of the law as the offender, instead of the two cottager, who, moreover, are, under the Kirkheaton judgment, unremovable from their position.
It is the omission (evidently through bad drafting!) of the words, "which they are entitled to use,” from the 21st section of the Act which partially justifies the Kirkheaton judgment; but I hold the opinion of a most eminent King's Counsel to the effect that. “The word sewer in section 21 of the Public Health Act must held to mean a sewer which the local authority is entitled use within the meaning of the 17th section of the same Act. Any other construction would lead to an absurdity.”
Saturday 28 September 1901
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Admiral Sir Leopold Heath contributed an interesting letter to the "Times" of Friday, on the subject of the drainage of Holmwood. The substance of his letter will be found elsewhere.
Friday 4 October 1901
Surrey Mirror
Wanted, an Under-Carter - Apply to the Bailiff, Anstie Grange, Holmwood.
Friday 22 November 1901
West Surrey Times
With Pen and Pencil - Jottings by the Way.
Admiral Sir Leopold Heath K.C.B., of Holmwood, completed his 84 year on Monday.
File PB130015
From the Royal Engineers Journal
December 2, 1901
Maj.Gen. Frederick Conyers Cotton, C.S.I., Royal (Madras) Engineers
The survivors of the old Corps of Madras Engineers have lately had to mourn the loss of the third of three brothers who were distinguished members of their Corps,
Major General F.C. Cotton having on the 12th October followed to the grave Major Hugh Calveley Cotton and General Sir Arthur Cotton, in the 95th year of his age.
His first commission was dated 16th December, 1825, and his retirement on the 26th February, 1859; in the rank of Major for the taking of Canton and Amoy, in the first China War of 1840-41-42, having commanded the Madras Sappers and Miners at those actions, in the temporary absence of Major (afterwards Sir Thomas) Pears.
After his retirement he received the Companionship of the Star of India for meritorious service in the Public Works Department, and was also granted a Distinguished Service Pension.Soon after his arrival in India Cotton joined the Field Force sent against the Rajah of Kolapore, which speedily brought that troublesome chief to his senses without a fight. He was then for six years employed in civil engineering duties over a very wide tract of Southern India, embracing portions of the Bombay as well as of the Madras Presidency, ending in his being sent to sea on sick certificate.
At that time the Cape of Good Hope was the chief resort of invalids from India, as a journey home to England involved considerable loss of time and of Indian allowances; a circumstance which led to the importation of many fair Cape wives to India, and to a good supply of horses for the Indian army. But Cotton, being of an adventurous nature, a fine horseman, and good sportsman, sought for health in travel up country as far as Kuruman, in Bechuanaland, then the headquarters of that worthy missionary Robert Moffatt, for whom he ever after entertained a great regard.
At the time of his return to Madras his brother Arthur had undertaken the construction of a breakwater for that open roadstead, and Cotton, who had touched at Ceylon on his way, arrived to assist him in a characteristic manner, sailing up the coast in a Cingalese outrigger canoe; which subsequently formed his ordinary means of crossing the Madras surf during his prosecution of that work in 1835-37. its failure was due rather to exhaustion of funds than to any flaw in its design. But Arthur Cottons estimates were always his weak point.
Freds furlough then became due, and in 1838 he was homeward bound. But whether his travels in America and Russia, at a period when such journeys were prosecuted under very different circumstances from the present, were made en route homeward or from England is not very clear, for he destroyed all his diaries, and outlived all contempories who could have given information about the dear relative who had gladdened their hearts by his reappearance among them; for he was ever a prime favourite in the family circle, and there also made the acquaintance of his future wife [Mary Cunliffe], who, though then prevented from sharing his fortunes, was ultimately married to him in Ceylon in 1849.
It was not long after his return to duty that Cotton, then a Brevet Captain, was called to military service in the first China War, under Sir Hugh Gough, during the years 1840-41-42. Captain Pears was Commanding Engineer, but Cotton took his place for seven months in 1841, when Canton and Amoy were captured.
He and his native sappers were much associated with the navy during the operations of these years, and were great favourites on board ship, the former being considered by the officers to be quite thrown away as a landsman and the latter being introduced by some admiring sailors to a party of Marines in these words, Thems sapper, and thems miners, and thems everything!
On his return to civil duties Cotton was put in charge of all engineering work in Malabar and Canara, on the western coast of the Madras Presidency, with monsoon quarters on the Neilgherry Hills, work which was to him a labour of love. For the necessity of opening a proper communications between the ports of these most beautiful but neglected districts and the inland provinces, involved long and repeated journeys through the grandest scenery, combining the attractions of wood, water, and mountain, with occasional enjoyment of large and small-game shooting. I have myself seen him knock over a bull bison 18 hands high and follow him up in heavy jungle to give him the coup de grace; and do the same to a wild boar at bay between the roots of a large tree, after killing one of his pair of large hounds.
But the serious work of planning the conversion of the breakneck cattle tracks leading through the Western Ghauts into graded roads for wheel traffic, required much consideration in deciding which were of primary importance for trade, and tact in dealing with the authorities to be consulted. In Mysore he secured the co-operation of Captain Francis Cunningham, of the Mysore Commission, and of Majors Montgomery, Onslow, and Le Hardy, Commissioners of Districts in Mysore, and of Coorg; and of Collectors Conolly in Malabar, and Blair and Blane in Canara.
The same tact and ability gave him influence also with almost every Governor of Madras with whom he came in contact; for the Lord Elphinstone, the Marquis of Tweedale, Lord Harris and Sir Charles Trevilyan he was eminently a persona grata. The ultimate result of this pioneering work in the years from 1843 to 1852 has been the opening of numerous carriage roads through the Western Ghauts; where by the cotton of the southern Mahratta, Coorg, Wynaad, and the Neilgherries have been brought to the coast, and the cost salt, etc., made available for all those provinces inland, to the great enrichment of all the districts concerned.
Then came a sudden and unpalatable change from the verdure and beauty of the west country to the flat and unpicturesque plains of the Godavery district, to superintend the grand irrigation works just completed by his brother Arthur; undertaken out of pure admiration of that brothers genius. But during the two years of this more scientific work, carried out with his usual thoroughness and ability, he made the gracious company of a charming wife, which made much amends for the change of scenery; and exploring expeditions up the river Godavery into the dominions of the Nizam of Hyderabad gave him from time to time a taste of the wild life and scenery in which he had reveled on the west coast.
The information gained during these trips led to a project for removing all obstructions to navigation on that river through a course of some 750 miles, the subsequent abandonment of which work, after an outlay of three-quarters of a million, when half a million more would have completed it, was a false economy. For surely 2,000 a mile is not too much to pay for making the rice of the Godavery delta and of Burmah available for the central provinces of India in time of famine.
One marked feature of Major Cottons tenure of the Godavery works was the abolition of every vestige of forced labour on them. Till his time it had been the duty of one of the Revenue Collectors assistants to supply the works with gangs of labourers collected by the native magistrate from the various subdivisions of the district. But Cotton would have none of this, his travels in America having probably opened his eyes to the power of the almighty dollar, and he trusted with complete success to the influences of a fair wage and weekly payments; setting all labour free to come and free to go.
It must have been just before this time, however, that the subject of this notice was employed on a Commission with Mr. Bourdillon, of the Civil Service, and Colonel (afterwards Sir George) Balfour, of the Madras Artillery; whose labours resulted in a Report on Public Works, which was an exhaustive and most valuable work of its kind, and led to the entire remodeling of the system under which such works had hitherto been conducted in the Madras Presidency where the executive lay for the most part in the hands of the revenue civilians, while the engineers had only to plan and finally inspect their work.
The stagnation of the Presidency under such circumstances was pointed out by this trio of able men so forcibly and so convincingly that it brought about a perfect revolution in the matter, and the creation of the existing Public Works Department in Madras in the year 1856; but not without exasperating many of the older unprogressive members of the Civil Service, with the then Governor at their head.
As lieut.-colonel in his Corps, and brevet colonel in the army, Cotton held the posts of Mint Master at Madras in 1854-55, and Deputy Chief Engineer till his retirement in 1859; in the former of which he made his mark as usual, going so thoroughly into all details as to be able to suggest several improvements, which were not carried out simply for want of sanction for the necessary expenses by the Supreme Government, which had made up its mind to concentrate all Minting operations at Calcutta.
It was a pity that the services of such an officer should have been lost to Madras and to his Corps at the age of 52, and the then Governor lamented that he could not offer sufficient inducement to avert his resignation.
The remaining 42 years of Cottons life were not, however, spent in inaction, mental or bodily. Several years, and more money than he could well afford, were spent in farming on scientific, but unprofitable, principles; but they were years full of interesting experiments and practical experiences, and of delightful intercourse with a large circle of relatives and friends of his own and Mrs Cottons, amongst whom he had settled.
Then came a renewal of travel in Syria, the Holy Land, and Egypt in successive years, followed by their final settlement in South Kensington. Congenial occupation in the busy world of London was found him in connection with the Society of Arts, of which he was vice-chairman but for the deafness which gradually grew on him.
As member of the Athenaeum Club he was in the best intellectual society. His co-operation was sought in connection with the Imperial Institute, and he was on the committee of the Aquarium when that was started on a scientific basis, and before it degenerated into its present phase of existence.
Advancing years, however, told upon him, though they quite failed to affect his mental powers, and he spent them happily among his friends, finding occupation with his microscope, and enjoyment of the natural history collections in South Kensington, with partial blindness and deafness growing on him saddened, also, from time to time, by the deaths of his wife and brother, and of many contemporaries, as must be the fate of such as enter the tenth decade of their age; but he bore them in the sure and certain hope of the true Christian man that he was.
One supreme effort that he made in the last year or two of his honourable and useful life was the endeavour to impress upon the Indian Government and the India Office the paramount importance of utilizing to the utmost the waters of the great rivers of India for prevention of future famines in a series of three letters, lately published in pamphlet form by Messrs. Rivington. The last in order of these letters, but prefixed to the other two, is pathetically addressed to his brother engineers, civil and military, and to them I commend this imperfect tribute to the memory of their eminent fellow labourer. Warren Walker Bath,
2nd November 1901 Envelop
Notice of Let F.C.Cotton.
The Tatler
Wednesday 13 November 1901
Mr Thomas Seccombe, the assistant-editor of the Dictionary of National Biography, writes to me as follow:-
I notice that in the Tatler of October 30 your ask , Why is not Mrs Marsh in the Dictionary of National Biography? If by Mrs Marsh you mean Anne Marsh-Caldwell who wrote a number of novels, chronicled by Allibone under the heading Marsh, may I call your attention to the fact that in the Dictonary of National Biography, Vol. XXXVI., p.219, will be found a much fuller account of Mrs Marsh-Caldwell and her works than can readily be obtained either in Allibone or elsewhere. If Mr Sidney Lee had been in England he might have communicated with you on the subject, but as he is at present in Sicily, I have ventured to submit the circumstance to your candour.
I thank Mr Secombe for his correction, which does not, however, improve matters. I find a column devoted to Mrs Marsh-Caldwell who is referred to throughout the article as "Mrs Marsh," the name that she was known by to all novel readers, but there is no cross reference to "Marsh." As well might the Dictionary have placed Charlotte Bronte under her married name of "Nicholls."
Saturday 7 December 1901
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Dorking Wesleyan Bazaar
A three days' bazaar in aid of the building fund of the Dorking Wesleyan Church was opened on Tuesday, in the Wesley Hall, which had been prettily arranged by the ladies of the congregation. - - -
Sir Trevor wished every success to the bazaar and enclosed a cheque towards the fund. Mr Smart said he had also received a very kind letter from Admiral Sir Leopold Heath who, in forwarding a cheque, wrote:- "I am in full sympathy with you." The Dowager Countess of Harrowby had also written in a very kindly manner. - - -
Saturday 9 November 1901
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Wanted, a good Farm Labourer, age about 30; cottage provided. - Apply, The Bailiff, Anstie Grange, Holmwood.
30th December 1901 - 12th May 1902 -
A.A.G. and Commanding a mobile column, a mixed force of over 600, in Orange River Colony.
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Heath-Caldwell All rights reserved.
Michael Heath-Caldwell M.Arch
Brisbane, Queensland
ph: 0412-78-70-74
alt: m_heath_caldwell@hotmail.com