LIDDELL of Bodmin

[dmollison]

William Henry Liddell was Captain of the troopship HMS Tamar from 22 April 1878.

I've found several mentions of his service in Tamar in the Zulu war of 1879, including rescuing the crew of a hired transport, the Clyde, in False Bay, 60 miles SE of Simon's Bay, in April 1879.
heand the ship were in the W Indies (Bermuda 28 Oct, Barbados 29 Dec) in late 1879.

Then I have a puzzling reference to being in Limassol, Cyprus, on 5 Dec 1880
(from the Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3784, 12 February 1881, Page 1)
- puzzling because he seems to have died 6 months earlier, with death cert. as follows -
Deaths Jun 1880
Liddell    William Henry    47    Portsea    2b   315
- which suggests perhaps he died at sea or on arrival in Portsmouth, but in any case 6 months before the Limassol reference.

I guess either checking the death certificate or Naval records would clear that up.

Why he's added to his grandparents' obelisk I don't know.

Thanks also for the info on the Bodmin Museum exhibit - it reminds me I have lots of info on James Liddell (1798-1889) and his ship the Wellington that I've been meaning to pass on to them.

[dmollison]

PS  Have found details of the death of William Henry Liddell.  He was at home in Portsea, having stood down from command of the Tamar about 2 weeks previously.  He was found dead from a fall outside his house early on the morning of 7 June 1880.  The coroner's court the following day found that death was from a fall, `but that there was not sufficient evidence to show how that fall was produced'.  He had been complaining of headaches and gout, and may have been `somewhat depressed'.
This is from the full coverage in the Hampshire Telegraph and Sussex Chronicle, and summary in the Pall Mall Gazette, both 9 Jun 1880. Quite a few other papers also covered the case.

An unlucky family: his oldest brother James (Lt, RE, 1829-49) died in a spectacular shipwreck in the south Atlantic, the next, John Worthy Liddell (engineer, 1831-64) died in  Venezuela aged 33; his youngest brother and sister didn't marry, nor did his own 3 children.

[newsue92]

crikey! On close examination there is engraving on 2 other sides, but very hard to read, the attached is I think James Jr, as I can make out South Seas.

[newsue92]

This Captain william, as close as could get without falling off the edge. It is perched on a corner

[newsue92]

according to find a grave, this is what one side is about Birth:    1829
Death:    Jun. 19, 1849

eldest son of Lieut. Liddell RN of the town who was lost with nearly all his Company of Sappers on Prince Edwards' Island in the South Seas / This highly gifted youth, regardless of self amidst? the awful wreck, closed his brief and most promising career in a futile effort to save a perishing lady.

[newsue92]

I think this must be John Worthy Liddell, though once again, not clear. Perhaps, as these chaps died abroad, that is why they are on the memorial

[dmollison]

Ref. James d 1849 - I have a note of that inscription being on a wall plaque in st Petroc's, Bodmin, rather than outside on an obelisk.  Is that right?

Denis

[newsue92]

Church is only open between easter and october except for services, so tricky to look at the mo, but this is definitely outside. Maybe both, certainly is the case with another Bodmin family the Michells, and a notable local doctor is inside, while his wifes stone is out! I used to live in part of the Castle St House the Liddells lived in.

[Chris Riddle]

James Liddell of Bodmin was printer and then ‘seedsman’ in the 1790s to the Cornwall Agricultural Society later to become the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association which today still exists and organises the Royal Cornwall Show.  He seems to have been a significant merchant dealing in a wide range of goods and this included supplying certified seeds on behalf of the Society to help farmers improve their crops.