Pryce
Hamilton was born in 1844, the only son of John Hamilton, Esquire,
of Hilston Park (Monmouthshire, in North Wales) , and Anne Jones.
He had at least two sisters :
- Alice Mary Sinclair (the eldest daughter, who will marry
Francis Goodeve Erskine, 27th Earl of Mar, on 12th September 1866
; she will die on 6th June 1924 in Monaco, where she is buried),
- Laura Jane Campbell (7 Feb 1850, Hilston Park - 9 May 1922,
who will marry Lt.-Col. Henry Charles Eden Malet, Bt).
He
purchased his Commission as a Cornet in the 13th Hussars on April
7th 1865. The following year, he sailed with the Regiment to
Canada ; the Times of September 13th 1866 relates :
"The Cunard steamers Tarifa and Europa, which have been
completely overhauled and refitted for the reception of the 13th
Hussars, left the Mersey yesterday at 2 p.m. for Quebec.
The Tarifa has on board 13 officers, 182 men, and 172 horses. The
officers are Lieut.-Col. Jenyns, C.B. ; Capts. Clarke, Innes, and
Hill ; Lieuts Ford, Clay, and Webb ; Cornets Hamilton, Pole, and
Ellis ; Lieut. and Adjt. Joyce, Surg. Armsrong, and Vet.-Surg.
Varley. The Europa conveys 13 officers, 144 men, and 131 horses.
The officers are Major Maclean ; Capts. Atkinson, Huddleston, and
Miles ; Lieuts. Starkey, Higgins, and Horne ; Cornets Bieber and
Moore ; Paymaster Frith, Riding-master Hubbard, Quartermaster
Cresdee, and Assist.-Surg. Milburn. To-day, at 9a.m., the Allan
steamer will go alongside the great landing-stage and take on
board nine officers and 153 dismounted men of the same regiment,
and detachments for other corps, to the number of about 240, and
sail about noon. These vessels also take out several hundred tons
of military stores."
They will
reach Quebec on September 26th, "all well, the Europa
having lost two and the Tarifa 16 horses on the voyage".
The
Regiment had been sent to Canada following the unrest due to the Fenian
activists (mostly demobilized soldiers of Irish extract, fighting
the British presence in Canada), trouble that led the Governor
general to request Regular Cavalry troops - the lack of which had
been exposed in the previous operations.
The 13th Hussars will be mainly quartered in Toronto (Fort York).
During their tour, they will open a School of Cavalry there, that
will train local Cavalry Troops.
This will create a lasting heritage, as Canadian Cavalry regiments
will adopt a uniform after that of the Regiment, a tunic of Hussar
pattern with white facings (though most will sport pith helmets).
Pryce
Bowman Hamilton will purchase his Commission of Lieutenant on
January 31st 1868, vice James Alexander Ford, promoted.
The 13th
Hussars will sail back to England in August 1869 ; The Times
relates, on August 14th : "Yesterday the troopship Simoom
arrived in the Mersey from Quebec, and landed the 13th Hussars,
consisting of 19 officers, 7 officers' wives, and 10 officers'
children, 403 men, 71 women, and 103 children. In the course of
the day the troops left for York, and the Simoom at once proceeded
to take on board the 15th Hussars, from York, and will take them
round to Portsmouth, en route for Chichester, whence they will
shortly leave for India."
That's
likely around the time that photo was taken, as Pryce Bowman
Hamilton will sell out on November 16th 1869.
He will
however attend the annual regimental dinner of the 13th Hussars
held the following year at the Albion, Aldersgate-street, on June
8th 1870.
He will
get married a few years later, as related by the Times, December
20th 1873 :
"Marriage
On the 18th inst., at St.James', Picadilly, by the Rev. E.J.Owen,
Pryce B. Hamilton, Esq., only son of the late John Hamilton, Esq.,
of Hilston Park, Monmouth, to Julia Annie, only daughter of G.H.
Reynard Cookson, Esq., of Whitehill Park, Durham."
They will
be living in many places over the years.
"Littlebury's Directory and Gazetter of Herefordshire"
for 1876-7,will state that, among the various gentlemen's seats of
Wilton (close to Ross), a "Captain Pryce Hamilton"
lives in Wilton Hall.
This relates to our man, as the records of "Stanton Croft and
Co., solicitors" hold archives relative to "Hamilton,
Pryce of Wilton near Ross, Herefordshire, esquire"
and "Hamilton,
Julia Annie wife of Pryce Hamilton of Wilton near Ross,
Herefordshire, esquire".
I am not sure why he is thus titled Captain - but Pryce Hamilton
was then the president of Ross Rowing-Club.
A "Hon.
Lieutenant Pryce Hamilton, Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers",
will be presented by the Duke of Edinburgh at the Levée held at
St. James's Palace by the Prince of Wales on May 31st 1880.
The 1881
census tells us that the family (for there is a son, "Cecil
F.P. Hamilton", born in London and age 1 in april 1881 - his
occupation is listed as "Officer's Son"!) then
lives at 16, Lewes Crescent, Brighton.
Pryce is now 36, and his wife Julia Annie 30 (she was born in
Tynemouth, Northumberland).
The place they live in also accomodates 7 domestics ; a Nurse, a
Housemaid, an Oddman, a Butler, a Cook, a Kitchenmaid, a
Footman and a Lady's Maid.
We'll
find again Pryce B. Hamilton in the World, as a member of the
Coaching Club : he took part in the meets of 1887 with browns, and
that of 1888, with "a very good team of bays".
He will also be met with the Royal Yacht Squadron Elite,
taking part in the May 12th 1888 General Meeting.
The Prince of Wales was closely associated to both societies, and
in March 1892, the Prince and his family will be the hosts of
Pryce Hamilton in the Riviera : "Several delightful trips
have also been made by sea as far as Bordighera, San Remo, and
Nice, in Mr. Pryce Hamilton's steam yacht, Saurian, which has been
placed at their disposal." (The Times, March 29th 1892).
Pryce Hamilton will again attend the 1894 General Meeting of the
RYS, and the following year, two ships of his will be "in
foreign water (or) preparing for commission (...) Balaena, s., 32
tons, Captain Pryce Hamilton (...) Roxana, s., 106 tons, Captain
Pryce Hamilton" (The Times, January 7th 1895).
He will
still be an active member of the RYS in 1909.
His son
Cecil will die in the Great War : "On the 26th October
(1914), at Ypres from wounds received in action that day, Captain
Cecil Fife Pryce Hamilton, 1st Battalion Scots Guards, dearly
loved husband of Iris Hamilton and much-beloved only child of Mr.
and Mrs. Pryce Hamilton, of Seaford, Hyde, and Villa Valetta,
Nice, aged 35".
He had served in South Africa.
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