Zulu War Medal MHS Tamar

Whilst researching my family tree some years ago, somebody on this forum messaged me at the time (about 10 years ago) explaining that my great grandfather William Northmore was awarded the Zulu medal whilst aboard HMS Tamar.

Having spent some time researching my great grandfathers travels in the navy and what other scrapes he may have found himself in. I can't find any Naval reports of the incident that he was awarded the Zulu War medal for! It could well be buried in some Royal Navy archive website somewhere but I can't find anything that the crew went through on HMS Tamar to be awarded the medal.

Can anyone perhaps post a link or two or direct me to a website where I can read up on a detailed account of the incident.

Thank you, Matty53

Ps, still looking for his medal, last seen being sold at auction a few years ago which I only found out a couple of days ago. In the process of tracking down the buyer in the hope of bringing it back into family owership...

Hi Matty
The Zulu War Medal was a Campaign Medal which was issued to ALL those who served in the Zulu War , your G Grandfather is listed as an Able Seaman on the Medal Roll for HMS Tamar , those who served on the Tamar were all issued the Medal without a Clasp ( Clasps were in '' years ''... the following were Naval Clasps for Sth Africa.... ' No Clasp ' ( your G.G'father ) then 1877-78 , 1877-78-79 and finally 1879 , there were other yearly clasps for the ground forces ) if you crossed the Borders into Zululand you were awarded an 1879 Clasp . Our Resident expert Petty Officer Tom will hopefully see your post and add some more information .
90th

Matty,  Welcome to the forum.  Here is what I have on William Northmore.

25 June 1854 born at Ugborough, Devon to Stephen and Mary Northmore
7 Apr 1861 census shows he was a 5 year old scholar residing with his parents, 2 sisters and 1 brother at Ugborough, Devon
20 Jul 1870 entered the Royal Navy aboard HMS Impregnable (Training Ship for Boys at Plymouth) signed on for 10 years continuous service to commence on his having attained the age of 18; issued Continuous Service Number 12320B.  Between 20 July and 1 August 1871 he saw concurrent service aboard HMS Lord Clyde.
2 Apr 1871 census shows he was a 16 year old Boy 2nd Class aboard HMS Squirrel (Tender to HMS Impregnable at Plymouth)
1 Aug 1871 advanced to Boy 1st Class aboard “HMS Lord Clyde” at Plymouth
24 Nov 1871 Boy 1st Class assigned to HMS Lord Warren at Plymouth
1 Aug 1872 advanced to Ordinary Seaman aboard “Lord Warren”
5 Sep 1872 Ordinary Seaman appointed to HMS Caledonia
11 Sep 1872 Ordinary Seaman appointed to HMS Royal Adelaide (Flag Ship at Plymouth)
10 Oct 1872 Ordinary Seaman appointed to HMS Narcissus
1 Jan 1873 issued the newly instituted Official Number 65546 while aboard “Narcissus”
25 Jul 1874 Ordinary Seaman transferred back to “Royal Adelaide”
3 Feb 1875 Ordinary Seaman appointed to HMS Aurora
20 Jul 1877 Ordinary Seaman transferred back to “Royal Adelaide”
3 Oct 1877 Ordinary Seaman appointed to HMS Tamar (Troopship); saw service aboard ship during the Zulu War in 1879; entitled to the South Africa Medal without clasp.  “Tamar” brought the 57th Regiment from Ceylon and arrived at Durban, Natal, South Africa on 10 March 1879.  Tamar brought the 21st from the transport “City of Paris” which had run aground on entering Simon’s Bay and brought them to Natal on 31 March.  On 11 Apr “Tamar” arrived at Natal with the replacement troops for the 1/24th Regiment which that the ship picked up from the beach after the sinking of the transport “Clyde.”  In all HMS Tamar transported 51 officers and 2,220 men to Durban between 11 March and 11 April, 1879.
1 Apr 1879 Promoted to Able Seaman aboard “Tamar”
3 Apr 1881 census shows he was a Single, 26 year old, Able Seaman aboard HMS Tamar at sea on the night of the census
1 Jun 1881 Able Seaman returned to “Royal Adelaide”
2 Jun 1881 Promoted to Leading Seaman aboard “Royal Adelaide”
1 Jul 1881 Leading Seaman sent to HMS Ganges
9 Sep 1881 his South Africa Medal was sent to him aboard “Ganges”
25 Oct 1881 Deprived of 1st Good Conduct badge and reduced to Able Seaman aboard “Ganges”
11 Jan 1882 Able Seaman returned to HMS Royal Adelaide
6 Jan 1882 Restored to Leading Seaman
15 Mar 1882 Leading Seaman appointed to HMS Bellisle
25 Apr 1882 His 1st Good Conduct badge was restored
30 Jun 1882 Leading Seaman returned to “Royal Adelaide
27 Jul Leading Seaman appointed to HMS Thalia
1 Nov 1882 advanced to Petty Officer 2nd Class and appointed to HMS Dragon
1 Mar 1884 advanced to Petty Officer 1st Class aboard “Dragon”
25 Apr 1884 granted his 2nd Good Conduct Badge while serving aboard “Dragon”
25 Apr 1886 granted his 3rd Good Conduct badge while serving aboard “Dragon”
28 Aug 1886 returned to HMS Royal Adelaide and rated “Captain of the Foretop” (a Petty Officer 1st Class rating that carried a distinctive badge and an increase in pay of 1 pence per day.)
30 Oct 1886 Captain of the Foretop appointed to HMS Impregnable
3 Dec 1889 Captain of the Foretop returned to HMS Royal Adelaide
1 Jan 1890 Captain of the Foretop appointed to HMS Vivid
1 Mar 1890 Captain of the Foretop appointed to HMS Tamar
21 Jun 1892 Captain of the Foretop appointed to HMS Vivid I
30 Jun 1892 he was shore pensioned having completed almost 22 years in the Royal Navy
31 Mar 1901 census shows he was a married, 46 year old, laborer in the paper mills, residing at Ivybridge, Devon with his wife Jane, 2sons and 1 daughter
2 Apr 1911 census shows he was a married, 56 year old Naval Pensioner residing at No. 4 Keaton Road, Ivybridge, Devon with his wife, Jane, 3 sons and 1 daughter.

Do you know when he died and in which cemetery he is buried.  Do you have a photograph of him that you are willing to share?

Tom

Hi Tom

William Northmore died in the third quarter of 1920. His death is registered in Plympton, Devon. Ivybridge at the time came under Plympton district.

I would guess that he is buried in woodlands cemetery, Ivybridge, Devon. When lockdown is over, I will take a look and update the forum.

Andy

Andy,

Thank you for the information. Looking forward to the confirmation.

Tom

Andy,

Thank you for the information. Looking forward to the confirmation.

Tom

Petty Officer Tom,
Thanks for your information, that’s very detailed indeed and some of which I have found through National Archives and Find My Past. But what you have found is far more than what I did. I haven’t managed to find his medal roll record, and wondered what others medals he may have been awarded. Was there a particular website you used for that information as I’m also trying to find information regarding his son, another Navy serviceman (my grandfathers brother) Thomas Henry Northmore who was at the battle of Jutland apparently. I’ll not go on as that’s for another forum elsewhere.

It looks like 1879Graves has the answer to where William is possibly buried. I will also go and visit the cemetery when lockdown is finished. Thanks for your information as well 1879Graves, I never had found out where he was buried!

I’ve been on the search for photos of William Northmore via the internet as I have no family ones. Judging by your username, am right in saying you were / are Royal Navy Serviceman? I have tried to find ships crew photos in the hope of trying to find an image of him, but no luck. Do you know whether it was standard practice for ships crew photos to be taken back then? I would dearly like to find a picture of him. If you know were I could look, that would be really helpful.

I have been in touch with the last auction house that sold his medal in 2018, they are kindly going to pass on my email address to the buyer so they may contact me directly. So, there’s hope I may have it back in the family once again.

Thanks.
Matty

Matty,

Ancestry.com is the site were I find census information and Royal Navy records.  The only other medal Northmore may have been awarded would have been the "Long Service and Good Conduct Medal".  I don't believe it was a regular practice in the in the 19th century to take photographs of the ship's crew.  I have only seen a couple and they were of men serving on Arctic Expeditions.   As for me I did not serve in the Royal Navy, but I did serve for 4 years in the U.S. Navy.

Tom

Thank you very much for your help Tom, If I manage to retrieve Williams Medal I'll be sure to post it on here with a photo.

Regards,
Matty.