Private 25B/968 Thomas John Moffatt 2/24th Regiment

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Liverpool Echo - Thursday 10 November 1927

Photographs of his headstone can be found on this locked thread
https://www.1879zuluwar.com/t626-968-private-thomas-moffatt?highlight=moffatt

MOFFATT Thomas – Private – 25B/968 – 2nd/24th B Company
Born: High Street, Runcorn, Cheshire, England 5/12/1855. He was been baptised into the Roman Catholic Church although he gave his religion as Church of England on enlistment into the army.
Parents: Thomas Moffatt a Canal Labourer on the Liverpool/Manchester Canal, and believed to have been an immigrant from Ireland arriving in Liverpool in the mid-1840’s, he died 31/1/1858 aged 36 years.
Catherine Moffatt nee Rowley, she was illiterate at the time of her son’s birth and died 5/7/1869 aged 50 years.
Trade: Worked as a Canal Labourer on the Liverpool/Manchester Canal alongside his father. On discharge from the army Thomas was employed by the Liverpool/Manchester Canal Co., as a self-employed Ropeman, later became a Lock-Tender possibly at the boat house.

Nice bit of extra detail. Thanks Julian

I've a lot more if you want it...not particularly relevant to the ZW but background stuff.

His obituary
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Western Mail - Friday 20 November 1936

Shows a letter given by the citizens of Durban and also mentions another survivor T Taylor

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Runcorn Weekly News - Friday 20 November 1936

25B/889 Pte. Thomas Taylor 2/24th B coy

Thanks Julian

Just out of interest where did you find out that his middle name was John?

I spotted it somewhere Julian. I will see if I can find it.
It does have Thomas J Moffett on his headstone

Thanks!
Actually I have a photo from 1925 of Moffatt, Jones VC and Taylor meeting the King.

This from 2010 (but without the updates for next year).

Thomas J Moffatt was born on 5 December 1855, at High Street in Runcorn, the son of Thomas Moffatt, and his wife, Catherine (formerly Rowley). A son named Thomas had been born previously, but he died early in 1855 and the new baby was named after him and baptised at home immediately after his birth. Thomas senior had worked for the Manchester Ship Canal Company, and died of consumption on 31 January 1858, and after moving to Mill Street in Runcorn, Catherine died of tuberculosis on 5 July 1869, leaving Thomas as a teenage orphan.

Thomas junior had also worked for the Manchester Ship Canal Company with his father. He joined the army at Liverpool on 30 November 1876, and as 968 Private Moffatt, he was posted to the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment. He received orders for active service in South Africa, and sailed to the Cape in February 1878, taking part in the Cape Frontier War, and during the Zulu War he was present at the defence of Rorke’s Drift. For his service he received the South Africa Medal with 1877-8-9 clasp. In the company re-shuffle caused by the losses at iSandlwana, he was transferred to ‘G’ company, on 29 January 1879.

He served at Gibraltar in 1880, and in India, from where he returned to England on 27 January 1883. He was discharged to the army reserves on 19 July 1883.

His daughter, Nora, stated in 1983: ‘When he returned to Runcorn after his army service

He found lodgings at 9 Mill Street in Runcorn, and employment as a dock worker with the Bridgewater Canal Company on the Runcorn Waterways. When the teenage daughter of his landlord, Martha Plant, moved to Widnes, Thomas also moved to the town, where he found lodgings at 55 James Street, and they kept in touch. They married on 6 December 1892, at St Mary’s Parish Church in Widnes. They made their home at 2 Back Brunswick Street in Runcorn, and Thomas worked as a rope gatherer on the canal, later moving to Mersey Street in Mount Pleasant, Runcorn.

They had ten children. Catherine was born in 1895, Thomas Joseph in 1897, Eliza in 1900, John in 1903, Mary in 1904, Francis in 1906, James in 1909, Edward in 1911, Nora in 1916, and William in 1919, after they had moved to 9 Brunswick Street, Runcorn. They went on to have 29 grandchildren.

King George V opened the new bridge between Runcorn and Widnes in 1925, and Thomas Moffatt and fellow Rorke’s Drift man, Thomas Taylor, were presented to the King, along with ‘Todger’Jones VC. Thomas suffered from nightmares about the events at Rorke’s Drift, and in his later years cataracts impaired his vision. He was often seen about town talking to Todger Jones.

Tom died of myocardial degeneration and arterial sclerosis, on 18 November 1936, aged 80, and he was buried with military honours in Runcorn Cemetery (section 13, grave 138), where Thomas Taylor was already laid to rest. His devoted dog, Toby, died a week later.

In 1999 a renovation and re-dedication service was held at his graveside, and the grave of Thomas Taylor. The service included a troupe of Zulu dancers in regalia. In 2020 a blue plaque was unveiled in the street where he was born, which was attended by members of his family, and later that year his campaign medal was sold at auction.

I have a photograph of the Zulus in war regalia in 1999 but I might use it for the update.

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Nantwich Guardian - Tuesday 04 May 1915

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Runcorn Weekly News - Friday 16 July 1915

Today I found out from my grandmother Thomas Moffatt is her great grandfather, my daughter was telling her how her topic in school is about wars, we have come across th6us site and found information about him, Thomas and my daughter share the same Birthday 5 December and she can't wait to go to school tomorrow and tell her class about him.

Welcome to the forum and thank you for your kind words, they make all the hard work worthwhile.
Good luck with your school project

A better quality picture of him
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Runcorn Weekly News - Thursday 21 March 1940