The format for entries will be:
a) Photograph of ossuary plaque
b) details given on plaque
c) details from transcripts of cemetery/burial records
d) additional information found through research
a) Photograph of ossuary plaque
b) details given on plaque
c) details from transcripts of cemetery/burial records
d) additional information found through research
PLEASE NOTE that some plaques contain errors in spelling of
names which is why additional details from the burial records and other sources are so important. In many instances different sources give different variations of names.
The top two rows of plaques in each section are very high
and it has not been possible for me to obtain an image of the full inscription. However, the niche numbers always run in
sequence down the row with rows running from left to right, whilst the year of
death can normally be surmised from surrounding niches.
Niches 316 – 335 relate to graves exhumed from Section 39. The above photo shows part of Section 39 as
it was in the 1880s and it will be seen that many of the graves were marked
with just a numbered stone. It was the
remains from these graves which were exhumed in the 1970s and placed in the
ossuary in 1983.
Niche 316
James MORTLOCK buried
1865
James MORTLOCK,
Sergeant Royal Artillery,
died in Government
Hospital
buried Grave 3119
Section 39 on 17 August 1865 aged 30
James MARTLOCK, Sergeant
Royal Artillery
died of fever in
General Hospital on 16 August 1865
A monument to the memory of men of the 8th.
Battery 2nd. Brigade Royal Artillery who had died whilst the Battery
was stationed in Hong Kong from 1864 to 1872 can be found in Section 19. This shows the name of Sergeant W. MORTLOCK
who had died on 16 August 1865. The 1861
index of the British Army lists William MORTLOCK as a Bombardier with the 2nd.
Brigade Royal Artillery.
Niche 317
G. WHITE buried 1865
George WHITE, Military
Cook of HMS Adventure
buried in Grave 3120
Section 39 on 17 August 1865 aged 45
George WHITE,
Military Cook of HMS Adventure
died on board HMS
Melville on 17 August 1865 aged 45
Niche 318
W. MORTON buried 1865
William MORTON,
Private 2nd. Btn. 11th. Regiment
died in Government
Hospital
buried in Grave 3122
Section 39 on 21 August 1865 aged 29
William MARTON,
Private 2nd. Btn 11th. Regt, died
of diarrhoea in
the General Hospital on 21 August 1865 aged 29
The 1861 British Army Index lists two soldiers with the name
of William MORTON serving with the 2nd. Battalion 11th.
Regiment – one has the service number 240, the other service number 720.
Niche 319
J. BERRY buried 1865
John BERRY of the
American ship Enoch Train
buried in Grave 3124
Section 39 on 24 August 1865
John BERRY, Seaman
late of the ship Enoch Train
died in the Seaman’s Hospital 24 August 1865
Niche 320
H. CLAYTON buried 1865
Henry CLAYTON,
Private 2nd. Btn. 11th. Regt.
died in Government
Hospital
buried in Grave 3125
Section 39 on 25 August 1865
Henry CLAYTON,
Private 2nd. Battalion 11th. Regiment
died of febris remit
in the General Hospital 24 August 1865
Niche 321
A.
INGHAM buried 1865
Albert INGRAM,
Private Marine of HMS Cormorant
buried in Grave 3128
Section 39 on 25 August 1865 aged 24
Albert INGRAN,
Private Marine of HMS Cormorant
died on board HMS
Melville on 25 August 1865 aged 34
A monument to the memory of the seamen and marines of HMS Cormorant
who died during her commission in China 1862 – 1866 can be found in Section 43. This lists Albert INGRAMS, PRM aged 24. Service records shows that Albert INGRAMS had been born in Kent in 1841 and joined the Royal Marines at Chatham in 1859.
Niche
322
W.
JONES buried 1865
William
JONES, Police Constable
died
in Civil Hospital
buried
in Grave 3131 Section 39 on 26 August 1865
William
JONES, Police Constable 39
died
26 August 1865
intestate
estate left balance of $31.39
Niche
323
Unknown
buried 1865
From previous listings it is apparent that the niches are running in numberical order according to grave number and relate to graves removed from Section 39. If this system is followed it will be seen that Niche 322 relates to Grave 3131 and Niche 324 relates to Grave 3138. From burial records it has been found that three
of the intermediate graves relate to the burial of children. Research has shown that most babies and
children who died in the summer of 1865 were buried in Section 9 so these three
burials have been discounted. Another
which can be discounted is that of an adult who was buried in Section 10. This leaves the following two possibilities
for the occupant of Niche 323:
Richard
CLEMSON, Private 2nd. Btn. 11th. Regiment,
died
in Government Hospital
buried
in Grave 3133 on 27 August
W.
JACKSON, unemployed Seaman
died
in Government Hospital on 28 August 1865
buried
in Grave 3137 on 28 August 1865
Niche
324
J.
WRIGHT buried 1865
John
WRIGHT, Private 2nd. Btn. 11th. Regt.
died
of cholera in the General Hospital on 28 August 1865
buried Grave 3138 Section 39
28 August 1865 aged 26
28 August 1865 aged 26
Niche
325
J.
LEATHERLAND buried 1865
John
LEATHERLAND, Private 2nd/11th. Regiment
died
in Government Hospital
buried Grave 3140 Section 30
29 August 1865 aged 26
John
LEATHERLAND, Private 2nd. Battalion 11th. Regt. died
of Febris Remit in the General Hospital 28 August 1865 aged 26
Niche 326
J.
WILSON buried 1865
John
WILSON, Private 2/11th. Regiment
died
in the Government Hospital
buried
Grave 3142 Section 39
29 August 1865 aged 30
29 August 1865 aged 30
John WILSON, Private 2nd. Battalion 11th. Regiment died of Febris Remit in the General Hospital 29 August 1865 aged 30
Niche
327
W.
CLAY
W.
CLAY, Seaman
died
in Civil Hospital
buried Grave 3144 Section 39
30 August 1865
Niche
328
John
POVER buried 1865
John
POYER of the British Ship Zephyr
buried
Grave 3149 Section 39
3
September 1865 aged 26
The grave of John POYER was moved from Section 39 as a
result of the Aberdeen Tunnel Project and his headstone can now be found in
Section 43.
Sacred to the memory
of
JOHN POYER
of Penzance, Cornwall
who departed this
life
at Hongkong
3rd September 1865
Whether John’s remains were moved
to Section 43 along with his headstone or whether they are in Niche 328 is not
known.
John had been born in Penzance,
Cornwall on 22 February 1840 and joined the Merchant Navy as a Boy in
1854. Between 1854 and 1864 he served on
the Virginia, Honesta, Lanchester,
Pomona, Rebecca, Kate and Stag Hound.
John obtained his 2nd Mate’s
Certificate on 3 October 1859 and Only Mate’s certificate on 6 February 1864 –
registered ticket no. 21098. He died of
Fever at Mr. Anthony’s on The Praya, Hong Kong on 3 September 1865.
Mr.
J. POYER, Chief Officer of the Zephyr
died
at Hong Kong on 3 September 1865
Niche
329
W.
RALPHS buried 1865
W.
RALPHS, Private 2/11th. Regiment
died
in the Government Hospital
buried Grave 3152 Section 39
5 September 1865 aged 28
W.
RALPHS, Private 2nd. Btn 11th. Regt. died
of diarrhoea at the General Hospital 5 September 1865 aged 28.
Elizabeth, the daughter of
Private William RALPHS of the 2nd. Battalion 11th.
Regiment died on 23 August 1865 aged 2 years and 3 months.
Niche
330
E.
MARCH buried 1865
Elliot
MARCH, Police Sergeant HM Dockyard
buried Grave 3156 Section 39
9 September 1865 aged 40
Niche
331
W.
VIGGORS buried 1865
William
VIGGORS, Seaman
died
in Government Civil Hospital
buried Grave 3159 Section 39
11/12 September 1865
Niche 332
T. BROWN buried 1865
Thomas BROWN, Seaman of ship Royal Saxon
buried Grave 3161 Section 39
13 September 1865 aged 45
Thomas BROWN died on board Royal Saxon
12 September 1865 aged 45 years
Niche 333
T. JOHNSTON buried 1865
T. JOHNSTON buried 1865
Thomas JOHNSTON, Seaman
died Government Civil Hospital
buried Grave 3162 Section 39
14 September 1865
Thomas JOHNSTON, Seaman died at the Civil Hospital 13 September 1865
Niche 334
Unknown
Working on the theory proposed at Niche 323 that the niches are running in numerical order according to grave number it is found that the grave between Niche 333 and Niche 335 has to be Grave number 3163. According to burial records this relates to:
John DAVIS, Seaman
died at the Seraman's Hospital
buried Grave 3163
14 September 1865
Niche 335
W. JONES buried 1865
William JONES, Seaman of HMS Hesper
buried Grave 3164 Section 39
14 September 1865 aged 29
Thomas JONES, AB of HMS Hesper, died on board HMS Melville on 14 September 1865 (Newspaper shows name as Thomas rather than William)
If you should be an ancestor or family member of any of the persons listed above and would like full details of sources please contact me:
If you should be an ancestor or family member of any of the persons listed above and would like full details of sources please contact me:
Copyright © Christine M. Thomas 2019
