J to m kingdon – campaign medals & military service

Notes: There is a Royal Navy Wills Record for a James Kingdon of Blackawton, Devon, in 1796, serving onboard ‘HMS Bull Dog’; Admon was granted to Widow Elizabeth Kingdon (was this his Mother or his Wife?); (I have a possible child who was baptised as James Kingdom in Blackawton on 12.02.1793, son of James & Elizabeth Kingdom); There is no other information; ‘HMS Bulldog’ was a 16 gun sloop, launched in 1782, served in & won the Battle Honour for St Lucia 1796 in the French Revolutionary War & was later converted to a Bomb Vessel in 1798; No other information for this sailor or his family;

Notes: I believe that this is James Arthur Kingdon born in Exeter in 1883, son of ?? Kingdon b.?? ?? & ??; (This could be James Arthur Kingdon b.1883 in Dawlish who is living in Black Torrington, Halwell in 1891 Census with parents, James Kingdon b.1838 Swimbridge a Gamekeeper & Elizabeth? b.1850 Buckland Filleigh – but this needs more research; His Father James may well have served in the 11^th Regiment of Infantry, as #49513 or #3727 who served 21 years in the Army, of which 12 years were in the East Indies; He served from 15.06.1855 to 01.05.1877); Enlistment dates for this number were between 03.01.1901 & 10.03.1902; Private James Arthur Kingdon was serving in St George’s Barracks in Malta in 1911 Census with the 2^nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment, he is single & aged 28. He obviously served before the WW1; He also served with the 3/4 Devonshire Regiment with the numbers #3853 & #267027; He also had additional Clasps and Roses for the 1914 Star which he had to have applied for; The records indicate that he first served in WW1 from 06.11.1914; The issue of the 1914 Star Clasp indicates that he had served under fire of the enemy in France & Belgium between 05.08.1914 & midnight 22/23.11.1914; Medals Card on file for the award of the 1914 Star & 1914 Clasp & Roses, the Victory & Bristish War Medals; This Record needs a lot more research by me? Lt Col Flick's book has Private J. A. Kingdon, #267027 serving with ‘D’ Company of the 6^th Battalion the Devonshire Regiment:

Notes: This is James Alexander Kingdon b.1880 in New Zealand, the son of Josiah Stephens Kingdon, b.1842 in Bodmin, Cornwall, England & Catherine Johnson who Married in 1868 in New Zealand; In 1905 & 1906 James Alexander Kingdon is recorded as a Labourer in Yaldhurst, Courtenay, Wellington, New Zealand; I believe that James Alexander Kingdon married Elizabeth Kennedy in 1907, I don’t believe that they had any children; In 1914 he is a Yardman & living with his wife in Raurimu, Waimarino, Bay of Plenty; James Alexander Kingdon enlisted with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, is recorded as having ‘Gone into Camp’ on 04.01.1917 & finally Embarked from Wellington for Devonport England with ‘F’ Company of the Canterbury Infantry Regiment on 14.03.1917 on board ‘HMNZT 29 Ruapehu’; By 10.10.1917 I understand that J.A. Kingdon was reported as being ‘Not a Severe Case’ but there are no details, was he simply sick? On 27.11.1918 there is a Casualty List #1009/2 for this Soldier, advising that he had been wounded; On the 17.07.1919 I understand that J.A. Kingdon was returning from the War to Raurimu, New Zealand on board the ‘HMNZT Briton’ sailing from Tilbury, England to Auckland; In 1919 electoral roll he is again recorded as a Yardman in Ohura, Waitomo; I seem to lose him then until 1935 & 1938 when James Alexander & Ann Kingdon, a Yardman, are living in Ongarue, Waimarino, Bay of Plenty; (I have no proof but would query whether his wife Elizabeth Kingdon died, changed her name or left him in the period prior to 1935 & would therefore suggest that James Alexander Kingdon remarried an Ann ??, although I have no records); In 1946 I found James Alexander & Ann Kingdon registered at Park Avenue, Otahuhu, Auckland; In 1949 James Alexander & Ann Kingdon are registered at #20, Peer Street, Selwyn, with no occupation shown & his spinster sister Frances Mary Kingdon is registered at the same address; In 1957 James Alexander & Ann Kingdon are registered as Pensioners at #28, Wilkinson road, SE6, Onehunga, Auckland; James Alexander Kingdon died in 1958 Aged 77, & I believe that his wife Ann Kingdon Died in 1963 Aged 89; (He was the Brother of Kingdon, Albert John: New Zealand, 1st Division Reservist, 1916 WW1); (He was the Brother of Kingdon, Charles Ford: New Zealand, 2nd Division Reservist, 1917 WW1); (He was the Brother of Kingdon, Stanley Craig: #8/3828, 2^nd Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment, New Zealand Army, WW1); (He was the Brother of Kingdon, George: New Zealand, 1st Division Reservist, 1916 WW1);

Notes: This Sailor’s Records would indicate that he was James George Kingdon, born 18.03.1837 in Landport, Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire; He was the son of John Kingdon, a Shipwright b.1793 in Barnstaple, Devon, & Sarah Bevis from Portsea, who Married on 13.05.1815 in St Mary’s Portsea, Hampshire; In the 1841 & the 1851 Census James Kingdon lives with his parents in Spring Street, Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire; I believe that James George Kingdon Volunteered for the Royal Navy 0n 01.07.1853 & served as a Boy until the 17.03.1855 when he signed on for a full 10 years service in the Royal Navy; I believe that his first ship was the ‘HMS Prince Regent’ (launched in 1823); I also believe that James George Kingdon served in the late stages of the Crimean War on ‘HMS Neptune’ as his name appears on the Medal Roll, the Baltic Medal being issued to him on 19.08.1857 when he was serving aboard ‘HMS Swallow’; In the 1861 Census Able Seaman Jas G Kingdon Aged 24 is serving on board ‘HMS Renard’ as Ship’s Book #51 Able Seaman, at Chefoo; I understand that James George Kingdon Married Elizabeth Elms (b.1836 in Sheffield) in Portsea in 1868; In 1871 Census James G. & Elizabeth Kingdon live at #14, Taylor’s Court in Portsea, he is still a serving RN Seaman; His 1^st wife Elizabeth Kingdom (nee Elms) seems to have died in 1875 in Portsea Aged 39 & James George Remarried to Elizabeth Male, (b.1852 Portsmouth), in Portsea in 1877; In the 1881 Census James G & Elizabeth Kingdom, now a Royal Naval Pensioner, live in Eagle Cottage, Cottage Lane, Portsea, however, there is also a Census record for James Kingdon, Aged 44, ‘Not on Board’ ‘HMS Asia’ in Portsmouth & recorded as an AB Pensioner; In 1891 James & Elizabeth Kingdon live at #32, Alver Road, Portsea; In 1901 James & Elizabeth Kingdon live at #6, Ethel Road, Portsmouth; In 1911 Census James & Elizabeth Kingdon live at #6, Ethel Road, Kingston & East Southsea, Portsmouth; I believe that James George Kingdon Died in 1918 in Portsmouth Aged 81; Awarded the China Medal for service on ‘HMS Renard (Reynard)’ 1856-1860; (He is the Brother of Kingdon, Edward: Royal Navy, Continuous service #28405A; ADM 139/685); (He is the Father of the following - James John Kingdon, a Coast Guard Petty Officer #PO/128972 who Died in WW1 aboard HMS India on 08.08.1915 off Norway; - Kingdon, Charles Walter: Royal Field Artillery No: 47983 Rank: Sergeant 1914-1920 WO 372/11; - Kingdon, Edward Arthur: #220316 Leading Seaman, Royal Navy who served in WW1; - Kingdon, Harry: #208949 Leading Seaman, Royal Navy; - Kingdon, William George: Petty Officer 1^st Class, #155575, Royal Navy);

Notes: I believe that with a Regimental number of #4570 that James L Kingdon served in the Territorial Force of the Highland Light Infantry in 1915 for WW1; This Soldier also served with the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry as # 64312, probably the 1^st or 2^nd Battalions in 1916; Medals card on file for the award of the Victory & British War Medals; Insufficient Information to identify;

Notes: There is a record for a James Kingdon, from Barnstaple, serving with the Royal Marines at their Barracks in East Stonehouse, Plymouth in 1861; There are other records, with little information, that indicate a Sergeant James Kingdon being Discharge from the Royal Marines in 1870/1871? I believe that this is probably James William Kingdon, born 1827 in Barnstaple, the son of William James Kingdon (b.1787/91 in Torrington, Devon) & Mary Baron Baker from Barnstaple who Married in 1822 in Barnstaple; In 1841 James Kingdon lived with his parents in Barnstaple but I cannot find him in 1851 Census? In 1861 I found a Sergeant J Kingdon serving at the Royal Marine Barracks, Plymouth Division, in East Stonehouse, Plymouth; James William Kingdon Married Elizabeth Ann Prout (b.1832 in Modbury) in Plymouth in 1862; In 1871 Census James & Elizabeth Kingdon are the Innkeepers at the ‘Salutation’ Pub in Castle Street in Barnstaple, Devon; In 1881 Census James & Elizabeth Kingdon live at #10, Green Lane, Barnstaple, he is recorded as a Greenwich Pensioner; In 1891 Census they live on their own means at #37, Richmond Street, Barnstaple; I believe that James William Kingdon Died at that address on 21.04.1894, he was aged ??; (He was the Father of Kingdon, Thomas Baron Baker: #113097, Royal Navy);

Notes: The records indicate that Jane Elizabeth Kingdom was born in 1861, that she was the Widow of R. Kingdom, & that she died aged 79 at #8, Avon Road, Greenford in Middlesex; Despite searching there is insufficient Information to identify accurately;

Notes: This is Jesse Kingdon born in 1860 in South Molton, the son of James Kingdon b.05.05.1823 in Knowstone & Susanna Smith from Bishops Nympton, who married in South Molton in 1849; In the 1861 Census Jesse Kingdon was 10 months old & lived with his parents in East Street, South Molton, Devon; In the 1871 Census he is living with his parents in Hodges’ Court, East street, South Molton; In the 1881 Census I believe that he was working as a platelayer labourer, living at #49, Mien Street in Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales; Jesse Kingdon enlisted in Bristol on 29.11.1881 and joined the 1^st Battalion, ‘The Buffs’, East Kent Regiment at Dover on 03.12.1881, he was 21 years & 6 months old and a Labourer; He obtained his 4^th Class Education Certificate on 04.08.1882; He served for 12 years & was discharged on 28.11.1893, with 7 years & 161 days counting towards his Pension; He had served for 3 years & 62 days in England & Dublin; For 226 days in Malta in 1885; For 1 year & 179 days in Shaib Settlements in the Himalayas from 1885 to 1887; For 2 years & 46 days in India, having landed there on 22.03.1887, and finally for 4 years & 217 days in England in the Reserve I believe as this period did not count towards his Chelsea Pension; (His military service records accurately record his elder siblings at the time he enlisted); He appears to have suffered regularly with chronic rheumatism & as was usual with serving soldiers in those days, Jesse Kingdon had 2 cases of Gonorrhea in 1882 & a severe 92 day dose of Syphilis in 1888, & I believe that he was returned to UK in March 1889; In April 1889 he was transferred from the troopship ‘HMS Crocodile’ to Gosport Military Hospital with an infected glands; In the 1891 Census he was visiting or lived with his brother George at #3, William Street in Fishponds, Stapleton, Gloucestershire and is a General Labourer but was still in the Army Reserve until 1893; Jesse Kingdon Marries Bessie Fry from Highbridge, Somerset in Barton Regis, Gloucestershire in 4^th Q 1891; Unfortunately Jesse Kingdon died in 1897 in Barton Regis, Gloucestershire & in 1901 his Widow lived in Bristol, she then remarries to her 2^nd husband William Jenkins in 1907 but he dies and finally she marries to Jesse’s brother George Kingdon in 1916 in Bristol (his first wife had died in 1915);

Notes: This is Joan Campbell Kingdon born on 06.11.1915 in Entebbe, Uganda, the daughter of Sir Donald Kingdon, Barrister & Attorney General in Uganda, Nigeria & the Gold Coast, who was born in 1884 in Florence, Italy & Lady Kathleen Kingdon, (nee Moody) b.29.06.1896 in Leeds, Yorkshire, who Married in Newton Montgomeryshire, Wales in 1914; Joan Campbell Kingdon Married Hamish william Forsyth, a Captain in the Royal Scots in the New Forest in 1938; Joan Campbell Forsyth was living at #24, Smith Street, Chelsea when she died on 17.04.1941 at Westminster Bridge Road due to enemy action whilst serving as an ARP Ambulance Driver; She is buried in Lambeth Cemetery in Tooting London; Her parents lived in Newcourt, Lugwardine, Hereford at that time; I presume that her husband was serving in the Army; He later remarried the widow of Squadron Leader G J Bush, Priscilla Bush on 05.06.1943 in West Africa; Hamish William & Priscilla Kingdon had a son born 16.08.1944 in Bangalore, India; (She was the sister of Richard Donald Kingdon, DSC, RN & RNVR who served in WW2 & Died at Sea in 1952);