Sir William Nott (1782-1845) — his connection with Carmarthen

Description

Photography by John Ball - 13 Sep and 8 Oct 2003 (with a Fuji FinePix S602 Zoom digital camera)

In August 2003 I was asked by a lady in Canada to take some photographs relating to the life of her great great great grandfather, Major General Sir William Nott. William Nott was the son of Charles and Mary Nott. In 1786, Charles Nott, took over the running of the Castle Hotel in Neath, Glamorgan, but ten years later he moved to Carmarthen where he ran the Ivy Bush Hotel, then situated in King Street.

William was educated at Cowbridge Grammar School in Glamorgan. From 1800 until 1844, he served in the East Indies with the British Army and the East India Company. In the early 1840s, he took part in the Afghan Campaign. Sir William Nott is remembered with honour in the town of Carmarthen, where he died in 1845.

Image 2:

The Parish Church of St Peter in Carmarthen, viewed from the southwest. Sir William Nott and his parents are buried in the churchyard.

Image 3:

The bell tower and western entrance to St Peter's Churchyard

Image 4:

The northern aspect of St Peter's.

Image 5:

The north-eastern aspect of St Peter's Church. The church dates from the 12th and 13th centuries. Find out more at the St Peter's Church website

Image 6:

The impressive tomb of Sir William Nott on the northern side of the churchyard.

Image 7:

The inscription, engraved on the upper surface of the tombstone, is transcribed below:

Sacred to the Memory of MAJOR GENERAL SIR WILLIAM NOTT, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honorable the Military Order of the Bath, of the Honorable East India Company's Service, who was born on the 20th of January 1782 and died on the 1st of January 1845. He served his country in the East Indies with honour and distinction during a period of 44 years.

Image 8:

Commemorative plaque on the south wall inside St Peter's Church (see transcription below).

Sacred to the memory of the late MAJOR GENERAL SIR WILLIAM NOTT, G.C.B. of the honorable East India Company's service, who served his country in the East Indies during forty four years, having proceeded to India as a cadet in the year 1800, and returned to his native country in the year 1844. During this long period he had at all times and under all circumstances, the good of his country and the honour of his profession uppermost in his thoughts. He retrieved the military character of his nation in Central Asia by repelling the attempts of the Affghans to capture Candahar from December 1841, to August 1842. After the destruction of our Army at Cabool, with a force of between five and six thousand men he finally advanced to Ghusnee on the 7th August 1842, and after defeating the Affghan army on the 30th of the same month consisting of twenty thousand men, he recaptured the fortress in the face of his numerous enemies, blew up the fortifications, and withdrew his victorious army within the British boundary of the Western Provinces of Upper India.

MAJOR GENERAL SIR WILLIAM NOTT, G.C.B. was born on the 20th January 1782, and died on the 1st January 1845. Through the whole of his long and eventful life, he was supported by the religious education he had received in his youth, and by his trust in his Creator, ever acting up to the precepts of his religion, he endeared himself to the natives of India, and more particularly to the noble sepoys, the brave soldiery of India, whom he was destined to command, and having placed his military reputation in their keeping, they on no occasion disappointed his expectations, but when all were dismayed at the destruction of our army at Cabool they enabled him to withstand the assaults of his enemies, and finally, to overcome every opposition.

See more of Carmarthen's tribute to Sir William Nott on Page 2

• http://www.jlb2011.co.uk/walespic/archive/040724.htm (link opens in new window)