Bamber family in Ladysmith
William Bamber was born in Bethnal Green, London in 1844, and baptized at St. Mathews, Bethnal Green. He was the son of John Bamber and Louisa Gilbert.
At the time of the 1851 census, the family was living at No 7 Princes Street, Spitalfields London and, in the 1861 census, they were recorded living at 39 Herbert St, Shoreditch, St Leonard. William emigrated to Natal, traveling on the ship Maritzburg, 536 tons, arriving in Port Natal on July 5, 1863, having left London on April 4, 1863.
On 6 Jul 1867, he married Bessie Burchmore, daughter of Thomas Burchmore and Mary Walton, in St Peter’s Cathedral, Pietermaritzburg.
William Bamber was appointed Assistant Town Clerk and Collector of Rates, Pietermaritzburg in October 1868 and, in July 1869, he received the government appointment of Field Cornet for electoral purposes for the Township of Pietermaritzburg. He was still Assistant Town Clerk in 1876.
By 1884 the Bambers were living at New Hanover, near Pietermaritzburg, however by 1887 they were in Ladysmith, when their son John Walton Bamber was born. William Bamber was a bookkeeper of Ladysmith in February 1890, when Bessie was opening a boarding house in Murchison St.
They were in Ladysmith during the Boer War and were present during the siege of the town. Together with other civilians, they opted to move to the neutral “Intombi” tented camp, which was set up by agreement between the Boer’s and the British, as a safe place where civilians and wounded soldiers could be sent. Bessie was a volunteer nurse in the hospital there and was often accompanied by her sons Cyril and John Walton (Jack) who would comfort the sick and wounded by talking to them and keeping them company.
There is a letter written by William Bamber in 1900 to the authorities, which reads:
“Ladysmith, 10 July 1900
C.J. Bird Esq. (C.J Bird was a member of the Natal Government)
Dear Sir
I am writing in the hopes that you can advise me how to go about to obtain information of my eldest daughter and her husband Oliver Hyslop, who when writing last held an appointment in the Netherlands Railway at Bronkhorstspruit he had then made up his mind to remain at his post, as he was (sic) assumed so long as he remained neutral, he would not be called upon to take up arms. This was in the early part of October last, and the only news I have had since was a message received by my second daughter Mrs Halsted of your city on 26th November saying “all well at present”. Under these circumstances you can readily believe my wife & self are anxious about them and Mrs Bamber thought I might write to you and that you would be able to advise me the best way of obtaining tidings of our daughter and family.
Believe me to be
Yours truly
W. Bamber”
Unfortunately, the reply that the government was not able to provide any information about the family, caught as they were behind enemy lines.
Willam Bamber’s sister, Emily Harriet Bamber, followed her brother to South Africa where she married George Charles Wheeler, and died in Pietermaritzburg in 1929.
John Walton (Jack) Bamber, was born in Ladysmith and he and his brother Cyril helped his mother who was a volunteer nurse in the Hospital at Intombi camp during the siege. Accounts say that he was popular with the sick and wounded and cheered them up by talking to them and keeping them company, but after a while refused to accompany his mother anymore because “all I like die”. After the Relief the family moved to Pietermaritzburg where Jack matriculated at Maritzburg College. He joined the Natal Government Service as a Clerk in the Treasury Department. He saw active service in the Bambatha Rebellion of 1906 and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Natal Militia. In 1912 he decided to attend Theological College to study for Holy Orders and, in 1914 when War was declared, he was a student at St Augustine’s College, Canterbury. He joined the army on December 4, 1914, and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 10th Battalion. King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and was with the battalion when they sailed for France in September 1915.
On July 1, 1916, the The British Offensive commenced with the 10th Battalion Kings own Yorkshire leading the assault. 9 Officers killed, one of whom was Jack Bamber, and 16 wounded, as well as 50 other ranks killed, 292 wounded and 135 missing.
There is a memorial marker for Jack Bamber in the Gordon Dump Cemetry, Ovillers-La Boisselle, France, which states “Believed to be buried in this cemetry”. The marker stands alongside those several of his comrades from the 10th Bn. K.O.Y.L.I., killed on July 1, 1916.
An obituary by Archdeacon Barker of Ladysmith was published in St Saviour’s Magazine Jack Bamber is commemorated by a plaque in St Saviours Cathedral, Pietermaritzburg, as well as in the list of the fallen in All Saint’s Church in Ladysmith.
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