James Gilbourne

Birth: ca May 1874 Greasley, Nottingham
Father: James GILBOURNE (1849 - 1913)
Mother: Catherine HATTON (1852 - 1938)
Spouse: Unmarried
Death: 31 Mar 1902 Boschbult, S.Africa

 

Nothing is known of the early life of James Gilbourne. In the 1891 census he is described as a miner.
He joined the Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Reg't) 23 Oct ober 1896 (Pte 5485) at Ilkeston for a period of 7 years, followed by 5 years in the reserves.
At Curragh on 19 June 1897 was confined to barracks for 8 days and had to pay for damage to private property while drunk. On 9 October the same year he was fined 5/- and confined to barracks for 14 days for being drunk when parading for patrol duty at 10pm.  He then received 10 days imprisonment with hard labour 27 December 1897 after refusing to obey an order.
From 9 March 1898 to 15 October 1899 he was in the East Indies and from there he went to Malta until 15 October 1899.  While there he was fined 5/- and confined to barracks for 4 days for being drunk in ?Strada Treato? about 2.30 pm 2 June 1901, and then on 10 June fined 7/6d and confined to barracks for 10 days for taking beer away from the canteen, contrary to Regimental Orders, and being drunk.
He went to South Africa 14 Dec 1901 and was killed at Boschbult 31 March 1902
The announcement of his death in the Eastwood & Kimberley Advertiser on Friday, 18 April 1902:

Death

Gilbourne - On March 31st, Private James Gilbourne, No.5485 (sic), 2nd Battalion Derbyshire Regiment Mounted Infantry, son of James and Catherine Gilbourne of Nethergreen Bridge, Eastwood, killed at Boschbult, S.Africa aged 27 years.


Despite being born and apparently spending all his life in Nottinghamshire it seems that for some reason he joined the Derbyshire Regiment of the Sherwood Foresters. A South African Web site states:

The remains of the men who were killed in action at Brakspruit, Tweebosch, Korranafontein, and Boschbult were exhumed some years ago, and reburied in the Memorial Garden at Ottosdal.

James ' brother , John , also served in the Boer War but was invalided out. Wars were particularly tragic for James and Catherine Gilbourne, two more of their sons, William and Walter were to be killed later in the first world war.

 

GRO Birth Index: Basford Jun 1874 7b 127  
1881 Census: Brinsley Moor, Notts. RG11/3322/118 p.38
1891 Census: Brinsley, Notts. RG12/2661/22/228

 

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