Samuel Jones 45th Regiment

Samuel Jones came to Natal as a soldier in the 45th Regiment, then changed to the Cape Mounted Rifles, marrying Mary Ann JACOBS in 1852.

In 1854 the family was resident in the Fort Napier area of Pietermaritzburg where Samuel Jones was a Corporal on the staff of the Cape Mounted Rifles. The Regiment was garrisoned there and was deployed to put down trouble with native tribes in the Umkomaas Division, where Henry Francis Fynn was Magistrate. Samuel was with the CMR when the regiment was sent to Ladysmith to establish the first military post there.

By 1863 the family had moved, with the Regiment, back to King William’s Town, Cape Colony where Samuel was a farrier. Thereafter, Samuel Jones can be found in Ixopo Natal where Norman Frederick was born. Samuel Jones took his discharge from the C.M.R. and settled in the then, small frontier town of Ladysmith operating as a glazier.

The family sometimes referred to themselves as Barlow-Jones and the story behind this is apparently that when Samuel Jones came from England to SA he joined the army in Cape Town, but deserted and came to Natal. When he wished to rejoin the army he changed his name from Barlow to Jones because he did not wish to be traced, but later he, or some members of his family, reverted to Barlow, adding it to Jones. Samuel and Mary had nine children, Charles James, Norman Frederick, Samuel Benjamin, Reuben John and David Francis and four daughters, Eliza, Alice, Ada and Charlotte.

Charles James and his two brothers were schooled by the Reverend Newnham at his little schoolhouse near the Anglican Church beside the Klip River. By 1872 Charles was apprenticed in the milling trade in Newcastle and had joined the Newcastle Mounted Rifles. In 1873 saw service in the Langilabalele Rebellion of 1873 with the Buffalo Mounted Guards. In 1876 Charles married Elizabeth Adams and they raised 12 children. Seven sons, Walter William; Charles Jesse; Herbert Reuben; Douglas Barlow; Otto Barlow; Victor Barlow and Leonard Barlow Jones and five daughters, May Lilian Anderson; Ellen Ruth; Olive Laura Brown, Norah Elvina, Elizabeth Anne. During the next six years Charles became a leading figure in the frontier garrison town of Newcastle and on 11 June 1878 he was gazetted second in command of the Newcastle Mounted Rifles. In December 1878 the Newcastle Mounted Rifles joined the Natal Carbineers and Buffalo Border Guard at Helpmekaar as No. 3 column concentrated for the Zulu War; Samuel and Charles were not among the 14 members of the Newcastle Mounted Rifles who saw action at Isandhlwana as they had volunteered to go with Lord Chelmsford’s column. However Samuel did record his account of the events which were published some fifty years later . “One sight, a most gruesome one, I shall never forget. Two lads, presumably two little drummer boys of the 26th Regiment, had been hung up by butcher hooks which had been jabbed under their chins, then they were disemboweled: all the circumstances pointed to the fact they had been subjected to that inhuman treatment while still alive.” Brother Reuben also missed Isandlwana because he was coming from Pietermaritzburg with a train of wagons for Isandlwana.

In September 1879 the brothers took their discharge from the Newcastle Mounted Rifles, Charles settled in Ladysmith whilst his brothers settled in Dundee. Samuel ,known as “Jones by the pound,” owned a bakers and confectioners shop whilst Norman, known as “Jones by the yard” was, at the time of his marriage to Elizabeth, a draper living in Ladysmith managing the Harvey, Greenacre & Co.’s store in Dundee, before opening his own drapery business. Talana museum has Norman as a first generation inhabitant of the town. Reuben opened Jones & Co. whilst David became a Forwarding agent. He was awarded the Queens’ South Africa medal with Talana bar for his action in the battle of Talana as part of the Dundee Rifle Association.

Charles is said to have carried dispatches behind enemy lines, during the First Boer war, for Sir Evelyn Wood and to have owned a Transport and Forwarding Agency business at Newcastle, Harrismith, Dundee and Ladysmith. For a time he kept the hostelry at Ingagane before moving first to Newcastle and then to Ladysmith.
In 1899 Charles enlisted with the rank of Sergeant with the Ladysmith Town Guard and took part in the operations in defense of the earning himself the Queen’s South Africa Medal with Defence of Ladysmith clasp; his eldest son, Walter William Jones, a Butcher, served with him.



He was also an Alderman and Deputy Mayor of Ladysmith at the time.

On 23 June 1910 whilst still a member of the Local Board and of the Ladysmith Corporation, Charles Jones took ill and resigned from positions of authority. He passed away at his home, Barlow House, aged 57 years and 6 months, survived by his wife and all twelve children.

His obituary read, in part, as follows:

‘With regret (writes our Ladysmith correspondent) the demise is recorded of Mr. Charles James Jones, the respected proprietor of the Royal Hotel, the son of one of the earlier Colonists and himself a familiar figure in the old posting days. Deceased who was 58 years of age succumbed on Wednesday afternoon, after a long and painful illness, but passed away peacefully surrounded by the members of his family. He was a prominent member of the Siege Club, and was always to the fore in promoting social functions and entertainments for the young and the needy. It was at the Royal Hotel that many officers and the majority of the Press correspondents stayed, and where Dr. Stark was killed beneath the verandah of the hotel. Deceased was a prominent member of the Masonic Order. In the days of Post cart traveling, “Charlie” Jones was a household word and travelers staying for the night made a point of spending an hour or two with deceased in chatting about the old days, of which he could tell many moving tales of adventure by flood and field. Like many men deceased was given to not letting his left hand know what the right hand did and a somewhat curt manner belied a warm heart. His silent sympathy and active help have been forthcoming again and again as many have subsequently discovered. At the Siege Club and other functions he was particularly solicitous that the little ones should be cared for and he took an active and practical part in making the rising generation happy. To his sorrowing widow, sons and daughters, tender and deep sympathy is recorded, and in all parts of Natal regret will be felt at the demise of sterling and well known Colonist. The funeral took place on Thursday at 4’o clock.’