Colonel Sir James Gildea GBE KCVO CB (1838–1920) Fund Raiser For The Sick & Wounded Zulu War.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

"James was born in Kilmaine, County Mayo, Ireland and was educated at St Columba's College, Dublin, and Pembroke College, Cambridge.

During the Franco-Prussian War he worked for the National Society for Aid to the Sick and Wounded in War. A few years later he was instrumental in raising a fund of £12,000 for the relief of dependants of those killed in the Zulu War of 1879, and he raised a similar fund during the Second Afghan War of 1880.

James founded the Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association in 1885 and served as its chairman and treasurer until his death in 1920. In 1886 Queen Victoria became patron, and in 1888 her daughter Victoria, the Kaiserin, became a vice president.


At the 1893 annual general meeting James announced that ‘almost every lady member of the Royal Family’ took an active part. In 1955, the Chairman of the Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association, as it was then known, wrote to The Times and the following is an extract:


I write now on the seventieth anniversary of the publication of Major Gildea’s letter in your columns, to report that the seed he then sowed has grown into the great association … with its 1,500 branches located throughout the United Kingdom and overseas, and its experienced army of 15,000 voluntary workers.


From 1890 to 1895 he was organising secretary of Queen Victoria's Jubilee Institute for Nurses. In 1899 he founded the Royal Homes for Officers' Widows and Daughters at Wimbledon. At one time he was treasurer of the St. John Ambulance Association and was also the author of a number of historic documents of philanthropic work.

From 1890 to 1898 he was Colonel commanding the 6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and in 1909 was appointed honorary Colonel of the 4th (Special Reserve) Battalion.

In October 1890 Kensington Society published in its series ‘Kensingtonians: men of note’ a eulogistic article on Gildea. It recounted his life and charitable achievements and stated that:


his sole relaxation consisting in seeking new channels for his philanthropy … He is never idle, yet so methodical is he that no matter what may be the pressure of work, he never appears to be in a hurry … he is singularly modest and unassuming … and few beyond his immediate friends and relations have any idea of the enormous amount of work he succeeds in disposing of’.

He was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 1898 New Year Honours and Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) soon afterwards. Knighted in 1902, he was later appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO), and in the 1920 civilian war honours became Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE).

James married Rachel Caroline Barclay (1844-1888) at Westcott near Dorking, Surrey in 1864 and in a formal announcement he was described as ‘Rector of Kilmaine’. James and Rachel had five children, two of whom died shortly after birth: Kathleen Octavia Gildea (1866-1951), James Barclay Gildea (1868-1868), George Arthur Gildea (1870-1947), Edward Gildea (1879-1879), Christian Helena Gildea (1885-1965). Rachel died in 1888 when Christian Helena was just three.

In 1891 James and his three children were living at Knaresborough Place, Kensington and employing five servants. In 1901 James was living at Hogarth Road, Kensington with daughter Christian Helena and three servants.

James died on 6 November 1920 aged 82 at his Hogarth Road home. His funeral took place at Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey and a memorial service was also held in Kensington. His property was divided equally between his three surviving children, except for some bonds which he left solely to his daughter Christian Helena ‘in consideration of her devotion and attention to me for many years’"
Source: West Lulworth

His brother, George Frederick Gildea assumed command of 2nd/21st Royal Scots Fusiliers in lieu of William Pole-Collingwood in August 1879.  Served during the siege of Pretoria, where he was severely wounded.

George's wife was decorated for her actions during that campaign this from The London Gazette:

War Office, May 26, 1884.
The Queen has been graciously pleased to
confer the Decoration of the "Royal Red Cross"
upon the undermentioned Ladies, under the provisions
of Her Majesty's Warrant dated 23rd
April, 1883, viz.:—
Mrs. Margaret Muistre.
Mrs. Anne Fox.
Mrs. M. J. W. Armfield.
Mrs. Gildea.


John Y.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Major-General George Frederick Gildea (1831-1898)
George was born in County Mayo, Ireland in 1831 and was the eldest son of the Very Rev. George Robert Gildea, Provost of Tuam. He joined the Army in 1848 at the age of 17 and served in the Turkish contingent during the Crimean War.
During the First Anglo-Boer War of 1881 he commanded the 2nd Battalion 21st Royal Scots Fusiliers and the Garrison of Pretoria. He commanded the troops at the taking of Swasty Koppie where he was fired on under a flag of truce. He was several times mentioned in despatches, and received many wounds. He was aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria from November 1881 to November 1886. In 1885 he served in the Sudan Campaign and was awarded the medal with clasp and the Khedive Star (pictured below right). He retired with the rank of Major-General in 1886 aged 55. After his retirement he took an active interest in the welfare of discharged soldiers.

George married Fanny Power Florinda Gascoyne (1839-1872) in 1863 and they had four children in India, two of whom died as babies: Elizabeth Frances Susan Gildea (1866-1938), Georgina Alice Gildea (1869-1869). Gascoyne Frederick Gildea (1871-1872), Alleine Frederica Florinda Gildea (1872-1941). Fanny died just ten days after Alleine was born.
Widowed George married Eliza Campbell (1848-1911) and they had one son George Frederick Campbell Gildea (1876-1901) who was educated at Charterhouse. George (junior) entered the 1st Lanarkshire Battalion of the Scottish Rifles in May 1896 and was promoted to Lieutenant in May 1899. In May 1900 he was granted a commission in the Royal Scots Fusiliers. He joined the 2nd Battalion in South Africa, and served with it as 2nd Lieutenant until his death at Johannesburg in 1901. His name is inscribed on the tablet in the War Memorial Cloister erected at Charterhouse.