Hi - I am researching my Gt Grandfather Thomas Albert SCOTT born 1858 in Edinburgh.
He served with the 11th and then the 10th Hussars leaving (according to his Military record) as a Bandmaster in 1897. According to his obituary he left to join the 'Imperial Army' would I be correct in assuming this is the Imperial Yeomanry? I ask this because the obituary also refers to the Rhodesia Horse (as a Bandmaster) and the South African War. I have found reference to a TA Scott in William Corners book but this is a different individual.
I have attached the obituary below for reference and would be grateful for any suggestions of where to start trying to fill in the gaps. I have pictures of him and a copy of the Bulawayo Sketch which has an image of him if they are of interest.
Dated 13th January 1916
Death of Ex-Bandmaster Scott
Interesting Musical Career
News came at the week end of the death of Mr. Thomas Albert Scott, who for many years was connected with the Hounslow district in various ways, being best known when he held the position of Bandmaster of the local Territorial Battalion.
When about 14 years of age he joined the 11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars and three years later in 1875, went out to India with his regiment. He was present in Delhi at the great ceremonial functions at which Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India, and when King Edward V11, then Prince of Wales, afterwards visited the city to receive the homage of the chiefs, young Scott had the honour of being the trumpeter of the Royal Escort. He returned to England in 1878, and was with his regiment during the time they were stationed at Hounslow and Hampton Court in 1881. Here he obtained rapid promotion, and in 1890, when he reached the rank of 'Trumpet Major', entered the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, as a student. During this time it fell to his lot to conduct in public the famous fantasia 'The Battle of Waterloo' which has so often figured in the programmes of the hall since that date.
After studying for about a year and nine months, he qualified for the position of Bandmaster, and was appointed to the band of the 10th Royal Hussars, which brought him the warrant rank. Later he was offered and accepted the Bandmastership of the Rhodesia Horse, which had its headquarters in Bulawayo, being seconded for six months from the Imperial Army to complete his term of service. In this capacity he served for six and a half years, and on one occasion was in charge of the band when they marched as an armed party through a hostile country, to Salisbury and back a distance of 600 miles. On another occasion he had to take his band across the veldt to Gwelo and back, some 300 miles, this being in the days before he railways. At the funeral of Mr. Cecil Rhodes he was charged with the duty of superintending all the musical arrangements from Bulawayo to the burial place at Matoppo. He had to fulfil a similar function in connection with the general mourning that followed the death of Queen Victoria in 1902, directing memorial services at church and elsewhere. At the public rejoicings on the occasion of the accession and coronation of King Edward V11 it was still his duty to conduct the music, and he was musical director of the religious services at the Empire Music Hall, Bulawayo, for several months, whilst a permanent church was being built. On the outbreak of the South African War the inhabitants of Bulawayo successfully petitioned the Government not to send their band to the front, owing to the fact that the black population outnumbered the whites by about eighty five to one. The numbers of the town band were placed on duty in the trenches to guard the town, and in the evening they were relieved and played selections of music in the Square under the conductorship of Mr Scott, in order to keep up the spirits of the population. In return for the services then rendered the inhabitants presented Mr. Scott with an illuminated address and a cheque for £100.
The band was subsequently broken up, and Mr Scott returned home, the company making him a handsome present and compensating him for his lost position. On January 1st, 1903, he succeeded Mr. W.D.Sherriff as Bandmaster of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion D.C.O Middlesex Regiment, now the 1st 8th Imperial Service Battalion, and for ten years he most ably carried out his duties and won the esteem of all ranks of the regiment and of the general population. In 1909 the members of the band presented him with a silver mounted ebony baton as a token of their esteem, and on his retirement in September, 1913, he received a handsomely mounted and framed photograph of the band as a farewell testimonial.
On leaving the band of the 8th Middlesex he entered the licensing business and became proprietor of the Queens Hotel, Henley, afterwards taking another house in Alverstoke, near Gosport, and here, after a very long illness, he ended his days on Thursday in last week at the age of 58 years.
The funeral of the late bandmaster took place on Tuesday at Alverstoke (Old) Cemetery. The coffin of polished oak with brass fittings was conveyed in a glass car to the parish church, followed by to mourning coaches, the first containing the widow, two daughters and son, and the second Brother Walter and Messer's. F. Fitzwater and J.Willis (brothers-in-law). Here the first part of the service was conducted by the vicar of the parish, and cortege afterwards proceeded to the cemetery, where the committal was conducted by one of the curates.
The floral tokens were as follows: Wreath, in loving memory from his sorrowing wife and family; Walter and Edie, in fond remembrance; wreath, in loving memory, George and Ada; harp, Will and Lizzie and his sister Nancy; wreath, with deepest sympathy, Fred and Polly; cross, Frederica and George; wreath, Aunt Alice and Will; spray, Granny, in loving memory; wreath, Mr. and Mrs. Hoyton; wreath, Lieut. Cartwright and family; and wreath, members of the band of the 1st 8th Middlesex Regiment with respect and sympathy.
Thanks in advance.
