TOPIC:

In Ryhope Cemetery, 3 miles south of Sunderland centre. This is a memorial, not a name added to a gravestone, and is in quite an odd position. The front entrance to the cemetery is on Burdon Lane, and a driveway, flanked by grass verges and hedges, leads to the disused chapel. The memorial, now separated in two, is the only stone on the grass, to the right, but the front of the memorial's base faces towards the hedge. Is it more likely that the memorial predates the hedge, rather than the stone having been turned 180° since the hedge was planted? Perhaps it was moved (and perhaps damaged) when the drive was tarmacked. As it is now, that there's an inscription isn't at all obvious. An advantage to its facing away from the drive is that the inscription is complete, otherwise it might have become damaged over the years.
www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8485












John Snowball served in the Sunderland Borough Police as John Matthews, and was a reservist in the 1st Battalion Scots Guards under that name.

....The Chief Constable (Mr W. Carter) has received a letter from Private James Matthews, No. 9,371, Scots Guards, a Reservist, who was till recently a constable in the Borough Police Force. It is dated November 13th, and the following passages are extracted from it:—"We arrived safely in the transport Nubia, two days overdue. We started up the country very early in the morning straight up to relieve Kimberley. We carry three days' rations and 100 rounds of bullet ammunition per man. We expect some heavy fighting, as the latest news is, 'Hurry up tbe Guards. Kimberley hard pressed,' so we will soon be in the thick of it. I hardly expected to be so soon engaged, but the sooner the better now, and let's get it over. You must excuse this scribble, as it is very difficult to find a place to write a letter here. Am in the best of health and spirits."
....Judging from his letter Private Matthews will have taken part in the Modder River fight.
Sunderland Daily Echo, Thursday 7th December 1899
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. ....In the casualty list issued this morning there appears the following:—
....MIDDLEBURG, Aug. 23rd.—1st Battalion Scots Guards, 9,371 Private J. Matthews, accidentally killed.
....This it is feared refers to ex-Police-Constable Matthews, of the Borough Force. The wife of Matthews is at present living with her mother at Silksworth Colliery. She has one child.
Sunderland Daily Echo, Wednesday 29th August 1900
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SNOWBALL.—KiIIed at Middleburg, South Africa, aged 29 years, John William Snowball, 1st Scots Guards (late member of the Sunderland Borough Police), dearly-beloved husband of Mary Snowball, of 17, Quarry Street, Silksworth. Deeply regretted and much respected by all.
Sunderland Daily Echo, Thursday 27th September 1900
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. SNOWBALL.—In loving memory of John W. Snowball (Matthews), dearly-beloved husband of Mary Snowball, of Silksworth, who was killed at Middleburg, South Africa, Aug. 23rd, 1900, whilst serving with the 1st Scots Guards; late of the Sunderland Borough Police. Gone, but not forgotten by his loving wife, Polly.
Sunderland Daily Echo, Friday 23rd August 1901
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SNOWBALL.—In loving memory of John Snowball (Matthews), aged 29 years, dear-beloved husband of Mary Snowball, 17, Quarry Street, Silksworth.
Sunderland Daily Echo, Saturday 23rd August 1902
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....Last night a sub-committee meeting of the Reservists Fund was held at the Blue Bell Inn, Ryhope, when the arrangements for Saturday's ceremony were agreed upon. At 2 p.m. the committee, with the 12 Reservists and other friends, will meet at the Blue Bell lnn and march in procession to the Ryhope Cemetery, in Burdon Road, where a white marble cross will be unveiled by Capt. H. S. Streatfeild, to the memory of Private John William Matthews, who was accidentally killed on the 23rd of August, 1900, at Bloemfontein. Mr Matthews, wbo was born at Ryhope, enlisted in the 1st Battalion Scots Guards at the age of 21. On leaving the Army he joined the Sunderland Police Force, and was called up as a Reservist. At 6 p.m. the 12 Reservists, along with the committee, will be entertained to dinner at the Blue Bell Inn, when six of the Reservists will be presented with silver watches and alberts, the other six having already received theirs.
Sunderland Daily Echo, Friday 28th November 1902
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....On Saturday afternoon, in wretched weather, a large number of people assembled in the Burdon Lane Cemetery, Ryhope, to witness the ceremony of the unveiling of a memorial stone by Captain Streatfeild to the memory of Private John William Snowball, who was killed in South Africa on August 23rd, 1900. At 2 p.m. the Reservist Committee and the nine Reservists who have returned home marched in procession from the Blue Bell Hotel to the cemetery. They were joined en route by the relatives of the deceased and a large number of friends. On arrival at the cemetery Councillor Robert Richardson gave a short address, and introduced Captain H. S. Streatfeild.—Captain Streatfeild said that perhaps a memorial stone had been erected to Private Snowball where he was accidentally killed, but at any rate the people of Ryhope had given a very handsome stone to his memory, and he would be remembered for many years to come as a soldier who had died performing his duty to his country. Captain Streatfeild then unveiled the stone, which took the form of a beautiful white marble cross. The cross had been designed and executed by the Bros McMann, of Hylton Road, Sunderland. It stands about 5 feet 6 inches high, and bears the following inscription:—"To the memory of Private John W. Snowball, 1st Battalion Scots Guards, who was killed whilst in active service with the British forces in South Africa, Aug. 23rd, 1900. Erected by public subscription by the people of Ryhope."—Mr Harold Tarbuck moved a vote of thanks to Captain Streatfeild.—The motion was seconded by Mr John Surtees, and acknowledged by Captain Streatfeild.
Sunderland Daily Echo, Monday 1st December 1902
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. Mrs Snowball, Silksworth, begs to sincerely thank Col.Challoner, Capt. McKenzie, and the committee of the Sunderland S.S.F.A. for their great kindness and consideration; also Capt. Streatfeild, Coun. R. Richardson, the committee, and all connected with the Ryhope Reservist Fund for the deep respect and thought shown towards her late husband, John W. Snowball, who was killed at Middelburg, South Africa, 1900, by the erection and unveiling of a splendid memorial stone in Ryhope Cemetery.
Sunderland Daily Echo, Wednesday 3rd December 1902
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SNOWBALL.—In affectionate remembrance of John W. Snowball (P.C. Matthews), late of the Sunderland Borough Police, who was killed at Middleburg, South Africa, August 23rd, 1900, whilst serving with the Scots Guards; also John W. M. Snowball, only child of the above, who died at 17, Quarry Street, Silksworth, March 12th, 1903, aged 3 years and five months. Gone, but not forgotten by their loving wife and mother, Polly Snowball, 24, Mabel Terrace, Hendon.
Sunderland Daily Echo, Tuesday 23rd August 1904
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Three year-old John Matthews Snowball is recorded as dying in the first quarter of 1903, in the Sunderland registration district. His birth was registered as John William Matthews Snowball, first quarter of 1900, Sunderland registration district.
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As for his father, the Scots Guardsman, there was a John William Snowball, born fourth quarter of 1871, Sunderland registration district (mother's maiden name was Woodruff) but there was also a John William Matthews, born second quarter 1870, Sunderland registration district (mother's maiden name was Robinson).
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I tried to find the death of Mary Snowball, but there are too many possibles to list.

Berenice
According to the 1st Scots Guards medal roll, "9371 Pte. J. Matthews" earned the clasps Belmont, Modder River, Paardeburg, Dreifontein, Johannesburg, and Diamond Hill on his QSA and the marginal note against his name says 'DECEASED". Palmer shows him as Died of Disease, Bultfontein on 23/8/1900.
Regards
IL.

Berenice
Interestingly there are 2 entries pertaining to Private Matthews / Snowballs demise
IL's original post and the in Memoriam entry which reads :-

9371 Pte J Matthews Scots Guards 1st Battalion Killed accidentally by explosion from a cartridge in a fire. Location Middleburg, Interred Middleburg MP 23rd of August 1900.

Will put on my list of Bizarre and Curious casualties.

Dave.....

Thanks, IL and Dave. I might end up getting copies of Snowball's and Matthews' birth certificates to see if either of them was born in Boldon. Why he had two surnames was probably to do with his mother re-marrying.

Been doing some digging and found this:—
. ....Private A. Tiver, a Kentish man serving with the Medical Staff Corps in South Africa, writing to a friend, from Middelberg in November, gives an extraordinary instance of a soldier's escape from death. He says that they have a patient named Corporal Marchant, of the Gordon Highlanders, with 27 bullets in him. He was at Komati Poort, and was ordered to take a fatigue party to open some cases of cartridges and shells with picks. One of the men struck a cartridge with a pick. It exploded the whole case of cartridges. Two men were killed outright, and one died the next day. "Marchant had no fewer than 27 bullets enter him, besides splinters and pieces of tin. Yet he is getting on famously. His back, hands, arms, and legs are one mass of wounds and sores, and the doctor is taking splinters and pieces of tin from him every day. When General Lyttelton went round the hospital he said, 'By Jove! he ought to be in the Paris Exhibition.' Then he inquired kindly how he was getting on, and what regiment he belonged to."
Edinburgh Evening News, Wednesday 2nd January 1901

3613 Corporal F. Marchant is recorded as having been injured on the 30th of September 1900, so Snowball/Matthews wasn't one of the three men who died, but it's an example of men being accidentally killed by exploding cartridges.

27 bullet wounds is incredible and must be something of a record I should think!
I would guess the flying bullets would lack the velocity and rifling effect due to their being 'fired'due to an explosion of ordinance rather than directly from a weapon. But even so , lucky to survive!