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Major Wilkinson and his Little Friend

From the Barwicker No. 71
September 2003



Early last year, we received a request from Mrs Leila Barnes of Hilton, KwaZuluNatal, South Africa, for information about a Major AH Wilkinson of Potterton. We forwarded a copy of The Barwicker' No. 42 with the information that Alien Henry Wilkinson born in Clapham, Surrey, in 1869, was the fifth son of Bathurst Edward and Jane Annie Wilkinson of Potterton Hall. Mrs Barnes' reply revealed an interesting story about the man. Her letter includes:

"My interest in this family goes back many years (I am now 72) but it was only the recent centenary of the Anglo Boer War that precipitated my attempt to find out more about them.

In my possession I have 2 small gilt buttons joined together with a safety chain and made into a lapel brooch. The insignia on the buttons is a tiger with the tail lying along its back and underneath the Roman numerals XVIII. This was given to me by my late grandmother Sarah Barton (née) Perkin who grew up in Barwick. She told me that it had been sent to her after his death by the sisters of "Poor Major Wilkinson", who had fought in the Boer War and was badly wounded.

After my mother's death 6 years ago I found among her treasures the original of the enclosed letter (see below) which AH Wilkinson had written in 1911. Now I see from page 31 of The Barwicker1 No.42, that AH Wilkinson must be the Alien Henry born in Clapham, Surrey, in 1869. This would make him about 31 in the Boer war. From enquiries I have made I think the buttons belong to the Leicestershire Regiment but I have not established if in fact this was his domain.

I like to think that perhaps there might have been just a little romance between AH and my grandmother. She was still talking about him in most affectionate terms when I was a little girl - the 1930s."


Mrs Barnes includes a copy of the letter, dated Feb. 17th., 1911, sent to her mother by Major Wilkinson. It is written from 43, Queens Road, Richmond, (presumably London, not Yorkshire.). The letter reads:

"Dear little friend,
I think you must be the kindest little girl in all the wide world to pick me three beautiful snow drops, thank you and Johnnie very much for them. I'm quite sure that you have the kindest mother in the wide world. Will you thank her from me for the beautiful things she sent me by my sister. I know that you have a very dear Grannie so I think you are a very lucky little girl

Since my sisters told me about you I often think of you running about Cocksford, you and Johnnie. I remember when I was about Johnnie's age I too used to run about a place called Potterton, that your mother will know of. I never since have had jollier times. I'm sorry to say that I can't run now but still I am a lucky fellow too. I too had the very best mother in the world and it does me good now to think of her and then I have the two very best sisters who do so many things for me that I hardly remember I can't do them myself. So if you think of me when you are running about you must not think I'm not a lucky old fellow too, only perhaps if you feel cross about some little thing it will be no harm if you say to yourself, 'I will go out and have a run and forget to be cross; at any rate I can run about which is more than that poor old Major can do'. My sisters send their love to you and your mother.

Your old friend though a new one, AH Wilkinson."


What a lovely letter, written to a little girl by a man who had spent his early years in the masculine circumstances of the army. Although badly wounded, there is not a hint of self pity in what he writes and he is able to use language and express sentiments that a little girl could easily understand. No wonder she kept the letter for the rest of her life!

There the matter might have ended had not we spotted the Wilkinson family grave close to the south wall of the chancel of All Saints' parish church. This takes the form of a cross and stone marking the last resting place of:

Jane Annie Wilkinson who died 25 January 1897 aged 51 years. Bathurst Edward Wilkinson born July 1834, died May 1st. 1901. Eva Bathurst Wilkinson born 29 February 1872, died 2nd May 1897.


On the South side of the cross support:

Also of Alien Henry Wilkinson, Major, the Leicestershire Regiment, son of the above Bathurst Edward and Jane Annie Wilkinson, born 1869, died 1917.


Eva Bathurst was the Major's sister so the two sisters who looked after him so well must have been Catherine Elizabeth, born 1871 in Lowestoft, and Grace Tryphena born in 1879 in Potterton. Mrs Barnes' was correct about his regiment and the buttons. It is good to know that Major Wilkinson rests only a mile or so from the place where "I never since have had jollier times".

From the writings of
Mrs Leila Barnes and Major AH Wilkins


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