Talk:Cecil Stephen Northcote

I believe the histories of two different british officers with the same name have been mashed together ro create one person

Cecil Stephen Northcote was born in 1878. He was a 2nd Lt in 1891 in the 7th Btn Rifle Brigade when he was 13? Seems unlikely, even though the 7th was a militia Btn. There are period listings in the London Gazette that reflect a C.S. Northcote as an officer in the 7th Btn RB, 1891 to 1904; promoted to Captain in the 7th in 1900; as well as mention of a LtC C.S. Northcote in 1916/17. However, the London Gazette, 7 Feb 1902, p. 784, lists a Private Cecil Stephen Northcote of the Cape Mounted Rifles being nominated as 2nd Lt in the Bedfordshire Regiment. This C.S. Northcote would have been circa 21 years old when he went to South Africa circa 1900 and volunteered for the Cape Mounted Rifles - at same time he was promoted Captain in the 7th Btn RB? Given age, unit and rank discrepancies, it would appear we are dealing here with two different officers by the name of Northcote and with the same C.S. initials, one born in 1878 - Cecil Stephen - and the other born somewhat earlier. Moreover, it seems more plausible the C.S. Northcote who was a provincial governor in Sudan 1918-1928 was (peobably older) Rifle Brigade Northcote than the young man who ran off to volunteer as a private in the Boer War. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.113.31.51 (talk) 22:14, 24 December 2018 (UTC), moved here by XAM2175 ^(T) 23:58, 18 March 2023 (UTC)

So this is interesting. Looking at the sailing records, Cecil Stephen Northcote, age 42, sailed from London in 1920 for the Sudan, occupation given as "Sudan Civ Service"; ditto age 48 in 1926, for Sudan, "Sudan Political Service". He returns home in 1927 from Port Said aged 49, "Political Svc". Wife accompanying him in 1926 was Gladys Northcote. He and Gladys show up in the 1939 Register in Suffolk; birthday 4 June 1878 and occupation "Major Regular Army Ret'd". The probate record for the one who died in 1945 matches the Suffolk address and gives the widow as Gladys Minnie Northcote.

There is also a short notice in the Bedfordshire Times and Independent, 1928:

Major Cecil S. Northcote, who has left the Reserve of Officers of the Bedfs. and Herts. Regiment, under the age rules, was commissioned in the regiment in 1902. He was with the Egyptian Army when the Great War began. Before being commissioned in the Bedfords he served with the Cape Mounted Rifles in the South African War. In the Great War he was mentioned in despatches while in the Sudan, of which he was the Governor for some time.

So Cecil Stephen Northcote, 1878-1945, seems to be the one who was a Sudan provincial governor, and also the man who went from the Cape Mounted Rifles to the Bedfords.

This leaves the earlier man as being the one in the 7th Rifles. The 1902 Army List gives him as Cecil Stafford Northcote. He seems to have died in 1912, which rules him out as being involved in Sudan after the war. Andrew Gray (talk) 19:14, 19 March 2023 (UTC)

For reference, we have entries for the two people on Wikidata at Cecil Stephen Northcote (Q5056318) and Cecil Stafford Northcote (Q75779898). From Hill To Shore (talk) 23:42, 19 March 2023 (UTC)

Ah, thankyou, should have thought to check WD! Looks like the second man was one of "the" Stafford Northcotes - the politician was his ... uncle? Second cousin? Something like that. Interesting. Andrew Gray (talk) 00:42, 20 March 2023 (UTC)