Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1900 & 09

Cpl John Rosamond (1832 - 1909)


John Rosamond was a soldier in the Duke of Wellington's 33rd Regiment of Foot during the Crimean War and saw action at the Battles of Alma and Inkerman.


He was born in 1832 in London, the son of Thomas and Sophia Rosamond. He was baptised on 22nd July 1832 at St Matthews, Shoreditch. At the age of 22 years and 10 months, on 29th April 1854, John joined the 33rd Regiment of Foot, known as the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. He served in the Battle of Alma as part of the Light Division under the command of Sir George Brown, advancing up the slope towards the Russian Great Redoubt and forced them to retreat. He also took part in the Battle of Inkerman. The 33rd was also involved in the Siege of Sevastopol.


After the Crimean War John was transferred to India for 11 years and is recorded in 1861 as being at Deesa, on the west side of India, 434 miles north of Bombay (Mumbai). In 1871, John (aged 38) was at the 33rd's South Camp at Aldershot and was married to Catherine (born in Ireland in 1848), aged 23 with two children John jnr (born 1867 in Sheffield) and Catherine jnr (born 1868 in Sheffield).


The 1881 census reveals that the family lived at 36, Katherine Street Salford. John was aged 49 and a General Labourer, and Catherine was aged 32. John jnr was 14, Catherine jnr was aged 13, and new children Mary Ann (born 1874 in Colchester) was aged 7, Hannah (born 1877 in Manchester) was aged 4, and Margaret (born 1880 in Manchester) was age 1.


In 1884, John's wife Catherine tragically died at the age of 40 in Salford. Three years later, on 8th October 1887, John's son John jnr joined the Lancashire Fusiliers. On 2nd March 1889, 22 year old Catherine jnr married 26 year old Thomas Hunter at St Bartholomew's Church, Salford. He was a Bricklayer and the son of Robert Hunter, Bricklayer. Thomas's address was 10, West Bank Street, Salford and Catherine's address was 12, West Bank Street, Salford.


In 1891, John and his family lived at Lords Court, Salford. John was a 60-year-old widower whose occupation was Toolmaker's Labourer. John jnr was aged 21 and was also a Toolmaker's Labourer. Mary Ann was aged 17 and a Cotton Factory Hand, Hannah was 14 and Margaret was aged 11. In 1896, Mary Ann Rosamond married John Yates by Registrar in Salford. On 10th April 1897, Hannah Rosamond married Alfred Thomas Wood at St George's Church, Charlestown. He was aged 20, a Finisher and the son of John Wood, 20, Eimee Street, Salford, also a Finisher.


In 1901, 72-year-old John was living with his daughter Mary Ann and John Yates at 24, Hanover Street, Salford and was an Army Pensioner. Also in the Yates' house was John's other daughter Margaret, who was a Rover Flex Cotton Mill, aged 21. In 1905, John's daughter Margaret married Peter Holt at St Paul's Pendleton.


In 1909, John Rosamond died in Salford at the age of 77 and was buried in a Common grave at Weaste Cemetery.