One of the most fascinating forms of document held at the Norfolk Record Office is the reminiscence, where someone looks back on what has happened to them in their life. These reminiscences, which may be written or spoken, need to be interpreted just like any other archival material. Is the memory always correct? Is the person telling a tale that has come to him, or is he or she being prompted to remember something in a particular way. In this blog, we look in detail at the reminiscences of William Veasey, a servant at Holkham Hall in the late Victorian period, who was given the compliment by his colnel, “I never knew a better or more trustworthy man”. (NRO, LEST supplementary 39). 

Clearly, the person who wrote the memories down has tried to capture Veasey’s form of speech. Here he tells us how Veasey, originally from the Midlands, enlisted into the army: 

In the year 1843 I had been for two years ‘prentice to a weaver – which was my father’s trade – but it was a job I didn’t much care about as there was a great deal too much sitting attached to it.  I had been along with a pensioner of the 11^th, at work with him, and I told him I had a notion of enlisting.  Well, one morning, I started away early, without saying anything to anyone, and went to Coventry, which was nine miles from home.  When I got there, I asked for the Barracks and as I stood a looking in through the railings of the Barrack yard, up comes a recruiting sergeant, and he says ‘be you a looking for anybody?’  I says – Yes – I am come after a man named Bill Smith – he was a young chap of our village who was in a foot regiment, but he was in Hospital in Coventry.  He says ‘I’ll pass you in’ and we went into the Hospital together and up into the ward to see Smith.  When I had found Bill I told him as how I come away that morning, and what for.  When the old recruiting sergeant heard it, he seemed wonderful pleased and soon after he took me off to his house and gave me some dinner or something, and it wasn’t very long before I was enlisted (Apr 11^th 1843, aged 19 years).  We had a bit of a chat before we parted and he told me that the 11^th had left Coventry (which was quite true) but that he had a son in the 28^th and that it was the best regiment out and I couldn’t enlist in a better – for that matter he hadn’t a son in any regiment!  He was a sharp old chap that sergeant, for he took care never to let loose on me till he had made sure on me!  Well – he gave me eight shillings and sent me home for 3 days, and told me if I could see any young chaps about, about my height, I was to enlist them as well.  When I got home I seed a young ‘fellah’ who was a great chum of mine and when I asks him he says, ‘where ever you go Bill, I’ll go’.  So off he went to Coventry to enlist.  He wasn’t long before he was back again tho’, for they could not take him because he had too big veins in his legs – so that warn’t much of a job! 

Next, we hear about aspects of William Veasey’s military career, in his own words. He certainly saw the world as he travelled to India, before arriving in the Crimea in 1854. Here, he saw action for the first time and he has a vivid description of his first battle experience: 

The first engagement I ever was in, was the Battle of the Alma.  This was in September (20th 1854).  We were all round about Sebastopol waiting to be called up any day.  At last the word came and one beautiful fine morning we were ordered to start on a forced march to the front.  We got up there towards dinner time, but ours being the 3^rd Div was the last of ‘em to go in.  In front of us were the 93^rd, 79^th, 42^nd Highlanders etc.  By this time we was pretty hungry and rare thirsty too, as we had come along a goodish pace and never had a drop to drink all day, until we got to the river about 200 or 300 yards outside Alma – at least it was more a boggy place than a river, where all the Brigade had passed over in the morning, and there was more mud than anything else, which we had to suck up through straws as best we could.  There was some sort of a bridge over it but most of it had been blowed up and on top was lying half a score of dead bodies – them the Russians had shot down when they first crossed over in the morning.  I was the second man over the water after the Colonel and when we got over he says ‘Come on lads’ and some chap holl’d out ‘Go on old cock we’re a coming’ and he pulled out his sword with such a vengeance.  Our boots was full of water by this time and we got no chance of a change that day; nor for two or three days for a matter of that.  When we had all got over Lord Raglan called out for the gunners to commence firing but we only let them have three rounds.  You must understand it was dusk then, and the enemy looked just like a dark cloud on top of the Heights.  The first shot we fired went clean over them, but the second made a passage through them, just as if they had been cut with a knife.  By this time they were retiring as fast as they could get away and as night was a coming on fast it was no good going no ‘furder’ after them.  That night we halted on the Heights where we was.  As soon as things began to get a bit straight, the Captain wanted some tea or something, but there was no water to get nearer than the river I was a telling you about, so I had to go down to it and fill my canteen with as clean stuff as I could come across.  On my way back first one poor ‘fellah’ and then another kept stopping me and begging me to give ‘em a drink.  On all sides you could hear them a groaning and calling out –drink! drink! And   I had to go back three times to fill my canteen.  I don’t think I should ever have managed to get back ag’in but for going round outside ‘em and the Captain was in a nice way when I did get back.  

These first hand accounts and reminiscences are all part of the unique collection of documents that the NRO holds. You can search the online catalogue for more reminiscences and personal diaries http://nrocatalogue.norfolk.gov.uk/