George Jennings’s military record documents his death as occurring on 15 September 1844, but not the circumstances or location.ⁱ However, his name appears in the List of Casualties for 1844 with the following entry:

Sub-Conductor G. Jennings of the Ordnance Department deceased 15 September 1844 in Scinde.ⁱⁱ

Why was George in Scinde?

On 18 May 1841, George was promoted from Sergeant in the 1st Battalion Artillery to Acting Sub-Conductor in the Ordnance Department.ⁱⁱⁱ As part of this promotion, he was transferred to the Town Major’s non-effective list, a designation that typically indicated a shift to administrative duties. ^iv

The Town Major’s non-effective list was not a specific record maintained in every town but rather an administrative designation. It is typically applied within a presidency, such as the Bombay Presidency, and assigned personnel to military administration, logistics, or urban management roles. Soldiers on this list could be deployed to different locations within the presidency as needed. For Jennings, this likely meant being sent to regions where his expertise in ordnance and artillery was required.

By 1844, Sindh had recently been annexed by the British following the campaigns of General Sir Charles Napier in 1843. This period was marked by the consolidation of British control in the region, with the Ordnance Department playing a vital role in securing supplies and maintaining artillery for ongoing military and administrative needs.

George Jennings may have been involved in active campaigning and/or focused logistical and administrative duties. Still, his position in the Ordnance Department suggests he contributed to the British presence in Sindh during this transitional period.

Was George present at the Battle of Scinde?

It is not clear if George fought in the conquest of Scinde between 1842 and 1843 or arrived after the battle.

Let's look at what we know for sure:

On 13 August 1840, George’s youngest child was baptised, Catherine Jennings. At the time, he gave his residential address as Ahmednuggur.^v George’s wife, Catherine, was 25 years old in 1840, an age when she could still theoretically have had more children. However, the absence of additional offspring suggests George may have been away from home, likely fulfilling his military obligations, so it is possible that he was involved in the Battle of Scinde.
As a member of the Town Major’s List, he could have been involved in garrison duties in Sindh, contributing to the maintenance of order in the occupied territory after its annexation.

Was George involved in the Indian Mutiny?

According to his daughter, many years later, “her father George Jennings a soldier was killed in the Indian mutiny.”^vi

George Jennings did not die during the Indian Mutiny of 1857–1858. The Battle of Scinde (or the conquest of Sindh) and the Indian Mutiny were distinct historical events, occurring over a decade apart.

George’s death, as recorded in the Casualties List, aligns with the period of the Battle of Scinde, suggesting that his death was linked to the Battle of Scinde.

Why the Confusion?

Given that Isabel was only eight years old when her father died and nine when her mother passed away, it is understandable that she may have confused one conflict with another.

The Mystery of His Death

No church records for George’s death or burial have yet been located. The casualty list and Military record remain the only documented evidence of what became of him, leaving many details of his final years shrouded in mystery.

Disease was a significant cause of mortality among British troops in India. The combination of unfamiliar climates, limited medical knowledge, and exposure to endemic illnesses like cholera or malaria made deployment dangerous. Given that no specific battle is recorded in connection to his death, it is possible he succumbed to illness common in such postings

Sources Identified in Footnotes

George Jennings Military Record, attestation: 25 November 1822, Middlesex. Registers of Bombay Army European Soldiers, 1793–1839, A–K, India Office Records, L/MIL/12/109. Accessed via FIBIS website, “Registers of Bombay Army European Soldiers” database (no images), https://search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_detail.php?id=2290703 (accessed 16 April 2020).
THE INDIAN CALENDER(1845) : Bombay, India: Courier Press, n.d. (Accessed Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.11566 17 January 2025) page 208
1. This Publication provides a record of key events, figures, and official notices from British India during the 19th century. It includes information on military operations, government announcements, and casualty lists.
2. When reviewing the entry for George Jennings, the year of death is listed as "do," which typically means "ditto"—indicating the same year as the death listed above. However, if you trace back through the list, this would imply that he died in 1842, not 1843. This is likely a typesetting error, as all other deaths are recorded in 1844, consistent with the heading. It seems that the individual who passed away in England in 1842 is the exception.
Baptism of Catherine Jennings(daughter) born 10 August 1840 and baptised 13 August 1840, daughter of George(Actg[Acting] Sagt[Sergeant] Instructor, Artillery Repository) & Catherine Jennings, residing in Ahmednuggur, entry 24, baptisms in the Register for the Chaplaincy of Ahmednuggur, in the service of Bombay from 1 July to the 31 December 1840; Findmypast, Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bombay, 1709-1948(database with images), citing British India Office Births & Baptisms N-3-14 folio 257

Newspapers

1935 'PERSONAL'[Abbreviated News Snippet Column], The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 22 May, p. 6. , viewed 18 Jan 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12241261
1. “… Although she is aged more than 101 years Mis Isabel Munro of Mahoney street Fitzroy was able to attend a dance at the 40 Club last night Mrs Munro was born in Bombay and her father George Jennings a soldier was killed in the Indian mutiny. For 25 years she has been living with her daughter, Mrs K. Mcintyre. ...”
Promotion Announcements of Appointments in the Ordnance Department.

The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce (1838–1859); Bombay, India. Page 335, "By the Commander in Chief," 26 May 1841.
ProQuest Historical Newspapers. http://search.proquest.com/hnptimesofindia/docview/233788597/citation/D0DDC04C402543CDPQ/11

“The following appoints in the Ordnance Department, were ordered to take place … Serjeant G. Jennings 1^st Batt. Arty. … To be Acting Sub conductors and transferred to the Town Major’s non effective list”

Geographical Context: Scinde and Sindhi

Scinde is the British spelling of the name of the province of Sindh in Pakistan, while Sindhi is a language spoken in Sindh. Sindh became part of British India and its Bombay Presidency on 1 October 1848.

Useful Links for Background

WikiTree profile for George Jennings (bef. 1804 - 1844)

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Author 2025, Sandra Williamson

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Foot Notes

i George Jennings, Military Record [Only date but no other details given]

ii THE INDIAN CALENDER(1845), page 208 [He is listed in the causality but not the cause of his death is not given.]

iii Promotion Announcements of appointments in the Ordnance Department [Confirms that he belonged to the G. Jennings and that he had been a Serjeant and was transferred to the Town Major’s non effective list to be an Acting Sub conductors]

iv George Jennings, Military Record [Transferred to Town Major's List 18 May 1841 as Sub-Conductor, not an Acting Sub-Conductor as stated in the Newspapers]

v Baptism of Catherine Jennings(daughter) [gives the residential address as Ahmednuggur]

vi 1935 'PERSONAL'[an Abbreviated News Snippet Column] The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), 22 May, p. 6. , viewed 18 Jan 2025, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12241261

Monday, 20 January 2025

The Death of George Jennings 1844