Friends of Hastings Cemetery

Kincaid, Captain Sir John continued

purchase the statue of Lord Wellington (erected in Falkirk 4 May, 1854) was headed by the chief subscriber, "Sir John Kincaid, London - £5 - 5s - 0d" - over £1,500 in to-day's terms.

In 1852 he was appointed Senior Exon, and soon after he was knighted by Queen Victoria.

Captain Sir John Kincaid carried out his government duties until he retired through ill-health in early 1862.  He moved to Hastings, Sussex, (there is some supposition that the move may be related to Wellington’s 1806 residency in the town, with his troops) where he lived at what is now the left-hand of a pair of houses numbered 12 – 14 Cambridge Road.  (According to HBC website, he lived he lived the last years of his life at 7, Cambridge Road.)

His health deteriorated, and soon after marrying his housekeeper, Louisa Frisbee,  (other accounts say he died, unmarried) he died of liver disease on  22 April, 1862, aged 74, and is buried here on The Ridge.

(A fuller description of Kincaid’s life and works, by Bruce Cripps, to whom we are indebted for some of these details, may be viewed in the Local Studies Room – open Wednesday, 10 – 4PM, at the Hastings Museum and Art Gallery.).

April 6 1812: John Kincaid at Badajoz

Captain John Kincaid describes the storming of Badajoz:

……….I was near Colonel Barnard after midnight, when he received repeated messages from Lord Wellington to withdraw from the breach and to form the division for a renewal of the attack at daylight; but, as fresh attempts continued to be made, and the troops were still pressing forward into the ditch, it went against his gallant soul to order a retreat while yet a chance remained;………………….

Our regiment alone had to lament the loss of twenty-two officers killed and wounded, ten of whom were killed, or afterwards died of their wounds. We had scarcely got our men together when we were informed ….. the enemy were abandoning the breaches and we were immediately ordered forward to take possession of them…………………………….