Julian Arthur Labalmondiere

Douglas was already 41 when he married Margaret Paget in October 1856. Their first child, Margaret Paget Labalmondiere, was born in July 1858, followed by their only son Julian Arthur, born on 8th November 1859. At that time Douglas was already promoted to Assistant Commissioner, and living in Westminster.

Julian was educated at Wellington College, then attended Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from January 1877, and was commissioned in the Royal Artillery in July 1879. He first served at home, then did a stretch in India between 1881 and 1884. Two years at home again, then two more years in India. Julian was promoted to Captain in 1887, and served 14 months in Malta between 1888 and 1889.

A posting to be Adjutant of the Honourable Artillery Company in Finchley for five years between March 1889 and November 1894 gave Julian the opportunity to court and win the hand of Katherine Eliza Farrer. They were married at St Paul’s Knightsbridge on 25^th July 1894. Julian was 36 and Katherine 26.

Katherine’s father lived at Green Hammerton in Yorkshire, and her cousin Reginald was an eccentric and celebrated plant collector.

In April 1897 Julian was posted to become Divisional Adjutant at Sheerness, defending the approaches to London River. 12 months at Leith Fort in Scotland were followed in January 1899 by a posting to Golden Hill, the batteries by the Needles on the Isle of Wight commanding the narrows opposite Hurst Castle. At this time, in response to a perceived threat of a coup de main by the French, Parliament ordered the defence of the approaches to Portsmouth Dockyard with what became known as Palmerston’s Follies. Golden Hill was part of those defences. In October 1899 Julian returned to Portsmouth, and thence to Gibraltar until July 1906.

In 1902 the Royal Garrison Artillery was formed from the specialists in the Royal Artillery. Julian had been promoted Major in September 1897, and Lt Colonel in July 1906. Immediately before retirement Julian became Acting Commandant of the Royal School of Military Music at Kneller Hall, Twickenham, while the established Commandant, Colonel Cameron Somerville and his Director of Music, Major Stretton, proceeded to India to take charge of the musical arrangements in connection with the 1911 Coronation Durbar. Julian retired from the Army as a full Colonel in September 1912, and died the following year.

At some stage in Julian’s life he bought Downlands House, near Uckfield, as a base for his family. They had four children, Richard who died of tuberculosis in 1923; Douglas who died within a year of his birth; Victor, who made a career in the Royal Navy, and died without male heirs; and Margaret who was born in Southsea in 1903, and married Gilbert Barratt.

Julian is buried in Uckfield Cemetery together with his son Richard and his wife Katherine.