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In 1844 and 1851 we find George Lee resident in Budleigh Salterton with his wife Jean (1,2). They were living at number 4 Beach Walk.  According to the census he had been born in Woodbury circa 1794 however he is not recorded in the baptismal records there (although there were several Lees in Woodbury Salterton around that time, including a Sarah Lee born to John and Elizabeth Lee in 1793). 

The details of his career are rather sketchy. It is possible, although not certain, that he first became an Ensign in the Royal African Corps because in 1813 an entry in the London Gazette states, “Royal African Corps, Ensign George Lee to be Lieutenant, vice Maunsel, who resigns. Dated August, 1813”.  He must however have moved on to India, and the next sighting of him is in 1826 when in January of that year he married Miss Eliza M. Palmer; by this time he had attained the rank of Captain (3) in the 8th Madras Native Infantry. 

At around this period he seems to have been seconded to work in the service of the Nizam of Hyderabad.  In 1835 he was ordered (“as a temporary measure”) to return to his regiment which was engaged in operations against the Rajah of Gomsoor in Orissa (4).  He did not remain married for long because in December 1835 we find that his wife died in Hyderabad (5).  They did not appear to have had any children.

In June 1838 George Lee was promoted to Major (6) and in September of the same year he resigned from the Madras Army (7) and returned to England.  He re-married at Littleham Church in September 1842 to Jean Briggs, only daughter of the late Gilbert Briggs Esq. of the Madras Medical Establishment.  She had been born at Negapatam in Madras in May 1812 (5).  The couple were living in Budleigh Salterton from at least 1844 to 1854.  He died in February 1854 (8) and Jean appears to have moved to live in lodgings in Exeter at Northernhay Place (9).  She died in 1862.

Compiled and Researched by Roger Lendon, © 2010

(1)Town Directory

(2)1851 Census

(3)East India Register 1826

(4)The Asiatic Journal N.S.VoL.21 No.83., 1836

(5)Fibis.com

(6)The Gentleman's magazine, Volume 165:  June 28 1838

(7)The East India Company Register and Directory 1844

(8)Will at the National Archives PROB 11/2186 

(9)1861 census

99 BS-B-00032 Biography any