Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Indian Mutiny medal awarded to Mr Henry Valentine Walton, Inspector in the Indian Telegraph Department, who, aged just 17, served throughout the siege of Agra, keeping the Telegraph fully operational and venturing out of the fort when necessary to facilitate repairs

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (H. V. Walton,) edge bruises, otherwise nearly extremely fine £500-600

‘Mr Henry Valentine Walton was appointed Inspector in the Indian Telegraph Department on 17th December 1856. Proceeded at once to India where he served with zeal and efficiency during the Mutiny as a volunteer at Agra. He was present at, and took part in, the battle at Neemuch for which services he received the Mutiny medal. This gentleman subsequently joined the Telegraph Department in Persia and was one of the first Superintendents on the lines under construction in 1863-64. He remained in this appointment until his death at Shiraz in May 1871. Mr Walton's zeal and ability had long been recognised in the Persian Telegraph, to the success of which he had contributed by hard and unusual services. He held certificates giving testimony to the fulfilment of prior special duties such as do not fall to the lot of Indian employees in ordinary time. He had saved his instruments at the critical period of the Mutiny and had suffered exposure, want and sickness in the capacity of Sergeant of the Agra Militia, and one or the other, in some degree, when in charge of the Fort Electrical Telegraph Office (Extract from Telegraph & Travel, by Colonel Sir Frederic John Goldsmid C.B., K..C..S..I., who wrote memoirs for all the Superintendents and Inspectors that served on the Indo-European Telegraph and which form part of the appendix).

What this memoir fails to tell is that at the time of the Mutiny Walton was aged just 17. He kept the Telegraph lines, poles and wires fully operational throughout the siege at Agra, and ventured out of the fort to facilitate repairs when necessary. He spent nearly two years in Persia before he had to report to any officer or authority. This extraordinary young man was not only to lose his infant daughter to disease but he himself would die tragically young of cholera. The events, after his death, left his widow and family so enraged and embittered that they threatened litigation against the Accountant General, Bombay, for violation of his property.

Henry Valentine Walton was born on 27 September 1839, at Hampton, Middlesex, the son of William Walton and his wife Elizabeth Louisa. William Walton was a Master of Classics at Hampton where he and Elizabeth had 14 children with Henry Valentine being the ninth issue. Henry was privately tutored by his father but at the age of fourteen or fifteen he went to East India House to learn the new Electric Telegraph system invented by the American Mr Morse. Dr William Brooke O'Shaughnessy, a man of wide vision, had heard about the new telegraph system and realised it could completely revolutionise communications throughout India. He sailed to England seeking the best and brightest young talent to help bring his plans to fruition. Henry Valentine was selected by O'Shaughnessy and commenced his period of instruction which he completed in 1856. O'Shaughnessey returned to Calcutta with just four recruits, including Mr H. V. Walton, arriving on the SS Nubia on 16 December 1856.

After the mutiny he served as Inspector of Telegraphs at Lucknow, Allahabad, and in 1862 was transferred to Persia to assist in the construction of what became known as the Indo-European Telegraph. For two years he worked unsupervised dealing with Governors, local Chiefs, suppliers and both local Persian and Indian staff. In 1866 he was summoned to England to answer questions from a Select Committee on East Indian Communications. While Walton considered the line from Khanikeen via Teheran to Abadeh to be very good it deteriorated between Isfahan and Shiraz. His answers conveyed the difficulties he experienced. Persia's terrain and extreme winter and summer climates were obvious problems. Political machinations from both Russians and Turks, who were all vying for favouritism with the Shah added obfuscation and mistrust. Walton expressed the problems of corruption especially the further one moved from Teheran. He was palmed off with inferior poles and equipment that failed during the winter season. Walton remained in charge of the Isfahan Division until September 1870, when he was transferred to the Shiraz Division. He was granted 3 months privileged on leave on 21 May 1871, due to increasingly poor health, brought on by the death of his infant daughter. He died at Shiraz on 23 May 1871, of Cholera. Long standing regulations forbade the burial of Christians within the town so he was laid to rest in the Bagh-e Jehan-Nama also known as the “Garden with a view of the world”. His daughter was also buried in the same garden.

The Accountant-General Bombay, not having received any accounts from Walton, decided that an assessment charge be placed on the estate. With some confusion and misunderstanding in Shiraz, the estate was sold on 17 July 1871. Apart from his bible, prayer book and an album all the estate was sold including his wife's and deceased child's apparel and personal linen, together with his furniture and all personal items. His silver plate, that was locked in a wooden chest, was broken into and the contents sold for the best price. Once the Walton family was aware of what had taken place Mr Clifford E. Walton wrote to India outlining his displeasure at the violation of his brother's estate. Much of the correspondence took place between Hubert Izaak Walton, who was Superintendent of the Marine Telegraph running from Karachi to Gwadar, at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, and an elder brother to Henry Valentine. Hubert Izaak was to prove arrogant in dealing with the authorities and was partly responsible for the delay in settling the matter. Walton's bereft and distraught widow, Elizabeth Sarah Walton, wrote from Boulogne-sur-Mer and Surbiton pleading letters to Major Champain and Captain Pierson that they might be able to repurchase just a few of her precious items that had been sold and that she would forward any monies for payment. Champain and Pierson did manage to repurchase some of the items.

This tragic affair can be best explained by Major J. U. Bateman Champain, Director-in-Chief, Indo-European Government Telegraph Dept, in a few extracts from a letter to the Secretary to the Government of India, P. W. Dept... ‘The truth is that for months before his death, Mr Walton kept no accounts worthy the name. He mixed up his public and private transactions in extricable confusion; he debited officers twice over the same amounts; he credited himself with sums of which no record can be traced; he kept neither vouchers nor receipts... Mr H. V. Walton was a most energetic and able Officer... and served in India with credit and honour. Till his death he was an intimate friend of Major St. John, Captain Pierson and myself... and I feel safe in saying in the name of all, that we know he was incapable of ungentlemanlike or dishonest conduct.’

Walton's debt even after the sale of his estate and salary still amounted to over 10,000 rupees. On 4 May 1877, Walton's Executors were offered £99 and 4 pence in full settlement of their claims against the Government.

The lot is sold with two complete folders of information and contains a full transcript of the Walton claim against the Government together with a copy of Henry Valentine Walton's contract he signed as a boy of 17 in 1856.