Frederick Lester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Frederick Lester
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| Birth name | Frederick Parkinson Lester |
| Born | 3 February 1795 |
| Died | 3 July 1858 (aged 63) Belgaum, Bombay Presidency, India |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army.svg){kind=small} East India Company |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | Southern Division of the Bombay Army |
| Battles/wars | Indian Mutiny |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Parkinson Lester (born 3 February 1795 – died 3 July 1858) was a respected army officer. He served in the East India Company, which was a powerful British trading company that also had its own army in India. He was the third son of John Lester, a merchant, and his wife, Elizabeth Parkinson.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Frederick Parkinson Lester was born on 3 February 1795. His father, John Lester, came from a well-known merchant family in Poole, Dorset, England. His uncle, Benjamin Lester, was even a Member of Parliament for Poole.
Frederick went to school at Mr. Jephson's academy in Camberwell. He also studied at the Addiscombe Military Seminary. This school trained young men to become officers in the East India Company's army. On 22 April 1811, he officially joined the Bombay artillery as an officer.
A Distinguished Military Career
Frederick Lester's military career was spent entirely in the Bombay artillery. He rose through the ranks steadily. He started as a second-lieutenant in 1811. Over the years, he became a lieutenant, then a captain, a major, and a lieutenant colonel. By 1854, he was a major-general. His final promotion to Lieutenant General came on 3 July 1858.
Sir Frederick was known for being very efficient in his work. In 1847, the governor of Bombay even thanked him specially for his "zealous and efficient services." During his time in India, he often worked in important roles related to army supplies and management. He even created a new system for keeping financial records, which was adopted by the army in 1834.
Protecting Belgaum during the Indian Mutiny
In April 1857, Sir Frederick was given command of the southern division of the Bombay army. He took charge at his headquarters in Belgaum on 12 May 1857. This was a very important time because the Indian Mutiny (also known as the Sepoy Mutiny) was starting. This was a major rebellion against British rule in India.
Major-General Sir George Le Grand Jacob later said that Sir Frederick's actions between May and September 1857 likely "prevented an explosion at Belgaum." This means he probably stopped the rebellion from spreading there.
Sir Frederick took many smart steps to protect Belgaum:
- He repaired the fort and moved all the gunpowder and ammunition inside for safety.
- He sent away people who were suspected of being rebels.
- He moved guns, gun carriages, and horses into the fort.
- He organized night patrols, mostly made up of local volunteers.
- He moved about 400 European women and children into the fort for their safety.
He also made a very wise decision when some officers wanted to disarm a local regiment. Sir Frederick believed that disarming them without enough British troops could lead to disaster. He waited for more British soldiers to arrive. When they did, he oversaw the fair trials and punishments of those who had rebelled. He even allowed a court-martial (a military trial) to be made up entirely of Indian non-commissioned officers. This showed his trust and good leadership.
His careful actions helped prevent the rebellion from spreading to western India. Many people felt he didn't get enough credit for his important role in keeping the peace.
Personal Life
Sir Frederick Lester was a very religious man. He was known for his strong moral beliefs.
He was married twice. His first marriage was in 1828 in St Thomas's Church, Bombay, to Helen Elizabeth Honner. They had two children, but sadly, both died when they were very young.
In 1840, he married Charlotte Pratt Fyvie in Mahabaleshwar. They had five children together, including:
- Charlotte Elizabeth Lester (1842-1874), who married James Rhoades.
- Rev. John Moore Lester (1851-1919), who became a Rector. His grandchildren included James Shaw, Baron Kilbrandon and Katherine DeMille.
- Horace Frank Lester (1853-1896).
Sir Frederick Lester passed away peacefully in his bed from heart disease on 3 July 1858, in Belgaum.
