Sir Henry Barnard

On the floor of the north transept of Westminster Abbey is a memorial stone to six soldiers, including General Sir Henry Barnard, who served and died in the Indian Mutiny. The brass letters have been renewed but some are now missing again. The inscription reads:

"To the Glory of God and in memory of Major Genl. Sir Henry W.Barnard K.C.B., Lieut. Col. Charles J. Woodford, Rifle Brigade, Capt. William F.Thynne, Rifle Brigade, Capt. W.R. Moorsom 13th Lt.Inf [antry] D.A.Q.M.G., Lovick Emilus Cooper, Ensn [Ensign], Rifle Brigade, William G.H.Bankes, Cornet 7th Hussars, who died in the service of the Queen and their country in India in 1857 and 1858. The six lancet windows of this transept were enriched with stained glass by their relatives or comrades of Sir James Outram's division 1860".

The stained glass windows referred to were destroyed during bombing in the second world war. The figures in them represented chosen men and warriors of the Old Testament. Moses was shown in the window erected by Lady Barnard. Joshua was shown in the window erected by General Sir Alexander Woodford to his son. Caleb was in the window erected by the Revd.Lord John Thynne, Canon of Westminster, to his son and the fourth depicted Gideon, erected by the comrades of Captain Moorsom, Deputy Assistant Quarter Master General. The fifth window erected by Rev T.Lovick Cooper to his son was David and the next showed Jonathan, erected by Cornet Bankes' mother. In the west aisle of the north transept was a seventh window to Brigadier the Hon.Adrian Hope (who has a separate entry on the website).

Sir Henry was the son of Rev.William Barnard and was educated at Westminster School and the Military Academy at Sandhurst. He made his way through the ranks and served on his uncle's staff in Paris, and also in Jamaica and Canada. In 1828 he married Isabella Crauford and they had children. He was Major General by 1854 and he served at Sebastopol in the Crimea and was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath for his distinguished services. In India he took charge of the force to relieve Delhi. He died of cholera on 5 July 1857 and was buried in Rajpur cemetery. He is also remembered on the memorial column to former members of Westminster School who died in the Crimea and Indian Mutiny opposite the west door of the Abbey.

A photo of the stone and column can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.

William Barnard, Bishop of Derry was an ancestor (see his separate entry).