ARMY AND NAVY

Molyneux Capel Spottiswoode is believed to have joined the army in 1833, aged 16 years. There is little evidence of his early career but we do know that he attained the rank of Captain on the 31st December 1847. At that time he was with the Twenty-fourth Regiment Native Infantry (Rifle Company), Stationed at Setabuldee. Hart's Army List, 1873, shows Spottiswoode was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Madras Staff Corps.
 
General Molyneux Capel Spottiswoode spent a significant part of his army career in India where many of his children were born. At the time of the 1871 Census, General Spottiswoode was listed as Colonel commanding 24th Regiment of Native Light Infantry, whilst Charlotte and children, Cecilia (16), John (14) and Arthur (9), together with grand-child Mary Groves (6) were living at 16 Park Street, Walcot, Bath.
 
By the 1881 Census the family had moved to Southsea and Spottiswoode is listed as Major-General on active list at Madras; on the Staff Corp of the Infantry. Living with him at Berwick House, Eastern Villas Road (which still exists) were his wife Charlotte, son Hugh (28) and Cecilia (22). Both children had been born in India.
 
General Spottiswoode died on the 29th July 1890 and his wife and children erected a memorial to him in St Simon's church, Waverley Road, Southsea.
 
Further information on General Spottiswoode can be obtained at the Memorials in Portsmouth website.