Julia Selina, Lady Inglis (19 April 1833 – 3 February 1904) was the daughter of Frederic Thesiger, 1st Baron Chelmsford, and wife of Major-General Sir John Eardley Inglis, who commanded the British troops at the Siege of Lucknow in 1857. She kept a diary of her life during the siege, which was published as The Siege of Lucknow: a Diary. She aimed to give "a simple account of each day's events (which) may give a clear idea of what was done by the garrison under (her husband's) command".
Background
Her father was Frederic Thesiger (1794–1878), a lawyer who later became a Member of Parliament, serving as Attorney-General under Robert Peel and as Lord Chancellor under Lord Derby and was created the first Baron Chelmsford.
Her mother was Anna Maria Tinling (1799–1875), daughter of William Tinling and Frances Peirson and niece of Major Francis Peirson (1757–1781), who was killed in the defence of Jersey during an attempted French invasion on 6 January 1781.
Her elder brother, Frederic (1827–1905) succeeded their father as 2nd Baron Chelmsford and led the British forces in the battles at Isandlwana and Ulundi during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879.
Family
On 19 July 1851, she married Lieutenant-Colonel John Eardley Inglis of the 32nd Regiment of Foot, who had commanded the 32nd at Suraj Kund and was present at the storming and capture of Multan, the action at Chiniot and the Battle of Gujrat, during the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1848–49.
They had a total of seven children: John Frederic Inglis (b. 1852, died an infant) John Frederic Inglis (1853–1923), who played cricket for Kent and football for Wanderers and Scotland. Charles George Inglis (1855–1923), who became a tea planter on the Agra Kandy Estate in Ceylon. Alfred Markham Inglis (1856–1919), who played cricket for Kent. Victoria Alexandrina Inglis (1859–1929), who married Hubert Ashton, and was the mother of cricketers Hubert, Gilbert, Percy and Claude. Julia Mathilda Inglis (1861–1929), who married Sir George Herman Collier of the India Office. Rupert Edward Inglis (1863–1916), who was an England international rugby player and became a minister in the Church of England before serving as a chaplain in the First World War and was killed during the Battle of the Somme.
The Siege of Lucknow
By June 1857, with three sons aged under five, Julia Inglis was living at Lucknow where her husband was in command of the 32nd Foot at the start of the Indian Mutiny. On 30 June, under the overall command of Sir Henry Lawrence, the British forces had failed in a preliminary skirmish at Chinhat and retreated into the residency at Lucknow, which immediately came under siege. On 2 July, Lawrence was hit by a shell and died two days later. At Lawrence's wish, Colonel Inglis took command of the Brigade and led the defence until the arrival of Sir Henry Havelock on 26 September 1857. He remained there until the arrival of Sir Colin Campbell on 18 November.
Julia Inglis kept a diary of life during the siege which "vividly brings home the situation of the British trapped within the Residency walls". Mrs. Inglis and her three sons lived in a room which "was very small, hardly more than a verandah, about twelve feet by six feet, with no doors nor windows, only arches" (30 June) in which screens had been erected for privacy; compared to other residents, Inglis was fortunate – "In the next square to us lived a good many of the ladies, who were all together in a large room, and very uncomfortable." (30 June) She had the assistance of several servants, including her "khansamah", who acted as cook, and an "ayah" who helped with the children, whereas many wives were left with only one or two servants, and some had no help at all. (30 June)
The diary recounts the events of the siege, with movement being restricted for fear of snipers. "We felt sure the enemy must get in, when the most terrible death awaited us. We sat trembling, hardly able to breathe" (1 July). "John had a most providential escape to-day; he left his little room in the Residency house rather earlier than usual, and soon after a round shot came through the door and passed over his bed. Had he been in his room, he could hardly have been untouched." (16 July) "Mrs. Dorin was killed to-day... she was helping to carry some things upstairs, when a very small bullet struck her in the forehead and went through her head, causing instantaneous death." (21 July)
As well as attacks from the enemy, the besieged residents had to endure epidemics of cholera and small pox; Inglis herself had been taken ill with smallpox a few days before the siege commenced. (28 June)