Alfred Lionel Pringle (1845 - 1895)

Alfred was the fifth child and third son of John Pringle and Georgiana Ramsbottom, known to friends and family as "Lionel" and "Uncle Lion".

Alfred Lionel Pringle was born on 9 Jul 1845 in Paris, France, and was baptized there nearly a month later (on the seventh of August). Very little is known about Lionel's personal life. He was listed twice on the 1851 census, once at home with his parents in London and once as a visitor at the London home of his aunt and uncle, James and Louisa Wright. In the 1861 census, he was at school in Kent. Two years later, he was admitted to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. Lionel was commissioned as Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery at the beginning of 1866, rising to the honorary rank of Major at his retirement in 1885. During his career, he served as Adjutant of the Militia Artillery and took part in the Hazara Campaign of 1868 (for which he received the India Service Medal). One of the few non-military documents to turn up shows that he also invested in Great Western Railway stock, along with his older brother, John Eliot Pringle.

On 3 Apr 1873, at the age of 27 years, Lionel married Charlotte Ellen Atkinson at Trinity Church in Paddington, London. Their progeny consisted of two sons and one granddaughter, Miss Kathleen Pringle. (This granddaughter, dying unmarried in 1988, was known to her family as having been the last Pringle of Torsonce.)

Lionel and his family lived, for some time, in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. They then made their home at Woodlands on St. John's Road in Richmond, Surrey. It was there that Lionel died on 21 Jan 1895, at the young age of 49 years. He was buried four days later (following cremation) at St. John's Church in Woking, Surrey.

— ("The Times" 25 Jul 1863, page 5):
WOOLWICH ACADEMY.
The following is the official list of the successful competitors at the examination recently held at Chelsea Hospital for admission to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich:–
. . .
Order: 25
Index No.: 53
Name: Alfred Lionel Pringle — Mr. Hopkirk, Eltham; Rev. Mr. Claydon, Lee
Marks: 3,836

— ("Hampshire Advertiser" 23 Feb 1867. page 5):
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY BALLS.– The fourth ball of the season took place at the Royal Victoria Rooms, Southampton, on thursday evening, and passed off in quite as successful a manner as either of the previous ones. The rooms were tastefully and beautifully decorated with flags, &c., under the direction of Mrs. Targett, whose skill and taste in these matters are so well known. Upwards of 150 of the elite of the town and neighbourhood attended, among whom were . . . Mr. A.L. Pringle, R.A. . . .

— ("Homeward Mail from India, China and the East" 26 Dec 1871, page 6):
TROOPS FOR ENGLAND.
H.M.'s Indian troopship Serapis left Bombay harbour on November 30 with the following tropps for England via the Suez Canal; she conveyed as far as Aden the 3-60th Rifles, comprising 26 officers, 3 ladies, and 3 children, 577 men, 55 women, and 99 children.

The 3rd battalion Rifle Brigade embarked at Aden for England, consisting of 26 officers, 3 ladies, and 4 children, 563 men, 44 women, and 83 children. In addition to the above she carried a detachment of 126 time-expired men, 28 women, and 31 children from the Deolalee depot. The names of the officers are as follow:—
From BOMBAY to ENGLAND.— . . . Lieut. A.L. Pringle, Royal Art.

— ("Naval & Military Gazette" 06 Jan 1872, page 12):
ROYAL ARTILLERY.
Colonel Elgee, Lieut.-Colonel G.A. Wilkinson, Lieutenants Pringle, Walford, Corbett, and Quayle, arrived at Portsmouth in the troopship Serapis on Saturday last, from Bombay. Colonel Elgee was in command of the troops on board.

— ("Broad Arrow" 06 Jan 1872, page 15-6):
Serapis, 3, Indian iron screw troopship, Captain H.D. Grant, arrived at Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon from Bombay with the 3rd Battalion Rifle Brigade and some time-expired men, the total number being 704 men, 62 women, and 127 children. Her passengers included . . . Lieutenant A. L. Pringle, R.A.; . . . The Serapis experienced fine weather, and made a good voyage, not having been due until the 3rd instant.

— ("Bulletins and Other State Intelligence" 1880, page 200):
War Office, 3rd February, 1880.
MILITIA.
ARTILLERY.
West Cork,
Captain Alfred Lionel Pringle, Royal Artillery, to be adjutant, in succession to T. Pudney, placed on retired pay. Dated 10th January, 1880.

— ("Homeward Mail from India, China and the East" 15 Apr 1880, page 17):
HOME GAZETTES.
WAR OFFICE, April 13.
Royal Artillery.— Capt. William Poyntz Blandy, from the Seconded List, to be capt., vice A.L. Pringle, placed upon the Seconded List for service as adj. of the West Cork Artillery Militia.

— ("Army and Navy Gazette" 29 Mar 1884, page 20):
MILITIA.
WAR OFFICE, PALL MALL, March 28, 1884.
Royal Artillery.
2nd Brigade, South Irish Division — Capt. H.P. Russell, R.A., to be Adjr., in successsion to Capt. A.L. Pringle, R.A., who resigns that appointment (March 9).

— ("Yorkshire Gazette" 06 Jan 1885, page 3):
The under-mentioned officers composing the garrison class assembled at York, under Major H.D. Dunlop, Royal Artillery, garrison instructor, will be examined to-day (Tuesday), and succeeding days, and at the conclusion of the examination will rejoin their respective corps:— . . . Captain A.L. Pringle, Royal Artillery.

— ("Western Morning News" 25 Jan 1895, page 7):
The death is also announced of Major A. Pringle, retired list, late Royal Artillery. This officer; who entered the army in 1866, served in the Hazara campaign of 1868, receiving the medal. He retired ten years ago.

— ("Northampton Mercury" 10 Oct 1902, page 8):
LOCAL WILL.— Charles Cornwallis Neville, fifth Lord Braybrooke, of Audley End, Saffron Walden, of Braybrooke, Northampton, and the Carlton and Travellers' Clubs, died on June 7 at the age of 78, leaving an estate of the value of 67,666 pounds 3 shillings and 4 pence., of which 17,611 pounds 8 shillings and 6 pence is net personalty. His will and codicil have been proved by his widow, Florence Priscilla Alicia Lady Braybrooke. The testator bequeathed a mortgage for 5,000 pounds stock of the value of 2,300 pounds odd, and certain money at Messrs. Hoare's bank in trust to pay an annuity of 180 pounds to Mrs. Gertrude Coe of Christchurch, New Zealand, and subject thereto for Captain Lionel Pringle, R.A. All his other property he left to his wife.