Ross Lowis Mangles VC (14 April 1833 – 28 February 1905) was a British administrator in India and the recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces. Mangles is one of only five civilians to be awarded the Victoria Cross.

Biography

Early life

Mangles was the son of

Ross Donnelly Mangles Ross Donnelly Mangles (1801 – 1877) was an English politician, Member of Parliament for Guildford between 1841 and 1857. In the latter year he became Chairman of the East India Company. Career and appointments He was the son of James Mangles ...

, sometime chairman of the East India Company. He was educated at Windlesham House School,

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

(1842–43),

Bath Grammar School King Edward's School (KES), Bath, Somerset, England is an independent co-educational day school providing education for 1,016 pupils aged 3 to 18. The school is a member of The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The school was establi ...

and East India Company College (1851–52). He took up a place in the

Bengal Civil Service The Indian Civil Service (ICS), officially known as the Imperial Civil Service, was the higher civil service of the British Empire in India during British rule in the period between 1858 and 1947. Its members ruled over more than 300 million p ...

in 1853.

Victoria Cross

He was 24 years old, and a civilian in the Bengal Civil Service during the

Indian Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...

when the following deed took place at Arrah for which he was awarded the VC: His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Army Museum, Chelsea, England.

Subsequent life and career

Mangles held various positions in India, including those Judicial Commissioner of Mysore, Secretary to the Government of Bengal, and member of the Board of Revenue of the Lower Provinces. He retired from Indian service in 1883, having completed thirty years' service, and returned to England, where he was a

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

for

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

. He died at his residence, The Lodge, Pirbright, Surrey, on 28 February 1905. Ross Mangles VC Grave

He is buried in Brookwood Cemetery. On the north wall of St Michael and All Angels Church, Pirbright is a brass memorial to Mangles. The oaks on the plaque represent England, his native land; the palms are for India, scene of his life's work; his passion for growing roses after his retirement is also commemorated.Julia Douëti
Welcome to St Michael and All Angels Church, Pirbright

Family

Mangles married in 1860 Henrietta Molyneux, youngest daughter of

James More Molyneux James More Molyneux (c. 1723–1759), was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1754 and 1759. Molyneux was the son of Sir More Molyneux of Loseley Park and his wife Cassandra Cornwallis, daughter of Thomas Cornwallis of ...

, of Loseley Park, Surrey.

References

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(Brookwood Cemetery)''

''(Known holders of the Victoria Cross commemorated in Brookwood Cemetery)''

Welcome to St Michael and All Angels Church, Pirbright
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mangles, Ross Lowis British recipients of the Victoria Cross English justices of the peace 1833 births 1905 deaths Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross Burials at Brookwood Cemetery People educated at Windlesham House School British East India Company civil servants Indian Civil Service (British India) officers