Far Sgt. James Salt

Son of Thomas Salt (1802-1845) and Anne Salt (nee Lockes) (1801-1860) who married at St Editha's Church in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England, on 4 March 1821. James married Eliza Jane McBride (1822-1883) at St Paul's Parish Church in Dublin, Ireland, on 26 December 1849. Farrier Sergeant. Served in the Crimea War with the 6th Enniskillen Dragoons at the Battle of Balaclava. Discharged due to chronic rheumatism and injuries received during the Crimean War. Arrived in New Zealand on board the 'Armstrong' on 16 February 1864. Owned the Good Templars' Forge, Tauranga.

FUNERAL OF THE LATE MR J.SALT. Yesterday the remains of the late Mr J. Salt were committed to the earth in the old cemetery alongside those of his wife, who died a few years ago. Owing to the distinguished position of the deceased as one of the veterans who took part in General Scarlet's famous charge in the Crimean campaign, and also to the respect in which he was held by his fellow townsmen, a very general desire was felt to honor his memory by interring his body with military honors. This ceremony therefore took place yesterday afternoon at 2 30. The Brass Band assembled at their band room shortly before this hour and marched with muffled drums to the house lately occupied the deceased in Harington Street; here also there fell in a firing party consisting of men of the old Waikato Militia under command of Mr A.W. Burrows, who served with them.as a volunteer in the last New Zealand war. The coffin, draped with the Union Jack and covered with wreaths and crosses of flowers, was laid in an open hearse, and the funeral procession was then formed as follows. The Firing Party in open order, The Band, The Corpse, Chief Mourners, Comrades and friends of the deceased. The funeral cortege started to strains of "Onward Christian Soldiers" played in slow march time by the Band, and was followed by fully 200 persons, many more joining it on the way, or at the cemetery gates, on reaching which the firing party opened out on either side of the road to allow the hearse to pass through. While the body was being removed from the hearse and carried to the grave, the Band played in slow time the beautiful air "Safe House in Port" the mournful cadences of which were rendered with expression that added to the great solemnity to the occasion. The service was read by the Rev. C. Jordan who at conclusion spoke with much, feeling of the upright and sterling character of the deceased. The firing party then took up its position close to the grave and fired three vollies of blank cartridge. After an impressive silence of a few minutes duration, the Band formed up outside the cemetery gates, and the firing party fell in, in their rear, and the whole then stepped off in quick time and marched back to the band room in Wharf Street to the tunes of "Chiming Bells" and "The Borderers," and there broke off. Fully three hundred persons were present in the cemetery to witness the interment and pay a last tribute of respect to their departed fellow townsman. Source: Bay of Plenty Times (10 June 1891, p. 2).