Ethel Grimwood

Ethel St Clair Grimwood, born Ethel Moore, became Ethel (Evelyn) Miller (4 October 1867 – 11 August 1928) was a British woman who became known as "the heroine of Manipur". During the Anglo-Manipur War of 1891, British power was used to undo a coup d'état within the ruling royal family. Ethel's husband, Frank Grimwood was the British representative in Manipur and the Grimwoods were on good terms with the new rulers. However, the coup was illegal, and if the British authorities had allowed the overthrow of one of their allies without protest it was feared that further challenges to their allies throughout the region might occur. Consequently, Lord Lansdowne, the Viceroy of India, against the advice of Frank Grimwood, decided to despatch a small military mission, under the command of a Commissioner Quinton, for the purpose of arresting Tikendrajit Singh, the key instigator of the coup. After the arrival of the mission at the British Residency in Manipur, Tikendrajit was summoned to the residency, where he initially presented himself, but after he was kept waiting he returned to the palace and subsequently, feigning illness, refused any requests to meet with the British. Unable to get Tikendrajit to submit to their requests, Quinton decided to use a small group of soldiers to infiltrate the palace and seize Tikendrajit. However, this attempt failed when Manipuri soldiers were alerted to their presence and fighting broke out. The following day the British attempted to negotiate an end to hostilities by sending a party of officers including Quinton and Grimwood into the palace. These officers were murdered while under the protection of Tikendrajit, and Manipuri forces renewed their attack upon the British residency. Realising their precarious position the surviving officers abandoned the Residency and lead a retreat back to British-held territory, accompanied by Ethel. Although distraught at the loss of her husband, Ethel showed great strength of character and was instrumental in guiding the retreating party as she was the only person familiar with the terrain. She was lionised in the British press for the role she had played, and she was awarded a medal, £1,000 and a pension. She mismanaged this money, married again, and died poor in Portland, Oregon.

Early life Grimwood was born in Mathura in 1867. Her first language was said to be Hindustani. Her mother was Margaret Emma Boisragon (born Gerrard) who in 1864 had left her husband Major-General Theodore Boisragon, CB, A. M. to live with Charles William Moore, a judge in Bengal. He was their best friend there, he played polo with her husband and because he could speak Hindustani they could have a conversation. Neither Ethel nor her husband could speak the local language although Frank persevered with lessons.

On 22 March 1891, Quinton reached Imphal, where his request for the surrender of Tikendrajit and the abdication of Maharajah Kulachandra, was declined. The following night, the British decided to attack the fort where Tikendrajit was residing, but soon realized they were outmatched; eventually, they were surrounded by Manipuri troops. Quinton then held talks with Kulachandra, but Frank Grimwood was speared to death. The British who were besieged in the residency were led by two junior officers into a disorganised retreat.

On 13 August, after a trial, Jubraj Tikendrajit and General Thangal were publicly hanged on the polo field. Three others would later be hanged in the prison. Grimwood was given £1,000 in addition to a collection and money to cover her losses during the fighting. As a widow she was given a pension of £140 per year. She wrote her biography, "My Three Years in Manipur and Escape from the Recent Mutiny", by November which sold well. It is unclear now as to her actual contribution, but a hero was required and Ethel became that hero.

Later life Ethel went on to marry again in 1895. Her new husband Andrew Cornwall Miller owned a paper mill in Surrey but by 1899 he had emigrated to America. He returned in 1903 when she was in court trying to recover money she had invested in a business with Madame Hugh Barry. She appears to have mortgaged her pension to invest in the business venture which failed. She and her husband went to Clackamas in Oregon but her husband returned to the UK without her.

Grimwood died in Portland, Oregon, having changed her name to Evelyn.