Cabinet Photograph
Gauvin & Gentzel - Photographer
Halifax, Nova Scotia
c. 1893

Edmund Harrington Molyneux-Seel (sometimes incorrectly written as Molyneux-Seal) was born at Boulonge Sur Mer, France on 27 July 1857 to Edmund Richard Thomas Molyneux-Seel and Anna Maria Felicité Lousada. The Molyneux-Seel family could trace its lineage back to King James I & VI of Scotland and England.

(Note: Our Edmund Harrington should not be confused with his younger brother Major Edward Honore Molyneux-Seel, D.S.O. of the Royal Scots)

Edmund was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in 1st battalion, the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment in December 1878.

His promotions and appointments were as follows:

Lieutenant – 17 April 1880
Captain – 10 December 1884
Adjutant, 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Lancashire Militia – 1 October 1886
Inspector of Musketry, Dover – 25 January 1896
Major – 18 July 1896

Overseas postings included Bermuda from 21 November 1891 to 24 September 1892, Halifax, Nova Scotia from 26November 1894 to 6 December 1895 and the West Indies from 7 December 1895 to 1 January 1896.

Molyneux-Seel would see active service in South Africa where he would take part in the Anglo-Boer War. The roll for the Queen’s South Africa Medal confirms his entitlement to the “Belfast”, “Cape Colony”, “Orange Free State”, and “Laing’s Nek” clasps. Unfortunately this page of the medal roll is badly damaged preventing the identification of other possible clasp entitlements. He was also entitled to the King’s South Africa Medal with its usual “South Africa – 1901” and “South Africa – 1902” clasps.

Molyneux-Seel retired from the army on 9 August 1902 not long after the end of the war.

Edmund married Miss Clare Mary Weld Blundell at Chelsea, London on 30 October 1894. Their children included:  Mary Antoinette (b 1895), Winifred Margaret Anna (b. 1899).

Major Molyneux-Seel would return to the colours with the advent of the Great War, serving as a “Special List” officer on the home front. His duties were probably in the administrative or training fields. He died on 5 August 1915 and was buried at St Agnes Catholic Church at Huyton, Merseyside.

Molyneux-Seel’s World War One medal index card shows no medal entitlements for his service during the war.