General John G Halliday

Early Life

John G. Halliday was born on 9 May 1822 into an old and respected family originally from Dumfriesshire, Scotland. He was the son of Thomas Halliday of Ewell, Surrey, and came from a lineage distinguished by public service and professional achievement. His grandfather, Dr. Matthew Halliday, had served as a physician at the Imperial Court of St Petersburg during the later years of Catherine the Great, reflecting the family’s long association with responsibility and learning.

From an early age, Halliday was prepared for a life of discipline and duty. At just sixteen years old, he entered the military service of the Honourable East India Company as a cadet, embarking on a career that would span decades and take him across the Indian subcontinent.

Military Career in India

Halliday joined the 12th Madras Native Infantry and served in a variety of posts throughout the Madras Presidency. His abilities soon became evident, not only in military matters but also in administration. This led to his appointment to the Mysore Commission, where he was involved in the civil administration of Mysore, a role requiring judgement, fairness, and cultural understanding.

As his career progressed, he rose steadily through the ranks. Upon attaining the position of Lieutenant-Colonel, he returned fully to military command, once again leading his old regiment in several stations across India and Burma. His leadership was marked by steadiness, competence, and the respect of both superiors and subordinates.

In 1876, he was promoted to Regimental Colonel, at which point he returned to England and settled in Lee, Kent, where he would live for more than thirty years. Further honours followed: in 1888, he was promoted to the rank of full General, becoming the senior general of the Indian Army, a distinction reflecting a lifetime of faithful service.

Marriage and Spiritual Development

In 1845, Halliday married his cousin, Lucy Cotton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Cotton of Petrograd. At the time of his marriage, he was already a decided Christian, and his faith continued to deepen throughout his life.

While stationed at Cannanore, he became acquainted with Samuel Hebich, a well-known Christian missionary who was closely associated with Anthony Norris Groves, then labouring at Chittoor. This friendship proved spiritually formative. Through Hebich, Halliday received considerable encouragement and instruction in the things of God, strengthening both his personal faith and his understanding of Scripture.

This spiritual growth ran alongside, rather than apart from, his demanding military responsibilities.

Intellectual Gifts and Personal Character

General Halliday was a man of remarkable intellectual breadth. He was an accomplished linguist, fluent in French, German, and Hindustani, and had a working knowledge of Hebrew and Greek, which he used particularly in his study of the Bible. Beyond languages, he possessed wide interests in science, art, and literature, and was also a skilled watercolour artist.

Yet these gifts never led to pride. Those who knew him consistently remarked that his most outstanding quality was humility. Despite his high rank and distinguished career, he was approachable, gentle, and entirely free from pretension.

Christian Fellowship and Witness

For many years after his return to England, Halliday was in fellowship with believers meeting at the Gospel Hall, Loampit Vale, Lewisham. There he was deeply loved and respected, not because of his military honours, but because of his Christlike spirit.

He readily associated with fellow believers of all social backgrounds, never allowing rank or position to create distance. His life was a quiet but powerful testimony to the reality of Christian humility, reflecting the example of Christ, “who humbled Himself.”

Though not a public preacher, he was an earnest and faithful witness for the Lord Jesus Christ, both in word and in conduct, and his influence was widely felt among those who knew him.

Final Years and Death

General Halliday lived to an advanced age, retaining clarity of mind and spiritual warmth to the end. On Lord’s Day morning, 4 February 1917, at his home in Church Terrace, Lee, Kent, he peacefully passed into the presence of his Saviour. He was in his 95th year.

His long life had encompassed immense political, military, and social change, yet his faith remained steady and simple throughout.

Legacy

General John S. Halliday is remembered as:

• A distinguished soldier and administrator

• A cultivated and intellectually gifted man

• A humble and devoted Christian

• A faithful follower of Christ whose life quietly reflected grace, humility, and steadfast faith

Though honoured by rank and achievement, he is most truly remembered for the spirit in which he lived—marked above all by devotion to Christ and love for His people.