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Carey Family #11
Ensign Carey
Ensign Carey begins in the seedy mid-nineteenth century underworld of London gambling dens, where William, a hard-up Carey cousin, has a frightening encounter with George Hampton, a violent and unprincipled young man on the make.
Banished from Cambridge for bad behaviour, in 1856 William travels to India, where his father has used family influence to get him a commission in the 84th Bengal Native Infantry. Here his path again crosses – dramatically – with Hampton’s. Ensign William Carey is no saint, but when the Indian Mutiny breaks out among the native troops, Ensign Carey acts with generosity and courage, for which he pays a high price.
Banished from Cambridge for bad behaviour, in 1856 William travels to India, where his father has used family influence to get him a commission in the 84th Bengal Native Infantry. Here his path again crosses – dramatically – with Hampton’s. Ensign William Carey is no saint, but when the Indian Mutiny breaks out among the native troops, Ensign Carey acts with generosity and courage, for which he pays a high price.
175 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1976
About the author
Ronald Welch
23 books22 followersRonald Welch is the pen name of Ronald Felton, author of twelve historical novels for children. After reading history at Cambridge, he taught at Bedford Modern School and then became headmaster of Okehampton Grammar School in Devon. He was awarded the Carnegie Medal forKnight Crusader in 1954 which is to be serialized in Story Time on BBC on 4th July, 1972. His interest in military history stems from his family background and his service in The Welch Regiment during the 1939–45 war.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 19, 2023
Opening in London, as a a gang of crack burglars, led by the mysterious and aristocratic "Captain," carry out their latest job, this engaging work of historical fiction for children soon shifts focus from the narrative of the master thief to that of William Carey, the younger son of a poorer branch of the noble Carey family. After a frightening experience in which William encounters and barely escapes the clutches of the thief (real name: George Hampton), and an incident in which he is sent down from Cambridge after a disastrous horse race, William finds himself shipped off to India, there to serve in the Bengal Army. Here he once again confronts Hampton, before finding himself caught up in the events of the Sepoy Rebellion…
Originally published in 1976, Ensign Carey is the eleventh title in the thirteen-volume Carey Family series, devoted to the adventures of a Welsh land-owning family over the course of many centuries of British history, from the time of the Crusades to World War I. Although now organized by historical chronology, the series was not written in that same order, and this was the twelfth to be published—the last title in the series to be published in author Ronald Welch's lifetime, as the thirteenth ( The Road to Waterloo ) was published posthumously from his papers. However that may be, I found this entry in the series quite engaging, enjoying both the brief burglary story and the narrative of William's experiences. As with some of Welch's others, I did find myself feeling that the two storytelling strands didn't entirely fit together, and wishing that either one had been chosen, or both had been expanded upon. George Hampton was such a fascinating character that I could have read an entire book about his crimes, while the section devoted to William's experiences during the Sepoy Mutiny were so gripping that I felt they deserved a book-length treatment of their own. The conclusion of the book was unexpected, not because —after all, Welch has done this before with his stories—but because .
Whatever my critiques, I did enjoy this one, and finished it with a desire (as always) to pick up more of the author's work. Recommended to young historical fiction fans, or to anyone seeking stories that address the Sepoy Rebellion.
Originally published in 1976, Ensign Carey is the eleventh title in the thirteen-volume Carey Family series, devoted to the adventures of a Welsh land-owning family over the course of many centuries of British history, from the time of the Crusades to World War I. Although now organized by historical chronology, the series was not written in that same order, and this was the twelfth to be published—the last title in the series to be published in author Ronald Welch's lifetime, as the thirteenth ( The Road to Waterloo ) was published posthumously from his papers. However that may be, I found this entry in the series quite engaging, enjoying both the brief burglary story and the narrative of William's experiences. As with some of Welch's others, I did find myself feeling that the two storytelling strands didn't entirely fit together, and wishing that either one had been chosen, or both had been expanded upon. George Hampton was such a fascinating character that I could have read an entire book about his crimes, while the section devoted to William's experiences during the Sepoy Mutiny were so gripping that I felt they deserved a book-length treatment of their own. The conclusion of the book was unexpected, not because —after all, Welch has done this before with his stories—but because .
Whatever my critiques, I did enjoy this one, and finished it with a desire (as always) to pick up more of the author's work. Recommended to young historical fiction fans, or to anyone seeking stories that address the Sepoy Rebellion.
September 24, 2022
This is a book in two parts - one in England, one in India. I like both parts but find it hard to understand why Welch started off in such a very different way to how the book continues. The character of George Hampton is a fascinating one, and I'm a bit frustrated at how Welch casts him off. William Carey is an interesting "black sheep" member of the family, and it's refreshing to read a book by Welch that features such an uncharacteristic protagonist.
My other question is whether the Adams revolver that was "official British Army issue" in use in 1857 India was really a .500 calibre, as Welch asserts on p.147. Other sources indicate it was .442 calibre.
My other question is whether the Adams revolver that was "official British Army issue" in use in 1857 India was really a .500 calibre, as Welch asserts on p.147. Other sources indicate it was .442 calibre.
July 13, 2017
(Review originally posted on Vintage Novels).
Ensign Carey , the eleventh (and second-last) in Ronald Welch's Carey Family Series, begins unconventionally with a burglary. In a gritty Victorian London setting, an impoverished young blueblood robs the house where he was a guest the week before, then murders an accomplice who seems a little too curious about his real identity.
It quickly turns out that this character is not, in fact, our protagonist and the latest Carey whose adventures we'll be following through some pivotal moment of history... but it's a brilliant opening to one of the more unconventional of the Carey series, an opening that manages to neatly foreshadow just about everything else.
Because William Carey, our actual protagonist, is not a particularly heroic figure either. Selfish to the point that he's never felt true sympathy for another human being, William Carey is an idle young man who prefers slumming in the London underworld to study or honest work. An encounter with a billiards sharp provides William with his first real ambition: to become a billiards sharp himself, and use his skill to line his pockets.
After a drunken horse race at Cambridge goes terribly wrong, William is sent down in disgrace and forced to enlist as an ensign in the extremely uncelebrated Bengal Army. William endures his purgatory in the heat and boredom of life in India in his usual way, but trouble is in the air: not just for him, but for all the English sahibs in Bengal.
I often feel that plotting is not Welch's strong point, and as with many of his other books, this one, while never dull, is not particularly tight. But it made up for this with some terrific characters, plus opening and closing chapters that form deliciously ironic bookends for the story.
Ronald Welch's heroes usually have a character flaw to overcome, but none of the ones I've read are so close to sociopathery. William is a genuinely repulsive character, but I was impressed by how well-written he was. Welch is always showing him doing understandable or even thoughtful or brave things, and then just as you think William has grown and learned, yank! out comes the carpet from under your feet, as you learn the truly selfish motivations William has for his actions. This is not to say that William doesn't grow or learn: by the end of the story, he's risen to the occasion in a number of ways, and managed to feel sorry for someone not himself. But I was fascinated and impressed by the deftness of the characterisation here, which never completely breaks your liking for this character, despite all his avarice, low cunning, and gutsy determination to live comfortably on the misfortunes of others.
It was huge fun to have a black-sheep protagonist for a change. After all, not all families turn out generations of unblemished military heroes. But my favourite thing about this book was what Welch did with this character in the end. I'm not going to tell you exactly what happens, but suffice it to say that William does not get away with the fruits of his misdeeds. I am a huge fan of morally compromised characters in fiction, as long as the author doesn't then attempt the belly-dance of moral relativism in an attempt to get me to approve of their wrongdoing. Ronald Welch is not, on the whole, that kind of author. He's the ruthless kind, and I loved it.
That said, it is nice to have a rather more heroic Carey in this book. The protagonist of the previous instalment, Nicholas Carey , turns up in this one to provide a foil for what William might have been if he was less selfish. Of course, Nicholas had his own character arc from apathy to sympathy in his own book, and it's interesting that in both the books Welch wrote in a Victorian setting, he was savagely critical of the vices of young Victorian men.
Another part of this critique of Victorianism crops up in the India passages. I know that the case against colonialism is often over-stated these days (at least one Indian intellectual has dedicated significant time to exploring the benefits of colonialism in India), but Welch has some thought-provoking things to say. He depicts, without overt judgement, a life of idle luxury which depends on armies of native servants to do the exhausting work of keeping the sahibs and memsahibs comfortable; and he blames the Sepoy rebellion, at least partly, on the fact that few of the British officers took the trouble to learn the names or language of their men. I don't know how historically accurate all this is (Welch's book Knight Crusader, while pretty fair considering how little scholarship had then been done on the history of the Crusader States, is not a miracle of historical accuracy), but as usual with Welch, it's even-handed and level-headed.
I particularly enjoyed this installation of the Carey Family Series. With a delightfully unpleasant protagonist, and an ending that is as ironically satisfying as anything I've every read, this book surprised me in all sorts of delightful ways.
After years out of print, Ronald Welch's Carey Family Series is briefly available in beautiful heirloom-quality limited editions from Slightly Foxed. Find Ensign Carey on their website, or better yet, check out the whole series. It's very good! Generally appropriate for middle grade and up, although this book and the next in the series, Tank Commander, include some PG-13 level swearing.
Ensign Carey , the eleventh (and second-last) in Ronald Welch's Carey Family Series, begins unconventionally with a burglary. In a gritty Victorian London setting, an impoverished young blueblood robs the house where he was a guest the week before, then murders an accomplice who seems a little too curious about his real identity.
It quickly turns out that this character is not, in fact, our protagonist and the latest Carey whose adventures we'll be following through some pivotal moment of history... but it's a brilliant opening to one of the more unconventional of the Carey series, an opening that manages to neatly foreshadow just about everything else.
Because William Carey, our actual protagonist, is not a particularly heroic figure either. Selfish to the point that he's never felt true sympathy for another human being, William Carey is an idle young man who prefers slumming in the London underworld to study or honest work. An encounter with a billiards sharp provides William with his first real ambition: to become a billiards sharp himself, and use his skill to line his pockets.
After a drunken horse race at Cambridge goes terribly wrong, William is sent down in disgrace and forced to enlist as an ensign in the extremely uncelebrated Bengal Army. William endures his purgatory in the heat and boredom of life in India in his usual way, but trouble is in the air: not just for him, but for all the English sahibs in Bengal.
I often feel that plotting is not Welch's strong point, and as with many of his other books, this one, while never dull, is not particularly tight. But it made up for this with some terrific characters, plus opening and closing chapters that form deliciously ironic bookends for the story.
Ronald Welch's heroes usually have a character flaw to overcome, but none of the ones I've read are so close to sociopathery. William is a genuinely repulsive character, but I was impressed by how well-written he was. Welch is always showing him doing understandable or even thoughtful or brave things, and then just as you think William has grown and learned, yank! out comes the carpet from under your feet, as you learn the truly selfish motivations William has for his actions. This is not to say that William doesn't grow or learn: by the end of the story, he's risen to the occasion in a number of ways, and managed to feel sorry for someone not himself. But I was fascinated and impressed by the deftness of the characterisation here, which never completely breaks your liking for this character, despite all his avarice, low cunning, and gutsy determination to live comfortably on the misfortunes of others.
It was huge fun to have a black-sheep protagonist for a change. After all, not all families turn out generations of unblemished military heroes. But my favourite thing about this book was what Welch did with this character in the end. I'm not going to tell you exactly what happens, but suffice it to say that William does not get away with the fruits of his misdeeds. I am a huge fan of morally compromised characters in fiction, as long as the author doesn't then attempt the belly-dance of moral relativism in an attempt to get me to approve of their wrongdoing. Ronald Welch is not, on the whole, that kind of author. He's the ruthless kind, and I loved it.
That said, it is nice to have a rather more heroic Carey in this book. The protagonist of the previous instalment, Nicholas Carey , turns up in this one to provide a foil for what William might have been if he was less selfish. Of course, Nicholas had his own character arc from apathy to sympathy in his own book, and it's interesting that in both the books Welch wrote in a Victorian setting, he was savagely critical of the vices of young Victorian men.
Another part of this critique of Victorianism crops up in the India passages. I know that the case against colonialism is often over-stated these days (at least one Indian intellectual has dedicated significant time to exploring the benefits of colonialism in India), but Welch has some thought-provoking things to say. He depicts, without overt judgement, a life of idle luxury which depends on armies of native servants to do the exhausting work of keeping the sahibs and memsahibs comfortable; and he blames the Sepoy rebellion, at least partly, on the fact that few of the British officers took the trouble to learn the names or language of their men. I don't know how historically accurate all this is (Welch's book Knight Crusader, while pretty fair considering how little scholarship had then been done on the history of the Crusader States, is not a miracle of historical accuracy), but as usual with Welch, it's even-handed and level-headed.
I particularly enjoyed this installation of the Carey Family Series. With a delightfully unpleasant protagonist, and an ending that is as ironically satisfying as anything I've every read, this book surprised me in all sorts of delightful ways.
After years out of print, Ronald Welch's Carey Family Series is briefly available in beautiful heirloom-quality limited editions from Slightly Foxed. Find Ensign Carey on their website, or better yet, check out the whole series. It's very good! Generally appropriate for middle grade and up, although this book and the next in the series, Tank Commander, include some PG-13 level swearing.
May 22, 2017
I read most of Ronald Welch's fine books when I was a 12-14 year old schoolboy. I had never read this one, presumably because I would have been 16 when it was published, so I was reading other things that are meant to be more suitable for older adolescents. So this was a new pleasure to be taken back to my schooldays to read this. I was surprised how good it was. Many of Welch's heroes are basically rich, upper-class, honorable Britons, usually with some particular attribute - in earlier times they would be skilled with the sword or pistol, or indeed just being generally of large frame and strong (Mohawk Valley or Nicholas Carey come to mind). Well, William Carey is different: and that is where the pleasure lies. He is basically self-centered, not particularly wealthy, from a different branch of the Carey family, who cares little for others, dissembles with ease, and is out to "win" so he can retire and do very little. Instead of duelling (passe in 1850s England) he becomes a billiard sharp, fleecing his fellow officers in the Bengal Native Infantry and elsewhere. Despite all his efforts he gets involved in the Indian Mutiny or Great Sepoy Rebellion, and seems to do quite well: he turns out to be a master of self-preservation. I can't help thinking that Welch may have been influenced by Fraser's Flashman as there is a hint of Flashy in William, although without the humor. Welch's careful description of mid century London and his account of life in "John Company's" army in India is really very good and at times fascinating - quite as good as MacDonald Fraser. This is a book that an adult could read and not notice that it is aimed at school age children: in fact maybe it is for adults after all. So I think this is one of the very best in the series. The surprise at the end is very fitting given the protagonist's character, but some might find it all disappointing. A rather sobering read, but all the better for it.
May 3, 2019
A bit of a change of pace from the rest of the series (as far as I recall - I've been reading them slowly over a few years now).
Normally, our Carey in each book is a bit of a hero. He may be young or naive, but he's fundamentally good and honourable, mostly, without the bounds of human nature.
William Carey is young, but he's not so naive, and he has a very sharp eye for his own interest. He's more intelligent and less lazy than most people think him to be, but he only employs his talents when he feels there is something to gain. This makes him a very interesting character to follow.
As always, the history is fantastically researched, and this book really highlights some of the flaws and mistakes made by the British in India. (Obviously, the main one is being colonising b*stards, but the secondary ones including treating the natives with condescension and wallowing in their own pride & hubris...)
The ending was a little tragic.
Only one novel and one novella left and I will have finished all of the Carey cycle. There are definitely a few that I want to revisit in the future, but possibly not this one.
Normally, our Carey in each book is a bit of a hero. He may be young or naive, but he's fundamentally good and honourable, mostly, without the bounds of human nature.
William Carey is young, but he's not so naive, and he has a very sharp eye for his own interest. He's more intelligent and less lazy than most people think him to be, but he only employs his talents when he feels there is something to gain. This makes him a very interesting character to follow.
As always, the history is fantastically researched, and this book really highlights some of the flaws and mistakes made by the British in India. (Obviously, the main one is being colonising b*stards, but the secondary ones including treating the natives with condescension and wallowing in their own pride & hubris...)
The ending was a little tragic.
Only one novel and one novella left and I will have finished all of the Carey cycle. There are definitely a few that I want to revisit in the future, but possibly not this one.
October 2, 2025
Bit of a departure from the other books in that the main character, William Carey. is essentially a scoundrel, opportunist, deceitful, highly intelligent but borderline sociopath. One of the more interesting books in series and gives you insight into the Indian Mutiny
September 12, 2017
Despite the ending... which of course is a shock... this is a great Carey adventure with a likeable character
May 2, 2022
One of the less satisfying of this series, probably as the ‘hero’ isn’t a very nice chap. Story feels as though it is a bit thrown together too.
November 3, 2025
As a child I loved this historical story and this complete series of the exploits of the key members of the Carey family trough the years from the crusades to WW1.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews