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Other Children of George Wilbraham Alan Payne Family photos and research Diana Northey August 2020 We have focussed on certain children of George Wilbraham Northey because they have most connection with Box but the remaining family members are far from irrelevant. Many of the daughters left the Box area after marriage, returning only for family occasions and occasional support from the Northey estate. One of the endearing features of George Wilbraham's legacy was how close the children remained in adult life. This article deals with the story of the five daughters and three sons not previously mentioned. Right: The six daughters of the family: L to R, Back row: May, Mary, Lily Middle row: Fanny, Alice Front seated: Evie |
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Francis William Northey (1862 - 1898) Frank was a Captain in the Royal Worcestershire Regiment. Like many of his brothers he attended Sandhurst Royal Military College as a gentleman cadet aged 19 in 1881. In 1888 at Paddington, he married his wife, Beatrice Lotty Robinson, the daughter of a Captain in the Bombay Staff Corps.[1] Left: Cyril, Frank and Major Baker on Polo Ground |
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Frank served in Gibraltar for a number of years. He died tragically in Cairo in 1898 aged just 36, apparently of heat apoplexy when he was described as a popular officer, a thorough soldier, kind and genial, but very firm on parade.[2] He was serving in the army pay department and his body was brought back to Box to be buried here [3] when they had a house at Home Lea, Box.[4] Beatrice died in 1933 in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex.
They had one daughter, Eileen Dorothy, born in 1889 in Limerick, who married Major Hugh Nicholson DSO of the 60th Rifles in 1940. Right: Gibraltar in December 1896 |
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Mary Louisa Burt (1865 - 1938)
Mary moved away from the family home in Box when she married Captain William Haldane Burt (1876 - 1930) very quietly at Lacock in 1911; there were no bridesmaids.[5] They set up home in the Red House, Lacock. We get some idea of Mary's character from a letter she wrote in 1898 to the local newspaper advocating the newly-formed Bath and County Ladies' Club at Milsom Street.[6]
Mary moved away from the family home in Box when she married Captain William Haldane Burt (1876 - 1930) very quietly at Lacock in 1911; there were no bridesmaids.[5] They set up home in the Red House, Lacock. We get some idea of Mary's character from a letter she wrote in 1898 to the local newspaper advocating the newly-formed Bath and County Ladies' Club at Milsom Street.[6]
William Burt was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Somerset Light Infantry in 1914 and promoted to Lieutenant in 1915.[7] When his wealthy aunt died William was appointed co-executor of her £106,676 estate. He died in 1930 and left a considerable estate of his own amounting to £20,398 including the Lacock property; all went to his wife, Mary.[8] There were no children. Mary died in 1938, buried in Lacock Cemetery, when much sorrow was felt in the village.[9] She was active as a supporter of the Women's institute.
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Postcards of Laycock from Northey family albums
Mary was an artist of considerable ability in a variety of media from fine art to arts and crafts.[10] She exhibited in the Bristol Fine Arts Exhibition of 1902 and showed painted lamp shades and candle shades at the Arts and Crafts Guild Show at Vandyke House, Bath, in 1904. In the Somerset Arts and Crafts Show the same year she exhibited a painted curtain, model dolls' house and blotter and portiere.[11] Strangely she died a few hours after the death of her brother, Henry Hamilton in Ayr.
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Alice Jones-Mitton (1867 - 1942) Alice married Colonel George Jones Mitton OBE at St Andrews Church, Bath, in 1885, the first of the Northey daughters to marry. She had all five of her sisters as bridesmaids.[12] All were dressed in splendid new outfits, pale blue with brown velvet trimmings, Tam O'Shanter hats or lace bonnets, specially designed and manufactured for the occasion. It was a grand affair. The bridal cake weighed 70 lb and was quite a chef d'oeuvre of artistic finish. Right: Mary second left and Alice third left (in hat) in 1894 |
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Above Left: Marriage at Paddington, London, in 1917 and Right: Enid Mitton on the eve of her marriage to Arthur Wallace
Alice and George had four children:
George Henwayn Northey Mitton (b 1896),
Gwladys (1887-1969) who married Charles Matthew Norrie (1881-1962) who, after service in both World Wars, became Chief Civil Engineer of Vickers Ltd. They had children Ian and Patricia.
Phyllis M Northey Jones Mitton (1889 - 1942) and
Muriel Enid Jones Mitton, known as Enid, who married Col Wallace and had three children: Desmond (who died in infancy), Doreen and Daphne.
George Henwayn Northey Mitton (b 1896),
Gwladys (1887-1969) who married Charles Matthew Norrie (1881-1962) who, after service in both World Wars, became Chief Civil Engineer of Vickers Ltd. They had children Ian and Patricia.
Phyllis M Northey Jones Mitton (1889 - 1942) and
Muriel Enid Jones Mitton, known as Enid, who married Col Wallace and had three children: Desmond (who died in infancy), Doreen and Daphne.
Alice died tragically at 5 Queen Square, Bath, in April 1942 along with her daughter Phyllis. They were killed by enemy action in the Bath Blitz.[13] She had rented a flat in the centre of the city with her son Captain Jones Mitton and her second daughter, Phyllis. Her husband and son were away that night but Alice and Phyllis were both killed in the bombing.[14]
Mabel Charlotte Granville, later Lady Middleton (1868 - 1947)
Mabel was known as May. Her first husband in 1902 was Reginald Kerr Granville (below left), of the Colonial Civil Service, who returned from Southern Nigeria for the marriage.
Apparently the wedding in which much interest was vested locally and which attracted great attention replicated earlier Northey weddings with the roadway to the church decorated with flags and spanned with triumphal arches, tributes from the villagers.[15] Four young bridesmaids (May's nieces) were costumed in white silk with mob caps tied with pale blue ribbons, and carried baskets of pink carnations tied with blue ribbon. May's father, George Wilbraham, had been unwell for two months and the reception was cut short.
Mabel was known as May. Her first husband in 1902 was Reginald Kerr Granville (below left), of the Colonial Civil Service, who returned from Southern Nigeria for the marriage.
Apparently the wedding in which much interest was vested locally and which attracted great attention replicated earlier Northey weddings with the roadway to the church decorated with flags and spanned with triumphal arches, tributes from the villagers.[15] Four young bridesmaids (May's nieces) were costumed in white silk with mob caps tied with pale blue ribbons, and carried baskets of pink carnations tied with blue ribbon. May's father, George Wilbraham, had been unwell for two months and the reception was cut short.
Below Left: May's portrait; Middle: Garden at Lacock; Right: Son Bobbie Granville, who was killed in WW2, and his wife Fanny.
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Reginald died at sea in 1912 and May moved to Lacock to be closer to her sister Mrs Mary Louisa Burt. In 1920 at Lacock May married Sir John Middleton of Midlothian, at the time the Governor-designate of the Falkland Islands.[16]
Sir John was a very accomplished civil servant and the couple spent much of their time abroad in interesting times and places, including Falklands Islands, 1920-27, Gambia, 1927-28, and Newfoundland, 1928-1932.[17] He was appointed a KBE (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1924 and in 1931 he was honoured by personal appointment of the King as a KCMG (Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George).[18] May was with him in 1932 when they had to delay their retirement from Newfoundland due to an outbreak of serious rioting, which culminated in the Parliamentary building being stormed and the Prime Minister, Sir Richard Squire, being forced into hiding after being beaten by a mob.[19] Two thousand extra police were enlisted and a cruiser HMS Dragon was despatched to assist.[20] There were simmering rumours of local financial fraud and Sir John and May were obliged to extend their stay from April until November to quieten matters.[21]
On Mary Burt's death in 1936, May and Sir John moved into her home, The Red House, Lacock.[22] In later life May busied herself with charity work and was a Commander of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, a charity organisation which is the supervisory body of St John's Ambulance. She died in 1947 and Sir John in 1954 at The Red House.[23] Their son, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Northey Kerr Granville, Royal Engineers, was killed in action in Sicily in 1943, aged 37. He was buried in Syracuse War Cemetery, Italy.
Sir John was a very accomplished civil servant and the couple spent much of their time abroad in interesting times and places, including Falklands Islands, 1920-27, Gambia, 1927-28, and Newfoundland, 1928-1932.[17] He was appointed a KBE (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1924 and in 1931 he was honoured by personal appointment of the King as a KCMG (Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George).[18] May was with him in 1932 when they had to delay their retirement from Newfoundland due to an outbreak of serious rioting, which culminated in the Parliamentary building being stormed and the Prime Minister, Sir Richard Squire, being forced into hiding after being beaten by a mob.[19] Two thousand extra police were enlisted and a cruiser HMS Dragon was despatched to assist.[20] There were simmering rumours of local financial fraud and Sir John and May were obliged to extend their stay from April until November to quieten matters.[21]
On Mary Burt's death in 1936, May and Sir John moved into her home, The Red House, Lacock.[22] In later life May busied herself with charity work and was a Commander of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, a charity organisation which is the supervisory body of St John's Ambulance. She died in 1947 and Sir John in 1954 at The Red House.[23] Their son, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Northey Kerr Granville, Royal Engineers, was killed in action in Sicily in 1943, aged 37. He was buried in Syracuse War Cemetery, Italy.
Bridges (1875 Chichester - 1884 Bath)
There is little to say about Bridges Northey. He died as a nine-year-old child and nothing much is known about him, not even a photo identifying Bridges as a baby. It is believed that he fell down the stairs at Ashley Manor which caused his death.
There is little to say about Bridges Northey. He died as a nine-year-old child and nothing much is known about him, not even a photo identifying Bridges as a baby. It is believed that he fell down the stairs at Ashley Manor which caused his death.
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Cyril Brook (1877 - 1942)
In 1899 Cyril married Elsa Thiedemann (1876-1946) from Gateshead, daughter of a Danish merchant. Newspapers of the time called it a fashionable wedding with full choral service and decorations of palma lilium and spiraes.[24] The bride wore a Court train arranged from shoulders in broche with Louis XVII-designed powered with brilliants.[25] Another report described the outfit as a magnificent court train of white brocade, worked in the design of true lovers' knots, embroidered with diamonds.[26] The reception was held in Piccadilly, London. Right: The wedding of Cyril and Elsa illustrated by Fanny |
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Cyril served with the 3rd Royal Scots Militia in the South African Campaign and spent two and a half years on active duty before returning home to Ditteridge House, Box.[27] During World War 1 Cyril was a Major in the Royal Scots. In Box, he was actively involved with Kingsdown Golf Club and in 1932 was elected treasurer.[28] On his death in 1942, Cyril was given a funeral at Ditteridge Church as befitted his station, a coffin draped in Union Jack, on the coffin rested a full-length cross of daffodils, carnations and lilies of the valley.[29] Elsa died at Ditteridge House on 16 March 1948.
Cyril and Elsa had a daughter Rosemary (1910-1975), who inherited Ditteridge House and lived there until her death. 
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Above Left and Right: Cyril and Elsa on their wedding day
Cyril in his faithful Ford "a most reliable beast".
Lilian Beatrice Hunter (1879 - 1934)
Lilian (known as Lily) married Captain Douglas Hamilton Keats Hunter of Royal Field Artillery (1873-1921). Their military wedding was described as pretty but quiet, with only relatives and very old friends.[30] It was held in Box in 1904, courtesy of George Wilbraham, with the ceremony conducted by Walter Barlow (Fanny's fiancé) and the vicar of Box, William White. The non-commissioned officers and men of the 118th Battery, Royal Artillery lined the aisle with crossed swords forming an arch.
Lilian (known as Lily) married Captain Douglas Hamilton Keats Hunter of Royal Field Artillery (1873-1921). Their military wedding was described as pretty but quiet, with only relatives and very old friends.[30] It was held in Box in 1904, courtesy of George Wilbraham, with the ceremony conducted by Walter Barlow (Fanny's fiancé) and the vicar of Box, William White. The non-commissioned officers and men of the 118th Battery, Royal Artillery lined the aisle with crossed swords forming an arch.
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Their presents included a silver-mounted biscuit box and sugar basket from the inhabitants of Kingsdown, a silver hot-water jug from the workmen on the Northey Estate and a silver cake basket from the cottagers on the Ashley Estate.[31] She was given away by her elder brother Herbert. Perhaps we should feel a certain sympathy for the tenants of the Northey estate that the number of Northey children must have been a drain on resources when they were married. Right: Lilian's wedding in 1904 Below: Lily as young girl; with Betty and Pam, and in mature years |
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Lily and Douglas had three children: Anthony Douglas Northey Hunter (b 6 August 1912), Elizabeth, and Pamela Constance N (b 1909).
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Above Left: Lilian second left standing and Right: Douglas Hunter in the centre of the boat
Evie Gepp
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Evelyn Marion Gepp (1881 - 1940) Evelyn, who was usually known as Evie, was married to Major-General Sir Ernest Cyril Gepp CB, DSO (1879-1964) at St Thomas à Becket Church in 1910. He was the son of Rev HJ Gepp of Banbury, who solemnised the marriage together with several other ministers including the vicar of Box, Rev Edward Northey from Epsom and Walter Barlow, Fanny's husband.[32] The couple honeymooned at Chideock, Dorset, home of Evie's sister Alice and her husband. Sir Ernest served in India, South Africa, and Somaliland in the King's African Rifles and the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. In the First World War he received the Legion d'honneur.[33] |
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Evie and Ernest lived for a while at Escrick Park, Yorkshire, and Evie immersed herself in life at York where she associated herself very closely with the social life of the northern Command, based at Catterick.[34] She was deeply involved in military charities including the Soldiers, Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association. The Archbishop of York conducted a memorial service on her behalf when she died in 1940. They had no children. Ernest was recalled from retirement to be Director of Prisoners of War during the Second World War. They also kept a house at Ashley Wood, Kingsdown.[35] This was not the end of the Northey residency in the village as seen in the next article. References [1] The Worcestershire Chronicle, 8 September 1888 [2] Tenbury Wells Advertiser, 30 August 1898 [3] Army & Navy Gazette, 17 March 1906 [4] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 28 October 1933 [5] The Bath Chronicle, 27 July 1911 [6] The Bath Chronicle, 6 January 1898 [7] The Shepton Mallet Journal, 27 November 1914 and 30 July 1915 [8] Bath Chronicle and Herald, 29 November 1930 [9] The Wiltshire Times, 15 January 1938 [10] The Wiltshire Times, 17 March 1906 |
Evie who died in 1940
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[11] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 27 February 1902, 22 December 1904 and 28 April 1904
[12] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 23 April 1885
[13] Western Daily Press, 9 May 1942 and Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 17 October 1942
[14] The Wiltshire Times, 9 May 1942
[15] The Wiltshire Times, 13 September 1902 and The Bath Chronicle, 11 September 1902
[16] The Bath Chronicle, 13 November 1920
[17] The Birmingham Gazette, 18 June 1928
[18] The Scotsman, 5 June 1931
[19] Edinburgh Evening News, 15 September 1932
[20] Aberdeen Press and Journal, 13 April 1932
[21] The Daily Mail, 14 November 1932
[22] The Wiltshire Times, 24 May 1947
[23] The Wiltshire Times, 13 November 1954
[24] The Northern Echo, 31 May 1899
[25] The Bath Chronicle, 1 June 1899
[26] The Wiltshire Times, 3 June 1899
[27] Clifton Society, 5 June 1902 and 24 March 1904
[28] Bath Chronicle and Herald, 6 February 1932
[29] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 21 February 1942
[30] Clifton Society, 6 October 1904 and Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 8 October 1904
[31] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 8 October 1904
[32] The Bath Chronicle, 21 April 1910
[33] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 16 March 1946
[34] Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury, 7 November 1940
[35] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 16 March 1946
[12] Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 23 April 1885
[13] Western Daily Press, 9 May 1942 and Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 17 October 1942
[14] The Wiltshire Times, 9 May 1942
[15] The Wiltshire Times, 13 September 1902 and The Bath Chronicle, 11 September 1902
[16] The Bath Chronicle, 13 November 1920
[17] The Birmingham Gazette, 18 June 1928
[18] The Scotsman, 5 June 1931
[19] Edinburgh Evening News, 15 September 1932
[20] Aberdeen Press and Journal, 13 April 1932
[21] The Daily Mail, 14 November 1932
[22] The Wiltshire Times, 24 May 1947
[23] The Wiltshire Times, 13 November 1954
[24] The Northern Echo, 31 May 1899
[25] The Bath Chronicle, 1 June 1899
[26] The Wiltshire Times, 3 June 1899
[27] Clifton Society, 5 June 1902 and 24 March 1904
[28] Bath Chronicle and Herald, 6 February 1932
[29] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 21 February 1942
[30] Clifton Society, 6 October 1904 and Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 8 October 1904
[31] Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser, 8 October 1904
[32] The Bath Chronicle, 21 April 1910
[33] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 16 March 1946
[34] Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury, 7 November 1940
[35] Bath Weekly Chronicle and Herald, 16 March 1946