Standish The inscriptions, beginning from the one nearest the path (the nearest one in the photograph) are as follows: - Sacred to the beloved memory of Emma Isabella Harriet wife of Sir J G T Sinclair Bart of Ulbster and eldest daughter of William Standish Standish Esq of Duxbury Park Lancashire and Susan his wife. Died Dec 6 th 1889 in her 58th year. To the beloved memory of Susan, relict of the late William Standish Standish Esq of Duxbury Park Chorley Lancashire and of Cocken Hall Durham, died at Wellesbourne Hall Dec 1st 1875 aged 62 years. Here beside his mother lieth the remains of William Standish Carr Standish Esquire of Duxbury Park Chorley Lancashire and of Cocken Hall Durham. Died at Southport Feb 21st 1878 aged 42 years. Take the middle one; Susan. She was the eldest surviving daughter of Richard Jenkins of Beachley Lodge, Glos. (Richard had eight sons and four daughters). The Jenkins were a well-known family of Beachley, a village at the tip of the headland at the confluence of the Severn and Wye. The Standish family had lived at Duxbury Park since the 13th century. William Standish Carr lived at Cocken Hall and took the surname Standish on inheriting Duxbury from his uncle. William is buried in the family vault at Houghton-le Spring. His ancestors were royalty being descended from Edward III. He died in 1856 aged 48. The nearest grave; Emma. She married Sir J G T Sinclair 3rd Bart. of Ulbster near Thurso who owned 78,000 acres of moorland in Caithness. He was born in November 1825 in Edinburgh and was Lieut. in the Scots Guards. He was also Liberal MP for Caithness. He was the earliest born person to make a disc recording in 1906 when he was 81! He died in September 1912. He and Emma had one son and two daughters. The farthest grave is of William Standish Carr Standish. Born in 1846, he was educated at Eton and Sandhurst and served in the 8th Hussars and served during the Indian Mutiny. He sustained sunstroke and gave up his commission. Returning to England he became increasingly ill and died at Southport unmarried. From then on Duxbury Hall fell into disrepair and was finally sold and demolished. We know the following about William Standish Standish’s other two daughters: Susan Amelia Georgina married Col. Charles William Paulet, son of Rev. Lord Charles Paulet, vicar of Wellesbourne and grandson of Charles Ingoldsby Paulet, 13th Marquis of Winchester. The Rev. Charles Paulet married as his second wife Joan Granville, daughter of Bernard Granville of Wellesbourne Hall. Thus, we know the association of Susan the mother with Wellesbourne, who must have died there while visiting her daughter. Col. Charles’ elder son was christened Charles Standish. The other daughter, Laura Margaret Mulgrave married Edmund Berkeley Lucy of Charlecote Park. Berkeley lived at Holly Lodge in Wellesbourne, not far from Wellesbourne Hall so it is fairly obvious how they met. Berkeley and Laura had two sons and two daughters, both sons, Reginald and Edmund who were given the second Christian name Standish. Reginald’s claim to fame was that he was engaged to Agatha Christie before the relationship failed and Agatha to married someone else. Frank Storr Charlecote Extras No. 10.
|
The
three graves in Wellesbourne churchyard had often fascinated me. I have
walked past them countless times and wondered what the stone was, being
rather distinct. Who were they commemorating? An important family to
be sure! Recently as I was walking through the churchyard close to the
memorials, an acquaintance hailed me and, knowing my connection with
Charlecote, told me that these graves have a connection with the Lucy
family. Really? Looking closely at the writing on one of the stones
I noticed the name ‘Standish’. That rang a distant bell. Where had I
seen that name before?