Interesting Monuments

Connections: A Tale of Three Monuments

In the British Cemetery, there are many grave plots where multiple burials of persons from the same family are interred, with perhaps a second or third family grave nearby. It is less usual for two people buried in different parts of the cemetery to be related. Imagine what I thought when I found, by complete accident, that three persons buried at different times in different sections of the cemetery share a family tree connection. So this 'Interesting Monuments' is the story of these three individuals and their monuments.

HENRY

BERESFORD PEIRSE

5th BARONET

OF BEDALE

Died 11th August 1972

Aged Sixty Seven

WORLD FAMOUS

FORESTER

We will start with the most recent in time. In Section G2 (G2.068) on 12th August 1972, Sir Henry Campbell de la Poer Beresford-Peirse was laid to rest. Henry Campbell de la Poer Beresford-Peirse was born on 24th April 1905 in Hereford, England. He was the son of Henry Bernard de la Poer Beresford-Peirse, 4th Baronet Beresford of Bedale, and Lady Mabel Marjorie Campbell. He married Margaret Grant on 19th April 1932 at Christ Church, Paddington parish in London. They had three children, the last of whom ( Mary Spiers ) was adopted in 1965.

Henry was educated at Eton and Magdalen College Oxford, where he attained a Bachelor of Arts, and in 1929, a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. He served as a territorial in the Lovat Scouts with the rank of Major and saw service in the Second World War.

He was employed by the Forestry Commission, in 1929, as a Probationary Forest Officer at Fort Augustus in Inverness with a salary of £215 per annum. Between 1962 to 1968 he was Director General of the Forestry Commission. He was a renowned Forester known for his courage, directness and ability to make immediate decisions.

Upon the death of his father in 1949, Henry became 5th Baronet Beresford of Bedale and was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1957.

Henry died in Lisbon on 11th August 1972 and was buried the following day. His gravestone is, perhaps, one of the most beautiful monuments in the British Cemetery; not for its size or monumental nature, but for the loveliness of the design. The use of a tree with both foliage, trunk and roots envelopes the words recording his name and life as well as elements of his coat of arms. The grave is located at the rear of St. George's church in the area G2 opposite the parish rooms.

Section G2 showing the location of the grave of Sir Henry Campbell de la Poer Beresford-Peirse

Over the years, I have been in correspondence with his daughter in law, Jadranka Beresford-Peirse and had the pleasure of meeting her recently in London. Whilst the family obviously are interested in the grave of Sir Henry, they were also interested in another lady interred down in A5, near the present main entrance to the cemetery.

In plot A5.084 lies at rest, Charlotte Thomas who died on 17th April 1800 and who was buried two days later on 19th April 1800.

HERE LIE THE REMAINS OF

CHARLOTTE WIFE OF JNIGO FREEMAN THOMAS ESQ

OF RATTON IN THE COUNTY OF SUSSEX

ELDEST DAUGHTER OF HENRY PEIRSE ESQ

OF BEDALE IN YORKSHIRE

SHE DEPARTED THIS LIFE APRIL 17 1800

AGED 20 YEARS AND 11 MONTHS

To see the connection between these two people I need to inject a sketch family tree here which will show you:

It can be seen that Charlotte Thomas, nee Peirse, is related to Sir Henry Campbell de la Poer Beresford-Peirse through her sister Harriet Elizabeth, who was the mother of Henry William de la Poer Beresford-Peirse, who in turn was father to the third Baronet, Henry Monson de la Poer Beresford-Peirse.

Having established the genealogical link, the life of the second in our linked persons can be explored. Charlotte Peirse was baptised at St. Marylebone church in Westminster on 2nd May 1779, the eldest daughter of Henry Peirse by his wife Charlotte Grace Monson. In 1790 they had a second daughter Harriett Elizabeth. On 3rd July 1797, also in St. Marylebone, Charlotte married Inigo Freeman Thomas, the eldest son of Arthur Freeman of Antigua and Margaret Thomas. They had two daughters: Charlotte, who was born on 19th May 1798 and Georgiana, who was born on 25th April 1799. However, tragedy struck not long after because, on 17th April 1800 Charlotte died whilst in Lisbon. Her tomb in the British Cemetery, laments such a loss at an early age. Inigo went on to take a second wife, Frances Ann Brodrick, on 24th August 1803 and lived until 21st December 1847. He is buried at Willingdon in Sussex near their country estate of Ratton.

In order to make the third connection, it is necessary to examine the family history of Charlotte Peirse's husband, Inigo Freeman Thomas. In fact Inigo was born just Inigo Freeman, using his father's surname. However, in 1786 he assumed the surname Thomas on succeeding to the estates of his maternal Grandfather, Sir George Thomas, 1st Baronet of Yapton and former Governor of the Leeward Islands and sometime Deputy Governor of Pennsylvania. So what was the connection which led to this good fortune? As stated, Inigo was the eldest son of Arthur Freeman and Margaret Thomas. Margaret was the youngest daughter of Sir George Thomas. Before we discover the connection to another grave in The British Cemetery, this time in Section B5, we need to look at the circumstances of Inigo's father's life and family.

Inigo's Grandfather Sir George Thomas died on 31st December 1773 and left a Parochial Court of Canterbury will. This is a very long will and so I will highlight the pertinent parts of it which touch on Inigo's family:

I Sir George Thomas late Captain General and Governor in Chief of his Majestys Leeward Charibee Islands in America but now of Yapton Place and Ratton in the County of Sussex Baronet do make and declare this my last will and testament in manner following......

....I give and bequeath the said sum of six thousand pounds capital bank stock and all dividends and interest thereof which henceforth became due and payable unto and amongst all the children of my said daughter Marget Freeman who shall be living at the time of her decease equally to be divided between them .....

.....And whereas by virtue of the articles entred into upon and previous to the marriage of my son William Thomas Esqr. with the daughter of Doctor Walter Sydserfe I am empowered to charge upon or direct and appoint to be raised and paid out of the Estate called North Sound in the Island of Antigua thereby covenanted and agreed to be conveyed and settled the sum of four thousand pounds sterling money of Great Britain.........

......after the death of my said son William Thomas then is to all my mannors, messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments called Ratton situate near Bourne in the County of Sussex which I having purchased of Samuel Durrant of Lewes I give devise and bequeath the same to the use of my Grandson Inigo Freeman son of my said daughter Marget Freeman and his assigns......

.......I give and devise all my said manors, messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments as well in Great Britain as in the Island of Antigua aforesaid unto and to the use of my said three daughters Lydia White, Elizabeth Thomas and Margett Freeman to be equally divided between them as tenants in common and not as joint tenants and the heirs of their respective bodys issuing and in default of such issue to the only proper use and behoof of my own right heirs for ever. And I do hereby declare the reason why I have made no provision for my Grandson George Thomas by this my will is that has thought fit to marry a foreign woman notwithstanding before his marriage I frequently expressed to him my strong and utter disapprobation of and aversion to any such marriage.........

.... it is my will and I do hereby direct that in case my Grandson George White, Inigo Freeman or George Thomas Freeman or any other of my Grandsons shall under the limitations in this my will succeed and become entitled in possession to the estates of which I so dye seized that he and the issue male of his body so appointed to take in succession as aforesaid do from henceforth assume and take my Sirname of Thomas only and no other and do upon all occasions make use of my family arms ......

This is but a small part of Sir George Thomas's will but there are also many mentions of his daughter Margaret [Marget] Freeman and his son in law Arthur Freeman. What needs to be taken from the will excerpts is that :

1. George's daughter Marget ( Margaret ) inherited a lot from her father, and through her, Inigo Freeman.

2. A term of the will was that Inigo would adopt his Grandfather's surname Thomas and the right to his coat of arms. This he did on succeeding to the estate called Ratton in Sussex. This estate is mentioned on his daughter Charlotte's tomb in the British Cemetery ( see above ).

3. Sir George was not happy with his Grandson George Thomas marrying a foreign woman against his express wish. It was this act which led to Marget and Inigo's inheritances.

4. Last I would ask you to notice the mention of Sir George's son William Thomas who married the daughter of Doctor Walter Sydserfe as it is relevant to our story.

So, the story moves to the sunny climes of the Caribbean and the Island of Antigua. From henceforward I am heavily dependant on a three volume work by Vere Langford Oliver entitled 'The History of the Island of Antigua' published in the nineteenth century. It is a mine of information on the families that had plantations on the island and is a great source for material concerning the Thomas, Freeman and now Sydserfe families.

It has been noted that Charlotte Thomas, nee Peirse, is buried in the British Cemetery in Section A5. However, there is also a memorial to her on the south wall of the chapel on the north side of the chancel in Willingdon church in Sussex. The inscription reads as follows:

THE CONJUGAL VIRTUES

AND LAMENTED MEMORY

OF CHARLOTTE,

THE WIFE OF INIGO THOMS,

OF RATTON, IN THE PARISH, ESQ;

HER MENTAL ENDOWMENTS,

AND PERSONAL GRACES CUT OFF UNTIMELY IN HER

EARLY BLOOM !

HER AFFLICTED HUSBAND DEDICATES

THIS MARBLE:

A MONUMENT OF HIS IRREPARABLE LOSS,

AND OF HIS HUMBLE RESIGNATION

TO THE DIVINE WILL

SHE WAS THE ELDEST DAUGHTER OF HENRY PEIRSE, ESQR

OF BEDALE IN YORKSHIRE SHE DEPARTED THIS LIFE AT

LISBON, ON THE XVII DAY OF APRIL, MDCCC AGED XX

YEARS AND XI MONTHS; AND WAS INTERRED IN THE

CEMETERY OF THE BRITISH FACTORY OF THAT CITY.

Above this memorial is also one to Charlotte's parents and her Grandfather:

Underneath

were deposited the remains of SIR GEORGE THOMAS

of Yapton in this COUNTY and of Ratton in this parish,

BARONET

For many years Governor of the Leeward Islands

in the West Indies.

who died on the 31st of December 1774

in the 80th year of his age,

And of

ARTHUR FREEMAN

of the Island of Antigua

ESQUIRE,

who died on the 30th day of January 1780,

aged 56 years;

Also of

MRS MARGET FREEMAN,

Wife of the latter,

and youngest daughter of the former,

of the above mentioned highly respected Persons.

During the last fifteen years of her life

she resided chiefly at Ratton,

An example to all around her,

A Christian in Principle and in Practice:

and died on the 1st of September 1797,

in the 52nd year of her age.

As Arthur Freeman was 56 years old at the time of his death in 1780, he was born around 1724. According to the family tree included in Volume 1 of The History of Antigua, he was the son of Thomas Freeman of Antigua, esquire, and Rebecca Byam. He was also the Grandson of Arthur Freeman of Antigua, Surgeon, and his wife Dorothy. His life must have revolved around the lands held by his family in Antigua. It should be noted that Arthur's father was a surgeon and this is also pertinent to our story. However before we continue, here is a family tree leading from Charlotte Peirse up to Arthur Freeman, through her husband Inigo:

Now the story leads through Arthur Freeman's wife back to her father Sir George Thomas's other son, William Thomas. William, who died in 1777, married Margaret Sydserfe, the daughter of the surgeon Walter Sydserfe of Antigua and subsequently of Yapton in Sussex. In the Antigua History there are many mentions of Walter Sydserfe and his family. He originated in Scotland. He was baptised, the son of John Sydserfe and Margaret Rankin in 1692 at Whittinghame, East Lothian. Margaret could have been John's second wife as he is recorded as having married Helen Dick in 1677. According to the Antigua History, and the burial records for Yapton in Sussex, Walter's wife was named either Mary or Margaret. Unfortunately without travelling to Antigua and consulting the parish registers there it is difficult to say. However the History quotes various entries in the Letter Books of another Antigua doctor named Walter Tullideph. He seemed to keep up a constant correspondence with Dr. Walter Sydserfe and a few entries are of the upmost importance to our final connection in the British Cemetery:

1737 Aug 15 - Dr Sydserfe has purchased John Martin's and John Manweareing's estates at Five Islands.

1739 Sep 1 - To Walter Sydserfe, Esq. and Mrs. Thibou in London.

1752 March 5 - Jack Sydserfe in danger of a consumption.

1752 April 11 - Charlotte Tullideph under Richard Oliver's care during

Dr. Sydserfe's absence at Lisbon.

1752 July 15 - To Walter Sydserfe: death of Jack.

So, Dr Walter Sydserfe had to travel to Lisbon on hearing that his son Jack ( maybe John ) was ill with a consumption in 1752. On 15th July 1752, Dr Tullideph records hearing of the son's death. This is significant. On 4th May 1752 the burial register at the British Cemetery records the burial of 'Jackey Sidserfe of the Island of Antigua'. This is Dr Walter Sydserfe's son.

His table tomb lies in Section B5 (B5.068).The inscription is difficult to read without a trusty torch because it is on the top of the 'table' and has been subject to rain over 272 years. However it reads as follows:

JOHANNES SYDSERFE

EX SOCIETATE

INTERIORIS TEMPLI

OBIIT

DIE MAII SECUNDO

ANNO SALUTIS

MDCCLII

AETATIS VIGESIMO PRIMO

( translation )

JOHN SYDERFE

FROM THE SOCIETY

OF THE INNER TEMPLE

DIED

THE SECOND OF MAY

THE YEAR OF SALUTATION

1752

AGED TWENTY ONE

'Jack' is often used as a nickname for 'John'. In Tullideph's Letter Books the son of Walter is always called Jack and I have looked at the original burial register, written in 1752. ( and now in the London Metropolitan Archives ) and it definitely says 'Jackey'. As the inscription is in latin, Johannes may have been the nearest latin equivalent for Jack. In the records of the Inner Temple in London, there is a entry of accounts for admissions from 20th November 1747 to 18th November 1748 and this records the admission of 'Jackey Syderfe'.

In the History of Antigua there is a small family tree for the Sydserfe family. There are also a few parish register records cited. Here is the tree upon which I have filled in more information with the help of original records from Scotlands People :

Vere Langford Oliver in his 'History' also quotes various records from the Parish of St. John on Antigua. This is where a small doubt creeps in that Jack is not John. The registers quoted have the following:

Baptisms

1724 Jan 19 Margaret the d of Walter Sydserfe and Margaret his wife.

1727 Dec 12 John the s. of Walter Sydserfe and Margaret his wife.

Burials

1724 Oct 12 Elizth D. of Walter Sydserfe.

1730 Nov 22 John s. of Walter Sydserfe.

In the tree he constructs he has Margaret so that is fine. However when he quotes John's baptism in 1727, he omits the fact that a John was also buried in 1730. Nor does he include an Elizabeth as a daughter, but this may be because she died before baptism. I have not altered the family tree as I do not have evidence to challenge the record. However it must be borne in mind that John, son of Walter may have been born and died and is not the son who sadly died in Lisbon in 1752. It may be that there is another baptism record for a Jack or Jacky. This is further enforced by the fact that Jackey's age was 21 years on the monumental inscription, so he may have been born and baptised in 1731 and not 1727. This needs more research. My personal opinion is that Walter and Margaret had five children: three sons - John, Thomas and Jackey, and two daughters - Margaret and Elizabeth. If I find out more information I will update this article. What is certain is that Jackey Sydserfe was the son of Dr Walter Sydserfe of Antigua and is laid to rest in our cemetery.

Here are a couple of photographs of Sydserfe's table tomb. This type of grave monument is rare in the British Cemetery and are most ornate. I include a close up of one of the legs:

We now have come to the end of this tale of three grave monuments, linked by family trees. To recap, we start with Jackey (John) Sydserfe in B5 in 1752. We then progress to Charlotte Thomas, nee Peirse, buried in A5 in 1800, through the families of her husband Inigo Freeman Thomas. This leads to her eventual descendant, via her sister, Sir Henry Campbell de la Poer Beresford-Peirse in G2, buried in 1972. To illustrate the journey in family trees we have:

John Pead

Honorary Historian to The British Cemetery,

June 2024