I like to have my first morning cups of green tea while I read the last night's tennis results. But at this time of year the tennis world gets a bit dreary, as the circuit gets glued down in Indian Wells and Miami, so, instead, I play the ebay game: identify a Victorian photo as I sip. Mrs Goodlake née Curwen was a fun one, but I thought today I would try for someone less 'important'. I picked two labelled ladies who looked as if they would do ...
The vendor of this very fine looking lady has her listed as Harriet M Tipper. I know Victorian handwriting can be a beast to decipher ...
The lady is in fact Miss Harriet Mary PEPPER and -- I've done it again! -- she is a descendant of a most noteworthy family. The Peppers of Ballygarth Castle, County Meath. On the River Nanny, at Julianstown. The Peppers of Ballygarth fill more than a full column in Burke's Landed Gentry, which is hardly surprising since they had been there since 1660, producing the usual stock of Soldiers, EIC Men, vicars and children to carry on the family name .. I'll just stick to the more recent generations. Thomas Pepper, sometime MP for Kells, had eight sons and four daughters. Most of the sons were for some time in the East India service and army. The fifth son, Charles Hamden Pepper (1784-1848) has the longest entry in Burke: Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the 27th foot, sixteen years in Italy under Sir John Stuart, and in the Peninsula under the Duke of Wellington. And, of course, Ireland. His wife was Matilda Mary St George, by whom he had the regular run of children, of whom only two sons and two daughters survived. Eldest son Thomas St George Pepper was the heir of Ballygarth and Julianstown and succeeded to the arms and motto of that place on the death of his childless uncle. He lived there up to his death 21 July 1884. Charles (b 1 November 1845) also inherited a vast amount from Uncle George. The two girls, Harriet (b c 1841) and Matilda [Victoria Mary] (b Rathmines 28 June 1842) remained single, and seem to have spent their time between Ireland, Europe and the more splenditious hotels of London. In 1901 the three unwed siblings -- Charles is now a Colonel, commanding the 5th Leinsters -- can be seen at the Westminster Palace Hotel, in 1911 Matilda is missing ...
Harriet actually died in Wiesbaden 7 July 1913. I guess she was there for the waters. She left wills in Ireland in England, which seem to have left everything (24K GBP) to brother Charles. I see Charles taking the waters at Bath in 1927 ...
Let's pick someone who isn't in Burke or Debrett for number three. Here, this lady looks a bit uncomfortable in her Sunday best ...
Name. Lucy E G ??Henry? Oh dear, three initials. Hmmm. No, its not Henry. Let's try Kerry.
Lucy Eliza Geils KENNY daughter of Thomas Geils Edward Gemmell Kenny and Charlotte Watson. Oh, dear, four initials. Born 3 January 1856 or is it 1850 in ... oh no! India! I've picked another Indian Army family!
Geils? Kenny? Geils of Geilston? Yes, they're linked with the Kennys and the Aylmers ... Aylmer is a middle name of half of the eight or nine children of TGEG and Charlotte [Aylmer] nee Wilson ... look! 1856 marriage at Geilston of Courtenay Thomas William Aylmer Kenny Captain of the 88th Connaught Rangers to Georgina Edith Pauline Kenny daughter of the late Henry Kenny MNI. MNI? Madras Infantry?
Undoubtedly I've found the right family. Am I going to delve into the family history of TGEG? I think its probably enough to just say he's ... oh, goodness! that Courtenay Kenny is on Wikipedia! He emigrated to New Zealand and became a memorable person in Marlborough, just one province (and forty years!) from me! And wait a mo, Courtenay Crow Kenny and Mary née Geils are TGEG's parents. And the memorable Courtenay from Picton (1835-1905) is, therefore, Lucy Eliza's eldest brother! Well! I sure know how to pick 'em!
I spot TGEG in India's Madras Staff Corps in 1839, and rising up the ranks Captain, Major, Colonel in the 2nd Madras European Light Infantry, while the ranks of his family rose as well. I guess the children were brought up in India. But in 1867 (21 January) the Colonel died at Cuddalore, Tami Nadu, Madras and the family split up. Daughter Amy married the local Reverend John Clough, daughter Alice married Mr Kirk, the chaplain at Aden, eldest brother headed for the green green grass of New Zealand, while the widowed Charlotte chose to go, like so many Indian Army widows, to the then elegant purlieus of Cheltenham, Glos. Which is how I found Lucy: for this photo was taken in Cheltenham.
In the 1871 census mother Charlotte with spinster daughters Charlotte and Lucy can be seen residing in Imperial Square, but some of the family stayed in India, where brother Aylmer died aged 35.
In 1881 Amy is home from England with children and sister Grace while husband continues spreading the Christian word in India. Clough became the vicar of Clifton-cum -something, Nottinghamshire where his proselytising days were done. Nine children, 4 servants. It was at Clifton vicarage that Lucy died in 1889 (14 January). She wrote a will, so I daresay her death was not sudden ... only a death-certificate would tell for sure. Clough was her executor. Mother had already gone, the previous year, sister Charlotte lived till 1913. Amy, much much longer ... Grace the longest of all.
Oh, the familytree makers say Lucy was born in 1856, which would make her 16 in this photo. 1850 does seem more likely ...
Well, goodnight, ladies. Been nice knowing you.
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