The Journals of Andrew Downes

Tim le Grice told me recently that he has loaned all the 23 volumes previously at Trereife to the National Museum of the Royal Navy at Portsmouth.  They were collected in December 2012 from Trereife by Dr Duncan Redford of the Museum and will form part of the exhibition "The Grand Fleet" to take place in 2014, the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War.  The Museum will make digitised copies of all of the journals, and the latter will be available in due course to family members and others.

Copies of my book with extracts from the journals and a biography of Andrew Downes are available from me.

OENONE and JAN VIRET

Two items worth recording, I think.

Jan Viret wrote as follows about a year ago in response to my query as to when Elizabeth Downes died.

After the Wrens, in time she became a nannie and remained a very good friend of the family and the two boys she looked after in Little Bardfield.  I don't know exactly the time scale, but she could have been with them for twenty years or so, but remained close to them until she died.  I think it was after this she tested her vocation at East Grinstead, which probably only lasted a couple of months (so quite inappropriate to define her by this - a bit different from dropping out of uni , but maybe similar)  I am sure there were gaps and she probably did other things that I don't know about.

After this she returned to Essex, lived in the almshouse, did nurse training and nursed until she retired.  She was a wonderful cook and gardener. and had many friends.  Ben and I used to visit often from Purley - she was so much a part of Canford, and both Ben and Hermione were very fond of her.

She died in 2008.

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I have just received a Christmas Card from Oenone Cox, in which she says:

             I wonder if you met up again with Enid's daughter Noel (?) Mary in your early researches into Downes family connections, tho' I think she and Bob and possibly Judy all joined your family in a camping holiday organised by your mother in Cornwall in your extreme youth - she died very recently, after suffering from Parkinsons for some years, so has really jumped the queue for our lot.


(I will comment on the above items when I have got my Downes stuff out of store)

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FONTHILL, 28 May 2012

I organised a visit to Fonthill on May 28th 2012 which followed a lecture by Professor Caroline Dakers based on her recent book, “A Genius for Money, Business, Art and the Morrisons, ” given at the Summerlease Gallery at East Knoyle, nearby.

Lord Margadale

After the lecture we all met at The Beckford Arms at Fonthill Gifford, where we were joined by Alistair Morrison (Lord Margadale), who had been kind enough to invite us all to visit his home, Fonthill House, after lunch. Later several of us were taken by John D'Arcy to visit the Morrison archives.

The following participated (exactly 16, the maximum table capacity at the Beckford Arms!)

        Alistair Morrison (Lord Margadale)

     * John D’Arcy (Fonthill archivist)

     * Caroline Dakers (speaker at Summerleaze)

        Arthur Carden

        Atty Carden

        Michael Carden

        Antony Hichens

        Sczerina Hichens

        Lamorna Lee

        Lalage Cambell

     * Mary Shand (Lady Stirling)

        Mark Carden

        Ian Aldous

        Danny Aldous
     * Gary Winslip

All except those maked with an asterisk are family members.

The original Fonthill House was replaced by John Morrison, the first Lord Margadale,
in 1972, with this smaller house in classical style. Photo: Mary Stirling.

Atty (Arthur's wife) and Michael (his brother),
chatting on the entrace drive to Fonthill House.  Photo: Mary Stirling.

Alastair Morrison speaking to Danny Aldous and Arthur Carden. Photo: Mary Stirling.

Can anyone supply some more photographs?

All those interested are strongly advised to visit

http://www.fonthill.co.uk/the-estate/fonthill-history

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