By, clicking ‘2012’ under ‘Archive’ on the right and then
scrolling down, you will reach a post about a visit to Fonthill to attend a
lecture by Professor Caroline Dakers, have luncheon with Alistair Morrison
(Lord Margadale) , and then visit the current mansion, Fonthill House. As you
will recall, Rev John Downes (1810-1890), from whom most of us are descended,
had a sister Jane who married John Todd.
John Todd’s father was ‘Sunshine Todd’ (picture on right) whose business passed to James
Morrison, who married Mary Ann Todd and became the richest commoner of that
era.
Caroline Dakers
has compiled a new book called Fonthill
Recovered of which Ian Aldous has loaned me a copy, full of information
about all the mansions at Fonthill and their owners. My mother dined as a child
with the Morrisons at Fonthill, and remembered that the plates were made of
gold!
Ian and I had visited the recent wonderful
exhibition at Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill, where many pictures were on loan from the
Morrison archive at Sudeley Castle.
I would be very happy to correspond about all
this with anyone reading this post.
