Saturday 20 February 2010

JCR in 1911

At the time of the 1911 Census, Sunday 2nd April , JCR was at his home Longdene in Haslemere Surrey. An indication of his poor health and general frailty is that he was being looked after by two 'sick nurses', Harriet Annie Spooner and Hilda Scrase. JCR's secretary was Elizabeth Cater and the household was run by seven servants including a cook. Also in the house on that Sunday was Francis Napier Broome, Eleanor Russell's nephew, an Oxford undergraduate, born in Natal and who later became one of South Africa's leading judges.

Eleanor was not at home that weekend as she and her daughter Margaret were staying with Major General (Ret'd) Pelham James Maitland (1847 -1932) then aged 63 and his wife Lucy (43), at their home 'The Gables' in Branksome Park, Bournemouth. See Alwyn Ladell's photograph here. According to Alwyn 'The Stables' used to be number 9 but has been renumbered 19 Forest Road, due to infill developments.

Maitland had been the Political Resident in Aden before retiring from the army in 1904 and had had a distinguished career in the Indian Army including service in Afghanistan. He died in 1932. See Kings College London for more on his life. Another example of Russell's good connections.

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