Rev. George Turner SEYMOUR (Tyntesfield)

[seymour14]

"The Grand Old Man of Marlborough"

Hi folks, my book is finally done and are being sold as we speak. There are only 80 books, and I have put considerable effort into making them a keepsake type quality. Hardback, personally signed and numbered, these have an original embossed Seymour family insignia inside. Also family trees, one back to 1066.

A different take on the history of Tyntesfield, not the one pushed by the National Trust! Photos of the Lord Chief Justice of England, John Duke Coleridge and family, many poems, paintings, photos and stories. The vast amount having never been published before.

These are $230NZ each, includes packaging to England, and I can be contacted at * (Please use the PM system that Rootschat provides.)

You can view the book on TradeMe, which is a New Zealand site, like Ebay. Prices there include the fee for selling the book on that site, so a little more expensive that way.
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[seymour14]

Hi folks, I have my own little website now for selling my very rare book. It is http://marlborough-historynz.webs.com/ I have sold most of these histories to family members, but there are some left over for lucky persons who would like to see one of the most remarkable stories this world will ever know. The Seymour's did not make a big deal about their lives, and because of this, much of their work has been lost, or worse still, other people have taken credit for things they did. Like the building and naming of Tyntesfield etc... I am keen that people see the true story, nothing is more sadder to me then watching fiction become fact! Be one of the first to see the images of the real builders of Tyntesfield and their incredible lives.

[seymour14]

Still selling books through http://www.tyntesfieldhistory.co.uk/ , have not managed to get the National Trust to buy a copy yet, but you never know, they might like to learn the interesting history of their house some day!

Attached is an unseen photo in my possession of Baroness Jane Fortescue Coleridge (nee Seymour), an acclaimed artist, and married to Lord John Duke Coleridge. She grew up in Tyntesfield. I have paintings done by her when she lived at Tyntesfield & Farringford on the Isle of Wight.

Also an image of John Billingsley Seymour, Balliol & Newcastle Scholar, he too, grew up at Tyntesfield.

[seymour14]

Merry Christmas from New Zealand!

In my quest to do a family history based around Tyntesfield, I have managed to narrow down when Tyntesfield was built. History decrees a purchase date of 1813 by George Penrose Seymour, but no one has ever successfully narrowed down the build of Tyntesfield. I don't know for sure, but this is what I have discovered.

1st: The Seymour family were at Wraxall Rectory (and not Tyntesfield) after their return from the Isle of Wight, they were there until at least the end of 1828, so no Tyntesfield by this point.

2nd: With the death of George Penrose Seymour in 1827 and Marianne Billingsley in 1828, monies were released in their Wills.

3rd: I believe Tyntesfield was built by 1830 or more likely 1831. Christian Smith was a nurse at the Parsonage at Marksbury, she left in October of 1831 to take up residency with the Seymour's and be the "nurse" to the Seymour children.

4th: The next child to be born was Arthur Penrose Seymour in 1832. He built a home in Marlborough named Tyntesfield, and it would appear he was born at the original Tyntesfield as it was common for the children to dub their houses in future years after the one they were born into.

Only my theory, but Tyntesfield is commonly known to be named by the Gibb's in 1843, this is probably about 12 years out.  I have a poem written in 1837 that has Tyntesfield in the lyrics, so could never have been named by the Gibb's.

I also have the oldest artifact from Tyntesfield, a dictionary from George Turner Seymour's wife, Marianne Seymour (nee Billingsley), it is a copy with Tyntesfield hand written in it. The book is dated 1733, but was obviously used by her at Tyntesfield, as it is signed in her handwriting.

Just a little more proof below of the Seymour's Tyntesfield, by 1838!

[seymour14]

Found a site on Rootschat about the Vaughan brothers who were both killed on the Brig "Hope" in 1843, this reminded me about a passage in my book, and ironically but sadly, it is a testimony to that very night, the Brig and Schooner that went down that terrible night are both mentioned.

Henry Seymour was trying to get to his brothers side in Laibach, where a recent letter had said he was very ill. Poor John Billingsley Seymour died on the 16th October, but letters taking so long in those days, the letter arrived to the Seymour's the very day he died overseas. Henry and his father set out the very night. This excerpt is during the last days of the Seymour's owning Tyntesfield, they were however, living on the Isle of Wight by this time, Tyntesfield was up for sale.

"My Father was still unwell when we got on board and he was so taken ill between that time and 4 in the morning that he said he could not go on. I went up on deck with him but the vessel had just shoved off and he was too late. He then determined to get out at Gravesend in the morning, we arrived there about 7 in the morning. He got into a boat and I watched him safe on shore.

 Felt dreadfully melancholy after he was gone about this time the wind was getting up it was dead in our favour. I went up to the Captain and asked him if we should not get across in half the time as the wind was so favourable, “if this wind continues” he said “we sha’nt get in at all”. We had not come within 10 miles of Margate the vessel began rolling and tossing very much. We still went on till we had got the other side of Margate where the sea was running tremendously high, I was still on deck on one side of the vessel getting dreadfully sick and was obliged to hold on very tight for fear of being sent overboard. The Captain said it would be very dangerous to try to get her across so we anchored near Margate and there we staid rocking and tossing dreadfully till 10 o’clock at night, I thought it would never be over. I went down into the cabin about 9 o’clock in the morning and went to bed.

 Was dreadfully sick all day long, at 10 o’clock at night we started again and made our way with a tremendous sea across to Ostende as I supposed but I was doomed to be bitterly deceived in the morning, everything was to be chained to the bottom of the cabin. The cries of “Steward” the tumbling of people out of their berths, the breaking of basins, the creaks and groans of the vessel were dreadful and the “ensemble” to which the Havre passage was luxury cannot possibly be described and can only be imagined by those who have experienced it. 41 vessels were wrecked that night, a Brig and a Schooner went down within 40 miles of our track of which the passengers and crew of one were lost.

 About 9 o’clock in the morning was the 1st time I saw the Steward as I was congratulating myself internally of our arrival at Ostende in an hour’s time, I asked him whether land was in sight, “No Sir” was his answer “but in three hours we shall get off Margate I trust if we can keep her straight”, the fact was the captain had done all he could to get her over to Ostende but the wind got up so much and the sea was so immensely high that she got quite unmanageable and he was obliged to tack and we were then making our way back with the wind in our teeth to Margate.

 About 12 we got there and anchored again all day tossing and rolling as before. The next attempt however, proved successful and after another tremendous day we reached Ostende about 9 at night."

This is just a tiny portion of my 600 page book, it reads like this the whole way through, one amazing story to the next.

[seymour14]

Happy New Year folks!

Auspicious year for our lot! 1813 is when George Penrose Seymour bought Tyntes Place, and where his son built Tyntesfield, so 200 years this year since the true beginnings of Tyntesfield.

Maybe the National Trust will shout me a visit, nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more!

Now for another bombshell, no one has known where the monies came from to build Tyntesfield, but here is the reason we have this magnificent home now. A very rich and famous Somerset fellow named John Billingsley is to thank.

He had but one child, his daughter, Marianne Billingsley. She married the Reverend George Turner Seymour in 1814. Now, Marianne inherited estate and had money when she entered into this union, it was estimated to be in excess of 50 000 pounds sterling. The Reverend loved to build, it was one of his passions, and it was not long before he used this money to build the first rendition of Tyntesfield, it was then built on to as money came to hand, and obviously massively changed when the Gibbs bought it later on.

So here is the man to thank for Tyntesfield, who's hard work for the bettering of Agriculture in Somerset and nationwide, left a hidden legacy that has taken 200 years to see the light of day.

[seymour14]

 

Even though the book is done, I have never given up on finding images of the remaining siblings of the Reverend George Turner & Marianne Seymour.

The remaining two children who remain elusive are George Alexander Seymour & the Reverend Henry Fortescue Seymour.

George I would expect will prove difficult, as he died before photography became popular.

The Reverend Henry Fortescue Seymour I am more hopeful of. He was a Rector of both the Anglican church in Barking and then later on at Nettlecombe. I am really hopeful someone may have a photograph of the Reverend, be it at work or after a wedding or other special occasion, etc...

He died in 1900, so I keep my fingers very crossed that an image of him or his family may someday appear. Any help or leads greatly appreciated.

Just to prove it is not impossible to wish, just recently I got a good image of Marianne Billingsley Sewell (nee Seymour), she died in 1849 at the age of 34. She was the first child of the Reverend George Turner and Marianne Seymour. The portrait was drawn before her death and came my way from a Museum. The young Marianne is the lady who wrote the poem about Tyntesfield in 1837.

[seymour14]

In my single handed quest to get together the early history of Tyntesfield, I have discovered a list of the early visitors and friends of the Seymour's. So here is the start of a list of people who appreciated the original Tyntesfield in the 1830's.

As a Magistrate and Reverend, a good friend of the Rev. George Turner Seymour was Sir Alexander Hood (1793-1851).

I would be keen to hear any stories surrounding this Gentleman and his family.

Attached is a picture of his home, called Wootton house, Butleigh Wootton, Glastonbury.

[seymour14]

Another family name is Fortescue.

The Reverend Nathaniel Wells married Catharine Bury (who was connected to the Fortescue's of Fallapit) and they had several children. One of his daughters was Mary Wells, and she married John Billingsley. Their daughter, Marianne Billingsley, married the Reverend George Turner Seymour.

The name Fortescue is still used to this day in our family lines.

Fortescue's were early visitors to Tyntesfield, I have a particularly large family tree which tells of the Fortescue's back to the Battle of Hastings (1066). Another very frequent visitor was the Captain Fortescue Wells of the Royal Artillery, he was a similar age to his cousin, Marianne Seymour (nee Billingsley).