Hon Cecil James Campbell and the Hon Mrs Cecil (Martha) Campbell

[newmark401]

I'm looking for some basic biographical information on the Hon Cecil James Campbell, born on 4 May 1891 (in Dublin??); he died on 11 May 1952 in Cairo, Egypt. In his late twenties/early thirties, he was an international tennis player of some repute, being chosen for the British Davis Cup team in 1921 (he couldn't play), but later on playing Davis Cup tennis for Ireland.

He spent most of his later life in various positions in Egypt, where he was successful in local tennis tournaments in the 1920s. So was the Hon Mrs Cecil Campbell, who has to be his wife, although she is difficult to trace. Her first names appear to have been Martha Evelyn Audrey.

One source states that Cecil Campbell married Martha on 20 August 1934 at Marylebone Registry Office, London, but this seems unlikely given that they appear to have been married as early as 1927. (There is the possibility that Cecil Campbell married twice, but probably not two excellent tennis players.)

Any help would be appreciated.

Mark

[aghadowey]

http://thepeerage.com/p31824.htm

This source gives "Hon. Cecil James Campbell, Bamster-at-Law, Maj. (ret.) R.A.S.C, b. 1891 [m. 1925, Lavender, d. of Sydney Letts, of Little BradfieldHaU, Essex]"

Using a search engine such as Google makes it very easy to find information.

[GrahamSimons]

I can't find an easy-to-read version of this: Armorial Families http://www.rootschat.com/links/0ky2/

Gazetted 1st Jan 1930
Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George:—
To be Ordinary Members of the Third Class  or Companions, of the said Most Distinguished Order:—
Major The Honourable Cecil James Campbell, Legal Secretary to the Financial Adviser to the Egyptian Government.

In addition to the recommendation for Google, this website is effectively a filter for Google and I use it instead of the Google search page http://randymajors.com/p/ancestorsearch.html

[shanew147]

going by age and 'Dublin' as place of birth - possible match for James with his siblings and parents. Living on Upr. Pembrooke St., so he could probably hit a tennis ball from his back yard into Fitzwilliam Sq.

  Campbell household - 1911

and at the same address in 1901 - Campbell household


Shane
  

[aghadowey]

I can't find an easy-to-read version of this: Armorial Families http://www.rootschat.com/links/0ky2/

Same as the link I gave in my earlier post.

[newmark401]

^^^^ Thanks to everyone who replied above. I want to track down another source for Lavender Letts, if I can. I haven't seen her mentioned anywhere else.

Mark

[shanew147]

there seems to be an alternate name listed from Cecil on that Marriage to Lavender Letts - as well as Cecil Campbell the entry on FreeBMD shows a second as : Henry C J M Campbell. A marriage cert would show more details for both of them.

The 1934 Marylebone marriage lists 'Cecil' as Cecil J H M Campbell - so the same initials, just swapped around and to a widow Martha E.A. - surnames of Stout and Courtney.

I dont see a likely birth for Lavender in Essex, or anywhere in England - possibly her middle name or not the name she was registered as.


Shane

[newmark401]

Hi, Shane,

I found a marriage for Cecil Campbell and Lavender Letts in the London "Times" of 1925; also a divorce for the same two people in early 1934, due to Cecil's adultery with a Mrs Martha Courtney in London in the summer of 1933.

Mark

[porsena]

Wandered here also looking for information on Cecil Campbell. In 1950, when his competitive tennis days were presumably over, he married (thirdly?) Audrey Emily Christine Ravensdale in London. The same year, Audrey had divorced her first husband, Thomas Corney Ravensdale who, at the time, was the British Oriental Counselor in Cairo.