Robert Lambert in Hertfordshire

[ThamesDitton]

Is there any trace of a burial in Hertfordshire of Robert Stuart Lambert who died 16 September 1836, possibly at Weston?

He was a Vice-Admiral of the Blue.  Confusion exists in obituaries of the time as to the place of death.  The Gentleman's magazine and some other publications (e.g. Burke's Annual Register) give it as "Weston, Hertfordshire" whereas other obits give it as "Thames Ditton", Surrey, where his country house was at Weston House, Weston Green.  The family frequently referred to this as simply "Weston" and I had drawn the provisional conclusion that the writers of some obituaries had erroneously introduced the "Hertfordshire"

However, some small uncertainty remains.  Although as he directed in his Will, there is a plaque in St Nicholas Church, Thames Ditton (in which parish Weston Green was then situated), I and separately, another researcher have not found a burial record or a grave there. 

In his younger years, the mid-1780s, the family did have a connection with Hertfordshire.  For a number of years his parents had a country house at Barham Wood (Borehamwood) and friends in Tring.  However, Robert was at sea during those years.

[~buttons~]

Robert Stuart LAMBERT was buried St Nicholas Thames Ditton, Surrey on the 23 Sept 1836.
He was recorded as being 65 years old.

[ThamesDitton]

Can you quote the reference please?  Locally, we can't find it!

[[Ray]]

Hi

I found this

Indexed as :-
Robert Stuart Lambert
Record Type:    Burial
Estimated Death Date:    abt 1837
Burial Date:    23 Sep 1837
Age:    65
Estimated Birth Year:    abt 1772
Parish or Poor Law Union:    Thames Ditton St Mary
County:    Surrey
Register Type:    Bishop's Transcript

Also says
Birth 23 Apr 1771
Died  16 Sep 1836
Weston Green

Ray

[ThamesDitton]

Many thanks, Ray.  That is final confirmation of the error introduced  in some repeats of the obituary and replayed by the Gentleman's mag and other publications.

An early newspaper version refers simply to "Weston" and it looks as though at some point an editor said "where's Weston," and someone was instructed to look it up and inserted "Hertfordshire."

However even in the Bishop's transcript cited there is an error: the parish of Thames Ditton is St Nicholas and not St Mary.  That prompts another line of inquiry as to where the body may actually be buried (the records of where bodies are buried at St Nicholas TD do not mention this Lambert; there are further confusing details which I won't go into here)

[[Ray]]

Hi

Prompts two questions

"Why would it say St Mary's if it was not?"
"Has anyone looked up St Marys?"

Belt and braces and all that.

Ray

[ThamesDitton]

Well, the next step is to double-check the records of the neighbouring parish of St Mary's in E. Molesey... at the time, the two parishes had for some decades been under the one incumbent.  A new incumbent was installed in March 1835.   However there had been problems (alcohol) with that incumbent in Thames Ditton which had been apparent since the summer of 1836, the first officially recorded time he passed out during a service.  I must check to see who was now officiating in Molesey.

It is possible, but must remain speculative, that by the date of Vice-Admiral Robert Lambert's death (Sept 1836) his family might not have wanted the incumbent at St Nicholas to officiate at the burial (Lambert's wife survived him by two years; his younger brother lived in TD and was later a witness in a case over the drunken incumbent)

These are some of the potentially confusing factors I mentioned earlier.  Another is that another neighbouring parish of St Mary is in Long Ditton..... which will also need checking.

I am off again to the Surrey History Centre tomorrow, where the original records are kept....

[[Ray]]

Hi

You may be better off getting this moved "back" to Surrey?

Ray

[ThamesDitton]

I think this particular thread is dead - 'twas just to double check that there was no matching record in Hertfordshire parish records in the outside chance that the Gentleman's magazine and Burke's Annual Register were correct.  Let's leave it to lie here for the mo.  I have another thread on Lamberts in the London/Middlesex forum (their  town houses/parishes were in Westminster, their country houses elsewhere in Surrey & Herts.)