Hengistbury House 35 Purewell, Christchurch

[Spidermonkey]

In 1861, Joseph Fletcher, a 45 year old Independent Minister, and his wife Marianne (45) and daughter Sarah J S (3) are living at Hengistbury House with 10 pupils, ranging in age from 15 to 11. There are also 3 live in servants.

Joseph Fletcher merits an entry in the Dictionary of National Biography (available via Ancestry) and edited highlights here: Joseph Fletcher the younger (1816-1876), congregational minister.........was educated at Ham grammar school near Richmond, Surrey......was transferred to Christchurch, Hampshire in 1849.....resigned his charge at the close of 1873 and died at Christchurch 2 June 1876.  He kept a school for a time at Christchurch but the death by drowning of seven of his pupils in May 1868 caused him to close his establishment

[Spidermonkey]

In the Christchurch Times (23rd May 1868) there is a report of the tragic drowning of the boys.  It seems that 8 boys and one of the masters went swimming in a "usual place" near to where the rivers meet the sea.  All was calm, but then it seems that perhaps the tide turned and there ended up a surge that increased the water level from chest height to over the heads of the boys.  One boy swam for shore, and the master managed to pull another one to shore (who drowned),whilst the alarm was raised and some fishermen and the coastguard pulled the remaining bodies from the sea.

Mr Watmough was the master.  The drowned boys were:
Henry Atley Pewtress (aged 15)
Arthur Howard Pewtress (aged 11)
Leonard Moser (aged 13)
Horace Moser (aged 12)
George Frederick Johnson (aged 13)
James Atley Hunt (aged 13)
William Robert Smith (aged 13)

[Spidermonkey]

Do you have access to the Newspaper Archive?  If so, there is an article about a break in at Hengistbury House in 1889 (10 Aug 1889, Christchurch Times).  At that point it is the residence of Mr A N Fynes-CLinton.  He seems to have been running it as a school, although I am not certain whether it is residential or day.  The gardener is called George Scott and his wife is Margaret.

I don’t have access to the newspaper archives, is that something you could send me a link to?
Thanks

You might find it worth your while to take out (even a short term) subscription to Find My Past.

[Spidermonkey]

The Christchurch Times of June 10th 1876 gives a detailed write up of Joseph Fletcher's life and death.

[Spidermonkey]

The 1871 census shows Joseph Fletcher and family still at Hengistbury House, but in line with the adverts in the newspaper, it now seems that Marianne Fletcher and daughter Mary Fletcher are running a girls school.  There are 7 pupils between the ages of 17 and 10.

[Spidermonkey]

Chronologically the next person should be Dr Cory that is looked at - but I can't work out whether it is Dr William Gillett Cory or his son Dr William Howard Cory.

So I'm ignoring him for a while!!!!

[Spidermonkey]

1881 census has the Devereux family at Hengistbury House:
William J Devereux  39  Draper employing 27 people, bn London
Elizabeth A Devereux  37  bn Wells Somerset
Elizabeth A Devereux  11  bn Salisbury, Wilts
William R Devereux  10  bn Salisbury, Wilts
Francis E Devereux  8  bn Salisbury, Wilts
Agnes C Devereux  6  bn Salisbury, Wilts
Frederic H Devereux  5  bn Salisbury, Wilts 
Alice W Devereux  2  bn Christchurch, Hants
Fanny Barrell sister in law  25  Governess  bn Australia, Adelaide
plus 3 visitors and 3 servants

[Spidermonkey]

IN 1871 the Devereux family are living in Salisbury (43 Catherine Street).  William and Elizabeth had married at Holy Trinity, Bath on July 1st 1868.  William's father was stated as being John Devereux, merchant, whilst Elizabeth's was Thomas Barratt, paper manufacturer.

William died at a relatively young age of 45 on Jan 20th 1887 at Elmside, Salisbury, with his widow, Elizabeth living until 1930.  On the 1911 census, Elizabeth states that she has had 9 children, 7 of whom are still living but 2 have died.  One of the 2 that died was her eldest son - William Richard Devereux who died in Johannesburg on Feb 4th 1896 of typhoid fever aged 25.

[Spidermonkey]

Arthur Norreys Fynes-Clinton was born in Nottinghamshire in 1850.  His parents were Charles JOhn and Rosabella F Fynes-Clinton.  In 1851, Charles is noted as being the Rector of Cromwell and Vicar of ?Orston Nottinghamshire.  They are living in Bedford with 8 children, 2 visitors and 7 servants.

Charles John Fynes Clinton has an entry in the Dictionary of National Biography which includes the information that he was the son of Rev Charles Fynes Clinton, and brother of Henry Fynes Clinton (the chronologist )

In 1871, Arthur is shown on the census with his parents and two of his siblings (Geoffrey aged 24 and Rosabella aged 18).  Arthur's profession is listed as student at Christchurch, Oxford.

By 1881, Arthur has found a business partner, Reginald Hawkins, and they are running a school at BUrlington House, Kings Road, Richmond.  On the census return, 9 pupils are shown, including 2 students that must be related to Arthur: Charles E F Clinton (12) and Albert H F Clinton (11) both born in Leyland, Lancashire.

On July 30th 1881, Arthur Norreys Fynes-Clinton (31) married Georgiana Ann Gill (19) at St John the Baptist, Hampton Wick