The Author, Major-General E. D. H. Tollemache, D.S.O., M.C., Who Died on 27 August, 1948, Aged 61
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THE AUTHOR, MAJOR-GENERAL E. D. H. TOLLEMACHE, D.S.O., M.C., WHO DIED ON 27 AUGUST, 1948, AGED 61 This volume was first published in 1949 and was printed by the Publishers at their press in the Buttermarket Ipswich ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I should like to thank the following for the help and interest they have given regarding this book since my husband's death: Mrs Detmar Blow (sister of the author); Mr Jonathan Blow; Sir Lyonel Tollemache, Bart. ; Miss Louisa Hack; General Sir Lewis Halliday, V.C.; Mr Robert Tahnage; The Duchess of Sermoneta; Miss D. M. White, Ipswich Borough Librarian; Mr E. J. Booty. VIOLET TOLLEMACHE V CONTENTS . Foreword by Field-Marshal Earl Wavell 1X Prologue II I. Henry I to Edward II-1100 to 1330 14 2. Bentley Hall 24 3- Edward II to Henry VIII-1130 to 1500· 29 4- Henry VIII to Queen Elizabeth-1510 to 1575 34 5- Sir Lionel Tollemache, First Baronet, Knight of the Bath 42 6. Sir Lionel Tollemache, Second Baronet, Vice-Admiral for Suffolk 50 7- Sir Lionel Tollemache, Third Baronet, Ranger of Richmond Park 55 8. Lady Elizabeth Tollemache, Countess of Dysart, Duchess of Lauderdale 64 9- Lieutenant-General The Honourable Thomas Tollemache 72 IO. Captain The Honourable William Tollemache, R.N. 83 II. Lionel Tollemache, Fourth Baronet and Third Earl of Dysart 94 12. Lionel Tollemache, Fifth Baronet and Fourth Earl of Dysart, Knight of the Thistle 100 13. The Three Youngest Sons of Lionel, Fourth Earl of Dysart 105 14. Lionel Tollemache, Sixth Baronet and Fifth Earl of Dysart III 15. Wilbraham Tollemache, Seventh Baronet and Sixth Earl of Dysart 118 16. Lady Louisa Tollemache, Seventh Countess of Dysart, and her Descendants 122 17. The Eighth and Ninth Earls of Dysart and their Descendants 128 18. Lady Jane Tollemache 131 19. Admiral John Tollemache and Lady Elizabeth Tollemache 136 20. Wilbraham, Augustus and Georgina, Children of Admiral John and Lady Elizabeth 143 2I. Other Daughters of Admiral John and Lady Elizabeth 154 22. John Lord Tollemache of Helmingham 162 23. Wilbraham Lord Tollemache and his Descendants 173 Appendix : Helmingham Library 176 Genealogical Tree 177 Bibliography 196 Index to Persons 197 .. Vll LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS THE AUTHOR, MAJOR-GENERAL E. D. H. TOLLJ;MACHE, D.S.O., M.C., WHO DIED 27. AUGUST 1948, AGED 61 frontispiece BENTLEY HALL OAK BEAM WITH TOLLEMACHE ARMS AND INITIALS facing p. 24 FONT RECENTLY RESTORED IN ST MARY ' S CHURCH, BENTLEY • 25 TWO VIEWS OF HELMINGHAM HALL. SOUTH SIDE ABOVE, NORTH SIDE BELOW 32 THE GARDEN MOAT AT HELMINGHAM 33 CATHERINE, LADY TOLLEMACHE 48 THE CHILDREN OF THE FIRST BARONET 49 SIR LIONEL TOLLEMACHE, SECOND BARONET 52 THE TOMB OF THE SECOND BARONET 53 LADY ELIZABETH TOLLEMACHE (DAUGHTER OF FIRST EARL OF DYSART). 60 WILLIAM MURRAY, FIRST EARL OF DYSART 61 DUKE OF LAUDERDALE 64 THE CABAL ROOM AT HAM HOUSE 65 HAM HOUSE FROM THE NORTH SIDE • 68 THE FIRST PINEAPPLE EVER INTRODUCED INTO ENGLAND BEING PRESENTED TO KING CHARLES II BY THE GARDENER • 69 LIEUT .-GENERAL THOMAS TOLLEMACHE So HONOURABLE WILLIAM ROBERT TOLLEMACHE • 81 THIRD EARL OF DYSART 96 HENRIETTA CAVEliDISH (LADY HUNTINGTOWER) 97 DUCHESS OF SOMERSET 100 FOURTH EARL OF DYSART WITH HIS FIVE SONS AND THEIR TUTOR IOI FOURTH EARL OF DYSART • 10,4. GRACE CARTARET 105 JOHN TOLLEMACHE (soN OF THE FOURTH EARL OF DYSART) • 108 LIONEL ROBERT TOLLEMACHE 109 CHARLOTTE WALPOLE, FIFTH COUNTESS OF DYSART 112 WILBRAHAM, SIXTH EARL OF DYSART 118 LADY LOUISA TOLLEMACHE, SEVENTH COUNTESS OF DYSART • 119 HELMINGHAM HALL FROM THE LAYS • 122 MARIA TOLLEMACHE, AFTERWARDS MARCHIONESS OF AILESBURY 123 HAM HOUSE FROM THE SOUTH SIDE • 129 LADY JANE HALLIDAY . 134 THE COUNTESS OF ALDBOROUGH 138 STRATFORD HOUSE, THE HOME OF THE COUNTESS OF ALDBOROUGH 139 AUGUSTUS TOLLEMACHE 148 GEORGINA TOLL:EMACHE (LADY MOUNT TEMPLE) 149 CAPTAIN LOC.KE • 156 LEILA, LADY WALSINGHAM 157 JOHN, FIRST LORD TOLLEMACHE OF HELMINGHAM, IN HIS CURRICLE WITH LADY SUDELEY 166 PECKFORTON CASTLE • • 167 HELMINGHAM 170 Vll1 FOREWORD By Field-Marshal Earl Wavell, P.c., G.C.B., G.c.s.I., G.C.I.E., c.M.G., M.c . THE Tollemaches are a very old family, one of the oldest in England, and they have always had their roots firmly in the English countrysiqe, living in the same home from generation to generation. Only once, in fact, has it moved its seat-.and that was to Helmingham nearly 450 years ago. So that their history is a part of the history of England, and not only the part that usually gets into the history books, but more live and more interesting than much that does. To anyone who wishes to understand the country life of England and the part played by the old landed families, whose influence lasted so long, this book will provide much interest and pleasure. It will have a sad interest for the many friends of the author, to whom one feels it to be in some sort a memorial. He had just completed it when he was suddenly struck down by a fatal illness, while still apparently in full health and vitality. His love of the beautiful old Tollemache home of Helmingham and its family history was the motive that led him to undertake this book, with its accounts of old days of romance and adventure, which are good to read in these drab and difficult times. Ham, the other ancient family seat, which figures in these pages, is also full of memories and treasures of the past. To those who did not know Teddy Tollemache the following brief sketch may give some impression of a vital and attractive personality. He was greatly gifted. He was tall, handsome and vigorous and had a natural aptitude for sports and games. He had a quick and lively wit which could animate any subject with flashes of brilliance and fancy. These were the external qualities which showed on ~e surface. But behind them were a shrewd brain, very considerable knowledge and judgement of men and affairs, ambition to succeed, and a capacity for hard work which was often unsuspected even by those who knew him well. For Teddy made the mistake, so his more intimate friends thought, of using his superficial brilliance as a fa~~e to con ceal his deeper and more solid qualities as a man and a soldier, with the result that he was not always taken as seriously as his real talents and ability entitled him to be. He was a fine soldier and had a successful career, but he had qualities of character and •intelligence much above those of many who rose above him in rank and responsibilities. Few would have known, for instance, the literary talent which he showed after his retirement from the Army. Soldiering was in his blood from childhood and was always the main interest of his life, as it had been with so many of his distinguished family, whose exploits are recorded . 1X in this book. He was intensely proud of and devoted to his regiment, the Coldstream Guards, of which his ancestor, General Thomas Tollemache, was the third Colonel. In the 1914-18 war he served in France and in Palestine, and greatly distinguished himself, both in regimental service and on the Staff, winning the D.S.O. and M.C. and a brevet majority. He was wounded and several times mentioned in disP.atches. After the War, he went to the Staff College, and later commanded a battalion of his regiment at the early age of thirty-nine. He was then selected for the important appointment of Assistant Commandant at the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, chosen specially to inaugurate an entirely new system of education for military cadets. This work brought out the progressive quality of his mind and his receptiveness to new ideas. His success here was rewarded by his selection for the important and much-coveted appoint ment of G.S.0.1. to the 1st Division at Aldershot. Teddy did the staff duties of his division with the greatest efficiency and success. Unfortunately he was compelled through ill-health to refuse two offers of brigade commands in India. And so he fell out from the charmed circle of those marked for the higher posts. He was commanding a territorial brigade at the outbreak of war in 1939, and later had the Portsmouth Area, which he organised and controlled in those anxious days of expected invasion. But later he had to retire under the age rules. He then settled down to use his abilities in a new line, in literary work. He showed great versatility in this, writing of military affairs at the same time as publishing some lighter fiction. The present book, rec~rding the history of his family, was a labour of love on which he had spent much time and research. This he had fortunately finished, and was about to revise it, when his lively pen would have put the finishing touches to the many interesting and entertaining episodes in the story of an historic family. But suddenly and unexpectedly he was struck down. Teddy Tollemache will be long remembered by his friends, who will sadly miss his gay companionship and happy atmosphere of his home. He would be glad, too, to be remembered l,y this book, which meant much to him. X PROLOGUE New Nobility is but the act of power. Ancient Nobility is the act of time. It is a reverent thing to see an old castle or building not in decay. Or to see a faire timber tree sound and perfect, how much more to behold an ancient noble family which has stood against the waves and weathers of time.