Douglas Willan Family

[Bridget Andrea Louise Fox]

I am interested in this branch of my family.  My maiden name was Willan and my grandfather was Robert Hugh Willan, one of 4 children of Frank Willan of Hampshire and Louisa Willan Nee Douglas.

[wilfried dierick]

Dear Mrs Fox,
A message from the Netherlands. I'm quite delighted to be able to meet you on William Douglas's site.
For more than a year I'm trying to find descendents of that poor Captain Douglas who was killed in Delhi in 1857. "Are there portraits of him, his widow, his daughter". I often wondered. I've found a lot in contemporary newspapers about Mrs Louisa Marguerite Anne Willan (daugher of our Captain Douglas) and her mother Mrs Lightfoot (Douglas's widow since 1857).What I know on 11 May 2010

Captain C.R.G. Douglas (died in Delhi 11 May 1857) had one child: a daughter (Louisa Marguerite Anne Douglas, b 1852);

She married Frank Willan in 1875.
They got 5 children: 4 boys and 1 (or, see below, 2 ?) daughters.
1. John Lowry (1876) who died in 1887, aged 10 years
2. A daughter (name unknown) was born in June 1877;
3. Frank Godfrey (1878-1957, 75 years old) and
4. Robert Hugh (1882-1960, 78 years old).
5. Another boy (name yet unknown) was born in 1888.

BUT… 1875: Who’s who, an annual biographical dictionary… p.1973, [Frank Willan]” …m. 1875, Louisa Marguerita Anne, d. of late Captain Charles Robert George Douglas, late of 32nd Bengal Light Infantry: three s. two d.

Frank Godfrey Willan (3) married Maud Valerie (since 1943 widow of Lieut.-Col. H.A. Vernon) in 1945, when he was 67 years and she was ± 47 years old.
(A possible earlier marriage and children thereoff unknown).

Robert Hugh Willan (4) married Violet Constance Crabbe in…?....

Their son Martin Stuart Willan (born 1919) was killed on 25-05-1940 in France and was burried in Calais.
(Possible other children unknown).

So, as long as I don’t know descendants of Frank Godfrey Willan, of Robert Hugh Willan, of the Nameless Son Born in 1888, and the name of the (two?) Frank Willan daughters, plus the names of their husbands, I am I think genaeology-wise - stuck.

============================== ==============================
On 11 May 2010 I got new information from William Douglas, (Wikipedia):
Group Captain Frank Andrew Willan CBE DFC DL (21 December 1915 - 12 November 1981), was an English pilot, Royal Air Force officer and Conser-vative politician. He was Chairman of Wiltshire County Council from 1973 to 1979.
[ Frank Andrew must be a son of Frank Godfrey or of Robert Hugh Willan].
Now I hope to hear more!
Yours faithfully,
Wilfried Dierick, The Netherlands

[Bridget Andrea Louise Fox]

Dear Wilfried
My father was Frank Andrew Willan who was the son of Robert Hugh Willan and Violet Eyre Crabbe. His brother Martin, my uncle, was killed at Calais in 1940.
Frank Willan, senior, had 5 children that I know of.
1.Margaret Willan married Major ? Currie and lived near salisbury - they had 2 children Bill, who married Ann (they have 2 children, Richard, a Brigadier in the army, and Joanna neither of whom are married), and Phillipa who married Peter Parker and who had no children. Phil and I speak often as she is my godmother.
2. Nina married Major Tom Jackson and had 2 daughters, Ann and Mary. Ann has a son Anthony Boas who married Sarah (nee Bickerstaff) and they have 2 children Simon and Julia. Mary married several times and to my knowledge has one son.
3.Frank Godfrey married late in life Maud Valerie (known as Bundy). Bundy already had two children Richard and Avril Vernon. Avril Vernon married Edwin Bramall (Field Marshall Lord Bramall)
4. Robert Hugh had 2 sons, one was my father, Frank Andrew. (the other Martin died at Calais) He married Joan Wickham Legg and I have 2 brothers. Richard Martin who has been married twice, once to Susan Howe - they have a daughter Clare (married to Paul Evans and they have a daughter Matilda) and secondly to Sara Boyes and they have a daughter Georgia. My next brother is Michael John who is married to Catherine (Turner Lashmar) and they have 4 children, Lucinda, Andrew and twins Hugh and Charlie. I am married to Rev'd Colin Fox and we have 3 children George (married to Ruth Kendrick), Alice and Henry (known as Harry)
5. John Willan died young.
I hope this helps. I am interested why you are following my family from the Netherlands!
yours Bridget Fox

[wilfried dierick]

Dear Mrs Fox [Bridget?], Now at least I know the names of Louisa Marguerite Anne Douglas's (and her husband Frank Willan's) 5 children. Thank you. To be honest, I am so interested in your family because I've read many books about the Great Mutiny (also called The Indian Mutiny) of 1857. Especially in William Dalrymple's "The Last Mughal" I read about the tragic death of your Great-great Grandfather Captain C.R.G. Douglas. In the gruesome story of that insurrection in Northern India the part he played was very short: maybe only 2 or 3 hours. But there doesn't exist a book about the events of "1857" where his end is not described. Maybe I am a "romantic type'... but I wanted to bring this man "to life" again. He died so young and left behind a wife, your great-great grandmother Louisa Robinson (who later married Revd John Prideaux Lightfoot) and a daughter Louisa Marguerite Anne (who later married Frank Willan). Your great-great grandmother had another daughter with her 2nd husband (Mary Frances Lightfoot, b. 1864, who - I think - never married).
I would like to know as much as possible about Captain Douglas. His father was Robert Sholto Douglas, his mother's name as yet unknown. There is a lot more to be found about his wife Louisa Robinson's family.
I have found "snippets" about young Captain Douglas's (military) career. Eventually I would like to be able to write a kind of biography and to compare all different reports about his violent death as described in different books and in contemporary papers.

I would like to ask you: does Captain Charles Richard George Douglas still - somehow - "live" in your family? Are there portraits of him, of his wife, of his daughter, memories, diaries, letters, etc?

I do have a portrait of Frank Willan and one of your great-uncle Frank Godfrey Taken in British India in 1926)and of the memory plaquette at Eton on which your uncle Martin Stuart is mentioned.
On internet I found the answer to my question:"What happened to Captain Douglas's wife and young daughter where almost al European men, women and children had been killed in those days.
I read it in this book, see:

a href="http://www.archive.org/stream/ladysdiaryofsieg00harrrich#page/n1/mode/2up" target="_blank">http://www.archive.org/stream/ladysdiaryofsieg00harrrich#page/n1/mo... >

If you can not find it, this was the most crucial part there:

"La Martinifere, May 15.
4 P.m.—Since writing to you this morning such awful news has come, that I still feel paralysed with horror. There has been an insurrection in Delhi, and the Chief Commissioner (Mr. Fraser), Captain Douglas, Mr. and Miss Jennings, have all been murdered in cold blood. The news came by electric telegraph. No particulars are known, nor even the extent of the insurrection ; or whether it is the people or the Sepoys. They have cut the telegraph wires between Delhi and Meerut, and destroyed a bridge to prevent the passage of troops. At Meerut there has been a rising among the native troops, on Sunday evening, when several Europeans were killed and wounded: the rebels showed fight till they had received a volley from the Rifles, and then they all ran away ; but there are no particulars, so we know not how many English have lost their lives. There has been no post for four days from up country, and we are in complete ignorance of what horrors may be going on. Poor! poor Captain Douglas! —or rather, one's heart should bleed for his miserable wife, who little knows now that she will never look upon his face again in this world.
May 16.
I was interrupted yesterday; but you may well fancy we can think of nothing but the dreadful tidings. No post in from Delhi, nor any further news by telegraph. I cannot describe our horrible state of anxiety, alarm, and gloom. These are fearful times, and it seems as if our tenure of India hung by a thread ; for if the native army turns against us, nothing humanly speaking can save us. We must trust to God, and hope for the best. We are fortunate in having such a man as Sir II. Lawrence at the head of affairs here; and European artillery as well as a Queen's regiment. The stoppage of post is most alarming ; no one knows what to think. Poor Miss Jennings ! she was by all accounts such a very nice dear girl, the comfort and delight of her father's life. I have heard it was beautiful to see the two together. Mrs. Jennings is in England, educating her younger children, and this poor girl came out to be her father's companion about a year and a half ago I do so wish we could know about Mrs. Douglas: such a sweet creature, and so fondly devoted to her husband: how I do grieve for her! he was such a noble-hearted Christian gentleman, respected and liked by all; his valuable, useful life to be sacrificed to those bloodthirsty villains, it seems too dreadful."
Mrs. Fox, I hope I have made clear what exactly I hope to find.
Thanking you,
Wilfried Dierick


Bridget Andrea Louise Fox said:

Dear Wilfried
My father was Frank Andrew Willan who was the son of Robert Hugh Willan and Violet Eyre Crabbe. His brother Martin, my uncle, was killed at Calais in 1940.
Frank Willan, senior, had 5 children that I know of.
1.Margaret Willan married Major ? Currie and lived near salisbury - they had 2 children Bill, who married Ann (they have 2 children, Richard, a Brigadier in the army, and Joanna neither of whom are married), and Phillipa who married Peter Parker and who had no children. Phil and I speak often as she is my godmother.
2. Nina married Major Tom Jackson and had 2 daughters, Ann and Mary. Ann has a son Anthony Boas who married Sarah (nee Bickerstaff) and they have 2 children Simon and Julia. Mary married several times and to my knowledge has one son.
3.Frank Godfrey married late in life Maud Valerie (known as Bundy). Bundy already had two children Richard and Avril Vernon. Avril Vernon married Edwin Bramall (Field Marshall Lord Bramall)
4. Robert Hugh had 2 sons, one was my father, Frank Andrew. (the other Martin died at Calais) He married Joan Wickham Legg and I have 2 brothers. Richard Martin who has been married twice, once to Susan Howe - they have a daughter Clare (married to Paul Evans and they have a daughter Matilda) and secondly to Sara Boyes and they have a daughter Georgia. My next brother is Michael John who is married to Catherine (Turner Lashmar) and they have 4 children, Lucinda, Andrew and twins Hugh and Charlie. I am married to Rev'd Colin Fox and we have 3 children George (married to Ruth Kendrick), Alice and Henry (known as Harry)
5. John Willan died young.
I hope this helps. I am interested why you are following my family from the Netherlands!
yours Bridget Fox

[William Douglas]

Bridget,

My turn to ask some questions!

I am interested in possible links between this branch of the Willan family, and Thomas Willan, from whom are descended the Douglas-Willans. How were John James, Frank senior's father, and Thomas related?

Are you able to throw any light on this? I would love to solve that little mystery.

Captain Charles Robert George Douglas' grandfather was General Robert Douglas - who were his parents? Just another little mystery I would like to solve.

Yours aye,

William

[Bridget Andrea Louise Fox]

William - I am afraid I have only dipped a toe in the water of family research! I have two pictures from the Illustrated London News in the 1960's which are of Willans farm on Regents Park and I think they talk of John James Willan. My brother Richard has some family bits and pieces which might shed some light on Thomas Willan - it would be interesting to find out. Would the Eton College archives be of any help? A lot of my forebears went there. My knowledge grinds to a halt with Captain Douglas and Louisa. I am intrigued by the Douglas Willans and up until this week had never heard of them. We lived near Ealing a few years ago and I knew of Twyford Abbey where there is a memorial/grave to Douglas Willans? There is some mention of Thomas Willan I think, in the Victoria History of Ealing/Middlesex. Sorry not to be of more help.
Bridget

[wilfried dierick]

Bridget, I have some things to add to my last answer. It may sound strange, but I have the feeling that for me it is easier to feel a 'direct contact' with your forefather Charles Richard George Douglas than for you who has to see him through so many "layers" of grandfathers, great-grandfathers, great great-grandfathers etc. I, on the contrary, see him 'from closeby':as I read about him, in his last hours of agony.
Do I understand rightly that your aunt Phillipa Parker is still alive and that she is the granddaughter of Louisa Marguerite Anne Willan -Douglas ? Could you tell me when L.M.A. Willan-Douglas died? Does Aunt Phillipa have any memories of her? Did Aunt Phillipa - when she met and saw Louisa Marguerite Anne know about the tragic death of her great-grandfather Captain C.R.G. Douglas in 1857? And does she have, or know of, any documents, portraits, etc of the Captain, his wife Louisa Robinson (later Lightfoot) and Louisa Marguerita Anne. I'm an amateur, but still I have tried to make (also with your help, this week) a pedigree of the Robinson-Douglas-Willan family, of course with Captain Douglas at its centre. I don't know whether it is possible to send it to you via this site. But, if I have your address I can send it to you by mail or by e-mail.
Please, forgive me if you think that my questions are indiscreet!
Yours,
Wilfried


wilfried dierick said:

Dear Mrs Fox,
A message from the Netherlands. I'm quite delighted to be able to meet you on William Douglas's site.
For more than a year I'm trying to find descendents of that poor Captain Douglas who was killed in Delhi in 1857. "Are there portraits of him, his widow, his daughter". I often wondered. I've found a lot in contemporary newspapers about Mrs Louisa Marguerite Anne Willan (daugher of our Captain Douglas) and her mother Mrs Lightfoot (Douglas's widow since 1857).What I know on 11 May 2010

Captain C.R.G. Douglas (died in Delhi 11 May 1857) had one child: a daughter (Louisa Marguerite Anne Douglas, b 1852);

She married Frank Willan in 1875.
They got 5 children: 4 boys and 1 (or, see below, 2 ?) daughters.
1. John Lowry (1876) who died in 1887, aged 10 years
2. A daughter (name unknown) was born in June 1877;
3. Frank Godfrey (1878-1957, 75 years old) and
4. Robert Hugh (1882-1960, 78 years old).
5. Another boy (name yet unknown) was born in 1888.

BUT… 1875: Who’s who, an annual biographical dictionary… p.1973, [Frank Willan]” …m. 1875, Louisa Marguerita Anne, d. of late Captain Charles Robert George Douglas, late of 32nd Bengal Light Infantry: three s. two d.

Frank Godfrey Willan (3) married Maud Valerie (since 1943 widow of Lieut.-Col. H.A. Vernon) in 1945, when he was 67 years and she was ± 47 years old.
(A possible earlier marriage and children thereoff unknown).

Robert Hugh Willan (4) married Violet Constance Crabbe in…?....

Their son Martin Stuart Willan (born 1919) was killed on 25-05-1940 in France and was burried in Calais.
(Possible other children unknown).

So, as long as I don’t know descendants of Frank Godfrey Willan, of Robert Hugh Willan, of the Nameless Son Born in 1888, and the name of the (two?) Frank Willan daughters, plus the names of their husbands, I am I think genaeology-wise - stuck.

============================== ==============================
On 11 May 2010 I got new information from William Douglas, (Wikipedia):
Group Captain Frank Andrew Willan CBE DFC DL (21 December 1915 - 12 November 1981), was an English pilot, Royal Air Force officer and Conser-vative politician. He was Chairman of Wiltshire County Council from 1973 to 1979.
[ Frank Andrew must be a son of Frank Godfrey or of Robert Hugh Willan].
Now I hope to hear more!
Yours faithfully,
Wilfried Dierick, The Netherlands

[wilfried dierick]

Bridget, This is not a reply and I don't know if you have ever read this report of Louisa Marguerite Anne's wedding to Frank Willan?
> January 16, 1875
MARRIAGE OF MISS DOUGLAS.
On Thursday the marriage of Miss Douglas, daughter of Mrs. Lightfoot, the wife of the Rector of Exeter College, with Mr. Frank Willan, of Thames bank, Whitchurch, Oxfordshire, was celebrated in Exeter College Chapel, a special license for the purpose having been granted by the Archbishop of Canterbury. There was a special propriety in this arrangement, the father of Miss Douglas, the late Captain C.R.G. Douglas, who was killed in the mutiny at Delhi, having been a member of Exeter College, and the bridegroom having been a well-known and popular member of the same College, and famous as a University oarsman.
The ceremony was performed by the bride’s step-father, the Rev. Dr. Lightfoot, Rector, assisted by the Rev. Wm. Ince, Sub-Rector of the College. The service was choral, Dr. Corfe, of Christ Church, and Mr. Bridge, the organist of the College, officiating at the organ. The Choir was formed partly from Christ Church and party from Exeter choristers. Hymns 212 and 238 (Ancient and Modern) were sung during the ceremony, and a short sermon was substituted for the customary address in the Prayer Book Order of Services. The bride was given away by Mr. F. Lowry Lightfoot. The bridegroom’s “best man” was the Earl of Onslow, formerly a member of Exeter College.
The bride was dressed in white satin, lulle veil, with real orange blossoms and lillies of the valley in her hair. The bridesmaids’ dresses were white Japanese silk, trimmed with muslin and lace, crimson sashes (the Exeter colour), and tulle veil poppies and Marguerites.


It had been intended that the bride should have been given away by her uncle, Sir George A. Robinson, Bart., but a very recent domestic affliction prevented him from being present. The same cause led to the absence of Lady Robinson and Colonel and Mrs. Douglas Robinson, and other members of the bride’s family [ in January 1875 Rev.William Scott Robinson had died. W) .
The bride was attended to the altar by four youthful bridesmaids, Miss Mary Lightfoot (her stepsister), Miss Dora Parson (cousin of the bridegroom), Miss Violet Liddell, and Miss Alexandra Kitchin. – The two family parties included the Earl of Onslow, Miss Edith Onslow, Mr. Arthur Onslow, Mrs. Willan, Mrs. Parson, Mr. A. Parson, Mr. W. Parson, Mr. J.C. Parson, Mr. F. Calvert, Mr. and Mrs F. Lowry Lightfoot, Miss Lightfoot, The Misses Agatha and Ella Lightfoot, and Mr. Henry Le Blanc Lightfoot. – The following were also at the breakfast: (….).
The wedding breakfast was served in the College Hall, which was tastefully decorated for the occasion with the choicest flowers and the flags of the whole of the College Boat Clubs. The cake was supplied by the ols-established house of Mr. George, confectioner, of Cheltenham, and was appropriately decorated with the arms of the College and monograms of the bride and bridegroom.
The breakfast was supplied by Mr. Prior, the Manciple of the College; it was splendidly served and excited general admiration; and great credit is due to Mr. Duke, the Common-room Man, and Mr. T.E. Bossom, the Porter, for their exertions on the occasion, and to the united good-will and attentionof the servants of the College and the Rector’s household.
The whole of the servants were afterwards entertained with an excellent dinner, plum pudding, wine, &c., in the Hall, by Mrs. Lightfoot.
Several joyous peals were rung on the bells of St. Mary’s Church, and large numbers of people congregated in the vicinit of the College during the morning.
The happy pair left Oxford at two o’clock for the Isle of Wight, loudly cheerd by their friends.
The wedding presents were very handsome and costly, and considerably exceeded 100 in number.

[wilfried dierick]

Dear Bridget Fox, Cold you please tell me if the data given below are correct, especially the dates of birth of L.M.A. Willan-Douglas's 5 children? And do you know the date (especially year) of her death? If you are interested I can send you the report of her mother's (Louisa Lightfoot's) burial. Please, let me know.
Wilfried

LIFE OF LOUISA MARGUERITE ANNE (WILLAN-) DOUGLAS [ “LMA D ” ]

1852: LMA D, daughter of C.R.G. Douglas and Louisa Robinson is born in Delhi.
// She and her mother left India in 1857, her age: 5.
// That same year, on 11 May 1857, her father was killed during the mutiny in Delhi.
// In 1858: her mother and she (age: 6) both got a pension,
// In 1863, when she was 11, her mother married Rev. J.P. Lightfoot.
// In 1864, when she was 12, her stepsister Mary Frances (1864-1939) was born.
// In 1875, when she was 23, she married Frank Willan (8-2-1846 – 22-3-1931)
// In 1876, when she was 24, her first son John Lowry, was born.
// In 1877, when she was 25, her first daughter, Margaret, was born.
// In 1878, when she was 26, her second son, Frank Godfrey, was born.
// In 1882, a third son, Robert Hugh was born; she was 30 yrs then.
- In that same year, on 9 December, her mother, Louisa Lightfoot, died.
// In 1887, when she was 35, her first son, John Lowry, died.
- In that same year, on 23 March, her step-father, John Prideaux Lightfoot, died.
// In 1888, when she was 36, her second daughter Nina was born.

Frank Willan died 22 March 1931. [LMA D’s age if she lived: 80].
When did Louisa Marguerite Anne Willan-Douglas die ?

When Frank Godfrey, LMA D’s eldest living son (and Captain C.R.G Douglas’s eldest living grandson), married in 1945 his mother would have been 93.
He died on 2 June 1957, almost exactly 100 years after his grandfather (LMA D’s father) was killed in Delhi (11 May 1857), this was 105 yrs after LMA D was born.

Robert Hugh died in 1960, 108 yrs after LMA D was born.
----------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------
The grandchildren: [Margaret] Bill Currie and Phillipa Currie-Parker [Nina] Ann and Mary Jackson
[Robert Hugh] Frank Andrew and Martin Stuart Willan

* * Frank Andrew was born in 1915 (LMA D’s age: 63); he died in 1981.
* * Martin Stuart Willan, was born in 1919 (her age 67).
He died in the 2nd World War – 25 May 1940 ]. LMA D would have been 88).



wilfried dierick said:

Dear Mrs Fox [Bridget?], Now at least I know the names of Louisa Marguerite Anne Douglas's (and her husband Frank Willan's) 5 children. Thank you. To be honest, I am so interested in your family because I've read many books about the Great Mutiny (also called The Indian Mutiny) of 1857. Especially in William Dalrymple's "The Last Mughal" I read about the tragic death of your Great-great Grandfather Captain C.R.G. Douglas. In the gruesome story of that insurrection in Northern India the part he played was very short: maybe only 2 or 3 hours. But there doesn't exist a book about the events of "1857" where his end is not described. Maybe I am a "romantic type'... but I wanted to bring this man "to life" again. He died so young and left behind a wife, your great-great grandmother Louisa Robinson (who later married Revd John Prideaux Lightfoot) and a daughter Louisa Marguerite Anne (who later married Frank Willan). Your great-great grandmother had another daughter with her 2nd husband (Mary Frances Lightfoot, b. 1864, who - I think - never married).
I would like to know as much as possible about Captain Douglas. His father was Robert Sholto Douglas, his mother's name as yet unknown. There is a lot more to be found about his wife Louisa Robinson's family.
I have found "snippets" about young Captain Douglas's (military) career. Eventually I would like to be able to write a kind of biography and to compare all different reports about his violent death as described in different books and in contemporary papers.

I would like to ask you: does Captain Charles Richard George Douglas still - somehow - "live" in your family? Are there portraits of him, of his wife, of his daughter, memories, diaries, letters, etc?

I do have a portrait of Frank Willan and one of your great-uncle Frank Godfrey Taken in British India in 1926)and of the memory plaquette at Eton on which your uncle Martin Stuart is mentioned.
On internet I found the answer to my question:"What happened to Captain Douglas's wife and young daughter where almost al European men, women and children had been killed in those days.
I read it in this book, see:

a href="http://www.archive.org/stream/ladysdiaryofsieg00harrrich#page/n1/mode/2up" target="_blank">http://www.archive.org/stream/ladysdiaryofsieg00harrrich#page/n1/mo... >

If you can not find it, this was the most crucial part there:

"La Martinifere, May 15.
4 P.m.—Since writing to you this morning such awful news has come, that I still feel paralysed with horror. There has been an insurrection in Delhi, and the Chief Commissioner (Mr. Fraser), Captain Douglas, Mr. and Miss Jennings, have all been murdered in cold blood. The news came by electric telegraph. No particulars are known, nor even the extent of the insurrection ; or whether it is the people or the Sepoys. They have cut the telegraph wires between Delhi and Meerut, and destroyed a bridge to prevent the passage of troops. At Meerut there has been a rising among the native troops, on Sunday evening, when several Europeans were killed and wounded: the rebels showed fight till they had received a volley from the Rifles, and then they all ran away ; but there are no particulars, so we know not how many English have lost their lives. There has been no post for four days from up country, and we are in complete ignorance of what horrors may be going on. Poor! poor Captain Douglas! —or rather, one's heart should bleed for his miserable wife, who little knows now that she will never look upon his face again in this world.
May 16.
I was interrupted yesterday; but you may well fancy we can think of nothing but the dreadful tidings. No post in from Delhi, nor any further news by telegraph. I cannot describe our horrible state of anxiety, alarm, and gloom. These are fearful times, and it seems as if our tenure of India hung by a thread ; for if the native army turns against us, nothing humanly speaking can save us. We must trust to God, and hope for the best. We are fortunate in having such a man as Sir II. Lawrence at the head of affairs here; and European artillery as well as a Queen's regiment. The stoppage of post is most alarming ; no one knows what to think. Poor Miss Jennings ! she was by all accounts such a very nice dear girl, the comfort and delight of her father's life. I have heard it was beautiful to see the two together. Mrs. Jennings is in England, educating her younger children, and this poor girl came out to be her father's companion about a year and a half ago I do so wish we could know about Mrs. Douglas: such a sweet creature, and so fondly devoted to her husband: how I do grieve for her! he was such a noble-hearted Christian gentleman, respected and liked by all; his valuable, useful life to be sacrificed to those bloodthirsty villains, it seems too dreadful."
Mrs. Fox, I hope I have made clear what exactly I hope to find.
Thanking you,
Wilfried Dierick


Bridget Andrea Louise Fox said:

Dear Wilfried
My father was Frank Andrew Willan who was the son of Robert Hugh Willan and Violet Eyre Crabbe. His brother Martin, my uncle, was killed at Calais in 1940.
Frank Willan, senior, had 5 children that I know of.
1.Margaret Willan married Major ? Currie and lived near salisbury - they had 2 children Bill, who married Ann (they have 2 children, Richard, a Brigadier in the army, and Joanna neither of whom are married), and Phillipa who married Peter Parker and who had no children. Phil and I speak often as she is my godmother.
2. Nina married Major Tom Jackson and had 2 daughters, Ann and Mary. Ann has a son Anthony Boas who married Sarah (nee Bickerstaff) and they have 2 children Simon and Julia. Mary married several times and to my knowledge has one son.
3.Frank Godfrey married late in life Maud Valerie (known as Bundy). Bundy already had two children Richard and Avril Vernon. Avril Vernon married Edwin Bramall (Field Marshall Lord Bramall)
4. Robert Hugh had 2 sons, one was my father, Frank Andrew. (the other Martin died at Calais) He married Joan Wickham Legg and I have 2 brothers. Richard Martin who has been married twice, once to Susan Howe - they have a daughter Clare (married to Paul Evans and they have a daughter Matilda) and secondly to Sara Boyes and they have a daughter Georgia. My next brother is Michael John who is married to Catherine (Turner Lashmar) and they have 4 children, Lucinda, Andrew and twins Hugh and Charlie. I am married to Rev'd Colin Fox and we have 3 children George (married to Ruth Kendrick), Alice and Henry (known as Harry)
5. John Willan died young.
I hope this helps. I am interested why you are following my family from the Netherlands!
yours Bridget Fox

[David A.L. Baynham]

Hi:

I dropped by ater a few years of absence.

From memory:

Some years ago, I posted the ancestry of Isabella Maria Willan wife of John Kearsley Douglas on this website. I also added the descendants of Lt. Gen. Robert Douglas, R.A. father of John Kearsley.

A condition of Isabella's, fabulously wealthy, father's (Thomas Willan's) will was that, in order to inherit, her children had to append Willan to the family name Douglas. So it was done except for one child Thomas who was called Thomas Willan Douglas (b. Oct 4, 1810 at Twyford Abbey).

My notes for Thomas Willan Douglas (Willan) include the following- note reference to brother John:

Per County Families 1875 (available at DAR Library)

"WILLAN, Thomas Willan Douglas Esq. of Twyford Abbey, Middlesex. Eldest son of the late John Kearsley Douglas, Esq. R.A. (who assumed the name of Willan), by Isabella Maria, eldest dau. of the late Thomas Willan, Esq. of Twyford Abbey, and Hanwell Park, Middlesex and of Farmington Lodge, Co. Gloucester; b. 1810; s. his mother 1862. Educated at Harrow; is Lord of the Manor of West Twyford; formerly in the 12th Lancers.

Heir Pres., his brother John, a Capt. on half-pay of H.M.'s Indian Army; b. 1815."

David Baynham

P.S. I will probably not revisit this site but the above should provide serious researchers with enough to pursue.

DALB

[William Douglas]

Thank you, David.