The following newspaper report records the death of Major George Peacocke, husband of Elinor (“Nell”) McClintock and father of Rosemary Peacocke, whose later marriage connected the Peacocke family to the Stewart baronets of Athenree.
The account provides a stark illustration of the personal and financial difficulties faced by former officers in the years following the First World War.
Newspaper Report (1923)
AN OFFICER’S SUICIDE. Major’s Disagreement With War Office. BENTLEY TRAGEDY.
Inquiries into the antecedents of Major Peacock, who shot himself on the roadside at Bentley, near Beverley, on Wednesday, show that he came from Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland, where his wife and daughter reside.
He served in a West Indian regiment from 1899 to 1909, when he retired. He was called up for the late war, but was unable to proceed abroad owing to ill health, and was attached to the Humber Garrison as land agent.
He was later transferred to the Northern Command, but remained stationed at Hull, a condition of the transfer being that he should receive military pay and allowances and not civilian pay.
Instead, however, of receiving military pay, was given civilian pay. He could not get a satisfactory reason for this for several years, and then he discovered he was being credited at Cox’s bank with military pay in addition to the civilian pay he was receiving.
Later the War Office demanded the return of the military pay, which he refused to do, but offered to return the civilian pay after deducting allowances. The War Office, however, would not give way, and in 1921 the matter was placed in the hands of the Treasury solicitor.
In the early part of this year Peacock found that for the past two years he had only been receiving half retired pay, and he wrote the War Office asking for a readjustment, but received no reply.
Peacock a few days ago came to the end of his resources. He said he could not live on the amount he was receiving, and left a letter stating that his end would call attention to his grievance.
The jury returned a verdict that Peacock shot himself while temporarily insane.
Context and Family Connection
Major George Peacocke was married to:
Elinor (“Nell”) Harriett Woodrop McClintock, of the McClintock family of Seskinore
They had one daughter:
Rosemary Elinor Dorothy Peacocke
Following the breakdown of the marriage, Nell McClintock returned to Seskinore House, where Rosemary was raised within the McClintock family circle.
In 1929, Rosemary married:
Sir Hugh Charlie Godfray Stewart, 6th Baronet of Athenree
This document therefore forms part of the background to the Peacocke–McClintock–Stewart connection.
Historical Context
The report reflects wider post-war conditions:
financial hardship among former officers
disputes over military pensions and pay
difficulties in reintegration into civilian life
Such cases were not uncommon in the years following the First World War and illustrate the human consequences of administrative and economic pressures.
Note on Sources
This report is reproduced from a contemporary newspaper account (1923). As with all such sources, it reflects the language, assumptions, and reporting style of its time.
The following extract records the matriculation of arms of Sir Hugh Houghton Stewart, 4th Baronet of Athenree, as entered in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland in 1935.
This document is of particular importance, as it sets out in formal genealogical sequence the descent of the Stewart family from Captain Andrew Stewart of Gortigil through successive generations to the baronetcy. It also confirms the family’s long-standing use of armorial bearings and their recognition within the heraldic authority of the Lord Lyon.
Extract of Matriculation (1935)
Sir Hugh Houghton Stewart of Athenree, Baronet… having by Petition… represented that he was… the eldest son of the late Sir John Marcus Stewart, 3rd Baronet… and that the said Sir John Marcus Stewart… was the eldest son of Sir Hugh Stewart, 2nd Baronet… and that the said Sir Hugh Stewart… was the eldest son of Sir John Stewart… created 1st Baronet of Athenree… and that the said Sir John Stewart… was the eldest son of the Reverend Hugh Stewart, Rector of Termon… and that the said Reverend Hugh Stewart… was the only surviving son of John Stewart of Gortigil… and that the said John Stewart… was the eldest surviving son of Hugh Stewart of Gortigil… and that the said Hugh Stewart… was the second son… of Captain Andrew Stewart of Gortigil… who… accompanied Andrew Stewart, 3rd Lord Ochiltree & 1st Lord Castlestewart, from Scotland…
…the family of Stewart of Gortigil & Athenree has borne Arms from a period anterior to the year 1672… confirmed & amplified when registered in the office of Arms in Ireland on the Twenty Eighth day of November 1808…
…the Lord Lyon King of Arms… granted warrant… to matriculate… the following Ensigns Armorial…
Description of the Arms
The matriculated arms are described as:
Quarterly:
1st: Or, a lion rampant within a double tressure flory counter-flory Gules (Scotland)
2nd: Or, a fess chequy Azure and Argent, in chief a portcullis Sable (Stewart)
3rd: Argent, a saltire between four roses Gules, barbed Vert (Lennox)
4th: Or, a lion rampant Gules (Fife)
Bordure:
Compony Argent and Azure, charged with three thistles proper
Crest:
A unicorn’s head couped Argent, armed and crined Or, between two olive branches
Motto:
Forward
The arms combine elements associated with the royal and noble Stewart lineages of Scotland, including references to Stewart, Lennox, and associated heraldic traditions.
Heraldic and Genealogical Significance
This matriculation serves several important purposes:
It formally records the lineal descent of the Stewart family of Athenree
It confirms the family’s right to bear arms within Scottish heraldic jurisdiction
It connects the Tyrone-based family to the broader Scottish Stewart tradition
It reinforces the family’s claim to long-standing gentry and armigerous status
The document is particularly valuable as it preserves, in official form, the genealogical sequence already known from other sources.
Context within the Stewart Family History
The matriculation was made in 1935, during the lifetime of:
Sir Hugh Houghton Stewart, 4th Baronet (1858–1942)
By this time:
The family had long been established in County Tyrone
Ballygawley Park had been sold (1918) and later destroyed (1922)
The family’s principal residence had shifted to Loughmacrory Lodge
The matriculation therefore represents a moment of formal recognition of lineage and identity, at a time when the traditional estate system was already in decline.
Provenance
This extract is reproduced from the official record of the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, by permission of:
Sir David John Christopher Stewart, 7th Baronet of Athenree
Conclusion
The matriculation of arms of Sir Hugh Houghton Stewart provides both a heraldic and genealogical summary of the Stewart family of Athenree. It confirms their descent from the early seventeenth-century settlement in Tyrone and situates the family within the wider tradition of the Scottish Stewarts.
As a document, it complements the narrative and genealogical material presented elsewhere on this site, offering a formal and authoritative statement of lineage, identity, and continuity.
b. 19th of November 1830, d. 26th of February 1905
Sir John Marcus Stewart, 3rd Baronet (1830–1905), of Ballygawley Park and Loughmacrory Lodge, was a central figure in the later history of the Stewart family of Athenree. Soldier, landowner, and public servant, he represents the Victorian and Edwardian phase of the Tyrone landed class—active in county administration, military service, and social life.
His death in 1905 was widely reported and provides a valuable contemporary account of his character, responsibilities, and position within County Tyrone society.
Early Life and Family
Sir John Marcus Stewart was born on 19 November 1830, the eldest son of:
Sir Hugh Stewart, 2nd Baronet, and
Julia Gage, daughter of Marcus M’Causland Gage of Bellarena, County Londonderry
He succeeded to the baronetcy in 1854, upon the death of his father.
He married, on 1 December 1856:
Annie Coote Houghton,
Annie Coote Stewart nee Houghton. d. 12th of October 1913
daughter and coheiress of George Powell Houghton of Kilmannock, County Wexford.
They had a large family, including his successor:
Sir Hugh Houghton Stewart, 4th Baronet
Military Service
Sir John pursued a military career in early life.
He served as a Lieutenant in the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, and saw active service during the Crimean War. Although invalided home for a time, he later returned to duty before leaving the army upon succeeding to the family estates.
Public Office and County Life
On inheriting the baronetcy and estates, Sir John assumed a prominent role in the administration and social life of County Tyrone.
He served as:
High Sheriff of County Tyrone (1858)
Justice of the Peace (JP)
Deputy Lieutenant (DL)
He was also:
A long-serving member of the Grand Jury
A governor of the County Infirmary and Asylum at Omagh
A participant in the Diocesan Synod of the Church of Ireland
In addition, he acted as Gentleman Usher to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland during the viceregal periods of the Duke of Abercorn.
Character and Reputation
His obituary provides a vivid account of his standing in the county:
“He was a most generous and considerate landlord… regarded by his tenantry with feelings of the deepest respect and affection.”
“There was no man in County Tyrone held in greater or more general esteem… one of the few men who never made an enemy.”
These descriptions reflect the idealised image of the late nineteenth-century landlord—personally engaged, paternal, and socially embedded within the community.
Residences
During his lifetime, Sir John maintained several residences, reflecting both inherited property and the shifting pattern of estate occupation:
Ballygawley Park (principal family seat in the earlier period)
Loughmacrory Lodge
Carrickmore Hall
Fincoul Lodge
By the early twentieth century, Ballygawley Park was no longer his principal residence, and the family’s focus had begun to shift toward Loughmacrory and Carrickmore.
Death and Obituary (1905)
Sir John Marcus Stewart died on 26 February 1905, following a short illness.
A detailed obituary noted:
“Notwithstanding his advanced years, Sir John had a robust constitution… until a few weeks ago…”
“He passed peacefully… to the inexpressible grief of his wife and family, and the sorrow of all who knew him.”
The account emphasised both his public service and personal character, highlighting his:
generosity as a landlord
commitment to local institutions
strong identification with the Church of Ireland
active role in county affairs
He was also described as:
a Conservative in politics
a member of the Loyal Orange Institution
connected with the Masonic Order, serving as Provincial Grand Master for Tyrone and Fermanagh
Contemporary Obituary (1905)
The following obituary appeared in the Tyrone Constitution on 3 March 1905, following the death of Sir John Marcus Stewart, 3rd Baronet.
We deeply regret to announce the death of this well-known and highly-esteemed gentleman, which took place on the 26th ult., after a brief illness. The sad news will come as a painful surprise to most of his friends, for notwithstanding his advanced years, Sir John had a robust constitution, and enjoyed wonderfully good health until a few weeks ago, when he was seized with an illness which caused much anxiety to the members of his family, though it was not then anticipated that it would have a fatal termination.
Last week he was brought to Belfast to undergo treatment at the private hospital in Fitzroy Avenue, where he had the advantage of the best medical skill and most efficient nursing. An operation was deemed necessary, and this was successfully performed on the 22nd ult. by Surgeon Kirk, Professor Sinclair, and Dr. Robert Reid, of Whiteabbey. It was confidently believed that a speedy recovery would follow, but unhappily, in spite of all that professional skill could accomplish, this hope was not realised, for the patient never regained strength and, becoming gradually worse, passed peacefully away on Sunday last, to the inexpressible grief of his wife and family, and the sorrow of all who knew him.
The late Sir John Marcus Stewart, Bart., of Athenree, County Tyrone, was born on the 19th November 1830, so that he was in his seventy-fifth year. He was the eldest son of the second baronet, Sir Hugh Stewart, and Julia, daughter of the late Mr Marcus M’Causland Gage, County Derry. He was educated at Rugby, and after leaving that famous school adopted the profession of arms, joining as lieutenant the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, in which regiment he saw active service during the Crimean War.
He was invalided home for a time, but returned to the scene of hostilities, and there remained until the death of his father in 1856 led to his withdrawal from the Army prior to the conclusion of that historic campaign.
On succeeding to the baronetcy, which was created in 1803, and to the ownership of the extensive estates in Tyrone and other counties, Sir John threw himself with characteristic energy into the duties which devolved upon him in his new position.
He was a most generous and considerate landlord, who was regarded by his tenantry with feelings of the deepest respect and affection, for they found in him one who was ever ready to give them a courteous and attentive hearing, and who in diverse ways proved that he had their welfare at heart.
His genial and kindly disposition endeared him indeed to all who were brought into contact with him, and there was no man in County Tyrone held in greater or more general esteem. He had the gift of making and retaining friends, and was probably one of the few men who never made an enemy.
He took an active part in the affairs of the county, which has sustained a severe loss by his lamented death. He was one of the oldest members—if not the oldest member—of the Grand Jury, and for many years rendered valuable service as a governor of the county asylum and also of the infirmary in Omagh.
He was a justice of the peace and deputy-lieutenant of the county, and had filled with marked ability the important office of High Sheriff. During the years in which the first Duke of Abercorn held the Vice-royalty—1866–68 and 1874–76—Sir John acted as Gentleman Usher to the Lord Lieutenant, and in this capacity had official duties to discharge in connection with one of the visits of His Majesty the King—then Prince of Wales—to Dublin.
In politics he was an ardent Conservative, and he was a pronounced Churchman, being closely identified with the work of the Church of Ireland as a member of the Diocesan Synod and otherwise. He was a liberal supporter of many good causes, and a practical sympathiser with philanthropic and benevolent organisations.
He was a member of the Loyal Orange Institution, and was also connected with the Masonic Order, being Provincial Grand Master for Tyrone and Fermanagh.
His residences were Ballygawley Park, Ballygawley; Carrickmore Hall, Carrickmore; and Finn Coul Lodge, County Tyrone.
Sir John married in 1856 Annie Coote, daughter and coheiress of the late Mr George Powell Houghton, of Kilmannock House, County Wexford, and had a family of nine sons and three daughters. Lady Stewart, the daughters, and six of the sons survived him.
The eldest son, Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Houghton Stewart, who succeeded to the title and estates, and who was born in 1858, saw active service during the South African War, and like his father filled the office of High Sheriff of County Tyrone.
Context and Significance
Sir John Marcus Stewart stands at a transitional point in the history of the Stewart family:
He inherited the estates at their greatest extent
He maintained the traditional role of the landed gentleman and county leader
His lifetime preceded the final decline and sale of Ballygawley Park
Under his successor, the economic and structural pressures on landed estates would become more pronounced, ultimately leading to the sale and destruction of Ballygawley Park in the early twentieth century.
Conclusion
The life of Sir John Marcus Stewart illustrates the role of the landed gentry in nineteenth-century County Tyrone—combining estate management, military service, and public duty.
His obituary preserves not only the details of his career, but also the values and expectations of the society in which he lived. Through him, the Stewart family appears at its most established and influential, just before the changes that would reshape both the family and the wider landed world of Tyrone.
Ballygawley Park, County Tyrone, was for much of the nineteenth century the principal seat of the Stewart baronets of Athenree. Developed from earlier lands associated with the Plantation period, the estate became one of the principal landed properties in the Ballygawley district before entering a long period of decline that culminated in its sale, partial demolition, and destruction by fire in the early twentieth century.
The history of Ballygawley Park reflects the wider story of the Irish landed estate system: expansion during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, financial pressure and restructuring during the Victorian era, and eventual fragmentation after the First World War.
Early History of Ballygawley
At the time of the Plantation of Ulster, Ballygawley was known by several earlier names, including:
Moyenner
Ballegalin
Cavanballygallin
In the early seventeenth century, Captain William Turvin received a grant of lands at Ballygawley from King James I. Turvin failed to fulfil the conditions of plantation, and the property subsequently passed into the hands of:
Sir Gerald Lowther
the Hamilton family
later the Beresford family
and eventually the Stewart family
A contemporary survey by Sir Josias Pynnar recorded the early Plantation settlement and defensive structures at Ballygawley.
By the nineteenth century, the estate had become associated with the Stewart family of Athenree.
Stewart Ownership and Development
Acquisition by the Stewart Family
The property known as Greenhill, near Ballygawley, was acquired by:
Sir John Stewart, 1st Baronet of Athenree c.1810–11.
The estate had previously been occupied by:
Thomas Harvey Esq.
who later settled in Newry, County Down.
Sir Hugh Stewart and the Creation of Ballygawley Park
Sir Hugh Stewart, 2nd Baronet (1792–1854) greatly developed the property and transformed Greenhill into:
Ballygawley Park
Ballygawley park
A substantial mansion house was constructed c.1825–33 to designs attributed to:
John Hargrave of Cork
using locally quarried freestone.
At the same time, the Stewart family also maintained another residence at:
Loughmacrory Lodge
Financial Pressure and Estate Sale
Sale Advertisement (1854)
In September 1854, the Ballygawley estate, amounting to approximately 5,440 acres, was advertised for sale.
The advertisement described:
Ballygawley House and offices as being in excellent modern condition
a substantial rental income
and the estate as one of the most desirable properties in County Tyrone
The sale included:
the house
demesne
townlands
and extensive agricultural lands
Death of Sir Hugh Stewart
Sir Hugh Stewart, 2nd Baronet, died on:
19 November 1854
shortly after the estate sale process had begun.
Incumbered Estates Court Records (1855)
A record preserved at:
PRONI — D4183/23/6 dated 18 January 1855
details the Stewart estate in County Tyrone.
The document refers to:
“The rental and particulars of sale of lands for the estate of Sir Hugh Stewart and John Marcus Stewart in County Tyrone…”
The townlands listed include:
Gortigal
Aghalarg
Gortatray
Edergole
Kiltamnagh
Stroancarbadagh
Tullycunny
Rakeeragh
Creevanmore
Drudgeon
Blacksessogue
Lisanelly
Altcloghfin
Martray
Coolagerry
Killyneery
Armalughey
Cravenny Scotch
The record further notes that:
“Included are maps of the properties for sale.”
These records illustrate the financial pressures affecting the estate during the mid-nineteenth century and form part of the wider restructuring of Irish landed property during this period.
Sir John Marcus Stewart and Continued Development
Following the death of:
Sir Hugh Stewart, 2nd Baronet, on 19 November 1854,
the estate and baronetcy passed to his eldest surviving son:
Sir John Marcus Stewart, 3rd Baronet
(1830–1905)
Sir John Marcus Stewart continued the development and management of the Ballygawley estate during the later nineteenth century.
Estate Improvements (1871)
In 1871, substantial building works were undertaken at Ballygawley Park.
A notice published in the Belfast News-Letter announced proposals for:
the erection of a farmstead
alterations and additions to stables and offices
and the construction of three dwelling houses at Ballygawley
The notice stated:
NOTICE TO BUILDERS
“PROPOSALS WILL BE RECEIVED FOR the erection of a FARMSTEAD, together with Alterations and Additions to the STABLE, OFFICES, and other Works at BALLYGAWLEY PARK, County Tyrone, the seat of Sir John Marcus Stewart, Bart.”
“Also, for the erection of THREE DWELLING HOUSES at BALLYGAWLEY…”
“According to Plans and Specifications to be seen at the Offices of FITZGIBBON LOUCH, Esq., C.E., Architect, 45 Donegall Place, Belfast…”
“The lowest or any Tender will not necessarily be accepted.”
— Belfast News-Letter, 9 May 1871
The works demonstrate that, despite the financial pressures affecting many landed estates during the nineteenth century, Ballygawley Park continued to receive substantial investment under Sir John Marcus Stewart.
The involvement of a Belfast architect and the scale of the improvements suggest that the estate remained an important and active landed property during this period.
Ballygawley in 1904
A detailed article published in the Fermanagh Herald in January 1904 by John Dorrian provides a vivid contemporary account of Ballygawley during the later Stewart period.
Dorrian reflected both on the long history of Ballygawley and on the decline in population and prosperity that had occurred during the nineteenth century.
He observed that:
“Some years ago [the town was] close upon 1,000; and to-day we number, all told, little more than one-fourth of that.”
The article traced the history of the district from the Plantation period through the ownership of:
Lowther
Hamilton
Beresford
and Stewart families
Dorrian also recorded that by 1904:
“Sir John does not now reside at Ballygawley Park though there is a caretaker at the place, and his permanent residence is at Carrickmore Hall…”
This is significant, as it demonstrates that Ballygawley Park had already ceased to function as the principal Stewart residence before the death of Sir John Marcus Stewart in 1905.
The Final Occupation of Ballygawley Park
The 1901 and 1911 Irish census returns show that Ballygawley Park was maintained largely through resident caretakers during its later years.
The caretaker and gardener recorded at the property was:
Joseph Somerville
In 1911 he was additionally described as:
“Pensioner from Regiment 27th Inniskilling Fusiliers.”
The household recorded in 1911 included:
Joseph Somerville
Bridget Somerville
Susan Somerville
Mary Ellen Somerville
Bridget Somerville
Joseph Somerville (junior)
Elizabeth Somerville
Bernard McCavana (boarder)
These records provide a rare glimpse into the final inhabited phase of the estate before its disposal and destruction.
Sale, Fire and Final Destruction
Disposal of Ballygawley Park (1918)
In 1918:
Sir Hugh Houghton Stewart, 4th Baronet
disposed of Ballygawley Park to:
Mr Hugh M’Laurin, J.P., of Messrs M’Laurin Bros., Belfast,
for:
£6,000
The purchaser never occupied the mansion house.
Demolition and Removal of Materials
By 1920, advertisements appeared inviting tenders for the removal of building materials from the mansion.
The notice referred to the large quantities of:
cut stone
slate
lead
and teak wood
used in the construction of the house.
The buildings were to be removed by January 1921.
Dispute Following the Sale
Although Sir Hugh Stewart had disposed of the estate in 1918, a dispute subsequently arose regarding auctioneers’ fees and expenses connected with the transaction.
The matter continued unresolved for several years and was only formally settled in February 1922.
A report in the Northern Whig recorded proceedings before the King’s Bench in Dublin involving:
John and William M’Cann, auctioneers, Aughnacloy
and Brigadier-General Sir Hugh Houghton Stewart, Bart.
The action concerned commission and expenses arising from the sale of Ballygawley Park.
The report stated that:
“The defendant undertook to pay £120 in full discharge of plaintiffs’ claim…”
The proceedings demonstrate that financial and legal matters connected with the disposal of the estate remained unsettled even after the property had passed from Stewart ownership.
Destruction by Fire (1922)
On:
17 February 1922
the mansion at Ballygawley Park was destroyed by fire.
A report in the Belfast News-Letter described the event under the headline:
“Tyrone Incendiarism — Mansion Gutted Near Ballygawley”
The newspaper reported:
“A fine old mansion at Greenhill… was maliciously set on fire yesterday morning and reduced to ashes.”
The building was described as:
unfurnished
unoccupied
and standing within its own demesne about a mile from Ballygawley.
The article noted that the property:
“was formerly the seat of the Stewarts, Co. Tyrone, and was sold in 1918… for £6,000.”
Rumours of Crown Occupation
At the time of the fire, rumours had circulated that Crown forces or the RIC might take over the building for use as barracks.
The newspaper stated that police had recently inspected the property:
“with a view to that purpose.”
It was widely believed locally that the fire was connected to these rumours and that the destruction of the house prevented any possible military occupation.
Although responsibility was commonly attributed to the IRA, no formal public claim appears to have been made.
Circumstances of the Fire
Contemporary reports described:
quantities of hay soaked in petrol placed throughout the house
petrol tins discovered within the building
and the rapid spread of the flames before dawn.
Local Specials and RIC officers who attended the scene were unable to save the building.
Ballygawley Park
Compensation Claim and Local Suspicion
Only days after the fire, a claim for:
£20,000
was lodged in connection with the destruction of the mansion.
The speed and scale of the claim attracted local comment and speculation, particularly as the property had reportedly been purchased for only £6,000 a few years earlier.
While no evidence emerged publicly to contradict the official interpretation of the fire as malicious destruction, rumours persisted locally that there may have been more to the circumstances surrounding the destruction of Ballygawley Park.
Final Disposal
Following the fire, the remains of the mansion and demesne were sold.
The destruction of Ballygawley Park marked the final end of the estate as a major landed seat of the Stewart family in County Tyrone.
The following is a summary of the will of George Shum-Storey of Ham Common, Surrey, proved in 1846 (Public Record Office: PROB 11/2030).
The document provides valuable insight into the structure of the Shum-Storey family, their financial arrangements, and domestic life in the early nineteenth century.
Main Provisions of the Will
George Shum-Storey requested burial in the family vault at St James Chapel, or, if he died further than ten miles away, in a newly purchased vault in the nearest parish.
He directed that all just debts and funeral expenses be paid.
Provision for His Daughters
In accordance with the wishes of his late wife, he instructed that all jewels, trinkets, and valuables (kept either in a mahogany box at the Phoenix Fire Office or at his residence at Ham Common) be sold.
The proceeds were to be divided equally among his four daughters:
Margaret
Marianne
Emily
Eleanor
Alternatively, the daughters could divide the items among themselves.
He left to his daughter Margaret:
his grand piano
all associated music books
and the piano stool
Residence at Ham Common
He expressed the wish that his daughters should continue to reside at the family home at Ham Common.
This arrangement was conditional upon at least two daughters (including Margaret) remaining unmarried or widowed.
If, within three months of his death, the house was no longer required as a residence, it was to form part of the residue of the estate.
Provision for His Sons
To his son Henry Shum, he left £500, noting that Henry had already been “amply provided for” under the will of his grandfather, Robert Storey.
The remainder of the estate was to be divided among his children, with certain conditions:
John Shum was required to repay a loan of £1200 (advanced for his army promotion)
Robert Shum was required to repay loans totalling £3000 (relating to his share in the firm of Pringle & Manisty, Solicitors)
Residue of the Estate
The residue included:
funds from the marriage settlement
stocks held under the will of Robert Storey
stocks from the estate of Mrs Ann Sarvrie (formerly Ann Burk of Blackheath)
These were to be divided equally among the children (excluding Henry).
Executors
The executors appointed were:
Rev. Joseph Cook of Purley
Henry Shum
Robert Shum
Thomas Richter of the Phoenix Fire Office
Additional legacies:
£50 each to Rev. Joseph Cook and Thomas Richter
Codicil
A codicil addressed financial provision for his son Charles Francis Shum, on the occasion of his marriage to Harriet Fenwick.
A marriage settlement of £6000 had already been made
Additional sums of £3000 and £1300 had been advanced
These amounts were to be taken into account as part of Charles’s inheritance under the will.
Proving of the Will
Signed: 9 June 1840
Proved in London: 30 January 1846
Witnesses:
Thomas Dawes
Richard Dawes
Samuel Overton (Messrs Dawes & Sons, Angel Court)
Source
Public Record Office (The National Archives) Reference: PROB 11/2030
The following letters, preserved in the National Archives (J 77/2594/652), relate to the breakdown of the marriage between Olive Vivian Trainor and Captain Wilfred Heyman Joynson–Wreford in 1928.
They provide a rare and direct insight into the circumstances of the separation, revealing both the tone and substance of the relationship at its conclusion.
Letter A
Carter’s Hotel, Albemarle Street, London
Dear Olive,
Your wire arrived yesterday and I answered it. I presume you have left for Cannes by now. Why you should have addressed it to the hotel and not to me I rather fail to understand, though I have a very good idea.
I have thought things over very seriously since I last saw you, and I have come to the conclusion that it is hopeless for you and I to try and continue as we are now. I would have talked to you about it in Paris, but it is useless for you and I to try and argue out anything.
I have asked you before, and I ask you again now, to divorce me.
After all, you are young—in fact we both are—and I cannot see the point of continuing in a marriage which has turned out so disastrously. I do not want you to think that I am unfair—you know yourself that the position is hopeless.
The child I promise you will be looked after, and naturally I shall be responsible for you up to a certain point. That can be arranged by the lawyer. I know a man in Paris who will do everything quietly. I imagine you would prefer it that way.
There is no question of any other woman, although you invariably think so. It is merely incompatibility of temperament, or anything else you like to call it. The last fourteen months have not been pleasant, and I must work to live. I feel I should be far better alone.
I know that this letter will upset you and probably make you furious, but please read it over several times very carefully.
I am leaving here and I am still uncertain as to where I shall be, so will you write to me care of Cran. I only suggest this as I shall be moving quite a bit and can always get him on the telephone and tell him my address.
I am very sorry about everything in many ways, but it is just one of those things that will happen. As a matter of fact, you will be far happier away from me, and I will definitely give you enough to live on. More I cannot do, as you know the state of my finances at the moment.
Everything can be arranged with the lawyer in black and white. Bobbie I will arrange about. At the moment he is with the vet with eczema. I will send you some money this week.
I hope you are both well, and I am very sorry that this should have happened. At such a time as I know it is not good for you or the child. But you must admit that it was all discussed long ago, and you refused to do anything until after the birth of the child.
After all, Olive, when love has ceased to exist it is useless to continue. We have always been great friends, but as husband and wife we are impossible. That much you must admit.
As soon as I hear from you I will get the lawyer to write to you, and the whole thing can be done in Paris quietly and decently.
I wish I could have talked to you about all this instead of writing, but that, as you know, was impossible. I feel now that I want to be alone for the rest of my life. I have tried marriage twice and both have failed, so I shall not try again.
It may all be my fault—if it is, I am sorry.
Tony
Letter B
Carter’s Hotel, Albemarle Street, London Saturday
My dear Olive,
I got your letter this morning and wired you at once. As you particularly want it, I will do as you wish, but I really do not see the point.
I want you, anyway, if you will, to stay away for a month and think things over. I do not want you to be unkind, as I know you are not well, but you must admit that married life, as far as we are concerned, is rather hopeless.
I feel I want to be entirely alone. I really have nothing at all to do with any woman. I tell you this only because I feel it far better that you know the truth.
I will send you some money on Monday—I have none today. I hate to appear unkind, so do not misinterpret my letter.
I hope you are both well.
Tony
You little realise how many worries I have at the moment.
Thank heavens I have work to keep my mind occupied.
Notes
National Archives reference: J 77/2594/652
Spelling and phrasing have been lightly standardised for readability
Content reflects the tone and substance of the original documents
The breakdown of the marriage between Olive Vivian Trainor and Henry Keddey Fletcher led to a series of legal proceedings in the early 1920s. These documents provide insight not only into the marriage itself, but also into contemporary expectations of behaviour, gender, and social conduct.
Petition for Restitution of Conjugal Rights (1921)
In February 1921, Olive petitioned the High Court seeking:
Restitution of conjugal rights
Custody of the children
Further relief as the Court deemed appropriate
Response of Henry Keddey Fletcher
In reply, Fletcher set out a detailed defence, alleging:
Frequent travel and stays in London against his wishes
Socialising and dining with other men
Entertaining guests late into the night
Attendance at night clubs and public amusements
Gambling and financial extravagance
Violent outbursts within the home
Neglect of both husband and children
These claims were presented as justification for his separation from his wife.
Divorce Proceedings (1923)
In 1923, Fletcher petitioned for divorce, alleging that:
Olive Vivian Fletcher had committed adultery at the Grand Hotel, Folkestone, with a man passing as “Mr Fletcher.”
The petition was successful, and the marriage was dissolved. Custody of the children was not granted to Olive.
Associated Proceedings
At the same time, Capt. Wilfred H. J. Joynson-Wreford was himself subject to divorce proceedings, in which Olive was named.
This suggests a direct connection between the two cases.
From Landed Estate to Fragmented Ownership (c.1886–1913)
Introduction
The break-up of the Ecclesville estate was not the result of a single event, but a gradual process shaped by inheritance law, family circumstance, and national land reform.
Between the death of John Stuart Eccles in 1886 and the submission of the estate to the Irish Land Commission in 1913, Ecclesville passed from a unified landed estate into fragmented ownership.
The Estate at Its Height
By the mid-nineteenth century, Ecclesville was a substantial and well-defined landed estate in County Tyrone.
It comprised:
Extensive agricultural lands across multiple townlands
The demesne centred on Ecclesville House
Mills, market interests, and local economic infrastructure
Under John Stewart (or Stuart) Eccles, the estate represented a typical example of a mature Irish landed property.
The Impact of the Entail (1873)
In 1873, John Stewart (or Stuart) Eccles placed the estate under an entail in tail male.
While intended to preserve the estate intact, this had unintended consequences:
No surviving male heir existed at his death in 1886
His daughter, Amy Eccles, became life tenant only
The estate could not be freely managed or restructured
This legal rigidity left the estate poorly positioned to respond to the major changes that followed.
The Irish Land Acts and Structural Change
From the late nineteenth century, the Irish Land Acts fundamentally altered land ownership across Ireland.
At Ecclesville:
Tenants were enabled to purchase their holdings
Land was sold in stages through the Land Commission
The landlord–tenant system steadily declined
These changes did not occur suddenly, but over a period of years, gradually dismantling the estate.
Progressive Sale of the Estate
Between c.1886 and 1913:
Large portions of the estate were sold to occupying tenants
Estate income declined as rental structures disappeared
The geographical unity of the estate was lost
By the early twentieth century:
The Ecclesville estate, as a single territorial entity, had effectively ceased to exist.
The Position by 1913
In 1913, the estate was formally recorded in a Land Commission title (Abstract of Title).
At this stage:
Most of the former estate lands had passed into tenant ownership
Only the house and its immediate demesne remained intact
Crucially:
The demesne followed a separate path from the wider estate
It was retained as a private residential holding
It later passed into the ownership of the Browne-Lecky family
Separation of Estate and Demesne
By the early twentieth century, Ecclesville had divided into two distinct realities:
The Former Estate
Sold and redistributed under the Land Acts
No longer a unified property
Ecclesville House and Demesne
Retained intact
Functioning as a private residence
Independent of the former estate structure
This distinction is essential to understanding the later history of Ecclesville.
Consequences of the Break-Up
The break-up of the estate resulted in:
The end of landlord control over the surrounding lands
The disappearance of the estate as an economic unit
The transformation of tenants into owner-occupiers
The reduction of Ecclesville to a country house with limited lands
Although the house survived, its original context had fundamentally changed.
Relationship to the Entail and Disentailing
The break-up of the estate occurred independently of the legal structure of the entail.
The physical estate was dismantled between c.1886 and 1913
The legal structure of the entail remained in force until 1944
These were separate processes:
The Land Acts reshaped ownership in practice
The disentailing later resolved the legal framework
Historical Significance
The break-up of the Ecclesville estate reflects a wider transformation in Irish history:
The decline of the landed gentry
The redistribution of land to tenants
The dismantling of traditional estate structures
In the case of Ecclesville, this process was shaped both by national reform and by the constraints imposed by inheritance law.
Conclusion
By the early twentieth century, Ecclesville had ceased to exist as a traditional landed estate.
What remained was:
A reduced demesne centred on the house
A network of former estate lands now held by tenants
The break-up of Ecclesville was therefore not an abrupt collapse, but a gradual transition from estate to fragmented ownership — a process completed long before the final legal disentailing of 1944.
MRS. LEILA JOYNSON-WREFORD SESKINORE AGAIN IN MOURNING
The gloom which descended on the district of Seskinore a little more than three months ago by the lamented death of Colonel John Knox M’Clintock, C.B.E., D.L., was intensified in a marked degree on Saturday last by the announcement of the death, after four days’ illness, of Mrs. Leila Joynson-Wreford, only daughter of Mrs. M’Clintock and the late Colonel M’Clintock.
Mrs. Joynson-Wreford was in the prime of life, and her sudden and tragic demise is rendered all the more poignant and melancholy by the fact that she and her husband, Captain Tony Joynson-Wreford, formerly of the Royal Artillery, and a native of Surrey, had just arrived at Seskinore three weeks earlier and were busily engaged putting their charming residence in order. They were looking forward to a very happy future in Seskinore with their little baby daughter, aged 17 months, and it is understood contemplated maintaining the ancestral home of the M’Clintock family in all the dignity, charm, and attractiveness associated with same in the past.
Mrs. Joynson-Wreford had not resided at Seskinore since her girlhood days, but there were many residents of the village and district who loved her in early life and speak of her bright and winsome and happy disposition. Many of such were pleasantly anticipating a renewal of her acquaintanceship, and to them her death, after such a very brief illness, came as a profound shock.
The people of Omagh, Fintona, and Seskinore deeply mourn her death and sympathise with her husband, mother, baby daughter, and all other relatives in the very severe bereavement they have suffered.
The deceased had been wintering in Switzerland when her father passed away and was unable to be present at the funeral, but was represented. She was in excellent health until Tuesday, 26th, when she became seriously ill. The services of Dr. Bradley, Fintona, were requisitioned, and he had her conveyed to Tyrone County Hospital, where she passed away, the fatal malady being meningitis.
PRACTICAL SYMPATHY
The funeral took place on Wednesday afternoon, when all the people of the district, as well as many from Fintona and Omagh, showed their sympathy in the only practical way open to them, by marching in the sad procession from the house to the beautiful little church on the outskirts of the estate and thence to the grave. A striking feature of the funeral was the very large attendance of women-folk, who lined the avenues along which the sad procession passed.
The remains were enclosed in a solid oak coffin, hermetically sealed, and bore the following simple inscription:
“Leila Joynson-Wreford 30th January, 1937.”
Amongst the most prominent people at the funeral were—Mr. W.E. Orr, Clerk of the Crown and Peace; Mr. R.H. M’Coy, Under-Sheriff; Major H. T. Stack, O.B.E.; Captain R. A. Chambers, J.P.; Dr. James Chambers; Dr. F. Bradley; Mr. George Sproule; Mr. R. F. Forbes, Armagh; Rev. W. B. Naylor, M.A., Fintona; Rev. W. J. and Mrs. M’Askie, Seskinore; Major and Mrs. Carleton, Raveagh; Mr. R. Bratton; Mr. J. J. K. Johnston; Mr. Thomas Dick, J.P.; Mr. W. Dick; Mr. W. J. M’Clelland, J.P., Chairman of Omagh Rural Council; Mr. Thomas Johnston, J.P., Chairman of Omagh Urban Council; Mr. John Dickie, solicitor; Mr. M. Johnston, Fintona; etc., etc.
The coffin was conveyed to the church and grave on the simple one-horse lorry used at all funerals of the M’Clintock family for generations, while employees of the estate acted as pall-bearers and carried the coffin from the house, and also at the church and the graveside.
Mr. W. F. Wood, organist of St. Columba’s Church, Omagh, presided at the organ, and several lady members of St. Columba’s choir assisted the local church choir in the musical portion of the solemn funeral service. The hymns were “Abide With Me,” sung as the procession entered the church; “Peace, Perfect Peace,” sung with the congregation kneeling; the 23rd Psalm; and the Nunc Dimittis.
A TOUCHING TRIBUTE
Rev. R. Dougherty, B.A., Rector of Clougherney and Seskinore, conducted the service, and in the course of a short but touching address, said:
“Once more, in what seems more tragic circumstances, we are assembled to pay a last tribute to the memory of a member of the family of Seskinore House. A little more than three months ago we laid to rest the remains of our beloved friend, the late Colonel J. K. M’Clintock. To-day we perform the same sad service for his only daughter, and the dearly loved wife of Captain Joynson-Wreford.
Some of us remember her for only a very short time, but there are many here, and in this part of the country, who knew her in the earlier part of her life. From them we have the pleasing testimony that she possessed one of those gifts of heaven… a happy and unselfish disposition.
We… had looked for it to be fully maintained in the affectionate and maturer deeds of this life which God has so unexpectedly removed. And we are satisfied that no disappointment should have been ours.
The legacy of the traditions of the family, and of her unfulfilled life, she leaves to an affectionate and distracted husband. In him we place a sympathetic undiminished confidence.
Together with him and her mother we all mourn, and to God we commend them and the child.
From here we go to the grave, peculiarly fitting as her last resting place. For, as a little girl, she made a garden on this site… That spot, made sacred by her associations with it when she was a child is now to be sanctified by her abiding presence.”
AN APPROPRIATE RESTING PLACE
The grave is situated in a delightful part of the demesne, not more than 150 yards from the front entrance of Seskinore House, and overlooking the lawns and residence. In this charming spot she loved to wander in her schooldays, and there was probably no other place on earth which could have been more appropriately selected for her last resting place.
The grave was beautifully lined with moss, with 300 bunches of violets and a number of bunches of snowdrops.
Rev. R. Dougherty also conducted the service at the graveside and said the committal prayers. Hundreds of people afterwards paid a visit to the open grave, which was later filled in and covered with upwards of fifty beautiful wreaths.
CHIEF MOURNERS
Capt. Tony Joynson-Wreford (husband); Mrs. M’Clintock (mother); Mrs. Stoney (aunt); Mrs. Sugden; Mrs. J. Wilder; Mrs. Hugh Stewart; Mrs. Ray; Mr. Raymond Browne-Lecky (cousins); Major C. A. M. Alexander, M.C.; Mr. A. M. Alexander, High Sheriff (relatives); Mr. T. F. Maddocks, solicitor, London; Mr. and Mrs. Nichols, London; Mr. J. Hutchinson Strachan, Edinburgh; Mrs. Strachan, Newmarket (close personal friends).
The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. W. T. Quigley, J.P., funeral undertaker, Omagh.
