Worthing Gazette – Wednesday May 26th 1897

Funeral of Lady Hatherton
The remains of the Late Dowager Lady Hatherton, widow of the First Baron Hatherton, whose death occurred at her residence, Laerdal, Wordsworth Road, Worthing, during the night of the 16th inst., were interred at the Heene Burial Ground on Thursday, the first part of the public service taking place at Holy Trinity Church. The coffin which was of unpolished oak with plain brass furniture, was conveyed from the residence of the deceased lady on a mourning car and there was a long line of mourning coaches, the principal mourners being:-
First Carriage – Mr P.A. Hurt (brother), Sir R.B. Martin, Bart. (nephew), Mr H.A. Hubbersty (nephew), and Lord Hatherton (step Grandson).
Second Carriage – Captain the Hon. A.C. Littleton R.N., the Hon. H.S. Littleton and Major the Hon. A. Lambart (step Grandsons), and Mr. Bromley-Davenport M.P. (nephew).
Third Carriage – Mr H.A. Baily (nephew), the Rev. F.W.A. Wilkinson (St. John’s, Chelsea), and the Rev. J. Andrews Reeve (Rector of Lambeth)
Fourth Carriage – Mr. Melvill Green, the Rev. W. Pettit (St Paul’s, Shanklin), the Rev. A. Dexter (Royal Naval College), and Mr R.B. Hosking, R.N.
Fifth Carriage – Drs. F. Hinds and W.A. Gosling (the deceased’s late medical advisors)
Sixth Carriage – Mr. E.R. Montesole, Mr Houston (deceased’s amanuensia), Mr Diggens, and Mr J.H. Faulkner.
On arriving at Holy Trinity Church the procession was met at the main entrance by the Rev. E.K. Elliott (Rector of Broadwater), the Rev. Dr. Springett (Rector of West Tarring), the Rev. C.E. Haynes (Vicar of Holy Trinity), the Rev. E.W. Taylor Jones, and the Rev. W. Herbert Wright (Vicar of St George’s, Worthing) who led the way up to the chancel, the Rev. C.E. Haynes reading the opening sentences of the Burial Service meanwhile. Following on the customary Psalms, the Rector of Broadwater read the lesson, and the service at the church then terminated with the singing of the hymn “Now the labourer’s task is o’er”. On leaving the church the procession returned along Shelley Road to the Heene Cemetery, where the concluding part of the burial service was conducted by the Rev. C.E. Haynes. The inscription on the coffin ran as follows “Caroline Anne, Dowager Baroness Hatherton, born April 1st 1809 died May 16th 1897. In accordance with the wish of the deceased the funeral was of the simplest character, and no flowers were sent, but the respect and esteem in which the deceased lady was held in the neighbourhood were testified to by a numerous gathering of residents, both at the church and cemetery, among those who attended to pay a last tribute of respect being the Rev. C.G. Battiscombe, the ex-Mayor (Councillor W.H.B. Fietebar, Mr. W.F. Verrall and Mr. Prior (Churchwardens of Holy Trinity), Commander Warleigh, R.N., Mr. C.H. Aldridge, Alderman Cookery, Mr Tawell, Herr Schutz, Miss Hinds, Secretary, and the two nurses of the Worthing and District Nursing Association (of which the deceased was the First President), and the following member of the Worthing Branch of the British Womens Temperance Association (of which her ladyship was Vice President), Mrs Wileman, Mrs Handy, Mrs H. Wright, Miss Blomfield, Miss Lund, and Mrs. C.H. Aldridge (Secretary), Mr Hargood was prevented by the death of his brother-in-law from attending.
LADY HATHERTON’S PHILANTHROPIC AND CHARITABLE WORK – Interesting accounts of philanthropy and charity in which the late Dowager Lady Hatherton was engaged during her long life. The Isle of Whight Guardian says:- “It is now nearly thirty years ago that she came to Shanklin, which was just rising into prominence as an attractive watering-place, and there are not many left who knew her personally. From the first she took an active interest in all affairs relating to the town, and by her personal character, as well as by her liberality and influence, she did all she could to promote the welfare of the place and its inhabitants. There was not a single good institution or worthy movement to which she did not afford valuable assistance, and thoroughness was a characteristic of all she did, whether of a personal or public kind. Her sympathies were as wide as her heart was warm and her hand ready to help. Those who knew her best revered and loved her.
THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS – When the growth of Shanklin necessitated the building of the National Schools, she contributed the noble sum of £2300 towards the fund and warmly supported the Rev. G.W. Southouse, then rector, and the late Lord of the Manor Mr White Popham, who married her niece and gave the site. In providing the best elementary education of the place later on when it became evident that the accommodation of these schools could not suffice for the rapid increase of the population in the Batten end of the town, Lady Hatherton again came to the rescue and for several years before the Board Schools in Sandown were erected she paid for the maintenance of an infant school in the temporary room then attached to St Paul’s Church (which room she herself had built) all the three parishes of Shanklin had reason to remember her benevolent assistance with gratitude.
THE CHURCHES – Her Ladyship, we are told, contributed largely to the funds of St Saviour’s Church on the Cliff both at and after this erection, twenty-seven years ago, but it is St Paul’s parish that has most reason to bless and cherish her memory, that being the district in which nearly all the people resided who interested her and most needed her help, for Lady Hatherton was one whose delight it was to succour the weak and struggling. When that district was first formed into a separate parish, and it was resolved to replace the temporary iron church by a permanent edifice she was the largest contributor to the funds for this erection raised by the late Rev. J.W. Grane, incumbent-designate. who died just before the building was consecrated. We are given to understand that her donations amounted to more than £2000. On the appointment of the current vicar, the Rev. W. Pettitt, who was the first incumbent of the church, this noble lady supplemented the small income of the church by an annual subscription of £200 for six years, besides giving £800 toward the erection of this vicarage, and until she left Shanklin she regularly attended St Paul’s Church and supported its funds. More recently when, eight year ago, the second half of the church was built, Lady Hatherton not only took great interest in the work but became personally responsible to the builder till the necessary funds should be raised, and we understand that she contributed over £1000 to the cost in order that the vicar and his committee might not be involved in debt.
THE NEW PARISH ROOM – Only a week before her death she signed and sent a cheque of £50 for the new Parish Room now being erected close to St Paul’s Church as a memorial of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
INTEREST IN SHANKLIN – Though it is now more than eighteen years since she was obliged through considerations of health to leave this place, she never ceased to feel a friendly interest in the welfare and progress of Shanklin. Her death will be felt by many here as a great loss.
OTHER BOUNTIES – Nor was Shanklin the only place indebted to her friendly benevolence. In Staffordshire, in Cornwall, in London, and in Sussex her charities were numerous. Her servants and dependents all found in her a kind friend as well as a good employer. She did “justice, loved mercy, and walked humbly with God”
HER CHARACTER – It was not merely the munificence of her pecuniary gifts that excited admiration but her personal worth, her genuine and practical piety, combined with intellectual powers of no mean order. Her unselfishness of aim, her sympathy with those who were in trouble, and her resourcefulness and faithfulness, all made one feel that she was no ordinary character. It may truly be said of her, “she was a succouress of many”. The money that she gave away, large as it was, was the least part of her charity. While she lived here, she was accessible to all, and freely resorted to by everyone in trouble. Any real case of distress never appealed to her in vain; her friendly advice as well as charity was at their disposal. She assisted many a struggling one who could not get on at home to emigrate to the Colonies in hope of a fresh and better start in life. Many a poor youth and maiden have by Lady Hatherton’s timely aid been able to improve their education and so rise to a higher position that they would otherwise have done.
OFF BLESSED MEMORY – Her memory will be ever fresh in Shanklin where so many memorials remain to testify of her Christian work. She seemed always to have acted up to the Scriptural precept, “Charge them who are rich in this world, that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate”. Lady Hatherton died at the advanced age of 88. It may be truly said of her that she rests from her labours and her works do follow her.
HER LADYSHIP’S LIFE AT CAPESTHORNE – The Macclesfield Courier and Herald also testifies to the large-heartedness and unceasing benevolence of the deceased lady. As the wife of the late Mr Edward Davenport, M.P., who was a highly cultural scholar, she was very active in well-doing. After the death of her husband she followed in his career, interesting herself in the enlightened development of the Capesthorne estate to the benefit of agriculture generally. Mrs Davenport assisted in education work of the district, and helped the movements which resulted in the establishment of baths and wash-houses for the poor. She lent her aid, indeed, to every object calculated to increase the happiness of those around her. The Infirmary of Macclesfield and other charitable institutions were recipients of her bounty. On her marriage with the Right Hon. Lord Hatherton she continued to exercise her constant regard for the health and domestic comfort of those employed on the Teddesley estate, and she set the example of erecting several model cottages. Few noblemen have a finer example of a well-managed estate than that of Teddesley; this made her second marriage a very happy one. Mrs Davenport was most hospitable, but there are very few left to cherish the pleasant memories of her exemplary life in Capesthorne.
HER LADYSHIP’S LITERARY TASTES – An article by “One who knew her” published in the Cornish Telegraph, while testifying to the bounty of the deceased lady in many directions, says “Lady Hatherton was a woman of many and great accomplishments, and those who knew her half a century ago describe her as a most fascinating woman, and as having then been generally admitted to be the most charming lady in Europe, with the imposing bearing and grace of a queen, and intellectual gifts far beyond the average of her sex. Knowing as she did more or less intimately, all the highest and brightest names in English politics, literature, and art, during over three-quarters of a century, from Samuel Rogers, the poet, downwards, it is to be deeply regretted she has left no permanent record of her impressions, for such a record would have been of the greatest interest. She dictated, it is true, a few of her recollections, but these are only a scrap, a fragment from her great storehouse.”