Ernest Hanbury (buried 1927)

At a glance

At a glance
Surname: 
Hanbury
First name: 
Ernest
Other Christian names: 
Osgood
Gender: 
Male
Children: 
Unknown
Burial number: 
1303
Born: 
28/3/1852
Died: 
29/07/1927
Buried: 
02/08/1927
Occupation: 
Brewer
Heene Hallmark: 
No
Commonwealth War Grave: 
No

The Grave

The grave
Cemetery area: 
NB
Cemetery row: 
18
Cemetery plot: 
2
Burial remains: 
Unknown
The headstone
Endowed grave: 
No
Headstone inscription: 
Lucy Anne Hanbury 1875-1925 Ernest Osgood Hanbury 1852-1927 "She was most tender, wise and selfless" "My heart went out to thee! as the river to the sea, my heart will cling to thee, Thro' time and thro' eternity E.O.H. "An emblem choice of purity is thy perfect form to me, blest beacon! Tho' afar!"

Life story

Life story

Ernest was born in Clapham, the son of Philip and Elizabeth Christina. He was baptised at Christ Church, Streatham Hill on 12th May 1852. Philip Hanbury was a wealthy banker and by 1861 the family were living in Reigate, Surrey. Their staff comprised of a butler, page, cook, nurse and four servants. 

Jude Hanbury beer bottle label
Jude Hanbury beer bottle label

In 1870, Ernest went into partnership with John Beal Jude to form a brewing company Jude Hanbury and Co. 

On 5th May 1875, Ernest married Clara Martha Whitehead at St Matthew's church, Redhill. Their first child Muriel was born in 1876 (died 1883), followed by Cecile in 1877, Philip in 1880, Gladys in 1881, Dorothy in 1882 and Selby in 1886. The marriage was not a happy one as Ernest suffered from a psychological condition which caused mood changes and odd behaviour. Between 1884 and 1900, he spent several months at a time in private asylums. He was a regular patient at "Moorcroft" in Hillingdon, usually spending three months there each time. Clara first petitioned for divorce in 1884 but the case was dismissed in August 1885. She tried again in 1886 but was again dismissed in 1888. Her final petition was in 1891 and this was granted on 20th December 1892 on account of Ernest's cruelty and adultery. After the divorce, matters calmed down and the business flourished. Jude Hanbury and Co applied to build a Railway Hotel at Southborough, Kent  and established the Kent Brewery at Wateringbury. On 19th November 1896, Ernest married Lucy Ann Edwards at the British Embassy in Paris. The couple settled in Worthing, living at "Amatola" in Shakespeare Road. In 1905, they went on a World cruise visiting Hong Kong, Canada and the United States. They sometimes spent their winters in Madeira. In 1924, Ernest published a book of poems "Night's Triumphs, Songs of Nature". In this year, Ernest and Lucy moved to "Hardwicke" in Tennyson Road. Lucy died on 19th December 1925 and was buried at Heene. Ernest died on 29th July 1927. Probate was granted on 10th October to Philip Hanbury and Arthur Gregory Whitting esquires. Effects £34396 13s 4d. 

Jude Hanbury and Co was bought by Whitbread in 1929. It ceased to brew in 1933. 

The fallout from the divorce case went on for some years after 1892, even being discussed in the House of Lords. This was due to arguments over maintenance costs for the children.

Burial researcher: 
Carol Sullivan

Further information

Birth
Date born: 
28/03/1852
Marriage
Marriage 1
Spouse one first names: 
Clara Martha
Spouse one last name: 
Whitehead
Marriage one date: 
05/05/1875
Marriage one address: 
Redhill, Surrey, England
Marriage 2
Spouse two first names: 
Lucy Ann
Spouse two last name: 
Edwards
Marriage two date: 
19/11/1896
Marriage two address: 
Paris, France

Death

Death (details)
Date of death: 
29/07/1927
Age (at time of death): 
74
Cause of death: 
Unknown
Address at time of death: 
Hardwicke, Tennyson Road, Worthing, Sussex, England
Personal effects
Probate pounds: 
£34,396

Census and miscellaneous information

Census information
1861 census: 

Reigate Foreign, Surrey

Philip aged 50, banker. Elizabeth aged 43. Theodore aged 11. Ernest aged 9. Albert aged 7. Alfred aged 5. Clothilde aged 2. Mary Mackenzie aged 48, sister, widow. Osgood Mackenzie aged 18, nephew. Walter Hanbury aged 25, nephew, insurance broker. Plus butler, page, cook, nurse and four servants.

1881 census: 

The Firs, Teston Village, Kent.

Ernest aged 29, brewer. Clara aged 27. Muriel aged 5. Cecile aged 3. Philip aged 1. Gladys aged 1 month. Plus a cook, 2 nurses, groom and 1 servant.

1891 census: 

Hay House, Pitminster, Staplehay, Somerset.

Ernest aged 39, brewer. Staying with his brother Albert, brewer and family.

1901 census: 

"Amatola" Shakespeare Road, Worthing.

Ernest aged 49, brewer. Lucy aged 25. Sara Duckworth aged 48, mother-in-law, visitor, piano forte dealer. Plus 1 servant.

1911 census: 

"Amatola" Shakespeare Road, Worthing.

Ernest aged 59, private means. Lucy Ann aged 35. Plus 2 servants.

1921 census: 

2 Shakespeare Road, Worthing, Sussex

First name(s) Last name Relationship to head Sex Birth year Age Birth place Occupation Employer
Ernest Osgood Hanbury Head Male 1852 69 Brixton, Middlesex Brewer Retired -
Lucy Ann Hanbury Wife Female 1876 44 Liverpool, Lancashire - -
Grace Mabel Ashton Servant Female 1905 15 Tonbridge, Kent - Private
Miscellaneous information

Hanbury Trial pen and ink drawing
Hanbury Trial pen and ink drawing

The Penny Illustrated 19th March 1892

Hanbury v Hanbury The petition was that of the wife for a divorce by reason of the alleged cruelty and adultery of her husband Mr Ernest Osgood Hanbury, partner in a brewery at Wateringbury in Kent. He denied the charges and pleaded that if the acts alleged were committed, he was a lunatic at the time and not responsible for his actions. The was also a plea of condonation. Mrs Hanbury, the petitioner, expressed the opinion that if he drank no more, he would never again be insane. Practically all the evidence heard on Monday had reference to the respondent’s state of mind and was put forward in support of his plea that he was a lunatic when the alleged acts of cruelty and adultery were committed. Witnesses agreed in reply to questions by the President, that drink was not the primary cause of Mr Hanbury’s insanity. Dr Henry Davy gave evidence as to Mr Hanbury suffering from acute mania and his having delusions. The respondent represented that he was a great personal friend of Mr Gladstone and that he was a great poet and a great musician. He announced his intention of being returned to Parliament and began to write a poem about Gladstone being "great and good" (laughter). Whenever he was going to write poetry, that was the premonitory symptom of an attack (laughter) after which he became metamorphosed. Very speedily did Sir Charles Butt and a special jury dispose of the case. St James’s Gazette 22nd March 1892 The Hanbury Divorce Suit To the Editor of the St James’s Gazette Sir I notice in a paragraph of your paper of yesterday’s date you draw attention to the divorce suit just ended (Hanbury v Hanbury). As a brother to the respondent may I claim your indulgence for a few lines in your valuable paper? To my idea and I hope to many others, the finding of the jury was contrary to all reason and against the most weighty evidence. First, it was proved by six doctors, two of whom are the greatest authorities in London (Dr Maudsley and Dr Savage, specialists on the brain), that my brother was undoubtedly afflicted with a disease of the brain known as "la folie circulaire" a specific type of recurrent mania and that when the attack was on him, he was not responsible for his actions. Secondly, that drink could not cause such disease but that some hereditary taint of the nervous system must have existed, which eventually terminated in his case in this awful malady. There can be no doubt that this disease was developed in March 1883, at the time of the severe illness of his eldest child (I may say his favourite child) the subsequent death of whom drove him quite mad. I was at the funeral and considered him quite out of his mind. The jury seemed to have reasoned that he was not mad, excepting when he was actually in the madhouse. It was proved by the nurse and other witnesses that during the intervals of the outbreak, he was of a most kindly disposition, and there could have been brought into court many other witnesses to have sworn that my poor brother is and always has been of a sensitive, loving and charitable nature to all mankind and also further, he was a most indulgent husband. Before closing this letter, I should like to add that my brother has been of extremely delicate health since babyhood and has had three serious falls- one as a baby from a bed; another when about four years of age, from a pony-chaise; and then later on at about eighteen years, from a drag. He was then picked up insensible. When a boy of about twelve years, I was at school with him for a year during which time he suffered intensely from religious mania and extreme absence of mind, show that even then his brain was affected. Was that from drink? I was with him at our old home continually after he left school till he was married, at the age of twenty-three years; and I can swear that he was always most temperate- in fact very abstemious- but suffering poor fellow, constantly from ill health (dyspepsia and weak heart) and seldom appeared in good spirits, but melancholy and depressed, not seeming capable of enjoying life. I am Sir, your obedient servant Frederick Barclay Hanbury 13 Lisgar Terrace, West Kensington.