Humphrys genealogy

Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.


Our common ancestors - Herbert - Contents


Rev. George Augustus Montgomery



Rev. George Montgomery.
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Rev. George Augustus Montgomery,
Church of England cleric,
born 7 Nov 1793.
See Wikitree.
His father, who was the natural son of the 10th Earl of Pembroke, died in Feb 1797 when George was age 3.
He and his sister Elizabeth were supported by their uncle the 11th Earl of Pembroke who paid for them. They may have grown up largely at his houses, Wilton House, Wiltshire, and Pembroke House, London, or at least regularly stayed there.
The account books of 11th Earl, detailed in [Thomas, 2009], show George and Elizabeth more or less grew up with Robert Herbert (future 12th Earl) and his sister. Numerous payments for all their daily needs, trips and education.

George was educ at Winchester College. Entered 1805 (apparently in April, age 11). Paid for by 11th Earl. Account books show 11th Earl frequently visited George at Winchester and gave him money.
Account books show 11th Earl taking Robert Herbert and George to London, entry 7 February 1809.
George stayed at Winchester College until 1811.

He was educ Oriel College, Oxford. Matric 28 May 1813.
See entry on p.971 of vol.3 of Alumni Oxonienses 1715-1886.
He is described as "George Augustus Montgomery of Oriel College in the University of Oxford" in sister's marriage contract 1815.
BA 1817.
He was ordained 1818.
He became a Curate on 2 Apr 1818 for Hungerford, Berkshire. See [Thomas, 2009].
Meanwhile, his widowed mother had gone to live in Paris, where she had an affair and a natural child born on 5 Apr 1818.
George baptised his niece Elizabeth Gibbon at Aberdeen 1819.
MA 1821.

Rector of Bishopstone, Wiltshire, 1821-1842:
He was Rector of Bishopstone, Wiltshire (near Salisbury and Wilton) from 1821 [plaque at church] until his death 1842.
His uncle the 11th Earl of Pembroke gave him this position. (The Earls of Pembroke had the gift of the living for this parish.)
He is listed at Bishopstone at Deed of gift from Sir Alured Clarke in June 1822.
See Aug 1822 letter from his uncle the 11th Earl of Pembroke: "I must say that George has a great deal of merit and promises to make a very good parish priest. He has an unhappy flock to deal with, an ill-built house, and like everybody else a diminishing income, but I perceive in him qualities which I think will enable him to cope with all difficulties and to enjoy all advantages."

He mar 26 June 1827 to Cecilia Markham [born 27 Oct 1792, descendant of Edward I]. No issue.
His uncle the 11th Earl of Pembroke died at the Pembroke town house, Pembroke House, London, on 26 Oct 1827.
See Letter of 7 Nov 1827 that George wrote to his sister Elizabeth from Pembroke House. He says he is going to Wilton: "before I leave this place for Wilton ... The Dowager is beginning to recover from her severe shock. Cecilia and myself go there next week for some time".
The 11th Earl left him £9,000 in his will. See extract. From Gibbon papers.

Prebendary of Ruscombe Southbury, 1828-1842:
From 3 Feb 1828 [Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae] until his death in 1842 he held the ancient title of "Prebendary of Ruscombe Southbury" at nearby Salisbury Cathedral (sometimes referred to as "the Cathedral Church of Sarum").
For definition of "Prebendary" see here and here.
His gravestone at Bishopstone church also lists him as "Rural Dean of Wilton" [this means he was a supervisor of the clergy in Wilton parish].
George and Cecilia were wealthy and childless. They travelled extensively abroad, in the Mediterranean region.
Cecilia was a skilled artist. On her travels she painted and drew scenes and buildings. See art by Cecilia Montgomery.

As at 1834 they were living at Nunton House, S of Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Maybe they were rebuilding the rectory at Bishopstone.
In Jan 1834 Cecilia's brother George Markham died at Cecilia's house at Nunton.
Rev. George built the new rectory at Bishopstone, possibly in 1834-1842. He also built the church porch.
Rev. George's will dated 13 June 1835.
[Sorowka, 2021, p.20] says he restored Bishopstone church in 1836 to 1839.
Two codicils to his will, 4 Apr 1837.
He left money to build a school in Bishopstone, and money to repair the church.
The school was actually built during his life, i.e. 1837-1842.

Travel in Portugal and Spain, 1838:
They travelled in May and June 1838 in Portugal and Spain. Cecilia's sister Henrietta went with them. See [Sorowka, 2021].
Cecilia made drawings in Andalusia and in Portugal, predominantly of religious architecture. These drawings survive.
[Sorowka, 2021] says these works "arguably make her the first female artist-traveller in the south of Spain. ... Some drawings are the earliest known representations of certain views, while others are unique records of lost buildings."
At time of his death in 1842, Rev. George is Rector of Bishopstone, living at Bishopstone.

Rev. George dies in accident, 1842:
He died in an accident at 1.30 pm, Thur 1 Dec 1842, age 49 yrs, at East Grafton, Wiltshire (confusingly next to another place called Wilton, some distance to the N of Salisbury, see map). He was inspecting the construction of the new church at East Grafton when there was a collapse and he was hit by (an estimated 3 tons of) falling masonry.
See report in Salisbury and Wiltshire Herald, 2 Dec 1842. This says: "The loss of so good, so truly pious, so exemplary a man, even under the ordinary circumstances incidental to our common nature must have been deeply and severely felt by all around him; but there is something inscrutable to mortal comprehension in that awful - nay, appalling - dispensation of Providence, by which a life so thoroughly devoted to the service of God, and to the good of his fellow-creatures, was in an instant terminated, - even whilst he was engaged in the pious duty of inspecting the progress made in the erection of a new Church".
See report in Salisbury and Winchester Journal, Sat 3 Dec 1842.
Letter of 10 Dec 1842 refers to "his late unfortunate decease".
In his will he had asked to be buried in tomb inside Bishopstone church.

He left nothing to his sister Elizabeth Gibbon. He had no children, but his wife and mother were alive.
Arthur Gibbon almost immediately wrote in letter of 20 Dec 1842 to George's widow, complaining that his wife has been left nothing from her brother, out of the inheritance from their father. Arthur asserts that: "Mr. Montgomery being childless had no right to alienate from his sister and her children the part of his father's property never in his possession .."
George's will was proved 25 Feb 1843, Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
His legacy was implemented by deeds, all dated 12 July 1843.

Cecilia lived on for decades.
[Letter from 16th Earl] says Cecilia was a great friend of Lady Herbert of Lea (Elizabeth à Court-Repington, who married into the Herbert family in 1846) and also of Florence Nightingale (friend of the Herbert family after 1847).
Letter of 13 Nov 1851 says Cecilia is again at Nunton House.
Cecilia writes letter of 13 Jan 1855 from Northerwood, Lyndhurst, Hampshire. This was her late stepfather John Pulteney's house.
She wrote letter of 15 May 1856 from Nunton House to her nephew Arthur Augustus Gibbon.
Cecilia's will dated 14 Apr 1866, codicil 20 Nov 1868.

Cecilia dies, 1879:
She died at Nunton House, 9 Dec 1879, age 87 yrs.
Buried 15 Dec 1879 with husband at Bishopstone. See index.
Arthur Augustus Gibbon travelled to Bishopstone on 15 Dec 1879.
Her will proved 6 January 1880.






Unknown, possibly Rev. George Montgomery as a young man.
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Label "Revd. G. Augustus Montgomery" and signature on a book.
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The book is a life of Porteus, Bishop of London, pub 1810.
See title page.



George and Cecilia visiting the Alhambra, Granada, Spain, in 1838.
From p.18 of 1829-1839 volume of the Alhambra visitors' book.
Signed: "George Augustus Montgomery, Cecilia Montgomery, Henrietta Alicia Markham. 15 June 1838."

  



Death of Rev. George Augustus Montgomery.
From pp.433-434 of The Gentleman's Magazine, vol.XIX, Jan-June 1843.
Interesting that his father is only "supposed to be" of the family of Herbert.

  


References

  

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