CHAPTER XXI
ALFRED HARMSWORTH AND GERALDINE MARY
MAFFETT HIS WIFE AND THEIR DESCENDANTS
Geraldine Mary Maffett, b. 24 Dec 1838, 7th
dau. of William Maffett (the younger, Chap XX), m. 21 Sep 1864 Alfred
Harmsworth, b. 3 Jul 1837 (ob. 16 Jul 1889); Barrister-at-Law Mid Temple,
London, only son of Charles Harmsworth
of London. Their children were:-
(1)
The Right Hon. Sir Alfred Charles William
Harmsworth, b. 16 Jul 1865, at Chapelizod, Co. Dublin; Viscount Northcliffe of St. Peter's in the
Co of Kent; creation 23 Nov 1917; Baron
Northcliffe of the Isle of Thanet, creation 23 Dec 1905 ; and a Baronet of the United Kingdom; m. 11
April 1880, Mary Elizabeth G.B.E., dau. of Robert Milner, Esq., of Kidlington
Oxon.;
(2)
Geraldine Adelaide Hamilton Harmsworth,
of whom presently;
(3)
The Right Hon, Sir Harold Sidney Harmsworth, Visct. Rothermere, of whom
presently;
(4)
Cecil Bisshop Harmsworth, of whom presently;
(5)
Sir Robert Leicester Harmsworth, of whom presently;
(6) Hildebrand Aubrey Harmsworth, of whom
presently;
(7)
Albert St. John Harmsworth. b. 19 May 1876; B.A. Christ Church, Oxon.;
(8)
Vyvyan Geo. Harmsworth, of whom presently;
(9)
Violet Grace Harmsworth, of whom presently;
(10)
Christabel Rose Harmsworth, of whom presently.
Geraldine Adelaide Hamilton Harmsworth,
m. 12 Feb 1891, Sir Lucas White King, Knt, son of Deputy Surgeon General Henry
King, Indian Medical service, Madras; educated at Ennis Coll. and Dublin
University Exhibitioner, and Honourman, Trin. Coll., Dublin, where he took the
degrees of B.A. and LL.B. (1878) and LL.D. (1896). Entered Indian Civil Service 1878, and has since held, among
others, the following appointments: Assist. Resident, Mysore (1887); First
Assistant of the A.G.G., Central India (1888); Deputy Coms. Derah Ismail Khan
(1890-95); Political Officer, Zhob Valley Field Force (1890); Political
Officer, Waziristan Field Force, 1894 (despatches, medal and clasp); Boundary
Officer Indo-Afghan Demarcation Commission, 1895; Deputy Comr. Peshawar, 1895;
Deputy Comr. Kohat, 1897-1900; Political Officer Kohat-Kurram Filed Force, and
subsequently of the Tirah Expeditionary Force, 1897-98 (despatches, medal with
three clasps, C.S.I.); Deputy Comr. Kangra; Comr. Lahore; Comr. Salt Revenue
Northern India; Comr. Multan; Comr. Rawalpindi; Coronation (Durbar) Medal 1902;
resigned I.C.S.; Professor of Oriental languages, Dublin University, 1905; J.P.
Co. Dublin, 1906; Publications : Brochures on Oriental Numismatics, and
Monograph on the Orazkai Country and Clans.
Knight Bachelor 1919; Companion
of the Star of India, 1898; F.S.A.
Member of the following Societies:
Antiquaries of London; Antiquaries of Ireland; Royal Asiatic: Royal
Dublin; and Royal Irish Academy. Their
children were:-
(1)
Elinor Mary Kathleen King;
(2)
Sheila Geraldine King, m. 22 Mar 1917, at St. Thomas's Church, Foster Avenue
(Parish of Taney), Co. Dublin, John Blyth Falls, Lieutenant, Royal Navy.
(3)
Lucas Henry St. Aubyn King, educate at Winchester Coll.; Lieut. King's Royal
Rifles. Killed in action at Ypres in
Flanders 8 May 1915. Memorial Brass in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
(4)
Enid Madeleine King, m. 5 April 1920, at St. Thomas's Church, Foster Avenue,
near Dublin, Herbert Bland Stokes, youngest son of Sir Gabriel Stokes, K.C.S.I.
and May Florence his wife, eldest da. of James Franklin Fuller, F.S.A., of
Glashnacree, Co. Kerry-(see Burke's L.G.).
H.B. Stokes obtained a commission in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 23
Sep 1914; Capt May 1915; Adjutant; Staff Capt.; went to France January 1916,
where he served as Brigade Bombing Officer; very seriously wounded 10 April
1916; demobilised, with permanent rank of Capt. 9 Jan 1919.
(5) Cecil Harmsworth King. Educated at
Winchester Coll. and Christ Church, Oxon.
(6) Alfred Curzon White King. Educated at
Winchester Coll. Lost in the sinking of R.M.S. "Leinster" by a German
submarine in the Irish Channel, 10 Oct 1918, aged 15.
(7) Geraldine Sophie White King.
The Right Hon. Sir Harold Sidney
Harmsworth, b. 26 Apr 1868; Viscount Rothmere, creation April 1919, Baron
Rothmere of Hemstead in the county of Kent; creation 17 Jan 1914 and a Baronet
of the United Kingdom; m. 4 Jul 1893. Mary Lilian, dau. of George Wade Shore,
Esq., of Forest Hill, Surrey. Their
children were:
(a)
The Honourable Harold Vyvyan St. George Harmsworth, b. on 2 Aug 1894; educated
at Fonthill and Eton, Irish Guards; 2nd Lieut. August 1914; Lieut.
Nov 1014; Capt. Jan 1917. Was
Aide-de-camp to Field Marshall Lord French. 1917. Served in France; three times wounded; severely wounded at
Cambrai in Nov 1917; died in London, 12 Feb 1918; was awarded the M.C. but the
announcement only appeared after his death.
The official report of the services for which the ward was conferred
states; "In an attack he led his company forward under heavy fire, and
himself put out of action two enemy machine guns. It was entirely due to his
splendid example that his company reached their objective."
(b) The Honourable Vere Sidney Tudor Harmsworth,
b. 25 Sep 1895; educated at Osborne and Dartmouth Naval College. Entered the Royal Navy as a Midshipman. Retired in consequence of deafness caused by
gunfire: took service in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in which he was a
Lieut.; was present at the bombardment of Antwerp, October 1914; was interned in Holland, from whence he
escaped; served at Gallipoli and in France, and was killed in action at the Battle
of Ancre, 13 Nov 1916. The Commanding
Officer of his battalion (the Drake Battalion of the Royal Naval Division)
wrote of him, "The men of his battalion who survived the action are
thrilled with pride in his name. He led
his company in the attack on the first German trenches. He saw that these were cleared of the
Germans, and advanced with a number of men on the second line. In or near this line he was again wounded,
this time on the right shoulder. Almost
immediately he got up and collected such men as were near him, and led the
attack on the third line. Just before
reaching it he was hit by a shell, and instantly killed. During the greater part of this time he was
commanding the attacking line, and by his endurance and courage got the men
forward at a critical juncture."
His father founded the Vere Harmsworth Chair of Naval History at
Cambridge in his memory, November, 1918.
(c)
The Honourable Esmond Cecil Harmsworth, b. 26 May 1898; educated at Eton;
Lieut. Royal Marine Artillery, May 1917.
M.P. for Thanet Division of Kent, 1919.
Cecil Bisshop Harmsworth, b. 28 Sep 1869.
M.A. Trin. Coll., Dublin; M.P. for Droitwich from 1906 to 1910, and for Luton
Division of Beds. from 1911; Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 1919; m. 28
April 1897, his cousin Emilie Alberta Maffett.
Their children were:-
(1)
Cecil Alfred Harmsworth, b. 20 Mar 1895; ob. 8 Feb 1899.
(2)
Cecil Desmond Bernard Harmsworth, b. 19 Aug 1903; educated at Eton.
(3)
Eric Beauchamp Northcliffe Harmsworth, b. 28 Aug 1905; educated at Eton;
(4)
Stella Mary Harmsworth, b. 4 Aug and ob 7 Oct 1899.
(5)
Daphne Cecil Rosemary Harmsworth.
Sir Robert Leicester Harmsworth, b. 1 Nov
1870; M.P. for Caithnessshire from 1900.
Baronet of the United Kingdom; m. 13 Feb 1892, Annie Louise, da. of the
late Thomas Scott, Esq., of Cornard, Suffolk, and Wandsworth Common. Their children are:-
(1)
Alfred Leicester St. Barbe Harmsworth, b. 1892. Joined 9th London Regt. (Queen Victoria's Rifles) 2 Sep 1914; appointed Lance-Corpl. Jan 1915;
Commissioned 2nd Lieut. in the Gloucester Regt. 18 Jan 1915. Severely wounded at Thiepval during the
Battle of the Somme, 15 Aug 1916. Ten
months in hospital at Boulogne, Fishmongers Hall, London, and Brighton;
promoted 1st Lieut. 1st July 1917; Assistant
Private Secretary to the Under Secretary of State for War (The Rt. Hon.
Ian Macpherson, M.P.) Aug 1917 to 18 May 1918;
Department Director General Movements and Railways May to Sep 1918; promoted Capt. as Assistant Embarkation
Staff Officer 12 Sep 1918; invalided
out owing to ill-health caused by his wounds 8 Feb 1919.
(2)
Harold Cecil Aubrey Harmsworth, b. 1897.
Joined Oxford University O.T.C. in Jan 1916; joined St. John's Wood Royal Horse Artillery Officers Cadet
School 28 Oct 1916; Commissioned 2nd Lieut. Royal Garrison
Artillery 20 Apr 1917; joined 493 Siege Battery R.G.A., Sep 1917; transferred
to Royal Marine Artillery 28 Mar 1918;
promoted 1st Lieut. 20 Apr 1918; joined 3rd Royal Marine Battn. at Mudros, 4 Aug
1918. Service with 3rd R.M.
Battn. at Mudros, Imbros, Dardanelles, the Bosphorus and at Sebastopol, the
Crimea, Russia. Returned home for
demobilisation Feb, 1919.
(3)
Robert Lovel St. John Harmsworth, b. 1898;
served in Oxford University O.T.C.
Rejected for military service owing to ill-health;
(4)
Arthur Geoffrey Anesley Harmsworth, b. 1904;
(5)
Annie Mary Geraldine ;
(6)
Violet Lilian Rosemary Harmsworth;
(7)
Margaret Rosabelle Harmsworth.
Hildebrand Aubrey Harmsworth, b. 15 Mar
1872; Merton Coll., Oxon.; m. 4 Jul 1900, Kathleen Mary dau. of E.
Denny Berton, M.B., C.M., Edinburgh, of St. John's, New Brunswick, and
London. Their children are:-
(1)
Hildebrand Alfred Beresford Harmsworth, b. 27 May 1901;
(2) Ronald Aubrey Leicester Harmsworth, b. 23
Nov 1902;
(3) Chamberlain Michael Hildebrand Harmsworth,
b. 3 Dec 1903,
(4)
Perceval Anthony Thomas Hildebrand Harmsworth, b. 29 Dec 1907.
Vyvyan George Harmsworth, b. 16 April 16
April 1881; educated at Charterhouse
and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. Served in
the Army Service Corps 1915-1918; m. 6 Jun 1906, Constance Gwendoline Mary,
dau. of C. W. Catt, Esq., of the Outlands, Driffield, Derby. Their children are:-
(1)
St, John Bernd. Vyvyan Harmsworth, b. 28 Nov 1912;
(2) Charles Alfred St. John Peter Harmsworth, b.
6 Jul 1914;
(3) Stanley George Michael St. John Harmsworth,
b. 13 Oct 1916.
Violet Grace Harmsworth, m. 7 March 1906.
Wilfred Hubert Wild, son of the Rev. Robert Louis Wild, Rector of Hurstmonceux,
Co. Sussex; 2nd Lieut. Northumberland Fusiliers 19 May 1895; Capt.
May 1900; Major Sept 1915; Brevet Lieut-Col. Northumberland Fusiliers Jan
1919. Appointments – Adjutant 4th
Batt. N.F. May 1900 to May to May 1914; Staff Officer for Musketry, graded as
Brigade Major 1905-1907; Adjutant 4th Batt. Bedfordshire Regt. Oct
1911-Huly 1915. War services –
Operations in France and Flanders Jul 1915 till Oct 1916; Lieut-Col. 1st
Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers Aug 1915 till Oct 1916; Assistant Commandant
Commanding Officers School Oct 1916 till April 1917; Lieut-Col. 18th
Officer Cadet Batt April 1917 to present date (1920). Engagements – Battle of Hooge, Sept 1915; Ypres Salient, Oct 1915; St. Eloi, March
1916; The Somme Battle, Jul 14 till Aug 19 1916; Bazentin-le Grand, Longueaval,
Delville Wood. Mentions and rewards – Mentioned in Despatches, and awarded the
D.S.O. for service in the field, March 1916; mentioned in the C.inC.'s
despatches (Somme), Dec 1916; mentioned in War …………. despatches Aug 1917;
mentioned in ………..despatches Dec 1917; mentioned in despatches and promoted to
Lieut-Col, Jan 1919. Their children
are:- (1) Harold Wilfred Harmsworth Wild, b. 12 Dec 1906;
(2) Violet Mary Harmsworth Wild;
(3)
Pansey Grace Wild;
(4)
Marjorie Joan Wild;
(5) Victor Louis Vyvyan Harmsworth Wild, b. 5
Jan 1918.
Christabel Rose Harmsworth, m. 14 Jun
1905, Percy Collingwood Burton of the Old House, Totteridge, Herts. Appointed Aug 1914 by Central Recruiting
Depot, War Office, to control outdoor and general publicity campaign for new
Army; Commissioned Sept. 1914, and appointed Officer i/c West London Recruiting
Depots, of White City, Hammersmith, ……..;
gazetted Lieut. A/S.C. Dec 1914; Promoted Capt. Feb 1915 and appointed
Adjutant No. 2 Reserve Horse Transport depot, Blackheath (Lieut-Col. J. Canny,
D.S.O., Comdg); appointed Major Comdg
666 A.S.C. Co Blackheath, Mar 1916. To
France Aug 1916 – appointed 2nd in Command A.S.C. Base (H.T.) depot
Havre (Lieut-Col Wakelin, Comdg, Lecturing and Training duties; appointed Jan
1917, Deputy Assistant Director of Labour, VII Corps, B.E.F., France; appointed
Aug 1917, Deputy Assistant Director of Labour, Third Army, B.E.F., France;
appointed, Mar 1918, Assistant Labour Commandant, Fourth Army, B.E.F., France;
promoted Feb 1919, Lieut-Col. and appointed Deputy Controller of Labour ,
G.H.Q., France. Has acted as Labour
Commandant Third and Fourth Armies during absence of Labour Commandants. Took part in all operations of the Third and
Fourth Armies during 1917-1918 on the Arras and Somme fronts and the advance to
Germany. Mentioned in despatches, Jan
1919, and awarded O.B.E., Jan 1919.
Previous war service – One year South African Campaign, with Duke of
Cambridge's Own Imperial Yeomanry; captured at Lindley, prisoner with Boers for
two and a half months. Their children
are:-
(1)
Percy Basil Harmsworth Burton, b. 27 Jul 1906;
(2) Christabel Mary Harmsworth Burton;
(3) Barbara Geraldine Northcliffe Burton;
(4) Lucas John Harmsworth Burton, b. 4 Jan 1916.