(Spe)+Spexhall+Manor+1859-1910

The following page from the Girling/Whiting family history comes from Richard Whiting

b. 1859 19th February born posthumously. d. 1910 31st December. unmarried
 * 1959** Maclaine Kerr Dalton Whitting N.24


 * 1859** 15th March, baptism at St. James, Paddington. Godparents were Lady Maclaine; General Benjamin Francis Dalton Wilson [b.1805] formerly of the 35th Royal Sussex Regiment of Foot and Russell James Kerr. Kerr (died 1910) was a Justice of the Peace and lord of the manors of Newnham and Ruddle, living at The Haie, Newnham-on-Severn, Gloucs., [with twelve indoor servants in 1881] and had probably served in the 28th Regiment with Maclaine’s father. Kerr’s son, also named (Lt. Col.) Russell James Kerr (b. 1863) was knighted in 1934, and his only son, Captain Ralph Kerr R.N. (1892-1941) died commanding HMS Hood when she was sunk in action by the Bismark with the loss of 1415 lives in 1941. Lady Maclaine remarried in 1863 to Edward, son of Hon. M. N. Neal of Dover, New Hampshire, USA.


 * 1862** mother re-married, to Edward Henry Girling in Norfolk.


 * 1874** living at Hillingdon House, Kenton Road, Harrow, on death of stepfather.


 * 1874-76** educated at Harrow School.


 * 1877** 9th June to Clare College, Cambridge University, although his name is not included amongst the graduation records indicating that he left without taking a degree.


 * 1881** Living in 27th Brigade Depot Barracks, Glen Parva, Leics., recorded as a Lieutenant aged 22yrs., unmarried, serving in the Leicester Militia.


 * 1881** listed as a Militia officer in the Army List.


 * c.1890** a family group photograph taken before the tennis court, together with another with his half-brothers posed before a newly built music room and enormous palm house at Spexhall Manor survive. The manor had belonged to the Girling family who lacked the resources to maintain it. Maclaine had built the music room to accommodate the talents of his youngest step-brother Jonathan.


 * 1891** White’s Suffolk Gazeteer records that Spexhall was a large handsome red brick mansion standing in an elevated position and notes that it was refronted and enlarged by the addition of a wing at each end in 1888 when the grounds were re-laid and the stables and outbuildings rebuilt.


 * 1891** Census records his residence aged 32yrs as unmarried owner of Spexhall Manor, (The Mansion) Halesworth, Suffolk living on his own means. Also resident was his twice widowed mother and his two stepbrothers - Henry Arthur Halkett Dalton Girling aged 26 (born Knodishall, Suffolk) and Jonathan Howlett Girling 18yrs (born Harrow). Living-in servants consisted of a female cook, two housemaids and a footman. At least two gardeners were also employed at the Manor, later described by Arthur Mee after further restoration as a timber and herringbone brick house with beautiful chimneys, fronted by a projecting porch with room over, and set in a fine rural location behind a moat.

Subsequently a [temp.] Major 3rd Militia Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment.
 * 1892** Listed in Kelly’s Directory for Suffolk at Spexhall Manor as a Captain and recorded as one of the principal landowners in the parish and where he bred horses.


 * 1899** burial of half-brother Henry Girling aged 35 in Armidale, N.S.W. who died as the result of drinking contaminated water. Henry had emigrated to live in Randwick near Sydney probably as a remittance man being settled there by Maclaine. Henry had married in Woollahra in 1897 Alice Howlett from Suffolk with whom he appears to have eloped.


 * 1901** Census, living at Spexhall aged 42yrs, with two servants.


 * 1902** 27th March, the 3rd. Leicester Militia Battalion recorded as due to embark, having volunteered for service, for the South African war. Retained the spelling of the surname as Whitting, first used by his father and grandmother. An old address book reveals that solicitors - C. M. Best Esqs., 7 Royale’s Chambers, Bond Street, Sydney, N.S.W - represented his interests in Australia indicating that he retained some interests there, the book also suggesting that he visited Sydney on occasions.


 * 1904** Spexhall estate offered for sale privately through C.J. Mander, solrs., when advertised in The Times. The estate ran to 110 acres and the house contained 12 bedrooms, with palm house and conservatories.


 * 1907** Spexhall estate sold to Hon. Susan Calvert, daughter of 5th Baron Sherborne, and her husband Edmund Calvert.


 * 1910** living Rookery Cottage, Thuxton, Norfolk.
 * 1910** living Brook Cottage, Witton Bridge, North Walsham, Norfolk. Will proved by his youngest step-brother Jonathan of the same address, his sole beneficiary (who in 1901 was listed as a Professor of Music, staying with his sister Henrietta Cecil and three servants on the IoW and Charles Mander, a solicitor of Cannon Street, London. Henrietta had married in 1891, Rotherham, the son of Clarence Cecil of the Manor House, Dronfield, Derbyshire at Spexhall), Jonathan (d.1949) later took a leading role in the 1920’s London West End revival of The Beggars Opera.