Mary Ann Mansel

[A letter from Lucy to Herbert, with a Post Script from Mary Ann Mansel which continues on the same letter, dated 29 May 1833] "My Dear Herbert, How much I wish you were here, that I might nurse you. Surely they will allow you leave of absence to perfect your recovery. This place is now looking beautiful. I hear all is more quiet and you might get away I should hope. Lucy has said how soon I am to lose her. God Bless you. Pray let us hear from you very soon. Your affectionate Mother, M A Mansel"

Born in Waterford, Ireland, Mary Ann made her life in London and was soon settled in a long-standing relationship with General Robert Manners, a grandson of John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland, who was equerry to King George III.[1]

They had six children, all baptised at St. George's, Hanover Square:

• Robert Mansel (1802–1879) was commissioned as a cornet in the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons in May 1819.[2] He was promoted to lieutenant in June 1825[3] and captain in July 1827,[4] and retired in April 1837.[5] In October 1853 became a lieutenant in the Hampshire Militia Artillery,[6] being promoted to captain in December that year[7] and major in July 1869.[8] In January 1872 he resigned his militia commission and was granted the honorary rank of lieutenant-colonel.[9]
• George Mansel (1804–1844) was commissioned as ensign in the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot in September 1820.[10] He was promoted lieutenant in December 1825[11] and captain in August 1829.[12] In November 1832 he transferred to a captaincy in the 16th Light Dragoons,[13] holding that rank until his death.[14]
• William Henry Mansel (1807–1812)
• Lucy Mansel (1810–1876)
• (William) Herbert Mansel (1812–1889) joined the 30th Foot as an ensign in June 1830[15] and was promoted to lieutenant in January 1834.[16] He then became adjutant and lieutenant in the 6th Dragoons in June 1834.[17] In February 1841 he transferred to the 61st Regiment of Foot as lieutenant,[18] then in June 1843 exchanged to a lieutenancy on the half-pay list of the 16th Regiment of Foot.[19] Finally, in July 1846, he transferred to the Ceylon Rifle Regiment as a first lieutenant, retiring the same day.[20]
• Henry Edward Mansel (1818–1820)

Hill House, Loose, front elevation. Mary Ann's house as it is today. A fire destroyed the top floor.

Hill House, Loose. Original fireplace in the dining room.

Before Henry Edward was born, Mary Ann gave birth to a son by General Sir Charles Asgill, equerry to Frederick, Duke of York. They named him Charles Childs (1816–1884). His first name was the name of his father and grandfather (Sir Charles Asgill, a one-time Lord Mayor of London). Childs was possibly chosen as the surname using the last syllable of Mary Ann’s maiden name of Goodchild. In the Kelly's Court Directory of 1866–1867 Charles Childs is listed as a Hop Grower in Loose and Staplehurst, unlike his half-siblings, the Mansel children, who chose a military path, Mary Ann's three surviving sons all having joined the army.[21]

When Charles Childs was born in 1816 he was in danger of death. As a Roman Catholic Mary Ann felt it her duty to ensure he had been baptised. She engaged the services of Charles Edouard Drummond, 5th Earl and Duke of Melfort and 10th Duke of Perth (1752–1840), titular 13th Earl of Perth, "Abbé de Melfort" to perform the baptism urgently at home. These events are recorded in "Father’s Book, Members of the Family" (written by two of Charles Childs's sons), and this book remains with a descendant living in Mary Ann's home city of Waterford.[22]

On 9 September 1818 the trial of Richard Wheeler took place at the Old Bailey.[23] He had stolen a hog from Mary Ann and although he returned the hog he was deported to Australia for 7 years. The trial proceedings revealed Mary Ann’s name and address in Chelsea (which was very close to the Man in the Moon public house).[24]

Mary Ann Mansel's Sun Fire Insurance cover increased substantially in 1821 (just 4 months after she had already renewed it).[25] This coincided with General Sir Charles Asgill selling his York Street house, his wife, Sophia, having died in 1819.[26] Asgill moved in with Mary Ann that year and wrote two codicils from her home in the days before his death.[27] One of these codicils bequeathed a clock and two vases to Mary Ann and his black mare he left to Mary Ann’s son Herbert.[27] The terms of Sir Charles Asgill, 1st Baronet's will were such that, should his son, General Sir Charles die childless (he did, having no legitimate heirs) then, in those circumstances, he must leave everything he owned to his sisters, nieces and nephews. The General therefore had no choice and could leave nothing to Mary Ann or their son Charles Childs.[28] Interestingly, having spent the final two years of his life with Mary Ann, when Asgill died on 23 July 1823 his obituary appeared in The Gentleman’s Magazine: 1823, Volume 93, Part 2;[29] This magazine carefully did not mention his place of death, which is very uncommon for a notable personage. It would seem discretion was the better part of valour.

When both Mary Ann’s lovers died in 1823 she fell to pieces and her surviving four Mansel children became wards of Manners’ brother George (1763–1828) and sister Mary Nisbet (1756–1834). There is an 1828 court case here[30] which mentions the wardship; mentions the late General Robert Manners; Mary Ann Mansel (who had to give evidence), and her surviving Mansel children, and also mentions Robert Manners' sister Mary and brother George. It appears they were fighting over who got what from Robert Manners' will. She kept only Charles Childs with her, before she eventually left London and firstly moved to Sutton Valence, then Lenham in Kent. She finally moved to Loose (near Maidstone in Kent). She had disposed of her house at 15 Park Place South, Chelsea, now known as Park Walk [31] (which had been provided for her by Robert Manners) (this house was bombed in World War II) and she purchased Hill House in Loose, Kent.[32][22] She is found on the 1851 census (HO 107-1616 - page 19 folio 440) as being at Loose Hill, Maidstone, Kent with Charles Childs, his wife Elizabeth and four of their children. The house was large and probably needed in order to accommodate the growing family. Astonishingly, Charles Childs is listed as a 'visitor', although he lived with her his entire life until her death.[33]

It is believed that Mary Ann's move from London to Kent was to be near one of her Mansel sons. When her Mansel children had become wards of the Manners family it split the family permanently and the younger ones, in particular, became nomadic, spending their time either at boarding school, at Manners' homes in London or at Bloxholm Hall in Lincolnshire. They never became a tight family unit again although they wrote to one another often and always went to visit Mary Ann as frequently as they could. In his will Robert Manners left Mary Ann a considerable inheritance making her a wealthy woman in her own right. Manners also provided for his children.[34] While Herbert caused his father, and the rest of the family, much worry with regard to his behaviour, they all ended up having successful lives and careers. Descendants of Robert Mansel, in New Zealand, kept the General's frock coat buttons (inlaid in a coffee table), and Herbert's descendants in England have kept 21 letters written by his siblings, mother and father.[35]

Mary Ann Mansel and her son, Charles Childs, in the same grave together in All Saint's Churchyard, Loose. The inscription reads "In loving memory of Mary Ann Mansel Of This Parish Departed this life 26 October 1854 aged 71 years, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. It is the spirit that quickeneth The flesh profiteth nothing. (1 Corinthians c15:v22) Charles Childs of This Parish Who departed this life 6 May 1884 aged 68 years"[36]

At the time Mary Ann made her last will and testament[37] only three of her Mansel children still survived. However, she left everything she owned, including Hill House in Loose (which still stands), to her son Charles Childs. He was her sole Executor. In keeping with her subterfuge even under these circumstances she does not acknowledge Charles as her son - simply her sole Executor and sole Beneficiary. It is not known when Charles Childs entered a relationship with Elizabeth Hayward (1823–1895) – although no marriage certificate has been found it is believed they were married. Together they had 11 children, the first four having been born before Mary Ann died (as can be seen from the census return). Their first-born, a daughter named Mary Ann Childs, died soon after her fifth birthday. After Mary Ann Mansel died, on 26 October 1854, her death certificate records her as being the "widow of Robert Mansel, Gentleman", a ploy used to continue to hide her tracks. Were it not for the remaining family letters, which make the real situation known (and General Manners is described as the father of her children by his sister (Mary Hamilton Nisbet), and others) her secrets might not have been revealed. She was buried at All Saint’s Church, Loose[38] and thirty years later, in 1884, Charles Childs was buried in her grave there too. Prior to his death Charles Childs was admitted to the Lunatic Asylum at Barming Heath, suffering from dementia, all his family having abandoned him.[1]

In George III, A Personal History, by Christopher Hibbert on page 299 it is recorded:[39]

Such was the tribute of popular attachment manifested in March 1789 towards a sovereign who, only seven years earlier, in March 1782, after losing a vast empire beyond the Atlantic, seemed to stand on a fearful precipice. [To celebrate the king's return to health] There were balls at the Pantheon and at the Duke of York's. A fête was held by White's, where Colonel Manners, who had taken over as equerry on the expiration of Colonel Greville's tour of duty, sang 'God Save the King' so lustily that he was asked not to be so loud. 'They pretended I was out of tune,' Manners said. 'But it was in such a good cause I did not mind.'

The diarist, Fanny Burney, recorded recollections regarding Robert Manners.[40]

Manners' family seat was Bloxholm Hall in Lincolnshire.[41]

Bloxholm Hall in 1917 (From Lost Lincolnshire Country Houses Volume 6) which was provided by the Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology

• 21 letters written to Herbert Mansel (by family members and others) in the 19th century