Annie Gertrude Elin

Research by Laurence Rostron. (click Laurence & Linda Rostron for more about Laurence)

Miss Annie Gertrude Elin owner of Gracefield in Lacey Green, Buckinghamshire 1911 to 1942. See Miss Elin, Gracefield, Lacey Green for her time at Lacey Green.

Introduction

In December 1911 Miss Annie Gertrude Elin purchased Gracefield from the Marchioness of Ely and in 1942 Miss Elin died at the age of 84 whilst living at Gracefield. Behind this simple statement lies an interesting and sometimes intriguing and incomplete story.

Miss Annie Gertrude Elin and her family

Miss Elin was born in Marylebone, London on the 26^th December 1858 and she was baptised at St Mary’s Church in Marylebone on the 14^th April 1859 whilst living at 12 Cavendish Road, Marylebone.

Her Parents

Her father was John T Elin, a West India Merchant and her mother was Anne Elin. There little is doubt that John T Elin was a wealthy man who was born in Jamaica in 1821 and his first marriage in 1845 was to Maria Amelia Hitchins who was also born in Jamaica in 1825. Unfortunately, she died in 1849. He remarried Anne Steel in Bridekirk, Cumberland in 1853 and together they had four children. John T Elin died in London in 1900 and Anne Elin in 1905.

Her Grandparents

Miss Elin’s grandparents were John Bloxam Elin and Elizabeth Harriot. John Bloxham Elin was born in London in 1791 and the 1824 Almanac shows him as Assistant Judge or Magistrate for Kingston, Jamaica. In 1823 and 1826 he signed the slave register as owner for 5 slaves and in 1826 he signed the slave register for 109 slaves in Port Royal as Receiver for the estate of Arthur Savage. Elizabeth Harriet appears to have been born in Jamaica in about 1796 and she appears to have died in London in 1869. No marriage or baptism details have been found for her in either Jamaica or Britain. However, this does not appear to have stopped them having children as records show that they had a total of 9 children, 8 in Jamaica and 1 in London and this includes John T Elin of course. Some of the baptism notes for these children are interesting. For example, “Anna Eliza Elin and Jane Francis Elin, children of Eliza Harriot “free of colour” by John B Elin both baptised in Kingston Jamaica in 1825” and “Thomas Henry Elin, son of John Elin and Elizabeth Harriot, “coloured”, parents not married, was baptised in 1826”. Records show that they had moved to London by about 1832 and it was here that she died.

Her Brothers and Sister

She had two brothers, Walter Francis Elin and John Edward Elin and one sister, Jane Elizabeth Elin.

Walter Francis Elin was born in 1855 and died in 1867 of typhoid fever.

John Edward Elin was born in 1855 in Marylebone and died whilst living in Gracefield in 1936. The story of his life is almost as mysterious and intriguing as that of Miss Elin. The 1861 and 1871 censuses show him living as a boy/young man with the family at 12 Cavendish Road, Marylebone. The 1881 Census shows that the family had moved to 33 Upper Hamilton Terrace in Marylebone and John Edward Elin is shown as living there at the age of 25 and as a Lieutenant in the Royal East Middlesex Militia. This was not a regular army unit and was finally absorbed into the Middlesex Regiment in 1881. The 1881 and 1891 Censuses show him living with the family at the same address and listed as an Army Officer. However, in 1900 he married Grace Emmeline Botterill in Sussex following the birth of two children, Margaret Millicent Elin in 1896 and John E Elin in 1899. In the 1901 Census Grace Elin is shown living in Brighton with Sarah Botterill her mother, a retired school mistress, and with her two children Margaret and John Elin. Their father John Edward Elin was living in an “up market” lodging house in another part of Brighton and is listed as “living on his own means”. It is not known exactly when he left the army but he was obviously too old to fight in the first world war. However, the Electoral Registers show him living in Duke Street, The Strand in the period 1892 to 1895 followed by a move to Chesham Place in Chelsea where he appears to have shared a property with his sister Miss Elin. He also appears to have joined her on her visits to Gracefield and he finally died there in 1936. His wife, Grace Emmeline Elin died in St Leonards on Sea in 1950.

Jane Elizabeth Elin was born in 1857 and married Alfred Carlon Markes, who was an African Spanish Merchant, in 1879. They had 2 children, John Carlon Markes and Alfred Edward Markes, and lived in London mainly in the Marylebone area. John Carlon Markes was in the army and was a Major in the Leinster Regiment when he was killed in France in 1916 during the first world war. He left a wife, Philomena Markes and four children including Charles Carlon Markes who also joined the army and fought in the second world war.

The early life of Miss Annie Gertrude Elin

In the 1861 Census Miss Elin is shown at the age of 4 years, living at 12 Cavendish Road with her parents and family i.e. her father, mother, 2 brothers and a sister. They had 4 servants, a cook, a housemaid, a nursemaid and an under nursemaid. John T Elin is listed as a West India Merchant.

In the 1871 Census Miss Elin is shown at the age of 12 years as still living at 12 Cavendish Road with her family but this had been reduced to 5 as Walter Elin had died in 1867. Miss Elin is listed as scholar but details of her schooling have been difficult to find. The number of servants had been reduced to 2, a cook and a housemaid.

The 1881 Census shows that the family had moved to 33 Upper Hamilton Terrace in Marylebone and Miss Elin, now aged 22 years, is listed without any occupation. The family now numbers only 4 as their other daughter, Jane Elizabeth, had left to marry Alfred Carlon Markes in 1879. John T Elin is now described as a Bank Director and the number of servants now numbered 6 – a cook, 2 housemaids, a kitchen maid, a butler (from Switzerland no less) and a footman. One senses a fairly affluent household.

The 1891 Census shows the family still living at 33 Upper Hamilton Terrace and Miss Elin is now listed as 31 years old and without occupation. The family still numbers 4 and John T Elin is shown as “living on his own means”. However, the domestic staff have increased to 9 and included a domestic nurse, a cook, a lady’s maid, 2 housemaids, a kitchen maid, a butler, a footman and a nurse.

The 1901 Census shows that the family had moved to 5 Chesham Street in Chelsea. John T Elin died in 1900 aged 80 and the family in residence was reduced to 2 with just Miss Elin, aged 42 and her mother Anne Elin aged 72 years. However, the domestic staff had been reduced to 6 with a lady’s maid, a butler (from Essex!) a cook, 2 housemaids and a kitchen maid.

The now small resident family and 6 domestic staff moved to 25 Chesham Place in Chelsea in 1904 and in 1907 Miss Elin’s mother died leaving only Miss Elin.

Miss Elin and Gracefield

Gracefield was owned by Sarah Clark who died in 1903 and left the Gracefield “estate” to her daughter, Margaret Emma, who had married The Most Honourable John Henry Loftus, the Marquess of Ely, and had become the Marchioness of Ely. It is known that the Marquess of Ely had enormous financial and legal problems. However, probably to raise funds, it appears that the Marchioness of Ely sold the contents of Gracefield in a public Auction in September 1907 having already “disposed of the residence”.

It is known that Miss Elin leased Gracefield from Marchioness of Ely on the 3rd October 1907 for 14 years, shortly after the sale of the house contents, but it is not known if she bought furniture in the sale.

On the 28^th of February 1911 Miss Elin purchased the freehold of the Gracefield “estate” for £3000 and obviously rescinded her leasehold. At the time the “estate” consisted of Gracefield, 2 cottages, one with stables and the land measured four acres and thirty poles.

The sale documents describe Miss Elin as being “of Gracefield Princes Risborough” which appears to confirm that she was living at Gracefield at the time that she purchased the property. A photograph, exact date unknown, shows Miss Elin standing outside Gracefield with, it is assumed, her brother Major John Edward Elin, plus 3 dogs!

In the 1911 Census Miss Elin is shown as the lone family member “living on her own means” at 25 Chesham Place, Chelsea in London where she appears to have employed 7 staff to look after her – a butler, a footman, 2 housemaids, a cook, a kitchen maid and a lady’s maid. The Census also shows that at the same time there were 2 staff living in Gracefield - Jane Elphick a domestic cook and Bessie Currall (a well known village surname) a domestic housemaid and the house is shown as comprising of 11 rooms.

However, the 1911 Census does not appear to show anyone living in the cottage and stables on the “estate”. The only clue is that there is a garage listed between the Floyd Farmhouse and Gracefield and it is possible to assume that this garage was in fact the stables and that the cottage had fallen into disuse. The 1939 National Register does not show anyone living in the area of the Stables which may support this conjecture.

Miss Elin in 1912

This would turn out to be a truly dramatic year in her life! Records show that she booked a cabin on a P & O passenger liner and cargo ship the SS Oceana to travel from Tilbury to Gibraltar. The reasons for travelling to Gibraltar are unknown and remain a mystery. However, as can be seen from the list of passengers Miss Elin travelled First Class and her maid was in Second Class.

However, a subsequent article on what happened reads as follows:

“On 15 March 1912 Oceania finished loading for her next trip to Bombay in the Port of Tilbury, under the command of Captain Thomas H. Hyde, RNR. Aboard were 41 passengers, a complement of 220 crew and a pilot. She was also carrying £747,110 worth of gold and silver ingots: £3 million at 2010 values.

The next day she was proceeding west through the Strait of Dover at nearly full speed. The sea was calm although there was a strong headwind. In the opposite direction approached the Pisagua, a 2,850-ton German-registered  four masted steel hulled barque. Commissioned, owned and operated by F. Laeisz of Hamburg, she was on her way from Mejillones, Chile to Hamburg with a cargo of nitrate, sailing under full sail at a speed of almost 20 knots (37 km/h).

The two ships sighted each other when they were about a 1⁄2 nautical mile (1 km) apart. The captain of Pisagua burnt a warning flare, which was seen by the crew and senior officer on duty on the bridge of Oceana, who then gave the order to turn to port. The pilot from Tilbury and for the Strait of Dover, Mr Penny, who was board Oceana in the charthouse, came to the bridge and realized that this manoeuvre would not be enough to avert a collision. He called "hard to port", but before Oceana could get out of the course, Pisagua struck Oceana amidships, making a 40-foot (12 m) gash in her side. The collision was 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) off of Beachy Head.

The pilot ordered the immediate closure of all the watertight bulkhead doors on the Oceana, whilst the captain ordered all crew and passengers to their boat stations to stand by to abandon ship. Sending out an immediate distress signal, the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway passenger ferry Sussex attended the scene, while two other paddle steamers and RMS Ruahine stood by. While awaiting rescue, the crew tried to lower one of the lifeboats, but it crashed into the sea and capsized, resulting in the loss of seven passengers and ten crew. Sussex managed to take on board 241 of the remaining passengers and crew.

Although listing, Oceana was taken in tow by the Newhaven tug Alert, stern first, at 08:00. But by 10:00 she had developed an adverse list, enough to raise her propeller out of the water. Captain Hyde and the crew who had stayed aboard to help the tow now abandoned ship to the Alert, and watched from the tug as she sank in less than 20 minutes. Oceana sank close to the seaside resort town of Eastbourne in shallow water, settling on the sea bed with her masts and the tops of her funnels showing out of the sea at low tide.

Pisagua drifted off leeward after the collision, but managed to survive with severe damage to the bow and foremast. Towed to Dover for immediate sea-going repairs, she was then towed to Hamburg where she was condemned. She was rebuilt as a whale factory ship and operated by Søren L. Christensen,. On 12 February 1913, Pisagua was stranded at Low Island, South Shetland Islands. Although insured for NOK 318,000, she was subsequently condemned and written off at a loss to her owners.

After the sinking, P&O sued Laeisz, claiming damages for the loss of Oceana. Judgement was given that Pisagua was not at fault, due to a combination of factors, including that the Oceana was obliged to give way to Pisagua under the "steam gives way to sail" rule.  The subsequent Board of Trade Inquiry, which reported on 13 July 1912, reached similar conclusions, suspended the chief officer's certificate of competency for six months and censured the master.”

So, what happened to Miss Elin in this disaster. She is mentioned in several newspaper articles of which this is a typical example in the Daily Mirror Miss Elin is mentioned as follows:

“Miss Annie Gertrude Elin, another passenger, stated that while a steward was assisting her to put on a life belt, she had to drive away a number of lascars (Indian Seaman) who came down looking for belts. She heard someone shout” Don’t lower any more boats” but she did not know if it was the captain who shouted.

There were nineteen in the boat she entered, and almost immediately she entered the boat she noticed that it was leaking slowly. It was baled out with boots and caps.”

There are separate reports of passengers being brought back to Victoria Station in London still in their nightwear but covered by a blanket. Miss Elin is not mentioned in this but getting back to London when virtually all possessions had been lost in the sinking is difficult to appreciate even in today’s world.

It has been difficult to find photographs of the accident but a French Daily Illustration Journal has provided some interesting examples.

Miss Elin from 1912 onwards

Confirmation of Miss Elin’s ownership and occupation can be found in three documents:

1. Electoral Registers

Women were not given the right to vote until 1918 and then only if aged 30 years or over. The right to vote for women 21 years and over was introduced in 1928.

The Electoral Registers show Miss Elin apparently on her own from 1918 until 1928. However, other records show she had servants but they were either under 30 years old or living elsewhere.

1. National Register 1939

This survey was carried out by the Government so that they had a record of the residents living in Britain at the time as War approached.

1. Kelly’s Directories

Electoral Register for London

The Electoral Register for London shows the following:

Electoral Register for Lacey Green

1. Miss Elin is shown as the sole occupant from 1912 through to 1927 for the reasons stated earlier.
2. However, in 1927 things started to change and occupants of Garden Cottage, now Grace Cottage also started to be identified.

The entry for Gracefield reads as follows:

Elin Annie G – no occupation.

Hussey Bessie – domestic duties.

Hussey James – gardener.

Shepperd Catherine – domestic duties.

Bristow Daphne – domestic duties.

The reason why these domestic servants were included in the Electoral Register remains a mystery and it has to be assumed they did not live in Gracefield but were surveyed for the National Register from their place of work. It is also noticeable that she appears to have employed a man!

Kelly’s Directory

1911 – Miss Elin listed as living at Gracefield.

1915 – ditto

1924 – ditto

1928 – ditto

1935 – ditto

1939 – ditto

Obviously, the publication of the Kelly’s Directory ceased when the 2nd World War started.

Miss Elin and her last years

It is probably reasonable to assume that from 1939 onwards Miss Elin lived at Gracefield for most of the time. The records show that she died on the 2nd May 1942 at Gracefield and for the last time she was registered as a “Spinster of Independent Means”. As records were suspended for the duration of the 2nd World War it is unclear what staff she retained at Gracefield.

The entry in the National Probate Calendar reads as follows:-

ELIN Annie Gertrude of 98 Park Street London spinster died 2 May 1942 at Gracefield Lacey Green Princes Risborough Buckinghamshire Probate Llandudno 4 September to Westminster Bank Ltd and Thomas Hume Bischoff solicitor. Effects £69,347-4s-2d.

Will

This was written on the 12th April 1938 and not surprisingly, Miss Elin left most of her effects to her family but also to her staff. This may give some clues as to who was working for her in her last years.

1. She left “all of her personal chattels” to her four nephews and nieces i.e. Charles Carlon Markes, John Edward Markes Doreen Mary Markes and Betty Patricia Markes.
2. She gave legacies to John Edward Elin and Margaret Stockdale who were the children of her brother John Edward Elin.
3. Legacies to goddaughters and friends.
4. Then a list of current and previous employees declared as follows:

1. “to my former chauffeuse Mary Eyles in recognition of 12 years service.”
2. “to each of Beatrice Amelia Allen my cook and Violet Mealey my upper   housemaid.”
3. “to Lizzie Anderson my cook at Gracefield.”
4. “ to Elsie Currell formerly my house-parlourmaid at Gracefield.”
5. “to Bert Dormer who has worked in my garden at Gracefield since 1920.”
6. “to every servant at the time of my death a sum equal to one month’s wages.”
7. “to head gardener Sybille Dennis, to Miss W Kennedy, the said Bert Dormer to Tonie Adams my odd garden man and to my chauffeuse Margaret Pinder a sum equal to one week’s wages.”

Although the amounts of money left to her employees and previous employees were not large by today’s standards, at least it appears that Miss Elin attempted to reward the faithful!

However, the most interesting declaration in her Will reads as follows:

“I give and devise free of duty my cottage Gracefield Lacey Green Princes Risborough and its contents (other than money and securities for money and other than any personal chattels referred to in my wishes) to my nephew the said Charles Carlon Markes.”

Some Cottage!

It is known that Charles Carlon Markes rented the Gracefield “estate” in 1942 to Eliza Carter who was the widow of Harold Carter, the owner of Grimsdyke, who had died in 1941. There is also clear evidence that Eliza Carter purchased the Gracefield “estate” in April 1946 from the said Charles Carlon Markes.

Obviously, it was difficult to sell properties during the war and it is likely that Charles Carlon Markes was away for long periods as he was a Major in the Army and it is believed that he saw service in Monte Casssino, Anzio, San Marino etc. He left the army in 1946 as a Lieutenant Colonel.  

Conclusion

It is clear that Miss Elin was born into a fairly wealthy family and the evidence is clear that she did not marry and did not have children. She appears to have employed a wide range of staff including cooks, kitchen maids, housemaids, lady’s maids, butlers, footmen, chauffeuses, gardeners, etc. This tends to suggest that not only did she not have a husband to live with and children to manage, but she did not have to cook, clean the house or look after the garden etc. The evidence is also clear that she did not have a normal occupation.

This then raises the question about what she did in her copious spare time. The only possible answer appears to some form of involvement in a charity or something similar. The following have been investigated:

1. Crufts – the photograph shows her holding 2 dogs, with her brother holding another on a lead, but there is no evidence in the limited Crufts records of her involvement.
2. National Portrait Gallery, London – this contains thousands of portraits of famous and wealthy people living in London but not Miss Elin.
3. Lesbianism – in view of her pro-women stance this is a possibility but it has been difficult to research.
4. Cruising – in view of her 1912 experience it is unlikely that she would have wanted to cruise post-1912 but there does not appear to be any mention of her in the pre-1912 in the passenger lists.
5. Court Cases – no evidence that Miss Elin was involved in a reported Court Case.

What Miss Elin did during her free time remains an unsolved mystery so perhaps this document should be re-titled:

“The mysteries surrounding the mysterious Miss Elin”