Miss Elin, Gracefield, Lacey Green

Research by Laurence Rostron

Miss Annie Gertrude Elin – owner of Gracefield – 1911 to 1942. See Annie Gertrude Elin for her life story

Miss Elin was born in 1859 in St. John’s Wood, then in Middlesex. Her father was John Elin who appears to have been born in Jamaica and described himself as a West India Merchant. They lived in 12 Cavendish Road, Marylebone and his family consisted of himself, his wife, 2 sons and 2 daughters. They had 4 servants – a cook, a housemaid, a nurse maid and an under nursemaid

25th September 1907. The Marchioness of Ely sold the contents of "Gracefield", Lacey Green, in a public auction in September 1907 having already "disposed of the residence". See 1907 Sale Gracefield Contents

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On the 28^th of February 1911 Miss Elin purchased the freehold of the Gracefield “estate” for £3000 and obviously rescinded her leasehold.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.

??In December 1911 Annie Gertrude Elin purchased Gracefield from The Marchioness of Ely for £3,000 less a sum of £211.5.0 paid to Angelique Gertrude Strangways to redeem the loan (mortgage) and interest.  At the time the property appears to have consisted of Gracefield, cottages, stables and outbuildings on land measuring 4 acres 30 poles.

Miss Elin died in 1942 and she is buried in St John’s Church, Lacey Green