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Lieutenant- F C Stonor 3rd Battalion Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.

I will be honest, I cannot remember when I purchased Lt Stonor's QSA. It has been languishing in my collection for quite sometime. It was in the drawer marked, No Provenance, No Research. I vaguely remember attempting to bring Lieutenant Stonor's story to life quite sometime ago and failed miserably. All I had was one medal roll. So, back in the drawer it went. Fast forward several years and a revisit, the medal, along with a couple of other serious "head scratchers" were still there. I thought, OK Lieutenant F. C. Stonor, I will give you one last shot, before I confine you to the part exchange drawer.



The story so far.....

Sunday the 15th of February 1880 was one of the coldest months London had seen for quite sometime. Part of the Thames had frozen over after days of constant freezing temperatures. It was on this day that Francis Cyril Stonor was born in Kensington, London. One would say he arrived into a family environment associated with what was known as the" Landed Gentry " during the 19th century. His father was Charles Joseph Stonor Esq. JP, landowner and cousin to the then 3rd Baron Camoys of Oxfordshire. His mother was Maude Mary nee Welman. A well-known family from Somerset. Her father was Charles Noel Welman, landowner, also a JP for Somerset and Deputy Lieutenant for the county.

The 1881 census has Francis and his family living at 63 Cornwall Gardens, Kensington. Along with his mother and father there were 3 other brother's, Charles H, Wilfred F, Ambrose F, his Grandmother Sophie and nine servants.


This is the type of house the Stonor family lived in (circa1881)

Francis's father Charles had a considerable portfolio of land and properties. Lancashire and the Southern counties were the most prominent with regard to his ownership. Although Francis grew up in a household with many servants I didn't recall a Governess or tutors of any description. I cannot link him to a specific school, college or university at present. It is in no doubt he was very well educated, I just cannot find out where. The Stonors of Oxfordshire held deep connections to English recusant Catholic families including Francis's family . It is very possible that Stoneyhurst College in Lancashire may have played a part in Francis and his brothers education along with other Roman Catholic schools that were used by the Stonor's.

The 1891 census has the family living at Llanvair house in Ascot, Sunninghill, Berkshire. The family has grown considerably in 10 years with brothers returning to the fold and additional children being born. Francis now aged 11 has five brothers and two sisters living all together with his mother and father and Welman family aunties and uncles, plus ten servants. Please note :- 3 of Francis's other brothers were living elsewhere during 1891.

When the Anglo Boer War began, Francis was aged 19. He was attached to the 3rd Battalion Militia Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.

The 3rd Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) was a militia battalion in the British Army.
Following the Childers Reforms the 6th West York Militia was redesignated as the 3rd & 4th Militia Battalions of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. In 1890, these two were amalgamated to form the 3rd Battalion of the Regiment.

Lieutenant, F.C. Stonor joined the Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 15th of February 1900. On reading through the records of the 3rd Battalion, I cannot find any specific mention of Lieutenant Stonor connected to the actions or his wearabouts contained within.
He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 15th of November 1900. It is understood he suffered poor health during his time in the field and in April 1901 he was invalided home with numerous officers from different regiments. He sailed back to Engand on the HMT Canada on the 18th of April 1901.

This is a brief history of the 3rd Battalion West Riding's time line in South Africa ( November 1900 to April 1901). Which covers Lieutenant Stonor's service. It is possible he was present or in the vicinity when these actions and moves took place. There again, he may well have been in a nearby hospital.

After the disaster of Stormberg, Colenso and Magersfontein.
Large reinforcements of Regular troops were despatched to
South Africa. To replace men at home, additional Militia
Battalions were embodied, a few having been already
embodied, late in November and early in December.
Notice was received January 1st, 1900, that the
Battalion would be embodied on the 17th, and would pro-
ceed to Cork, but only 340 non-commissioned officers and
men were to be called up, in the first instance.
These assembled at Halifax West Yorkshire on the 17th, and proceeded
the same night from Pellon Station Halifax onto Cork, via Manchester,
Holyhead and Dublin, arriving at Cork about 9 a.m. on the
following day.

Embarkation for South Africa. — The Battalion
embarked for South Africa at Queenstown , Cork, on February
27th, 1900 on the SS. " Goorkha " of the Union Line.
The strength of the Battalion on embarkation was 27 officers, and 488 N.C.O.'s and men.

Arrival at Cape Town.—The Battalion arrived in Table
Bay about 2 p.m. on March 20th, and disembarked on the
23rd, proceeding the same night by troop train to
Worcester ( 109 miles from Cape Town).
C Company, under command of Captain
and Hon. Major Bruce, proceeded to Wellington (38
miles) on March 27th.
"A" Company proceeded to Wellington on April 14th
to reinforce " C " Company. Maxim Detachment under Lieutenant C. E. B. Hanson joined from England, with the Maxim detachment and
Maxim gun, on April 24th.1900.

The Companies on detachment (except the
detachment at Tulbagh Road) proceeded to Simon's
Town, on July 2nd, relieving the 4th West Yorkshire Regiment there. Headquarters moved to Simon's Town on July 4th, taking up the detachment at Tulbagh Road en route. The 4th West Yorkshire Regiment relieved the Battalion at Worcester and also the detachments at Touws River, Tunnel Siding, De Doornes and Tulbagh Road. The detachment at Laingsburg was relieved by the 3rd Royal West Surrey Regiment.


West Riding Regiment. Modder River.

On arrival at Simon's Town, the Battalion took over charge of 1,500
prisoners of war, and remained in charge of them, until
departure, the number of prisoners of war varying during
the whole period from 1,300 to 2,000.
On July 5th, "F " Company, under 2nd-Lieutenant Greenwood, proceeded by march route to Wynberg, to relieve the Company of the 4th
West Yorkshire Regiment.


1901.On January 4th and 5th the
prisoners of war, in the charge of the Battalion, were all
placed on board transports in Simon's Bay.
On January 7th the Headquarters, with "C," " D," "E "
and "F " Companies, proceeded to Durban Road (12
miles north of Cape Town), and "A" and " B " Com-
panies to Stellenbosch (31 miles).

" F " Company was shortly afterwards provided with
horses and " M.I." equipment, and trained as Mounted
Infantry.

The Headquarters, with " C," " D," "E," " H," " I" and " K " Companies, returned to the Cape Peninsula, from Durban Road by march route on January 17th, and were encamped at Rondebosch Con-valescent Camp till the 22nd, when Headquarters, with "E," "I" and " K" Companies, marched to Wynberg, and were encamped near the Waterworks and below the Hen and Chickens Hill.

" C" Company, under Captain and. Hon. Major Bruce; rejoined Headquarters from Prince of Wales' Bastion, by march route, on February 6th, and on the same day "H" Company, under Lieutenant Martin, moved from Prince of Wales' Bastion, the right-half Company to Fort Mowbray, Rondebosch, and the left-half Company, under Lieutenant Adams, to Fort Malms-
bury, near Maitland.

While quartered at Cape Town, the Bubonic Plague, which had become epidemic in the Cape Peninsula during January and February, broke out
in the huts, next to Delhi Lines. No case, however, occurred in the Battalion. A battalion rat-catcher was appointed, and was successful in capturing several hundred, but found none infected with plague. The duties at Green Point were very heavy, upwards of 200 officers, N.C.O.'s and men being frequently on duty each day, either prisoners of war guard, inlying picquet,
brigade fire picquet, or Garrison guard.

After Lieutenant Stonor had been returned to England during April 1901, his Regiment were still engaged in hostilities. On April 24th, 2 corporals and 26 men were detached as a crew of an armoured train, running between Beaufort West and De Aar, and which was under the command of Sergeant Thompson, Seaforth Highlanders.
The train was transferred to the Eastern Section in July, and the men rejoined Headquarters on August 9th, in consequence of Sergeant Thompson having been killed in action near Bethesda. The train was then taken over by the Coldstream Guards.
The train was twice in action whilst manned by the
Battalion, the first occasion, near the Ganna Block-
house, on July 21st, and the other time near Bethesda,
as above, the only casualty being Sergeant Thompson.

On July 17th, about 9 p.m., five men, under cover of a dark night, approached the sangar on Wellington Hill, overlooking the camp, but
were driven off. At the same time a similar attempt was
made upon the Blockhouse, at the north entrance of the town, but the enemy made off on being fired upon by our sentry.
Two days before Commandant Malan, with some of
his men, had been reported to be in hiding, in the moun-
tains, 16 miles east of Beaufort West. An attack was made on the detachment, at Richmond Road, where Lieutenant W. A. Ross was in
command, on September 13th, at about 9 p.m. The
enemy was driven off, after an interchange of heavy
firing. There were no casualties among our men on either
occasion.

Embarkation for and Arrival Home.Headquarters, with " A," "D," " F," " G," "I" and " K" Companies, left Victoria Road, by rail, for Cape Town on April 13th, and after a few days at Green Point, embarked on H.M.T. "Britannic" on April 21st, arriving at Southampton on May 9th, when they entrained and reached Halifax West Yorkshire early on the morning of May 10th. " C" Company arrived at Cape Town the same day as the Battalion sailed, but were too late to go on board. They remained at Green Point Camp until joined by "B," " E" and " H" Companies, from Fraserburg Village. They embarked together on H.M.T. " Canada," and arrived in Halifax on the morning of May 28th.

This was the entry in the 3rd Battalions history regarding officer's who served.
FRANCIS CYRIL STONOR.
2nd-Lieutenant, February 3rd 1900. Lieutenant, November 11th, 1900.
Resigned owing to ill-health, September 23rd, 1905. Late 2nd- Lieutenant, 3rd Essex Regiment. A slight change in the original dates of his promotions are recorded here.

With regard to his cause of ill-health? I have not found any detail as to why he was invalided home or any reoccurring health issues pertaining to his retirement from the Regiment. He is mentioned in Army lists up until 1916 under Officers of the Irregular and Auxiliary forces in receipt of non- effective pay for service in South Africa.

1909 sees Francis Stonor ask for the hand in marriage to Juilana Tindall Bosanquet. The eldest daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Bosanquet of Claymore and Cowley. The wedding is held at the Catholic church of St Mary's and the Angels in Bayswater on March 10th 1909.

The Stonor family have moved on from their lavish family surroundings and the happy couple are residing at Iver Heath in Buckinghamshire.
Dell Farm in Iver was there marital home for a couple of years before moving on to another Iver Heath Location.

The 1911 census records Francis and Juiliana still in Iver Heath, at Hall Cottage. His occupation is that of a mushroom grower. They now have a son called Bernard. There are no servants or anyone else recorded as living with them at this time. The family go onto to have 2 more children. Charles and Cynthia were born in 1912 and 1924. Tragically, Cynthia died at the age of 8 years old. The 1921 census has the family living in St Church Road, Parkgate, Hampshire and Francis is now a fruit grower by trade.


I couldn't find many photographs of Francis, I have taken a "flyer"with this
Image..... A Fruit grower holding fruit....got to be a contender, surely?

Francis Cyril Stonor lived the rest of his life in Hampshire and he passed away in January 1955 at the Royal Hants hospital Southampton aged 74.
His wife Juiliana died 8 years later in November 1963 also in Southampton. Their son Charles a company director organised both parents probate, wills and administrations.



QSA . Cape Colony and 1901 clasps.

Additional Information, Family Connections and Points of Interest.

Francis's father - Charles Joseph Stonor. Catholic Benefactor & St Francis of Assisi Church Ascot.

The land where the church is, was occupied by a number of wealthy families with substantial houses surrounded by large gardens. Amongst
these was Charles J.Stonor and his wife Maude and EF.Devenish Walshe, who with other neighbours had to travel to Binfield Park to receive the Sacraments and hear Mass. Devenish Walshe sold 37 acres to the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where St.Mary's Ascot convent and school were built and Mass first celebrated in August 1885. In 1886 Mr and Mrs Stoner built a chapel in Llanvair opposite the present church, where local Catholics could attend Mass.On a visit to Paris, Charles Stonor met some French Franciscans from the Province of Acquitaine. His friendship developed and when theFranciscans were expelled from France in 1887, and in May 1887 Fr Bernardin Ibald and Fr Fidelis Bouille arrived in Ascot, Devenish Walshe gave them some land and Fr Joseph Scoles (An architect) was appointed architect and on 8th May 1888 the foundation stone for the church and the Friary was laid by the Bishop of Portsmouth. The first Mass was celebrated on Christmas Day 1888. On the 4th July 1889 the Bishop consecrated the church and dedicated it to St.Francis of Assisi.The Stonor family contributed 40% of the total required complete the project. The most prominent contributors to the project were the Carthusians and the Jesuits orders. Other contributors included Cardinal Manning. There were many other leading figures who contributed, including Duke of Norfolk, Lord Arundel, the duchess of Newcastle, and other contributions from Italy, USA, Belgium, Hungary and from France the exiled Princess Eugenie and Duc d'Orleans.

Francis's elder brother. Ambrose Francis Stonor.
Born in 1878. Ambrose also served in the Anglo Boer War.
He was 244 Private in the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles (Royal Canadian Dragoons) QSA 4 clasps. Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Cape Colony and Orange Free State. A surveyor by trade. He moved to Canada and worked there as well as in England. He attested in 1914 for the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 16th Battalion. He was later discharged medically unfit. 1931 he was living in Yale, British Colombia. He was registered as a farmer and fruit grower. He died in 1941 and is remembered at Peach Orchard cemetery, British Colombia, Canada.

Francis's younger brother. Cuthbert Anthony Stonor


Francis's Brother-in-law - Bernard James Tindal Bosanquet.

English cricketer best known for inventing the googly, a delivery designed to deceive the batsman. When bowled, it appears to be a leg break, but after pitching the ball turns in the opposite direction to that which is expected, behaving as an off break instead. Bosanquet, who played first-class cricket for Middlesex between 1898 and 1919, appeared in seven Test matches for England as an all-rounder. He was chosen as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1905.



Bosanquet played cricket for Eton College from 1891 to 1896, before gaining his Blue at Oriel College, Oxford. He was a moderately successful batsman who bowled at fast-medium pace for Oxford University between 1898 and 1900. As a student, he made several appearances for Middlesex and achieved a regular place in the county side as an amateur. While playing a tabletop game, Bosanquet devised a new technique for delivering a ball, later named the "googly", which he practised during his time at Oxford. He first used it in cricket matches around 1900, abandoning his faster style of bowling, but it was not until 1903, when he had a successful season with the ball, that his new delivery began to attract attention. Having gone on several minor overseas tours, Bosanquet was selected in 1903–04 for the fully representative Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) tour of Australia. During that tour, he made his Test debut for England and although he largely failed as a batsman, he performed well as a bowler and troubled all the opposing batsmen with his googly.


In the First World War, Bosanquet was a lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps. On 5 April 1924, he married Mary Janet Kennedy-Jones, the daughter of a Member of Parliament. They had one child, Reginald, who later achieved fame as a television newsreader

Francis's Father-in-law. Lt.-Col. Bernard Tindal Bosanquet (1842–1910)
:Born on August 6, 1842, he was the son of James Whatman Bosanquet and Merelina Symonds Tindal. He was a director of companies including Lloyds Bank and was an author of financial texts, including Universal Simple Interest Tables. He was the honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 7th Battalion the Rifle Brigade, a militia unit. He died on August 4, 1910.

Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time and managed to get to the end of this exhausting post. I am grateful and also happy I did not confine Lieutenant Stonor to the part exchange draw.

As always, any errors or anomalies are down to yours truly. Additional information or corrections are most welcome. 

Acknowledgements:-
Ancestry UK
Find My Past.
Wikipedia.
AngloBoerWar.Com,
Google.
CatholicWindsorAscot.org .
The Peerage.
State Library of Australia.
dwr.org.uk.

Best wishes

Dave..

Just goes to show you should never give up on a research project. Fresh eyes a few years later oft pays dividends.
Cheers Steve

TOP SPIN

His younger son:



1939 Register - The Laurels, St Cuthbert's Lane, Fareham: