Florence Blanche Bancroft
- Born: 10 Sep 1863, Melbourne, Victoria 2
- Marriage (1): Major Frederick Henry Thomas
Alexander on 7 Jun 1899 in Farnborough Church, Surrey 1
- Died: 25 Nov 1931, Faygate Place, Faygate,
Sussex aged 68 3
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Blanche, as she was known to the family, was
born near Toorak in the then south-eastern outskirts of Melbourne,
Victoria, about three months before her family sailed back to England
in December 1863.
As the daughter of an active army officer, she and her siblings might
have led a fairly peripatetic early life following their father's army
postings. However, it is likely that it was only between 1869 and 1876,
when her father and his battalion spent some years at various barracks
in England, that the family moved around a lot. When her father and the
battalion he commanded were posted to the Madras Presidency in February
1876, she and her family remained in England. Later, when he was made
Brigade Depot Commander of the 47th Regimental District at Preston in
1879, the family did join him there though she and her sisters may been
away at a boarding school some of the time. Indeed, the 1881 Census4 shows Blanche and her sister Alice attending
a small school for young ladies situated in Islington, North London,
run by two spinster sisters, Elizabeth and Maria Wells; Edith, then
aged 19, whose schooldays were over, was at home with her parents in
Lancashire.
Blanche did not marry until 1899 by which time she was 35 years old. No
doubt, her marriage prospects were enhanced after her parents went to
live at Knellwood in Farnborough, with its propinquity to the several
army establishments at Aldershot, and by the fact that she was
something of "an heiress".
She and Frederick were, no doubt, overjoyed when their first daughter
Elizabeth was born in July 1902 but Freda's arrival in November two
years later may have been a more worrying occasion as, sadly, she lived
for barely two months.
There are sporadic local newspaper reports about her and Frederick
during the years (1908-1918) they lived in Essex. Mostly, they record
their residence, The Vineyard, being used for various events ranging
from musical evenings to bowls matches and for bazaars and fκtes.
Amongst others, it hosted the Walden Conservative Association League
and the London Over the Border Church Fund* of which Blanche was vice
chairman of the fund's Saffron Walden Association. Sadly, these reports
give no indication of the extent of Blanche's and Frederick's own
social life but as the "local gentry" were fairly sparse in that part
of Essex it may well have been a relatively quiet one.5
6
There are fewer newspaper reports of Blanche's years (1919-1931) at
Faygate Place but when she died the report of her funeral said this: 7
Death of Mrs. F. B. Alexander. Mrs.
Florence Blanche Alexander, of Faygate Place. Faygate. widow of the
late Major F. H. Alexander, died Wednesday week at the age of 68. She
had been in poor health for some time. Mrs. Alexander went to live at
Faygate almost eleven years ago, and she soon interested herself in the
social life of the village. She was Vice-President of the Faygate
Women's Institute.
The funeral was held at Colgate Parish Church on Saturday. The
Rev. A. G. Maister. Vicar of Colgate, officiated. The family mourners
were Mr. and Mis. K. Evers-Swindell (son-in-law and daughter), and Col.
and Mrs. S. Cooke (sister and brother-in-law). Several friends were
also present**. The floral tributes included ones from the following:
the Faygate Women's Institute, the Roffey Girls Club and the Faygate,
Rusper and Colgate Gardeners' Committee. - Messrs. Freeman Bros, were
responsible for the arrangements. |
At her death, Blanche left an estate
valued at c. £20,000, her daughter Elizabeth was her executrix and main
beneficiary.8
Notes
* London Over the
Border Church Fund was created to: "To relieve the spiritual wants of
that portion of the extreme East of the Metropolis, known as "London
over the Border," which is in the diocese of Chelmsford, and for the
district round Tilbury Docks." It is said to be the successor to The
Bishop of St Alban's Fund, which was set up to provide help for the
parishes of Essex and Hertfordshire.
** There does not
seem to have been a large turnout for Blanche's funeral and,
interestingly, her sister Edith is absent from the mourners.
Blanche married Major Frederick Henry Thomas
Alexander, son of Henry Alexander and Lady Louisa Juliana Knox, on 7
Jun 1899 in Farnborough Church, Surrey.1 (Major Frederick Henry Thomas Alexander was
born on 30 Nov 1860 in Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais, France 9 and died on 26 Sep 1921 in Faygate Place,
Faygate, Sussex 10.)
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Sources
1 Parish
Registers of England and Wales, St
Peter, Farnborough Marriages 1899.
1899. Marriage solemnised at the Parish Church in the Parish of
Farnborough in
the County of Southampton. No. 141 - June 7th 1899
Frederick Henry Thomas Alexander - Full [age] - Bachelor - Capt in
Leicestershire Regt - Farnborough - Henry Alexander (deceased) - Esqre
Florence Blanche Bancroft - Full [age] - Spinster - - Knellwood
Farnborough -
William Charles Bancroft - Lt General
Married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of
the
established church of England, by or after banns by me
Fred. A Hammond
This Marriage was solemnised between us, Frederick Henry Thomas
Alexander,
Florence Blanche Bancroft in the Presence of us, William Charles
Bancroft,
Edith Maude Bancroft.
2 The
Argus (Published in Melbourne, Victoria
between (1848-1957)), Saturday 12 September 1863, Page 4, Col D
BIRTHS.
BANCROFT. - On the 10th inst., at Orrong, near Toorak, the wife of
Captain
Bancroft, A.D.C., of a daughter.
3 The
Times (London), Friday, November 27,
1931, Page 1 Col A - DEATHS.
ALEXANDER.- On Nov. 25, 1931, at Faygate Place, Faygate, Florence
Blanche
Alexander, widow of Major Frederick Henry Thomas Alexander, late
Leicestershire
Regiment. Funeral Colgate, tomorrow (Saturday), at 12 noon.
4 National
Census, ...
1881 - Parish: St Mary; ED: 84; Piece: 275; Folio: 98; Page: 9 -
Florence B.
Bancroft 17 Scholar.
5 Saffron
Walden Weekly News, Friday 05
September 1913, Page 4 Col F - CONSERVATIVE FETE AT WALDEN. Address by
Mr. R.
G. Proby.
Under auspices of Walden Conservative Association League a fκte took
place
yesterday (Thursday) at Vineyards Saffron Walden, the grounds kindly
lent by
Captain F H Alexander. The attractions consisted of sports, cycle
gymkhana,
dancing, etc. The Saffron Walden Town Band under the direction of
Bandmaster F.
Pitstow played selections of music. At a well attended meeting Mr R. G.
Proby
gave political address.
6 Saffron
Walden Weekly News, Friday 26 June
1914, Page 7 Col C LONDON OVER THE BORDER FUND. Bazaar at Saffron
Walden.
In glorious weather and under the best of conditions, a bazarre was
conducted
yesterday (Thursday) afternoon in the picturesque grounds of The
Vineyard,
Saffron Walden, kindly lent by Captain Alexander, in aid of the London
over the
Border Church Fund (formerly known as the Bishop of St Albans' Fund).
The
bazaar was held in connection with the Saffron Walden Association,
which has
Lady Bailey as its president, with Mrs. Alexander vice-president
.
7 West
Sussex County Times, Friday 04
December 1931, Page 4 Col E FAYGATE.
8 Probate
Court (England and Wales), "Calendar
of Grants of Probate and Administration", Wills and Admons 1932.
ALEXANDER Florence Blanche of Faygate-place Faygate Sussex widow died
25
November 1931 Probate London 9 April to Elizabeth Maud Evers-Swindell
(wife of
Kenneth Evers-Swindell). Effects £20578 8s. 7d.
9
"British Army Officer Records" (Records
in the PRO, Kew, England pertaining to officers who served the British
Army),
1882-1962 Transcriptions.
Name: Fredk Henry Thomas Alexander Gender: Male Marital status:
Single
Rank: Captain Birth Date: 30 Nov 1860 Birth Place: Boulogne Sur Mer
Enlistment Date: 1881 Regiment: Leicestershire Regiment (17th Foot).
10 The
Times (London), October 3, 1921, Page 1
Col A - DEATHS.
ALEXANDER. On the 26th Sept., 1921, very suddenly, at his residence,
Faygate
Place, Sussex, Major F. H. T. Alexander, fifth son of the late Henry
Alexander,
Esq., of Forkhill, Co Armagh, and the late Lady Louisa Alexander.
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