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    • Latour-en-Woëvre
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    • Passchendaele
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The Stapleton-Bretherton Family

Picture

​Rainhill Hall, now known as Loyola Hall, was occupied by the Stapleton-Bretherton family between 1884 and 1919. In the first half of the 19th century their ancestor, Bartholomew Bretherton who was a successful coach proprietor, built ‘The Hall’ and acquired much land in the area. Bartholomew also established St Bartholomew’s Church and School in Rainhill. The family were staunch Roman Catholics.

Frederick Annesley Stapleton-Bretherton (1841-1919) inherited ‘The Hall’ and the Rainhill Estate from his father’s cousin, Mary Stapleton-Bretherton**. She was the daughter of Bartholomew Bretherton. Frederick was married to Hon Isabella Petre and they had 13 children. Rainhill was the family seat, but Frederick and Isabella also had a house at Fareham near Southampton. 

During the Great War the whole family was caught up by the events happening in Europe. Many of the daughters married military or naval officers and the sons volunteered to fight for their country.

Two sons Edmund and Vincent fought in WW1 and survived. A daughter, Evelyn, married a Prussian prince and spent the years 1914-1918 interned in Berlin. Edith married a career soldier, Roland Feilding, who spent most of the war years fighting in France. Winifred married Edward Charlton and Ethel married John Anthony Throckmorton – both naval officers. The youngest daughter, Gertrude, married Kenneth Dewar who served in the navy during WW1. Another daughter, Monica, spent the war years doing canteen work and working as a VAD nurse. 

Frederick Annesley and Isabella’s eldest son, Frederick Bartholomew 
Stapleton-Bretherton fought in the South African War during 1901. His brother, Lt. Robert Stapleton-Bretherton was killed in the Boer War in 1902 aged 26. Major Frederick Stapleton-Bretherton was also on active service during the First World War. Sadly his son, Lt. Osmund Stapleton-Bretherton was killed in action in France, aged 19, and a younger brother, Capt. Wilfrid Stapleton-Bretherton, was also killed in action in Belgium aged 28.

** For a detailed description of Mary's life see The World of Mary Bretherton 

Acknowledgement: Philena Bruce (descendant of Edith Stapleton-Bretherton) for valuable insights into the history of the family.


Picture
Monument in graveyard at St Bartholomew’s Church, Rainhill

Family Overview


Frederick Annesley Stapleton-Bretherton (1841-1919) married Hon. Isabella Petre (1845-1919) in 1869.
They had thirteen children – see below
NAME
​
Frederick Bartholomew Joseph
​1873-1938
Mary Isabella
​1874-1901
Robert Charles Lucius
​1875-1902
Evelyn Mary
​1876-1961


Agnes Mary
​1877-c.1960
Edith Mary
​1879-1961


Winifred Mary
​1880-1963
​
Edmund Joseph
​1881-1946
Ethel Mary
​1882-1929

Wilfrid Stanislaus
​1886-1914
Monica Mary
​1886-1952

Vincent
Francis

​1889-1982
Gertrude Mary
​1891-1969
MARRIED TO
​

Bertha Stourton
​

​​
n/a

n/a

​
Prince Gebhard Blucher
​1865-1931
n/a

Col. Rowland Feilding
​1871-1945
Sir Edward Charlton
​1865-1937​
​
Betty Heron Maxwell
​
Cmdr. Herbert John Anthony Throckmorton
n/a

Lt. Col. James Dorgan
​1873-1935
n/a

​
Captain Kenneth Dewar
​1879-1963
MARR. DATE
1894
​
​
n/a
​
n/a


1907 London

n/a

1903


1910 at Rainhill
​
1918

1912


n/a
​
1924


n/a

​
1914 at Rainhill
NOTES
​
Fought in WW1. Son Osmund killed in WW1 - 1918
​​
Became a Nun
​​
Killed in action during South African War at Rondedral
​
Exiled in Germany during WW1. Evelyn wrote a memoir 'An English Wife in Berlin'
Cared for her parents during WW1
Rowland fought in WW1. He wrote 'War Letters to a Wife'
​
Edward served in the Navy during WW1

Edmund fought in WW1
​
Herbert served in WW1

​
Killed in WW1
​1914​
James served in the RAMC during WW1.  Monica served as a V.A.D. nurse
Fought in WW1
​
​
Kenneth served in the Navy during WW1. He wrote 'The Navy from Within'
BURIED AT
​
St.Bart's Rainhill


St.Bart's Rainhill
​



​​
St.Bart's Rainhill

​
St.Bart's Rainhill
​

not known


Fareham Cemetery Hampshire

St.Bart's Rainhill
​
Beccles, Suffolk


Commemorated on Menin Gate​
St.Bart's Rainhill

​
St.Bart's Rainhill

​
St.Bart's Rainhill



​NB   St.Bart's is St. Bartholomew's R.C. Church in Rainhill


Acknowledgement:  John Atherton for information regarding the graves of the family in St Bartholomew's churchyard
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About Us
  • Welcome Page
  • Heritage Trails
  • World War 1
    • Fallen Soldiers
    • Soldiers who Survived
    • Casualties at Rainhill Hospitals
    • Rainhill Wartime Hospitals
    • Edith Lidstone's Autograph Book
    • Rainhill Wartime Memorials
    • Keep the Home Fires Burning
    • Zeppelin over Rainhill
    • WW1 Exhibitions
    • Latour-en-Woëvre
    • The Somme
    • Passchendaele
  • World War 2
    • The Fallen of WW2
    • WW2 Survivors
  • VE Celebrations
  • The Stapleton-Bretherton Family
  • Rainhill Landmarks
  • Contact
  • About Us
    • Acknowledgements
    • Copyright
    • Disclaimer
    • Site Map