{"id":19916,"date":"2024-10-23T00:49:14","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T00:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/?post_type=private_other&#038;p=19916"},"modified":"2025-11-30T18:42:28","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T18:42:28","slug":"the-calverley-blayds-family-of-oulton-hall-and-south-stoke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/the-calverley-blayds-family-of-oulton-hall-and-south-stoke\/","title":{"rendered":"The Calverley Blayds Family of Oulton Hall, Yorkshire and South Stoke, Somerset"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">The Calverley Blayds Family of Oulton Hall, Yorkshire, and South Stoke, Somerset<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">A request for assistance was published in the <em><strong>Bristol &amp; Avon Family History Society<\/strong><\/em> magazine by the owner of a sampler sewn by <strong>Elizabeth Sophia Blayds<\/strong>. The owner sought to reunite this item with the family of its creator.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The original query read:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px; text-align: justify;\"><em>&#8220;Dear Editor, <\/em><em>I wonder if you might be able to help? I have a letters, numbers &amp; patterns stitched sampler (it was amongst my mother&#8217;s possessions and I&#8217;m unclear as to why she had it) which was &#8216;signed&#8217; by <strong>Elizabeth Sophia BLAYDS<\/strong> and dated <strong>December 8 1843, South Stoke Vicarage, Somersetshire<\/strong>. I&#8217;ve googled the name and village and find that she had links with South Stoke. Her father may have been <strong>Henry CALVERLEY, vicar of South Stoke<\/strong>. Should any family members still live in the village or nearby or are known by anyone in your parish, <\/em><em>I&#8217;d very much like to reunite them with this sampler.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Initial research into the Calverley Blayds family soon made it apparent that there were no direct descendants or living relatives of Elizabeth&#8217;s siblings to be found. Nonetheless, the investigation revealed an intriguing story of a family with notable connections, a flair for poetry and travel, and a dark secret.<\/p>\n<div class=\"google-inline\">\r\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\"\r\n     data-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4258812866305862\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9216860104\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">The Ancient Calverley Liniage and the &#8220;Yorkshire Tragedy&#8221;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">The Calverley name originates from the village of that name, situated between Leeds and Bradford in Yorkshire, which served as the ancient manorial seat of the Calverley family for over 500 years. The family tree featured knights, High Sheriffs, and Lord Mayors of Leeds over centuries. The branch of the family being researched here\u2014the Oulton Hall Calverleys\u2014were successful businessmen in nearby Rothwell, a junior line that had separated from the main Calverley Hall line generations earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, the wider, ancient Calverley family is also associated with a notorious 17th-century scandal: the &#8220;Yorkshire Tragedy&#8221; of 1605. On 23 April of that year, Walter Calverley, the young master of Calverley Old Hall, overwhelmed by debt, gambling and suspected infidelity, murdered his two eldest sons (aged four and three) in the family home. He also stabbed his wife, Philippa, who survived the attack thanks to the boning in her corset.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>It is interesting to note that this historical figure, Walter Calverley, was actually Elizabeth Sophia&#8217;s fifth cousin, six times removed.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After his arrest, Walter refused to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. Under English law at the time, refusing to plead meant the accused was sentenced to be &#8220;pressed to death&#8221; beneath heavy stones, a slow and agonising execution. This deliberate refusal to stand trial ensured that he died without being convicted of a felony, allowing his lands and estate to pass to his surviving infant son, Henry, rather than being forfeited to the Crown.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The shocking murders became a national sensation and were quickly dramatised in a play, A Yorkshire Tragedy, which was performed at The Globe theatre by the King&#8217;s Men (Shakespeare&#8217;s company) and mistakenly attributed to William Shakespeare on its title page when published in 1608. Modern scholarship attributes the play to Thomas Middleton.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The main branch of the family moved away from Calverley Old Hall in the 1660s, establishing a new seat at Esholt Hall, before finally selling the ancestral lands entirely in 1754. This historical notoriety predates the Oulton Hall branch&#8217;s rise to prominence, but the dramatic history remains a significant anecdote connected to the broader Calverley name in Yorkshire.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Elizabeth Sophia Blayds<\/strong> was born on 19 October <strong>1833<\/strong> in Martley, Worcestershire, and baptised five days later. She was the youngest of five children born to the <strong>Reverend Henry Blayds<\/strong> (born and baptised <strong>Henry Calverley<\/strong> in 1794 in Leeds, Yorkshire) and his wife, <strong>Elizabeth Meade.<\/strong> The family name was formally changed by Royal Licence to Blayds in 1807 after Henry&#8217;s father, <strong>John Calverley<\/strong>, inherited <strong>Oulton Hall<\/strong> in Oulton, Yorkshire, from the childless Blayds family.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>John<\/strong> <strong>Calverley <\/strong>was born into a family of local landowners in Rothwell, Yorkshire, on 22 September 1753; he was one of two children of John Sr., who served as Lord Mayor of Leeds in 1772, and his wife, Mary Walker. John Jr. became a successful banker, joining <strong>John Blayds <\/strong>of Oulton Hall in partnership at Beckett\u2019s Bank in Leeds. When John Blayds died without a direct heir in 1804, he left his estate to his eldest sister, Mary. Mary died in November 1806, having willed the estate to her sister Anne. Following Anne&#8217;s death just one month later, and as stipulated in Mary&#8217;s will, the Oulton Hall estate was inherited by John Calverley and his heirs. This period of significant inheritance was marked by equal sadness, as John&#8217;s fourteen-year-old son also died in December 1806.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The following year, John assumed the surname Blayds by Royal Licence; by this time, he was married with five surviving children (of seven).<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-19916 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1200\" height=\"607\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Oulton_Park_Yorkshire_Circa_1909a-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-19936\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Oulton_Park_Yorkshire_Circa_1909a-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Oulton_Park_Yorkshire_Circa_1909a-1-250x126.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-19936'>\r\n\t\t\t\tOulton Hall, Yorkshire c.1909 (the property was rebuilt in 1855 after a devastating fire five years previous)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">John married <strong>Mary Downes <\/strong>of Leeds on 28 April <strong>1785<\/strong> in Manchester Cathedral before the couple moved to Park Lane, Leeds, where their children were born.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Mary Calverley<\/strong> (1787); m.1829 (as <strong>Mary Blayds<\/strong>) to merchant and widower <strong>Thomas Shaw Bancroft Reade<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Frances Calverley<\/strong> (1788-1858); m.1812 (as <strong>Frances Blayds<\/strong>) to merchant <strong>Anthony Molyneux<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>John Calverley<\/strong> (1789-1868); m.1822 (as <strong>John<\/strong> <strong>Blayds<\/strong>) to <strong>Ellen Watson Molyneux<\/strong> (sister of Anthony); Magistrate &amp; Deputy Lieutenant for West Riding of Yorkshire for 50 years<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>William Calverley<\/strong> (1790-1799) died aged 8<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Charles Calverley<\/strong> (1792-1806) died aged 14<\/span><\/li>\n<li><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Henry Calverley<\/strong> (1794-1874); m.1824 (as <strong>Henry Blayds<\/strong>) to <strong>Elizabeth Meade<\/strong>; Vicar of South Stoke for 35 years<\/span><\/em><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Thomas Calverley<\/strong> (1795-1875); m.1820 (as <strong>Thomas Blayds<\/strong>) to <strong>Charlotte Hind<\/strong>; estate owner<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In <strong>1810<\/strong>, at the age of sixteen, Elizabeth Sophia&#8217;s father, Henry, began his studies at Trinity College, Cambridge. He was ordained a deacon and priest in Exeter, Devon, in 1819, serving as curate of Berry Pomeroy, Devon, until <strong>1822<\/strong>. He then transferred to Norton St Philip, Somerset, where he met and married <strong>Elizabeth Meade<\/strong> on 24 August <strong>1824<\/strong> in her hometown of nearby Woolverton. The Meade family descended from an ancient Irish lineage related to the Lords Clanwilliam, who held titles as both Irish earls and English barons. A relative of Elizabeth&#8217;s, Sir John Meade (a former deputy inspector of military hospitals), was buried in South Stoke in 1842.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Their first three children were born in Norton St. Philip between 1826 and 1829. It was during this period that Henry&#8217;s father, John, died at the age of 73, and the Oulton Hall estate passed to Henry&#8217;s eldest brother, John Jr. Henry and his family moved to Martley, Worcestershire, in 1831, where he took over as curate and their last two children were born. Two years after Elizabeth Sophia&#8217;s birth, Henry&#8217;s mother died at the age of 71.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The family moved one final time in <strong>1839<\/strong> to South Stoke Vicarage, Somerset (two miles south of central Bath), where Henry took over as the vicar of Stoke with Monkton Combe. Tragically, their middle child, Frederick, died there at the age of twelve just before Christmas in 1841.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Henry Calverley Blayds<\/strong> (1826-1916); m.1874 (as <strong>Henry Calverley Calverley<\/strong>) to <strong>Mary Morrison<\/strong>; rector of Church Brampton, Northamptonshire<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Mary Henrietta Blayds<\/strong> (1828-1902); unmarried; died as <strong>Mary Henrietta Calverley<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Frederick Haggitt Blayds<\/strong> (1829-1841); died aged 12<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Charles Stuart Blayds<\/strong> (1831-1884); m.1863 (as <strong>Charles Stuart Calverley<\/strong>) to his 1st cousin <strong>Ellen Calverley<\/strong>; barrister at law, poet and wit<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>Elizabeth Sophia Blayds<\/strong> (1833-1925) m.1870 (as<strong> Elizabeth Sophia Calverley<\/strong>) to <strong>Sir Walter Joseph Sendall<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-19916 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Somerset-XIV13-Surveyed-1884-Published-1886-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-19937\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Somerset-XIV13-Surveyed-1884-Published-1886-1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Somerset-XIV13-Surveyed-1884-Published-1886-1-250x141.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Somerset-XIV13-Surveyed-1884-Published-1886-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-19937'>\r\n\t\t\t\tOrdnance Survey Map &#8211; Somerset XIV1.3 (Surveyed 1884, Published 1886)\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Henry&#8217;s eldest son, Henry Jr., won a scholarship at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in 1844. He was ordained deacon in 1853 and a priest in 1854 at the age of twenty-eight. Charles, the youngest son, initially studied at Balliol College, Oxford, but was expelled in 1852 for what were described as various &#8220;high jinks&#8221; (a reflection of his known reputation). He subsequently transferred to Christ&#8217;s College, Cambridge, where he earned a BA in Classics in 1856 and an MA in 1859.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">While the educational experiences of the daughters, Mary and Elizabeth Sophia, are less documented than their brothers&#8217;, records show that Elizabeth Sophia was a student at 3 York Gate School, St Marylebone, London, in 1851 at the age of seventeen. At this time, Henry and Elizabeth were living at South Stoke Rectory with a substantial household staff comprising six servants: a lady&#8217;s maid, a cook, a parlour maid, a houseman, a kitchen maid, and a groom.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a significant move in <strong>1852<\/strong>, Henry formally reinstated the historic <b>Calverley <\/b>family name by Royal Licence on 12 April; his brother John of Oulton Hall followed suit. Their youngest brother, Thomas, however, elected to retain the Blayds surname. At this point, the Reverend Henry Blayds served as the respected vicar of South Stoke for thirteen years. The change in designation for their prominent vicar\u2014from &#8220;Reverend Blayds&#8221; to &#8220;Reverend Calverley&#8221;\u2014must have required a notable adjustment for the local parishioners.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The <strong>1861<\/strong> census recorded Henry and Elizabeth\u2019s daughters, Mary (33) and Elizabeth Sophia (27), as still living at the family home. Their son Charles was also in residence briefly, having been elected a fellow of Christ\u2019s College, Cambridge, in 1858. The family maintained a substantial household, continuing to employ several domestic servants, including a cook, a groom, two ladies&#8217; maids, a parlourmaid, a housemaid, and a kitchen maid.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two years later, while studying to become a barrister, Charles married his first cousin, Ellen Calverley of Oulton Hall. Besides his legal pursuits, Charles was a noted athlete, musician, published writer, and poet. He was later celebrated by critics as &#8220;the most brilliant and cultured parodist of his day&#8221; and &#8220;the literary father of the university school of humour.&#8221; He and his wife eventually had three children, though one tragically died young.<\/p>\n<div class=\"google-inline\">\r\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\"\r\n     data-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4258812866305862\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9216860104\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On 3 August <strong>1870<\/strong>, the thirty-six-year-old <strong>Elizabeth Sophia Calverley <\/strong>married <strong>Walter Joseph Sendall <\/strong>(37) at her father&#8217;s church at South Stoke. Walter had graduated from Christ&#8217;s College, Cambridge, in 1858 with a First in Classics and was likely acquainted with her brother Charles from their time at university. He joined the educational branch of the Ceylon Civil Service (now Sri Lanka) in 1859 and was appointed the Director of Public Instruction in the same year he married Elizabeth.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the census was taken in <strong>1871<\/strong>, professional duties had separated the couple: Walter was working in Ceylon while Elizabeth was living with her parents and unmarried sister Mary at South Stoke Vicarage. The household maintained five servants: a housemaid, a cook, a parlour maid, a houseman, and a kitchen maid. Unfortunately, Walter was forced to resign from his post in 1872 due to failing health caused by the demanding climate, prompting his return to England and his wife. The couple moved to Kensington, London.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Elizabeth\u2019s eldest brother, Henry Jr. (then aged 44), was also residing back at South Stoke Vicarage in 1871. He had held various curacies in Reading, Aylesbury and Somerset, and was recorded as working as a clergyman &#8220;without care of souls&#8221; (a common description for a clergyman without a specific parish charge). Three years later, he married the Scottish-born Mary Morrison, whom he had likely met when she was visiting Bath in 1871.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Reverend Henry Calverley <\/strong>died at South Stoke Vicarage on 28 July <strong>1874<\/strong> at the age of eighty and was buried in St James churchyard a few days later in the family plot alongside his son. During his thirty-five years of service, Henry had erected the village school (at his own cost in 1840) and restored and built the south aisle of St James, with the aid of a grant from the Diocesan Society. The Rev. William Acworth took over in <strong>1875<\/strong>, and Henry&#8217;s widow, Elizabeth, and remaining daughter, Mary (46), were required to leave their family home. Elizabeth moved to London to live with her daughter, Elizabeth Sophia, while Mary struck out on her own.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two years after her father&#8217;s death, Elizabeth Sophia&#8217;s husband, Walter, was appointed by the Local Government Board in Whitehall as their general inspector, followed by assistant secretary, and then inspector of schools in 1880. The <strong>1881<\/strong> census recorded them residing at 15 Southwell Gardens, Kensington, a large four-storey property with a substantial household of five servants, including a lady&#8217;s maid, cook, upper housemaid, housemaid and kitchen maid.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, Henry Jr. and his wife were living in Church Brampton Rectory with three servants, following his admission to the diocese of Peterborough, Northamptonshire, in 1879. Mary, describing herself as a &#8220;gentlewoman&#8221; at age fifty-three, was visiting in Charlcombe, Somerset. Her brother Charles and his wife had settled at 17 Devonshire Terrace, Paddington, where they had been for several years. A skating accident had unfortunately ended Charles&#8217;s legal career, allowing him to focus entirely on his writing and poetry.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The story takes a dark turn when, in July <strong>1882,<\/strong> fifty-six-year-old Henry Jr. (pictured below right) was charged with sexually assaulting two young girls, Annie Clarke and Florence Coombs, at the Racecourse recreation park in Northampton. He was tried at Petty Sessions and found not guilty, with all witnesses for the defence supporting an innocent love of children. Following the trial, he continued his work as the Rector of Church Brampton, apparently untainted, until his retirement in 1912 at the age of 85.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Charles (pictured below left) died of Bright&#8217;s disease on 17 February <strong>1884<\/strong> at his home at 17 Devonshire Terrace, Hyde Park, London, aged 52 (with an estate valued at \u00a31.25m today), followed by the death of their mother on Christmas Day <strong>1885,<\/strong> aged 87 (at Elizabeth&#8217;s Sophia&#8217;s home). She was buried in the family plot alongside her husband and son Frederick on New Year&#8217;s Eve. Walter, in an act of familial duty, later edited the <strong><em>Literary Remains of C. S. Calverley<\/em><\/strong> with a memoir in 1885, ensuring his brother-in-law&#8217;s legacy was preserved.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier that year, Elizabeth Sophia&#8217;s husband had been appointed Governor of the Windward Islands, an administrative grouping of British colonies. Walter was created CMG (Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George) two years later and became the Governor of Barbados, and was knighted as KCMG (Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George) in <strong>1889<\/strong>, making the couple <strong>Sir Walter Sendall <\/strong>and <strong>Lady Sendall<\/strong>. Though sources suggest he &#8220;appeared to lack quickness of sympathy and personal geniality,&#8221; his &#8220;sound judgment and high character&#8221; won him significant esteem and confidence in his capacity as a governor. Elsewhere in the Calverley family, the son of Elizabeth Sophia&#8217;s first cousin married the niece of the late Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-19916 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"650\" height=\"799\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charles-Stuart-Calverley.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-19922\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charles-Stuart-Calverley.jpg 650w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Charles-Stuart-Calverley-250x307.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-19922'>\r\n\t\t\t\tCharles Stuart Calverley\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"650\" height=\"799\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Henry-Calverley-Calverley.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-3-19923\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Henry-Calverley-Calverley.jpg 650w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Henry-Calverley-Calverley-250x307.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-3-19923'>\r\n\t\t\t\tRev. Henry Calverley Calverley\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Elizabeth Sophia was a dedicated fundraiser who tirelessly supported local charities. In <strong>1892,<\/strong> she joined her husband in Cyprus when he became High Commissioner and successfully raised enough money to construct a Greek Orthodox church for the eighty residents of the leper colony outside Nicosia, as well as funds for a new Anglican church in the same area.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Elizabeth Sophia&#8217;s passion for needlework, which began as a young girl in South Stoke in the early 1840s, significantly impacted her time in Cyprus. She focused on helping local women earn &#8220;rather better prices than the miserable ones they obtain from the middleman,&#8221; as reported by <em>The Queen<\/em> magazine in November 1896. A sale of the work in London showcased goods that were &#8220;priced low, and ought to find ready purchasers,&#8221; including hand-made linen trimmed with &#8220;handsome coarse linen lace in square Greek patterns&#8221; and &#8220;fine linen cloths&#8230; with delicate embroidery in true Eastern colours and gold.&#8221; Through these efforts, over \u00a3300 was realised in a short time to support the craftswomen.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>&#8220;A sale of work of unusual interest will be held on Nov. 27, at 45, Brompton-crescent (now Egerton-crescent), S.W., by permission of Mrs Antrobus. For some three years past, Lady Sendall, wife of the Governor of Cyprus, has made efforts to help the poor women in the island to sell their work for rather better prices than the miserable ones they obtain from the middleman. Sales have been held, with the result that over \u00a3300 has been realised in a short time. The goods offered have only to be seen to be appreciated. Hand-made linen is trimmed with a handsome coarse linen lace in square Greek patterns, most of the patterns being handed down for hundreds of years. Fine linen cloths are worked with delicate embroidery in true Eastern colours and gold. A quantity of hand-woven silk and cotton stuffs suitable for teagowns will be on sale, and striped cottons, which would make charming blouses. The wares are priced low, and ought to find ready purchasers. (The Queen, 28th November 1896)&#8221;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The couple remained in Cyprus until <strong>1898,<\/strong> when Walter was appointed the Governor of British Guiana, arriving in March. The following June, Elizabeth Sophia set up a needlework competition for teachers and pupils, soon after named &#8220;Lady Sendall&#8217;s Needlework Competition.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">An official &#8220;Educational Notice&#8221; announcement, issued by Inspector of Schools W. Blair in June 1899, detailed the requirements for the competition: successful entrants would receive &#8220;medals or certificates from Lady Sendall.&#8221; The examination was strictly timed at three hours, during which competitors were required to perform six specific tasks on an eight-inch square of calico, including &#8220;about three inches of hemming, of back stitching, and of over seaming,&#8221; along with sewing on a button, making a buttonhole, a patch and inserting a gusset. The rules stipulated that no scholar over fifteen years of age was eligible.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>&#8220;Educational Notices.<br \/>\nCOMPETITION IN NEEDLEWORK.<br \/>\nNOTICE is hereby given that Examinations in Needlework will be held at the undermentioned places on Friday, 22nd December, 1899, at 11 a.m., and that the successful competitors will receive Medals or Certificates from Lady Sendall.<br \/>\nThe competitors will be given a piece of calico about 8 inches square on which they will be required to do, (a) about three inches of hemming, of back stitching, and of over seaming; (b) to sew on a linen button and to make a button hole; (c) to make a patch; and (d) to insert a gusset. Time allowed, 3 hours.<br \/>\nEach teacher will be permitted to present for examination one fourth (or any less number) of the number of girls in attendance, but no scholar who is over 15 years of age will be eligible. The prize winners will be required to furnish proof of age after the award is published.<br \/>\nSchoolmasters who desire that their scholars shall take part in the competition are requested to inform the undersigned with as little delay as possible. The names, number of competitors, and the Centres at which they propose to sit need not be sent before November 1st.<br \/>\nW. BLAIR, Inspector of Schools. Education Department, 21st June, 1899.&#8221;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Over 1,000 pieces of needlework were entered into the competition, which Elizabeth examined and graded. In a letter dated 26th February 1900, Lady Sendall detailed the results of the competition. With the help of others, she examined all 1,050 entries, finding that three-fourths were not eligible for prizes. She noted that judging was challenging without knowing the ages of the children. While much of the work was good, no single entry received the highest marks across all six categories. Special mention was made of a girl with only one hand whose work was exceptional. Lady Sendall proposed awarding one silver medal, fourteen plated medals, and certificates to the 33 successful competitors. She expressed hope for another competition the following year, encouraging those who did not succeed this time to continue improving.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>&#8220;The following letter on the subject of the above Competition is published by the kind permission of Lady SENDALL :-<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>GOVERNMENT HOUSE, BRITISH GUIANA, 26th February, 1900.<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Dear Mr. Blair,<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>I have at length, with the aid of kind helpers, finished the examination of the 1,050 specimens of needlework &#8211; (120 of those on the original lists, were not sent in) and I forward you the results.<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>We examined every specimen and found fully 3-fourths hopelessly out of the pale of competition for prizes. We then went carefully through the remainder, giving marks according to your plan for the Pupil Teachers, to each of the 6 kinds of work in every specimen. I am, by my special wish, as you know, wholly ignorant of what schools the numbers represent, but now that the examination is over, I shall be much interested in learning the names both of schools and children.<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Having no clue to the ages, made the judging a little unsatisfactory, as what would be very good work for a child of 7 or 8, might be obviously not so for one of 13 or 14, and the specimens had to be judged as if all were done by one standard of age, and of time in school. Having followed your scale of marks, I have made 59 the minimum for any prizes, being just below that for &#8220;Very Good,&#8221; but amongst those who are not included within this limit, there are many who did well in one or more of the 6 kinds of work shewn, although not in the other kinds &#8211; the hemming and stitching are often very good, much better than the sewing. Some of the children merely turned down the calico once, for sewing, which is of course, quite wrong, being simply overcasting. In all these cases I deducted one mark, as only fair towards those who had sewn two pie pieces together in the right way. I have also made the same deduction, where stitching is done without any turning down, on the single calico. <\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Some of the work is extremely good, so far as it goes, and we were really sorry that in no case could we give the highest marks to all the 6 kinds in our specimen, and that therefore none reached the maximum of V.G. <\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Centre IX. sent the greatest number of specimens and has been the most successful, the hemming, gussets and patches being specially good &#8211; in many instances, the gussets are put in simply as a triangular piece, which is not the most correct way; but as the children had been taught in this manner, we gave all equal marks, according to the neatness of the work. In Centre XIV. a specimen was sent by a girl with only one hand, and is really wonderful, making her the 15th of the 33 successful competitors &#8211; she deserves special recognition for work done well under such disadvantages.<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>I am afraid we do not consider that any specimen quite merits a silver medal, as none have obtained full marks, but No.276 comes so near the maximum of V.G. that I think she might have one &#8211; and, with your approbation, I propose to give the next fourteen a plated medal, which will include No.443 (the girl with the one hand.) All the thirty-three will, as we arranged, have a certificate.<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>If I am here another year, I shall hope to have another competition, and many more successful competitors, also more kinds of needlework than the six now shewn &#8211; and I should like to say, through the Managers or Teachers, to all the children who have competed, that the unsuccessful ones must not be discouraged, because they have failed at their first competition, but that I hope they will take all the more pains to improve, and will be ready to try again, when the next chance comes. <\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Thanking you, most heartily, for all your assistance and trouble,<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>I am, sincerely yours,<\/em><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>E. S. SENDALL.&#8221;<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"google-inline\">\r\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\"\r\n     data-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4258812866305862\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9216860104\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sir Walter was created Knight Grand Cross (GCMG) in <strong>1899<\/strong> and retired from his post as Governor of British Guiana in July\u00a0<strong>1901<\/strong>. The final Lady Sendall&#8217;s Needlework Competition was held in December 1902, after the couple had left. The competition continued for several years, though no longer associated with Elizabeth Sophia.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In retirement, Sir Walter, a fellow of the Linnean, Royal Microscopical, and Hellenic Societies, found recreation in literary work, the microscope, mechanics and the lathe. He also represented the West Indian Colonies, Bermuda and the Falkland Islands at the Coronation of Edward VII in 1902. He died two years later on 19 March <strong>1904<\/strong>, aged 71, at their 6-storey, 17-roomed home at 91 Cornwall Gardens, Kensington. A memorial bronze was later placed in the chapel of St Michael and St George in St Paul&#8217;s Cathedral.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Elizabeth&#8217;s sister Mary died earlier, on 3 August 1902, aged 74, at her home at 9 Carlyle Mansions, Cheyne Walk, Chelsea, with an estate valued at approximately \u00a31.4 million today. Her last remaining sibling, Henry, retired in May 1912 and died in Ealing on 7 February 1916, aged 90. Despite an earlier accusation in 1882, he was well-liked by his parishioners.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Elizabeth Sophia moved to 22 Kensington Court Gardens between 1918 and 1919, a modest five-storey, eight-roomed property (plus servants), where she died on 19 December <strong>1925,<\/strong> aged 92. Her estate was valued at \u00a311370 5s 10d (about \u00a3580k today). Walter&#8217;s remains had been cremated at Golders Green in 1904, as had Elizabeth Sophia&#8217;s upon her death. Her title was <strong>Dame Elizabeth Sophia Sendall<\/strong>, and in her will, she left generous gifts of \u00a3500 each (over \u00a325k each today) to her former housemaid and butler.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 {\r\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-item {\r\n\t\t\t    float: left;\r\n\t\t\t    margin-top: 10px;\r\n\t\t\t    text-align: center;\r\n\t\t\t    width: auto;\r\n\t\t\t\tbox-sizing: border-box;\r\n \t\t\t    padding: 0.1em 0.3em 0 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 img {\r\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #ffffff;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t#gallery-4 .gallery-caption {\r\n\t\t\t\tfont-size: 0.7em;\r\n   \t\t\t\tline-height: 1.2em;\r\n\t\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff none repeat scroll 0 0;\r\n \t\t\t\tmargin: 0;\r\n\t\t\t}\r\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\r\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-19916 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"650\" height=\"898\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Elizabeth-Sophia-Calverley.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-19918\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Elizabeth-Sophia-Calverley.jpg 650w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Elizabeth-Sophia-Calverley-250x345.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-19918'>\r\n\t\t\t\tLady Elizabeth Sophia Sendall\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\r\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\r\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"650\" height=\"898\" src=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Walter-Joseph-Sendall.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-19919\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Walter-Joseph-Sendall.jpg 650w, https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/tg-wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Walter-Joseph-Sendall-250x345.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\r\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-19919'>\r\n\t\t\t\tSir Walter Joseph Sendall\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\r\n\t\t<\/div><br style='clear: both' \/>\n\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">DESCENDANTS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Elizabeth Sophia and Walter did not have any children, nor did her brother Henry or sister Mary. Of her brother Charles&#8217;s three children, one died at age two, and his other two sons did not marry. Sadly, this means there are no direct or close living relatives to whom Elizabeth Sophia&#8217;s girlhood sampler can be passed on.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Looking at her wider family, Elizabeth Sophia had eighteen paternal cousins, some of whom married and had children. A few have traceable (albeit distant) living descendants in England, Ireland and Canada, but very few retain the Calverley name.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>RESOURCES &amp; REFERENCES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">I use many different resources during my research, the majority of which I do online.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">If you have any questions regarding my research or would like anything added or amended, please <strong><a href=\"mailto:powdermonki@hotmail.com?subject=Tracing%20Ghosts\">contact me<\/a><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>I\u2019m available to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/hire-me\/\">hire<\/a>\u00a0to trace family trees and delve into the history of your house.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Ancestry<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ancestry.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.ancestry.com<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>British Newspaper Archive<\/strong> &#8211;\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk<\/a> (also available on <strong>Find My Past<\/strong>)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Find A Grave<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findagrave.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.findagrave.com<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Find My Past<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findmypast.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.findmypast.co.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>National Library of Scotland<\/strong> (maps) &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/maps.nls.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">maps.nls.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Oulton Hall Hotel<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oultonhallhotel.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.oultonhallhotel.co.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>The DiCamillo Companion<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thedicamillo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.thedicamillo.com<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>The National Portrait Gallery<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npg.org.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.npg.org.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>The Landmark Trust<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.landmarktrust.org.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.landmarktrust.org.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Fhithich<\/strong> &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fhithich.uk\/2022\/04\/23\/a-yorkshire-tragedy-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.fhithich.uk<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Newspaper articles reproduced with the permission of the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">British Newspaper Archive<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>The British Library Board<\/strong>. <\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>Maps reproduced with the permission of the\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.nls.uk\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Library of Scotland<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"google-inline\">\r\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block; text-align:center;\"\r\n     data-ad-layout=\"in-article\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4258812866305862\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"9216860104\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A request for help was published in the Bristol &#038; Avon Family History Society magazine by the owner of a sampler sewn by Elizabeth Sophia BLAYDS of South Stoke Vicarage, Somerset on 8th Dec 1843. The owner was looking to reunite the sampler with its family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19918,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[87],"tags":[204],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19916"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19916"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19916\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20304,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19916\/revisions\/20304"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}