Katherine Maxse (Lushington) "Kitty"

From FreeBMD: Registration of birth of Female Lushington in 1867

July to September 1867: Registration of birth of Female Lushington; in St George Hanover Square, London (Volume 1a, Page 311)

From British Newspaper Archive: Morning Post Wednesday, 31 July 1867 Page 8 Births

Births: Lushington. — On Sunday, 28 July 1867 [inst.], at [87 Eccleston Square, Pimlico, London SW1V 1PH 51.4929506, -0.143686], the wife of Vernon Lushington, Esq., of a daughter.

From British Newspaper Archive: Carlisle Express and Examiner Saturday, 8 January 1887 Page 6 Concert at Brampton

Concert at Brampton. — A popular concert, promoted by Mrs. George Howard for the benefit of the Brampton Total Abstinence Brass Band, took place in the [Tweed Mill, Craw Hill, Brampton 54.9416479, -2.7310356] on Monday night, 3 January 1887, and passed off in a highly successful manner. Mr. George Howard, Naworth Castle, presided, and there was a large and appreciative audience. In the first part of the programme the Misses Lushington secured a hearty encore for their excellent rendering of a trio on violins, and later Miss Kitty Lushington came in for another encore for her violin solo. Mrs. Bell and Mr. Bentley also sang with good effect. The vocal trio "Three Jolly Sailor Boys" was very heartily encored. In the second part Mrs. Bell received an encore, as did also Mr. James Harding (late of the Royal Engineers) for his song "The Death of Nelson." The short farce Tweedledum and Tweedledee caused much laughter, Miss Howard ably representing the mystified girl unaccustomed to the sights of Wonderland. The Misses Lushington gave another violin trio, and were again encored, as was also Mr. Bentley, who was loudly cheered in responding with "The Charge of the Light Brigade." The proceeds amounted to close upon £13.

From FreeBMD - Registration of marriage of Leopold James Maxse in 1890 and FreeBMD - Registration of marriage of Katherine Lushington in 1890

• October to December 1890: Registration of marriage of Katherine Lushington; in Epsom (Volume 2a, Page 21)
• October to December 1890: Registration of marriage of Leopold James Maxse; in Epsom (Volume 2a, Page 21)

From British Newspaper Archive: West Middlesex Herald Monday, 29 December 1890 Page 3 Marriage of Miss Lushington at Cobham

Marriage of Miss Lushington at Cobham. [St Andrew's Church, Downside Bridge Road, Cobham, Surrey KT11 3EJ 51.3260691, -0.4111832]

On Tuesday last, 23 December 1890, Miss Catherine Lushington, eldest daughter of Mr. Vernon Lushington, Q.C., County Court Judge, was married to Leopold James Maxse, sen., son of Admiral Maxse, of Dunley, Dorking. Although the weather was unfavourable a very large number of guests assembled.

The wedding was fixed to take place at 2.15 p.m., and shortly after the time appointed the bride was escorted up the aisle by her father, who subsequently gave her away.

She was very handsomely attired in a rich white satin dress, trimmed with old Brussels lace and Court train. The bride wore also a fall of old Brussels lace surmounted with orange blossom, and carried a bouquet of white jassamine, lilac, azalea, rosea, and heather. The only jewellery she wore was a diamond star. There were no bridesmaids. The bridegroom was attended by Mr. Ivor Maxse as best man.

The officiating clergy were the Rev. E. J. Norris (vicar of St. Bartholomew's, Reading), and the Rev. T. Jervis Edwards (vicar of Cobham). Miss M. Fowle, A.R.C.M., F.C.O., played a selection of pieces on the organ, Mr. Lasham, the organist and choirmaster at St. Andrew's, Cobham, played the special hymns and psalms.

The newly married couple after the ceremony returned to Pyports, the residence of the bride's father, and afterwards left for Wiltshire. Pyports, Downside Bridge Road, Cobham, Surrey KT11 3EH 51.3258, -0.4125 The bride's travelling dress was fawn drab cloth trimmed with velvet.

A great many handsome and costly gifts were presented to the happy couple, among others being from Cobham tradesmen, saltcellars; Downside, sugar basin; Cobham band of Hope, toast rack and pickle fork; Dunley servants, Japanese silk embroidered screen; Pyports servants, teapot and biscuit tin.

Among the guests invited were Admiral and Mrs. Maxse, the Misses Maxse, Captain Maxse, Lady Maxse, General and Mrs. Duff, Miss Duff, Mrs. Gaze, Miss Gaze, Miss Steel, Miss Block, Mr. Godfrey Lushington, C.B., Mr. and Mrs. Lushington, Mr. Guy Lushington, Mr. Norris, Captain Norris, the Rev. Edward and Mrs. Norris, Mr. Hugh Norris, Mrs. Russell, Miss Russell, Miss Lushington, Alice Lushington, Mr. and Mrs. James Gleig, the Misses Tatham, Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Colonel and Mrs. Grey, Mr. and Mrs. F. Wigan, Mr. Hugh Montgomery, Mr. Archibald Montgomery, Mrs. Leslie Stephen; Miss Duckworth, Mr. George Duckworth, Mr. Gerald Duckworth, Mr. and Mrs. Litchfield, Mr. and Mrs. Holman Hunt, Miss Elliot, Mrs. Cooper Smith, Miss Massingberd, Mr. Massingberd, Miss Coltman, Mr. J. P. Dawlinson, Mr. Mallett, Rev. J. E. Edwards, Miss Edwards, Mr and Mrs. Arthur Brandrett, Mrs. ?? Court Repington, Mr. ?? Court Repington, Mrs. Cracroft, Miss Cracroft, Mr Radcliffe, Mr. Clough, Miss Rates, Miss Le Davies, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Babington Smith.

During the day the bells rang merrily. The bride will be much missed by the poor, to whom she was a good friend. In connection with the wedding the Band of Hope were entertained at tea at "Pyports" on Friday evening, 26 December 1890, and on Tuesday, 23 December 1890 the old people of the village were also entertained.

From MyHeritage: Frederick A Nurse: 1891 England & Wales Census

5 April 1891 Census for residents of Dunley Hill House, Crocknorth Road, Effingham, Surrey RH5 6SL 51.239786, -0.407515, England

• Frederick A Maxse, head, married, male, aged 57 [born about 1834], in London; Retired Admiral, Royal Navy
• Leopold T Maxse, son, married, male, aged 26 [born about 1865], in London; On own account, Student of Law
• Katherine Maxse, [ERROR daughter CORRECTION daughter-in-law], married, female, aged 23 [born about 1868], in London
• 2 sister-in-laws, 3 visitors, 8 servants

From MyHeritage: Leopold J Maxse: 1901 England & Wales Census

31 March 1901 Census for residents of 25 Montpelier Square, London, London, England

• Leopold J Maxse, head, married, male, aged 36 [born about 1865], in London; Author; Editor of National Review; working on own account, at home
• Katherine Maxse, wife, married, female, aged 33 [born about 1868], in London
• Mary Embury, servant, widow, female, aged 45 [born about 1856], in Brixton, London; Cook Domestic
• Alice T Tatman, servant, single, female, aged 23 [born about 1878], in Doncaster Thome Levels; Lady's Maid Domestic
• Lydia Hillier, servant, single, female, aged 32 [born about 1869], in London; Housemaid Domestic

From MyHeritage: Leopold James Maxse: 1911 England & Wales Census

2 April 1911 Census for residents of [25 Montpelier Square, Knightsbridge, London SW7 1JR 51.5001533, -0.1671238], England; House with 13 rooms

• Leopold James Maxse, head, married for 20 years [about 1891], no children, male, aged 46 [born about 1865], in St George Hanover Square, London; Editor, National Review
• Katherine Maxse, wife, married for 20 years [about 1891], no children, female, aged 43 [born about 1868], in Westminster, London
• Ellen Jane Golding, servant, single, female, aged 28 [born about 1883], in London; Maid Domestic
• Amy Racker, servant, single, female, aged 29 [born about 1882], in Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire; Parlourmaid Domestic
• Rhosa Jane Porter, servant, single, female, aged 25 [born about 1886], in Harlow, Essex; Housemaid Domestic
• Annie Fewster, servant, married for 32 years, female, aged 58 [born about 1853], in Vauxhall, London; Cook Domestic

From Exploring Surrey Past

Letters From Katherine Lushington To Vernon Lushington

In 1890 Katherine married Leopold Maxse (1864-1932) son of Admiral Frederick Augustus Maxse (1833-1900), admiral and political writer, at Cobham parish church. Their engagement had been brought about by Julia Stephen inviting Kitty and Leo to Talland House, St Ives, in the summer of 1890 where the proposal was made before dinner - an episode later recreated in Virginia Woolf's 'To The Lighthouse'.

From A Garland for Gissing, Volume 138, edited by Bouwe Postmus

In 1890, when Kitty was twenty-three, Julia Stephen invited her to stay at Talland House, St Ives in Cornwall, where the Lushingtons had been before; there is a reference to their departure for Cornwall in Gissing's letters. This time Julia also invited Leopold J. Maxse, fairly recently down from Cambridge, where he had been president of the Union. He popped the question to Kitty in the garden, and they were married in the church at Cobham at the end of that year with the reception at "Pyports". Julia, and her daughter by her first marriage Stella Duckworth, were among the guests. The episode of Leo's proposal, made during the summer holiday house-party, left an indelible impression upon the mind of Virginia Woolf, then a child of seven, and it re-surfaced thirty-five years later in her novel "To the Lighthouse."

From Hyperion Records - Twelve Short Pieces for violin and piano

Sir Hubert Parry (composer of "Jerusalem") dedicated the first piece, Idyll, to his good friend Kitty Maxse (formerly Kitty Lushington)

NOTE: Blue Plaque Hubert Parry (1848-1918) [17 Kensington Square, London W8 5HH 51.5001341, -0.1897635]

NOTE: Vernon Lushington lived at [36 Kensington Square, London W8 5HP 51.5008438, -0.1908343]

From Apollon Undergraduate eJournal - Mrs. Dalloway

Virginia Woolf based the character of Clarissa Dalloway in Mrs Dalloway on Kitty Maxse, a woman who she knew in her own life. Maxse was the gentile wife of an affluent man and whom Woolf, along with many others, considered to be the proper type of society woman

From surreylife - The Lushingtons and their Celebrity Circles Surrey's Answer to the Bloomsbury Group

Vernon Lushington’s eldest daughter Kitty (1867- 1922) and her sisters Margaret and Susan grew up at Pyports listening to fairy tales read by family friend and author Mary de Morgan

After their mother’s sudden death, the girls, then aged 17, 15 and four, were taken under the wing of Julia Prinsep Stephen (whose first husband was a circuit judge with Vernon), one of whose own daughters became the writer Virginia Woolf.

From Times Literary Supplement - The Real Clarissa Dalloway By David Taylor

From The Remarkable Lushington Family: Reformers, Pre-Raphaelites, Positivists, and the Bloomsbury Group by David Taylor Published 2020

From wikipedia - Dante And Beatrice (Painting)

The model for Beatrice was Eleanor Butcher, Milly Hughes modelled for Monna Vanna, and the model for the maidservant was Kitty Lushington

From FreeBMD - Registration of death of Katherine Maxse in 1922

October to December 1922: Registration of death of Katherine Maxse; aged 55 [born about 1867]; in Kensington (Volume 1a, Page 109)

From British Newspaper Archive: Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail Monday, 9 October 1922 Page 3 Fell Over Banisters

Inquest Story of Mrs. Maxse's Death

The death of Mrs. Katharine Maxse, wife of Mr. Leopold James Maxse, editor of the "National Review," after a fall of 35 feet over the banisters at her flat at Cromwell Road, South Kensington, was inquired into on Saturday, 7 October 1922, by Mr. Douglas Cowburn, deputy - coroner for West London.

Mrs. Maxse, who was 55 years of age, was the daughter the late Judge Vernon Lushington, granddaughter of the Right Hon. Stephen Lushington, and a sister-in-law of Viscount Milner.

Mr. Maxse stated that on Wednesday afternoon, 4 October 1922, his wife left to go out visiting. Soon afterwards he was called, and found her lying in the hall. She was just able to recognize him, and remarked: "Shall I ever be able to walk again?" but did not say how she came to fall.

Sudden Giddiness

A doctor was called, and she died within a couple of hours. She was of sober habits, and was not addicted to drugs, and had never suggested suicide.

Mrs. Ethel Chitty, a friend, said she saw Mrs Maxse going upstairs. She did not speak, and soon after she heard a noise and found her in the hall below.

Dr. Maxwell Chance, of Grosvenor Street, W., stated that when called he found Mrs. Maxse dying. She was able to that she could not forgive herself for her carelessness. All the ribs on the right side were broken, and death was due to shock from the injuries. A person, added Dr. Chance, suffering from the condition of the heart such as found at the post-mortem examination, was liable to a sudden attack of giddiness.

A verdict of "Accidental death" was returned.

From The Question of Things Happening - The letters of Virginia Woolf Volume 2 19121922 Edited by Nigel Nicolson Page 573

Sunday, 22 October 1922 Hogarth House, Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey

To Roger Fry

... Margery was here the other night — your sister I mean, not Marjorie Strachey who ramps in Gordon Square — a menagerie without cages The animals prowl in and out, and Nessa was laying the law down the other night with some force If only she could never see any of her friends, she says, life might be tolerable but there’s Karin, there’s Mary Hutch* there’s the telephone, there’s Kitty Maxse falling over the banisters and killing herself — ought one to write to Susan Lushington [her sister]. No, one would say the wrong thing. Still it seems a pity that Kitty did kill herself, but of course she was an awful snob. No, one couldn’t go on with people like that One had to make a break somewhere. Then, of course, married comes Angelica [Bell], all the beads are upset on the floor, et cetera, et cetera.

From MyHeritage: Probate index 1923

14 April 1923 probate of Katherine Maxse of [33 Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DG 51.4955219, -0.1764744], who died 4 October 1922, probate granted at London on 14 April 1923 to Leopold James Maxse, gentleman, spouse. Effects £12128 0s. 11d.

From arthive - Home quartet Mrs Vernon Lushington with daughters