Priscilla Sheringham

1856 23 August Baptism,Parish of Fakenham, Norfolk, England.

1856 December 21 - Mary Jane Sheringham of Fakenham, Norfolk, died, leaving her husband with three young children (Priscilla being only 4 months old)

1861 Census

Thomas (42) is listed as a widower, also William (6) and Priscilla (4) Living at 4 Market Square, Fakenham, County of Norfolk, UK.

• Next door lived Priscilla's grandfather, William age 79 and Georgianna, her aunt, age 33

1876 Her father Thomas died, aged 57.

1881 Census

Priscilla (24,stepdaughter, unmarried, annuitant) lived at 28 blessington Road, Lee, with her step-mother, Anna Sheringham (53, widow, annuitant), EthelMary Sheringham (18, 3rd daughter, annuitant), Constance (Connie - 16 daughter) 1882, 19 October - Priscilla (26) married Stanley De Brath in Church of St. Margaret's, Lee bringing a small dowry to the marriage. Stanley De Brath, eldest son of F. De Brath, of Russell Crescent, Brighton, to Priscilla Sheringham, of Blessington Road, Lee, second daughter of the late T. W. Sheringham, of Fakenham, Norfolk. [ Source: The Ipswich Journal, Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser, and Lancashire General Advertiser, Bury and Norwich Post, Tue 24 Oct 1882]

Priscilla's husband Stanley De Brath was an engineer, educator, psychical researcher and author. He also acted as Secretary to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (author of Sherlock Holmes) in relation to psychical research.

April/May 1883 "Something of myself and other autobiographical writings" by Rudyard Kipling refers to a week's mountaineering climb from Simla up the Himilaya-Tibet road to Kotgurh, via Baghi at 9000ft, in India (near NW Frontier) with 29 yr old Stanley and 27 yr old Priscilla April 30 thru early May 1885, when Rudyard was 18 years old. Stanley De Brath and Rudyard Kipling remained friends thereafter.

• Extract: “The party consisted of young Rudyard Kipling' and a man in the Public Works Department named De Brath with his newly wedded wife, Stanley and Priscilla, their servants from down-country, and relays of hill-coolies to carry baggage.” “Kipling found himself odd man out in what was almost a honeymoon party and was envious of his companions’ happiness. On the journey, the wife coyly admitted she was in the family way, a felicitous event that Kipling remembered to use in The Story of the Gadsbys.”

1883 July 21 - son Harold was born in Nasirabad, Rajputana, India

1885, August 30 - daughter Gladys was born in Simla, Bengal, India

1889 December - son Noel Stanley De Brath was born at home at 29 Quentin Road, Lee, Lewisham, Kent, UK. Stanley was present.

1890 Priscilla (34) was visiting her family when one year old son Noel died on 3 December 1890 of 'Lymphadenoma' (Hodgkin's Disease) - very rare for one so young. Address on death certificate is "The Square, Fakenham."

Presumably Stanley introduced his sister-in-law, Ethel Sheringham - six years younger than Priscilla - to P.A. Newton, descendant of Sir Isaac Newton. (The 1871 England Census lists the Newton's and the De Brath's as neighbors in Lewisham, Parish of Lee, Kent. P.A. Newton is listed as 10 years old - Ethel would have been 8 at the time) - see 1901 census below as well.

1901 England Census for Guernsey and Adjacent Islands, Channel Islands, United Kingdom

• stanley, b 1854, age 47
• Priscilla, b. 1856, age 45
• Harold, b 1884, age 17
• Gladys, b 1886, age 15

1901 England Census for 13 Shorters Hill Rd, Blackheath, Kent

• Philip Arthur Newton 40, born London Chiswick - Patent Agent and Employer
• Ethel Mary (nee Sheringham) Newton 38, Wife, b. Fakenham, Norfolk
• Mary Margaret Newton13, daughter, b. Blackheath
• Winifred Ethel Newton11, daughter, b. Blackheath
• Stanley De Brath, 46, Visitor (and childhood friend and neighbor of Philip Arthur Newton (above) - Working At Home, Schoolmaster, late PWD India, born Sydenham, Kent
• Prescilla (sp) (nee Sheringham) De Brath, 44, Visitor (and step-sister to Ethel Mary Newton (above) - b. Fakenham, Norfolk.

1911 UK Census

Resident with husband at his Charters towers school, Lingfield.  Daughter Gladys as well.

1937, December - Priscilla's husband, Stanley passed away.

Priscilla was 81.

1939 Special WWII UK Census for Hollycombe Farm (cottage), Liphook, Hampshire

- was this a meeting of the London Spiritualist Alliance, which her husband had been part of?

* Priscilla (incapacitated) dob 15 June 1856 (She was 83)

• Nurse Attendant, Margaret J.A. Hyde, dob 8 January 1876 recorded at Hollycome Farm, Liphook
• Roger Massingbard, dob 1 May 1890, Psychic Science Dein
• Mercy Phillimore *1., dob 8 Mar 1885, Secretary London Spiritualist Alliance

Excerpts from 22 year old granddaughter Joan's diary, after returning to England from Egypt with husband and infant son:

• 1944 June 13 "Went to see Granny De B (at Kew) who was surprisingly well and clear minded I thought."
• 1944 June 27 "Granny came (to Cheltenham) by ambulance from Kew (London) to get away from the 'doodle-bugs'.... She stood the journey very well though was very tired after it. I personally think it would have been more sensible if she had stayed at Kew."

(In 1944 she was still living at her home at 13 High Park Gardens, Kew Gardens. She passed away in 1945 at a home in Lee - possibly that of a member of her Sheringham family.)

'The Times | November 15, 1945 "DE BRATH.- On Nov. 14. 1945, (died) peacefully, at 22 Micheldever Road. Lee, London S.E.12, PRISCILLA. widow of STANLEY DE BRATH. M.I.C.E.. in her 90th year."

Her daughter pre deceased her, but her son-in-law Cyril McSwiney, was named executor of her will

REGISTRATION OF DEATH

• Name Priscilla De Brath
• Event Type Death
• Registration Quarter Oct-Nov-Dec
• Registration Year 1945
• Registration District Lewisham
• County London
• Age (available after 1866) 89
• Birth Year (Estimated) 1856

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• 1. References to Miss Phillimore: The Spectator 27 July 1928 excerpt: On Tuesday summonses against Miss Mercy Phillimore, Secretary of the London Spiritualist Alliance, and Mrs. Cantlon, a medium, were dismissed under the Probation of Offenders Act, but the defendants were ordered to pay costs, the magistrate holding that they were "guilty " of telling fortunes. We cannot help feeling that the police-women who were instructed to gather evidence for this prosecution could have spent their time very much better. Whatever view one may hold about Spiritualism it is a fact that many sincere people find in it either a help to faith or a method of scientific investigation. Much fraud is, of course, attributable to dishonest mediums ; Browning could find plenty of new Sludges ; but if a Spiritualistic society is to be held responsible for all the errors of a medium a ban will virtually be placed upon the association of the outside public with psychic investigation. Surely the Home Office has better ways of spending time and money.