LATE LADY MANNERS

Southland Times, Issue 18852, 18 June 1920, Page 3

LATE LADY MANNERS

FRIEND OF NEW ZEALAND OFFICERS. The Lymington (Hants.) Chronicle of March 6 pays a lengthy tribute to Lady Constance Manners, wife of Lord Manners of Avon Tyrrell, whose death occurred in London on March 4. The news was heard with regret by many New Zealand officers who during illness and convaleaence experienced the hospitality of Lord and Lady Manners. The Chronicle says:— Lady Constance Ed win a Adeline Maimers was the youngest daughter of the late Col. Henry Edward Hamlyn-Fane, M.P., of Clovelly, Devon, by his marriage with Susan Hesta, eldest daughter and co-heir of Sir James Hamlyn-Wiliiams, M.P., third baronet, of Clovelly. She was born on September 30 1801. She married Lord Manners in 1885 and had a family of three daughters and two sons. The elder son, the Hon. John Nevile Manners, of the Grenadier Guards, was killed in action in France on September 2, 1014. The younger son, the Hon. Francis Manners, is heir to the title. Of the three daughters one is the wife of Brigadier-General A. M. Asquith, D.5.0., son ot Mr H. 11. Asquith, M.P., the ex-Prime Minister. The news of the death of Lady Manners came its a great shock to residents of the New Forest, where the greatest sympathy is felt tor his lordship and the family. Tenants and employees on the estate particularly will feel her loss tremendously, lor she Was ever the "lady bountiful’’ to them,entering into their lives with that sympathetic regard that characterises the disposition of England’s true gentlewomen. By her many friends their loss will also be greatly felt. At the interment, which took place in the grounds of the estate church at Thornley Hill, there was gathered at the graveside a large company, representative of the whole countryside, ait of whom were mourning the loss of a very real friend. Her death, at a comparatively early age, was no doubt largely due to the great loss she sustained by the death of her eldest son, a victim of the Great War. Never of the most robust in health the shock of this calamity had an effect upon her from which she never recovered. Although, of course, she had extended to her the heartfelt sympathy of a wide circle of friends, it never compensated the bereavement she sustained. As instancing this wo cannot do better than reproduce the words of a correspondent of the Tunes of Monday, who wrote:"The victims of the war were not only to be found on the battlefields ; Lady Manners, whose death was recorded last week, withheld nothing from the service of her country, and her strength, never robust, yielded at last to the strain of five years. Although her own life and the lives of all those nearest to her were desolated by the war, she never lost courage iior gave up her vivid interest in others and the constant offices of friendship in which she excelled. She was one of the women on whom a varied circle of old and young depended in a singular degree for happiness and help. No grief could quench her passionate joy in life, in ‘laughter and the love of friends.’ Her loss loaves a blank that can never be filled, and in the countryside where she lived, and which she so deeply loved, she will be long mourned. “Lord and Lady Manners opeped their house in the New Forest as a hospital for New Zealand officers during the years of the war, and there she created an atmosphere of freedom, comfort, and home-life never to be forgotten by those who came within its range; their letters, numbered by hundreds, written after returning to their own country, form part of the wide testimony to the love she won.”

Since Lady Manners’ death and till the funeral, the Hag at the Coiuicil School was down at half mast. With the children her ladyship was an especial friend, and by them she will be greatly missed and mourned. Her interest among them was great. She founded the children’s bank and promoted a keen spirit among them in taking war Savings Certificates. She was also founder and chief leader in supplying hot meals for the during the shortage periods ot the war, and herself bought and fully equipped the kitchens used. She was also a keen supporter of the local Red Triangle Club, ami iu addition to getting improvements to the building provided a piano for use in the club. Her interests were ever among the inhabitants of the neighbourhood, particularly on the estate, and when in residence at Avon Tyrrell she was a frequent visitor to the farmers and cottagers, iu whose homes the was ever welcome.

The remains were brought from London on Saturday and were detrained at Ilohnsley. From the train they were conveyed to the church on a white farm waggon, drawn by a team of farm horses, the mourners following in procession. Here they were met by the Vicar, the Rev. Edgar A. Lull, and a short service was held. The coffin was deposited In the chancel, the remains lying there in repose till the obsequies on Monday. The many handsome tloral tributes were grouped around the cofiin as they arrived. The service was fully choral and was performed in the presence of a large congregation, the officiating clergy being the Rev. E. A. LutT, assisted by the Rev. E. J. Hall, of Bnmsgore. After the opening sentences the hymn "For over with the Lord" was sung. This was followed by Psalms xc and x.xiii and the hymns "Lead Kindly Light" and "For all the Saints," the Nunc Dimittis concluding the chapel portion of the service. As the body was conveyed from the church, Mrs Luff, at the organ, impressively played the "Dead March.” During the committal, the prayers and collects and the prayer of commendation were uttered by the Vicar. The coffin was covered with a very beautiful floral pall composed entirely of violets. On this rested the immediate family tributes. The breast plate was simply inscribed, ‘ Constance Manners, born 30th September, ISGI ; died 4th March, 1920." The mourners were: —Lord Manners, the Hon. Francis Manners (son), the Hon. Angela Manners (daughteri, Brigadier-General and Mrs Asquith (son-in-law and daughter), the Hon. Miss Hamlyn (sister), the Hon. Mildred Manners (sister-in-law), the Marchioness of Salisbury, Lady Desborough, lady Lcconfiehl, the Hon. Mrs Sjxmder Clay, and Lord Grenfcl. Others present at the graveside were Sir George Meyrick, Bart., Sir Edward Goschen, Mr E. Huntley Hooper (Chairman Christchurch Bench of Magistrates), Mr Janies Kemp Welch, J.P., Mr H. Kemp Welch, Mr R. S. A. Kent)aril, Mr A. G. Sayc, the Rev. F. J. Vidlings (Vicar of Sopley), Mrs Vallings, Lie Rev. Cole (Bisternc), Major and Mrs Mills, the Misses Huy, the Rev. R. Howarth, Mr C. Leaf, Mr F. Harper, Mrs Cor nail Mr R. F. and Mrs Melsome (Sopley), Mrs Wort, Mrs Mills, Mrs Watson, Mrs Harrier, Mrs and Miss Saunders, Mm Button, Mrs Chilcott, Mrs Caldecott, Mr and Mrs Parsons, Mrs Fitt, Mr G. and Mrs Miller, Mrs Guinness, Mrs Fitzroy, Mr Burt (representing Bransgore Conservative Club). The tenant farmers present included Messrs Tutchcil, Hunt, Stickland, J. Bramble, F. Bramble, G. Cormdi, W. Aylcs, C. Ayles, F. Farwell, L. Hunt, F. Whitfield, F. Hibbs, H. Barnes, Snelgrove, A. Chalk, S. Burt, A. Smith, J. Dean, B. Dean, and Mason, Mrs White, Mrs H. Legg, and Mrs F. Legg. Miss Goodwin, of Sopley Council School, was also present. The coffin was born from the church by a bearer party of estate employees: Messrs G. Miller, J. Saunders, F. R. Hall, J. Bowden, 11. Watson, J. Tutchcil, A. Hiscock, and G. Cornall.

At the conclusion of the graveside ceremony a touching incident occurred. All the school children of the village attended. Each had brought a small nosegay of llowers and as they filed past the grave these were dropped on to the coffin in memory of a dear friend. Simultaneously with the service at Thorney Hill a memorial service was held aC St. James’s, Piccadilly, London, at which the rector, Prebendary Cronshaw, officiated. There was a full choir and the music included the hymns “For ever with the Lord" and “For all the Saints” as well as the 23rd Psalm and the Nunc Dimittis.