Some years ago, there appeared on eBay a series of mysterious handwritten cards and letters, some with the Watnall Hall letterhead and most of them bearing a series of Rolleston family signatures as if commemorating family get-togethers. They are intriguing snippets of family life at the hall and useful to the historian as they place certain people at the hall at a specific time. Their own history is largely unknown but someone must have bought them in the eBay auction. Who knows where they are now??
c.1932 - Undated letters - "Julie" and The Duchess of Portland
This handwritten letter appears to discuss a social visit involving the Duchess of Portland, mentioning Julie, tea, and eyelashes. The Duchess was a family friend from the time when Maud and Sir Lancelot lived at Wellow Hall. Lady Maud held the annual Rufford Hunt ball at the home of the Duchess, Welbeck Abbey, in the huge underground ballroom.
This handwritten letter appears to discuss a social visit involving the Duchess of Portland, mentioning Julie, tea, and eyelashes. The Duchess was a family friend from the time when Maud and Sir Lancelot lived at Wellow Hall. Lady Maud held the annual Rufford Hunt ball at the home of the Duchess, Welbeck Abbey, in the huge underground ballroom.
My best interpretation of the letter is...
...would have... ...altogether quick... ...on the first day... ...had tea with the... ...Duchess of Portland...
...& me, & was much... ...admired. She said... ...made Julie say her... ...grace at tea & she... ...her eyelashes. How... ...long do you propose... ...to leave her here? ... ...termination... ...Much love to..
...you both from.. ...J. run after.. ...Maud R.
...Julie is very well[?]
The newspaper clipping at the bottom is from Feb 1932 on the Rolleston's Golden Wedding anniversary, when the Duke of Portland presented them with what looks like a picture.
This first letter discusses someone coming home or staying for Christmas, with visible lines reading:
... [concer]n the letter... ... [c]he, but if she... ... likely to be... ... Xmas... ... she might h[ave]... ... dancing [e]ve... ... is a very [g]o[od]... ... in Nottingham... ... would he...
The second letter mentions the mysterious Julie again...
Dearest Louise... I have had such... a week of it! I got.... Julie's photographs... all right, & am... quite delighted ...I should
There is another newspaper clipping about the Golden Wedding too and a picture of the then Captain Rolleston from 1900 when he was severely wounded while fighting in the Boer War in South Africa.
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Xmas 1910 Family Gathering at Watnall Hall and a murder mystery
Christmas 1910, several of those buried in Watnall Hall's graveyard are gathered at the hall for the traditional festive family reunion and, as you can see from the pictures, signed their names for posterity on pieces of headed hall notepaper.
Eleanor Tennant and her husband Robert Tennant are probably up from London where their main residence is. Lancelot Rolleston's neat signature follows.
The second sheet is undated and includes:
- D. Rolleston - unknown but could be Humphrey Davy Rolleston
- I.F.L. Rolleston - this could be Ian Rolleston (son of Sir Humphry Rolleston and second cousin of Sir Lancelot) who was murdered by rioters in Zanzibar in 1936 years later...
"The acting Resident Commissioner (Mr. Ian Humphrey Rolleston), son of Sir Humphrey Rolleston, Physician Extraordinary to the King, died of wounds today sustained in a demonstration by an Arab mob against the law to prevent the adulteration of exportable copra. The rioters attacked with swords a group of police officers, three of whom were cut down and severely wounded, one subsequently dying of his Injures. Armed police later restored order. Seventy-five demonstrators have been imprisoned.".
Ian Rolleston was also the great uncle of Frank Gardener the current (2026) BBC Security Correspondent. Frank Gardener's middle name is Rolleston and he's been on the BBC genealogy program "Who Do You Think You Are" looking at, amongst other things, the diplomatic/espionage history of the family. It's often available to watch here on the BBC iPlayer.
- Lancelot Rolleston sig is next and Lady Maud his wife. Note he is not yet a Sir, that comes soon though in 1911.
- Gladys Knatchbull is perhaps Lady Maud's sister-in-law but her usual name is Muriel Wyndham Knatchbull. Maybe known as Gladys to the family??
- Arthur Dalzell is Lady Maud's younger brother who married Miss Knatchbull in 1902. He inherited the Earl of Carnwath family title in 1931. Arthur's brother Robert had been the Earl, the 11th, but a year before in March 1910 he suddenly died and the title passed to his son Ronald. He died in 1931 aged just 48 when the title passed to Arthur. From then on "Lady" Maud could properly use the title "Lady" but she had to apply for permission.
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| Christmas 1910, several of those buried in Watnall Hall's graveyard are gathered at the hall for the traditional festive family reunion and, as you can see from the pictures, signed their names for posterity on a piece of headed hall notepaper. |
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Six years later and perhaps an Easter gathering at Watnall Hall with a similar cast of characters...
- Lancelot Rolleston now aged 69
- Lena Ashwell ? - unknown
- Arthur Dalzell - Lady Maud's younger brother (and still not yet Earl of Carnwath until 1931)
- Sarah B. Dalzell - Lady Maud's aged Canadian mother who lived with them at the hall. Her spidery writing proudly shows her to be "aged 94". Sadly she died just 2 months later on May 29th 1916 still aged 94.
- Muriel Dalzell - Arthur's wife. Note there is no Gladys Knatchbull this time.
- and another Muriel Dalzell which may well be their daughter Muriel Marjorie Dalzell (22 September 1903 – 18 February 1995). Their son was called Arthur but he died in 1909 just before his 2nd. birthday. Sadly, the title ended with his father as no more children were produced.
- George Burrows
- Maud Rolleston - Sir Lancelot's wife and not yet a Lady (he was a Sir though, that had come in 1911)
- the watercolour painting is interesting too, signed by Frank E Woodhams, a maritime artist of some repute who must have been staying at the hall. Local historian NMA Shush has researched Woodham's life in his article here. Lady Maud was a fine painter herself who encouraged others to draw so perhaps Woodhams was a friend or perhaps protégé.
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| Perhaps an Easter family gathering here? The watercolour painting is interesting too, signed by Frank E Woodhams a maritime artist of some repute. |
Undated with pictures #1 but before May 1916
- Sarah Dalzell is here so this must predate the 1916 Easter gathering as Sahar died on May 29th 1916.
- John and Eleanor Tennant are here too. They died 1918 and 1917 respectively
- Arthur Dalzell, Lady Maud's brother is here but no sign of his wife Muriel Knatchbull
- Maud Rolleston and Lancelot Rolleston of course are here
- one mystery is the indecipherable "Beth Silloth" or whoever.
There are also 2 fine pictures of the hall with garden pond and the gatehouse. The pond was a new feature in the garden and there is another picture of a very elderly Lady Maud and Sir Lancelot sitting by it which must be c.1940
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Undated with pictures #2 (before May 1916)
- Maud Rolleston
- Lancelot Rolleston
- Arthur Dalzell, Lady Maud's brother but no sign of his wife Muriel Wyndham Knatchbull
- S.B. Dalzell - Lady Maud's mum Sarah who died in 1916
- H.H Wade - unknown
The pictures are also of unknown people. Perhaps Arthur and his wife Muriel and their little girl Muriel Marjorie Dalzell . If so she was born in Sept 1903 dating the picture perhaps to c.1910.
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