Caldicott One-Name Study

MR. C. M. CALDECOTT.

[Extended from our third Edition of last week.]

We have this week to record the death of another well-known and popular county magistrate – one of the rapidly-shrinking band of able administrators and financiers who, through a large portion of the present century, have managed the public business of the county. Mr. Charles Marriot Caldecott, of Holbrook Grange, near Rugby, died at his residence, at soon, yesterday (Friday), at the age of 76, and in losing him, Warwickshire loses a public servant whose name deserves to be held in remembrance. Mr Caldecott had been in failing health for between two and three years, and a considerable period has elapsed since he was able to take any active part in public business. But it was not until within the last few weeks that any serious result was immediately apprehended. Gradually, however, his strength had been slipping away, and on the day named a busy and a useful life came peacefully to an end.
The deceased gentleman was born on the 9th June, 1807, and was educated at Rugby School and Haileybury College. He was at Rugby for about nine years, and left on his birthday, in 1824, having received, on that day, the promise of a writership in the service of the East India Company. From Rugby he proceeded to Haileybury, where he remained two years, and highly distinguished himself, gaining several prizes. He passed the public examination at Fort Williams, Calcutta, with great credit, and afterwards received an appointment in the Civil Service as a magistrate and collector of Bareilly. Of his career in India, it is sufficient to say that Lord Ellenborough, one of the greatest of our Governors-General, said he often lamented that Mr Caldecott ever held property in England, as it deprived him of one of the ablest officers in the North-West provinces of India. In 1827, on the 1st March, he married Margaret, only daughter of Mr Thomas Smith, Physician General, Bengal Establishment, by whom he had seven sons and five daughters. One of the sons, Colonel Charles Thomas Caldecott (76th Regiment), who was born in 1831, now succeeds him. After his marriage he returned to England for a few years, and returned to India after the death of his uncle, Mr. John Caldecott, of Holbrook Grange, and early in 1842 he was appointed magistrate of Cawnpore. When his uncle’s widow died he returned to England a second time, and took up his residence at Holbrook Grange, where he lived during the remainder of his life.
Mr Caldecott was far too active a disposition, however, to settle down quietly in his Warwickshire home. He immediately began to devote his time and abilities to the service of the county. He had been placed on the Commission of the Peace in 1840, and ever since he has been one of the most active and painstaking of the county magistrates. In matters of finance he was specially at home, and it may safely be said that every detail in connection with the finances of the county was, to use a homely phrase, at his “finger ends.” At the time of his death there were only five county magistrates living who had been placed on the Commission of the Peace before Mr Caldecott, namely, Rev. G. R. Gray, appointed 1831; Sir J. Eardley-Wilmot, 1837; Lord Norton, 1839; Mr Newdegate, M.P., 1839; and the Earl of Warwick, 1840. In 1863 Mr Caldecott was High Sheriff, and he was also a Deputy-Lieutenant. At this late period of the week it is impossible to trace his connection with county matters fully, but we may say, generally, that very little county business has been transacted in which he was not actively interested. A staunch Conservative in politics, he was always took an active interest in the Conservative cause in the Northern Division of the county, and for a long period he may almost be said to have been the leader of the party. On the death of Mr Spooner, he was pressed to come forward for North Warwickshire in the Conservative interest, and would undoubtedly have been returned, but he declined the honour, for financial reasons. Not only was he a man of almost inexhaustible energy, but he was a keen, shrewd man of business, and possessed remarkable powers of quick, sharp repartee. These qualities were particularly useful at election times, and Mr Caldecott, in days gone by, did excellent service for his party in more than one toughly-contested election. In the earlier part of his Warwickshire life, elections were far more stirring and exciting events than they have been in recent years, and Mr Caldecott was never more at home than in the turmoil of election strife. He was, however, a man of genial character, and nearly as popular with his opponents as with his friends. It may also be added that he was one of the most steady supporters of the Warwickshire Chamber of Agricultural Societies, and for many years was chairman of the Rugby and Dunchurch Conservative Associations. He always took a lively interest in Rugby School, and till the last few years was frequently judge at the principal football matches. He was one of the principal witnesses before the Commission of the Endowed Schools Act; and for his indefatigable exertions on behalf of the inhabitants of Rugby, when then new statutes were framed by the newly-created governing body of Rugby School, a scholarship was founded in his honour.
All manly sports Mr Caldecott loved, frequently joining in the local and College cricket matches – once against the All England Eleven; and still more frequently acting as umpire, or an interested spectator; and when the Old Rugbeian matches came on, who so proud and delighted as he was! As long as health permitted, the “kick-off” in the Old Rugbeian match was his privilege, never gainsaid, athough the “stripes” had long been laid aside. Then watching the game in the goal-keepers’ territory, he would chat with old schoolfellows, and if he had a chance of a kick, where was the Old Rugbeian who would deprive him of it? “Caldecott’s Spinney” is known all over the world, and, thanks to “Tom Brown,” the Squire of Holbrook will be known and remembered for generations to come of real Rugbeians.
In Leamington Mr Caldecott was best known as the active and genial judge at the archery fete, held every year in the Jephson Gardens. He became judge at the Grand National meeting in 1851, and until failing health compelled him to relinquish the post last year, he retained it at every suceeding meeting, and it is not too much to say that, amongst bowmen, a more popular man never lived. But it was not in this capacity only that he was known in the Royal Spa. Many good and useful works had the benefit of his patronage and advocacy, and he was ever ready to assist every deserving undertaking.
Some particulars of the family of the deceased gentleman will, no doubt, interest our readers. On May 23, 1632, a Mr Thomas Calcott, of Catthorpe, in the county of Leicester, entered at the Herald’s College, London, what Armersd in his History of Cheshire calls a curious certificate of one Randolph Caldecott, D.D., of Chester, but then of Bishopton, in the county of Wilts, aged 80, stating “that he had then heard and faithfully believes that Thomas Caldecott, of Catthorpe, in the county of Leicester, Esq., is descended from our foresaid family.” To this certificate Dr. Caldecott appended his hand and seal as the only surviving son of Thomas Caldecott, of Caldecott, who was living at the Visitation of 1613, and this certificate was duly entered with the pedigree and arms of Thomas Caldecott, in the Herald’s Visitation of 1682, in continuation and addition to the Visitiation of 1619. Without this certificate there was nothing to show that the family of our late and lamented magistrate, Mr Charles Marriott Caldecott, of Holbrook Grange, Little Lawford, was descended from the ancient Cheshire family, who were mesne lords of the parish from whence they took their names, when Edward the Confessor left this realm, as a bone of contention between Harold, the Saxon, and William, the Norman. There had been members of the family living in Berks and Oxon at divers periods, as shown in Nichols History of Leicestershire. One Thomas Caldecott had been High Sheriff of Rutlandshire in 1515 and in 1525, and his son, also named Thomas, purchased the Manor of Catthorpe (singularly misspelt Calthorpe in Burke), and married Abigal, the daughter of John Huggeford, of Henwood Hall, Warwickshire, a family long resident at Emscote, and whose descendants held part of Lillington, Guys Cliff, and Leamington up to a recent period. His son, Thomas, appeared to be living at Northampton at the time of the Herald’s Visitation in 1682, and a fourth, Thomas, who died in 1761, lived for some years at Leicester. His son, a fifth Thomas Caldecott, was Recorder of Northampton, but died without issue, the family estates then came into possession of William Caldecott, who married for his second wife, Anna, the widow of William Boughton, Esq., of Rugby – a connection of the unfortunate Sir Theodosius Boughton, of Little Lawford Hall, for whose murder by poison Captain Donovan was executed at Warwick, at the latter end of the last century. After Little Lawford Hall was pulled down, the manor was sold in 1790 to John Caldecott, who built Holbrook Grange in the parish, and made it the seat of his family. When he died in 1839, without issue, he left the estate to his nephew, the late Charles Marriott Caldecott, whose loss we at this time deplore. The deceased gentlemen was the son of Abraham, the fifth son by the second marriage of William Caldecott and Elizabeth, his wife, the eldest daughter of the Rev. Dr. Marriott, of Cotesbach, in the county of Leicester. Abraham Caldecott, who was High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1821, had purchased the manor of Rugby in 1801, and enlarged his estate by the purchase of divers lands in the county of Northants. His eldest son, who died in 1875, succeeded him, and on his decease, Mr. C. M. Caldecott became the head of the family.”
The remains of the deceased were interred on Wednesday afternoon in the churchyard of the village of Newbold-on-Avon, near Rugby. Shortly before two o’clock – the funeral being fixed for 2.30 – a few old and close acquaintances assembled at Holbrook Grange by special invitation – it was impossible to invite everyone of the wide circle of friends Mr Caldecott had throughout the county, nor was it his desire. The coffin was placed in a plain hearse, and following it were five mourning coaches. The first conveyed Mrs Caldecott, Col. Caldecott, and Mrs Wm. Ridding; the second Capt. J. Caldecott, Miss Caldecott, and the Misses M. and E. Caldecott; the third, Mr M. H. Bloxam, S.S.A., the Rev. W. I. Benn (Churchover), Mr. E. Harris (family solicitor), and Mr C. Marriott; the fourth, the Rev. E. Elmhirst (Shawell), and the Messrs Benn; and the fifth, Mr T. Duke (medical attendant), then came the family carriage, occupied by the domestic servants. The tenantry, consisting of Messrs F. Ferriman, G. T. Spokes, T. D. Moxon, T. Redley, W. Rogers, W. Hutchins, S. Harrow, and W. Chester, arranged themselves next, and then followed private carriages sent by Mr R. Pennington, Mr Washington Jackson, the Rev. T. W. Jex-Blake, D.D., Capt. Lister Kaye, Mr C. W. Wilcox, and Mr T. Duke. In this order the cortege passed by the circuitous route of two miles through the park and by Little Lawford Mill to Newbold – distant about half-a-mile from Holbrook, as to the crow flies – there being no more convenient way for vehicles. When a short distance from Newbold, between thirty and forty cottagers on the estate met and entered the procession behind the tenantry, none evincing deeper feelings of sorrow and respect than they.  At the church gate a large number of local gentry and tradesmen from Rugby had assembled, and drawn up on either side of the footpath, inside the gate, was the E Company of the Rugby detachment of Volunteers, about fifty strong, in full dress, and officered by Captain Seabroke, Lieutenant Over, and Surgeon Dukes. The coffin, which was carried upon a bier, and covered with a black pall, was met at the inner gate by the Rev. D. Wauchope, rector of Church Lawford, and the Rev. J. Rochford, curate of Newbold, by whom the burial service was read. The order of mourners was as follows: Colonel Caldecott and Mrs Caldecott, Captain J. Caldecott and Mrs W Ridding, Mr C. Marriott and Miss Caldecott, Rev. W. H. Benn and Miss M. Caldecott, Rev. E. Elmhirst and Miss E. Caldecott, Mr E. Harris, and Miss Caldecott (BItteswell). In the church they were joined by Miss Caldecott, of Bitteswell, sister of deceased, and the only survivor of the generation, Mrs and Miss Caldecott (the Lodge, Rugby), Mrs E. Harris, the Misses Harris, and Mr C. F. Harris, Miss Winstanley, Miss Edyvean, Miss Walker, Mr J. M. Marriott, and Mr C. N. Newdegate, M.P. Following the cottagers we noticed Mr P. A. Muntz, J.P., Mr R. H. Wood, J.P., the Rev. Morgan Payler (Willey), Rev. R. O. Assheton (Bilton), Rev. Randolph Skipwith (Whilton), Rev. J. Murray, Rev. T. W. Jex-Blake, D.D, Rev. R. Wood (Harboro’ Magna), Rev. J. M. Furness, Rev. C. Elsee (Chairman of the Rugby Local Board of Health), Rev. J. A. Cheese (New Bilton), Major-General Tower, C.B., Col. Lowndes, Col. Furness, Capt. Levett, Capt. Sapte, Mr T. Levett, Mr W. Sargent, Mr G. F. Sadd, Mr H. W. Bucknill, Mr D. Buchanan, Mr W. H. W. Townsend, Mr G. V. Hefford, Mr J. Crofts, Mr R. S. Lea, The Rugby Gas Company was represented by Messrs J. Haswell, J. S. Savage, T. Bromwich, W. Cropper, A. J. Lawrence, A. G. Chamberlain, T. M. Wratislaw, J. B. Over, and P. Simpson, some of whom are also directors of the Town Hall Company. There were also present Messrs J. Horn, sen., J. Horn, jun., W. R. Line, T. W. Walding, H. Markham, A. R. Cox, S. Welldon, J. Allcott, J. Price, T. Hands, T. White, J. Stanway, R. Taylor, S. Howard, S. Spencer, S. Underwood, W. J. Atkinson, E. Landon, C. H. Hands, R. T. Simpson, Lockington, V. W. H. Redfern, H. Meadows, J. Braddock, E. Fell, J. W. Kenning, J. Hough, T. F. Dyson, F. C. Thornton, L. Hards, R. Over, H. E. Gilbert, R. Parker, G. H. Salmon, T. Porter, Jonathan Gilbert, and others, and finally Supt. Palmer and a small body of sergeants and men, representing the police force. While the service in church was being read the volunteers were marched round to the south door, and again formed up on each side of the path, the procession passing between the ranks as it left the church. The family vault was not made use of, but a spot was selected for the grave in the south corner of the churchyard near the fence, which is almost on the brink of the steep bank, at the bottom of which, some forty or fifty feet below, runs the River Avon, along whose course throughout the county the deceased gentleman had formed many pleasant associations. Here, still following Mr Caldecott’s instructions, an ordinary brick grave was constructed, wherein his body, enclosed in a shell and a plain polished oak coffin, with substantial brass furniture, found its last resting place. An engraved brass plate bore the inscription, “Charles Marriott Caldecott, died November 30, 1883, aged 76 years.” Upon the lid of the coffin was placed a most beautiful cross of flowers sent by Mr and Mrs E. Harris and family, and several wreaths. Similar tributes of sympathy and esteem were sent by Mr and Mrs Spokes, Mr and the Misses Blackwood, Miss Daisy Caldecott, Mr and Mrs Ireby Fisher and Mrs Spooner, Mr J. H. Boughton Leigh, the Misses Fitzroy, Mrs John Kinahan, Mr G. Caldecott, Master F. Caldecott, Mrs Dixon, Miss Edyvean and Miss Walker, Mrs and Miss Winstanley, Mrs Joseph Crossley, the Messrs Benn, Miss Thoyts, Mr and Mrs de Trafford, the Rev. and Mrs Theodosius Boughton Leigh, Major-General and Mrs Bond, Mr and Mrs Gore, Mrs Wood (Newbold Revel), Miss St. John Butler, Mrs Armand Powelett, and Mr and Mrs Pennington. The concluding words were impressively read by the officiating clergy, amid the respectful silence of a large gathering of spectators, numbering nearly a thousand, who then slowly separated. The whole of the funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs J. B. and C. W. Hands, Market Place, and the coffin was made by Mr W. H. Over, High-street, Rugby.
From two to three o’clock most of the tradesmen in Rugby closed their shops, and blinds were drawn down at the house of most of the private residents, and the Church and School bells were tolled.