All very helpful.

I couldn't help but notice, though, that the successive rector, Scarth, who came in in 1871 (again, that's a useful date, because it ties in with a death date that I had surmised for John Vane, of 1870), appears to have been the ex-rector of Bathwick, where I live. Coincidentally, Bathwick would at that time have been in the hands of the Vane family (Harry George Vane Powlett, 4th Duke of Cleveland)... as were the Wrington & Burrington estates too. Did they have a hand in the 'placement' of a known candidate for replacing John Vane, I wonder?

And yes, I did have a good read of the sale information of 1895... After the 4th Duke died in 1891, much of the land which he owned (and he owned TONS!) was split up between various inheritees, and as a result, was difficult to manage separately (no economies of scale, I guess). Bathwick was given to Captain Francis Forester (the person who was the original 'seed' for this whole research quest) - it's quite possible he got Wrington and Burrington too (I'll have to check... somewhere I have the
Duke's Will). If that's the case, then Forester appeared to realise very quickly that he needed to sell off parts of the estate in order to stop himself going under (the estate was in various bad states of repair, certainly here in Bath, at least). He sold off some properties in Bathwick at about the same time (1895), and tried twice, in 1919 and 1921 to sell off the whole of the Bathwick estate (failing both times, and resulting in him having to start up a Limited Company to handle it). It was also just after the Duke's death that Forester was (perhaps hurriedly, though not hastily) married to
Aline Milbank, his cousin, herself, like him, descended from Wm Harry's line, in order that his 'marital status' reflected his financial standing, perhaps?

Thanks again for all your help... and if Joyce Smith has any further information I'd love to hear it, if she is happy to talk about it.

Best wishes

Neil

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Wrington - Friday, 1st October

Neil

Joyce says Vane is buried in Burrington churchyard. The inscription is hard to read. He lived at Burrington - his curate occupied the rectory (now Old Rectory, of course) in Wrington.

When she embroidered some church kneelers a few years ago, she used designs
associated with previous patrons, and for the Duke of Cleveland she used the 3 gauntlets. She reckons she must have got the idea from one of the coats of arms on the cover of the 1895 sale catalogue !

The one on the website was a bit tatty, but she has another copy in better condition if needed.

Anything more turns up, I'll let you know.

Richard

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Bath - Monday, 4th October, 2004

Thanks again, Richard.

My fiancée and I popped over to Wrington All-Saints yesterday (in the rain, worse luck), and managed to snap a photo of the shield on the west door.

Very odd! It turns out to be neither guantlets nor swords - instead it's got 3 eagle's heads on it, which has really thrown me, because that's neither the Vane nor the Powlett arms. Time for me to visit the Library again, methinks, and wade through their armorial catalog, to see if I can work out who these were. Annoyingly, the left-hand stonework is eroded, so I couldn't tell what that featured, but I'm guessing from Hugh Smith's article that they might've been the same both sides. Either way, it
leaves me with some work to do!

We also took a brief trip to Burrington, and I found the church, but dared not venture out of the car to find John Vane's grave, because it was coming down in stair-rods by that time! At least I know where to find him now, and will return for a better visit sometime.

I still haven't managed to ascertain exactly where John Vane comes into the Vane family picture - I read an item which said that Elizabeth Russell died 'without issue', but I'm not sure I believe this, as there was a "Rev. H. Vane Russell" in attendance in the 3rd coach at the Duke of Cleveland's funeral. I still have a sneaking suspicion John Vane could've been the 4th Duke's half-brother, but as yet, nothing but one scrap of 'proof' to go by.

If it's there, I'll find it, I hope - and in any event, at least was nice to have a reason to visit Wrington, if only for a short while. It's a lovely place, isn't it?

All the best, and thanks again

Neil


Bath - Thursday, 7th October, 2004

I do hope some of your visitors [to the website] have the insight needed to pin this down, because I'm not getting much further this week. I've been through hundreds of online records at the House of Commons, to see if I can find references to him as their Chaplain (apparently he was also Chaplain to William IV and Victoria herself, no less!) - but alas, I think I may have to pay them a visit in person, to trawl through the records by hand.

A few of us from the local history society in Bathwick are tentatively planning a trip to Raby Castle next May, in which we hope to gain access to some of the more private records which aren't on general display. That may reveal a few pieces of the jigsaw, I hope!

As for the family arms on the West Door, I've still not been able to pin it down - heraldic armorials are incredibly difficult to read, and I've only found one plausible family name (so far) that might fit, and that is 'Ellison' - does that ring any bells with you? It doesn't to me - but then, I never even knew John existed till a week ago, so who knows what connections we'll end up with next!

Thanks again for all your help with this. Of course, if by some lucky quirk of fate I manage to solve this myself (as if!), I will of course give you the full info, so you can have it for your site. No better place for it, in my opinion, than the place where he is still remembered the most!

All the best
Neil

Wrington - Monday, 11th October
Please forward to Neil Jackson.
Dear Neil,

You may already have the following information but if not I do hope the following will help......

The Reverend John VANE was born in 1792.

According to a 1851 census transcription (Gordon Beavington) for Burrington, John VANE was born in the county of Durham. I have not checked the 1851 census film against the transcription copy but the film should be readily available at the Bristol Central Library and the Bristol Record Office.

John Vane plus household:

Burrington 1851 (Film Ref: HO 107/1937)
No. 9.
VANE John, 59, Unmarried, Rector Wrington & Burrington, birthplace Durham

HARDY Roger Elliott, Servant, 55, Butler, Birthplace Chivelstone Devon

MARSDEN Thomas, Servant, 28, Coachman, Birthplace Derby

COX James Joseph, Servant, 21, Footman, Birthplace Bishport

GURSTON Ann, Servant, 34, Birthplace Bristol

DAVIS Eliza, Servant, 32, Birthplace Glam: Sketty

WILLIAMS Ellen, Servant, 13, Birthplace Burrington, Som.

I believe that William Henry VANE (1st Duke of Cleveland) married Catherine Margaret POWLETT in 1787 and their children were: Henry (b. 1788), Louisa (b.1791), William (b. 1792), Caroline (b. 1795), Augusta (1796), Arabella (b. 1801), Harry (1803) and Laura (b. 1808).

William Henry VANE then married Elizabeth RUSSELL in 1813. (Elizabeth is thought to have been born ca. 1777 and, I understand, was the daughter of a market gardener.) Unfortunately I have no idea whether John VANE was the result of an early liaison between William Henry VANE and Elizabeth RUSSELL.

You may be interested in the following link which gives details of a portrait of the Reverend John VANE aged about 30 held in the Cambridge Antiquarian Society portrait collection.

http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk/db/search.xsp?query=vane&submit=Go

Kind regards,
Louise Argent.