A photograph of Josephine (see right) confirms that she was living at Huntsham Court by the age of 3½. Some time between 1901 and 1903 Josephine's young life was transformed. From her birth in East London at Sturry Street charitable maternity home and 'boarding' in Halstead, Essex she arrived in Devon to live with landed gentry on a twelve thousand acre country estate.

The House had been rebuilt between 1868 and 1870 in neo gothic style, replacing a derelict tudor mansion, for Charles Troyte and his new wife Katharine Walrond. Their eldest surviving son, Hugh Leonard, inherited the estate in 1896 at the age of 26.

Photographs of Huntsham Court

(use the scroll bar below to see all the photographs)

Hugh Leonard Acland Troyte

born 18th December 1870

Educated at Eton, Hugh was in the army and became a Lieutenant Colonel with the Devonshire Regiment and spent time in India before serving in the First World War. In June 1899, aged 28, Hugh married 51 year old Helen Jessica Chapman.

See full photograph

Helen Jessica Acland Troyte (née Chapman)

born 1848, Wanstead, Essex

Known as Jessica or Jessie, Hugh's wife (22 years his senior) was a devout methodist with "a dominant personality"¹ and it is intriguing to speculate how and why this marriage came about. Born in Wanstead, Essex, she can be traced via the censuses: in 1871, aged 23, she was living in Tonbridge with her siblings and mother, Priscilla, by then a "merchant's widow". Aged 33, in 1881, she was a "lady nurse" at a hospital in St Pancras, London. And in 1891 she was living in Islington with her widowed brother in law, Philip Story and his son Harry, aged 15. Philip's daughter, Vera, aged 14 is not recorded at the household on the night of the census.

The 1901 census shows that Philip Story and his daughter Vera (Jessie's niece) were also living at Huntsham Court, perhaps having moved from London with Jessie on her marriage to Hugh.

Josephine's childhood

Not a great deal is known about Josephine's childhood. The 1911 census shows that resident on the night of 2nd April at Huntsham Court were Hugh Acland Troyte, Philip and Vera Story, Josephine Morris, Jeannie and James Irwin plus 10 servants. Josephine is classified as a "visitor", as are Jeannie and James Irwin.

Josephine's album (see it here) has "Woodville High School, B'ham 1916-17" written inside. Burnham on Sea is a 40 mile journey across country, which even today would take 1 hour. It seems unlikely that Josephine would have made this trip daily - perhaps she boarded at the school for her last 2 years in education.

What about Gertrude Schnitzer?

By 1911, Gertrude had also changed her name to Morris. She was recorded in the census as single, a nurse working in a London hospital or nursing home, with no children. For the first time the 1911 census included questions concerning "fertility in marriage" - as an unmarried mother Gertrude was not required to reveal the birth of her daughter.

Baptism

Josephine was baptised on 31st July 1917 at the Chapel Royal², Savoy, Strand, London. The baptism was conducted by Hugh Boswell Chapman, Jessica's younger brother. The baptism certificate records her "Abode" as Huntsham Court, Devon and reveals other precious clues about her background that will be considered on the page titled The Mystery.

Death of Hugh

A sale of medals was held at Christie's on 10th November 1992. Details of lot 346 from the online catalogue:

Lot description
A Territorial War Medal to Lieutenant Colonel H. L. Acland Troyte, Commanding 4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment attached General Staff, extremely fine, with photograph.

Lot Notes
INDENT Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Leonard Acland Troyte educated at Eton, proceeded to India with his Bn. in 1914 and after much strenuous service was invalided home from Mesopotamia in 1916; attached to the General Staff during service in Italy and France, he was killed in action at St Venant 17 April 1918 whilst helping to evacuate the civilian population from the village and was buried in Berguette Churchyard, France.

The price realised for the medal was £88. The buyer unknown.

Above is the entry by Hugh Acland Troyte in the Album that Josephine kept.

It is the first verse of a poem by John Oxenham (not Dunham),
WE BREAK NEW SEAS TODAY

Each man is Captain of his Soul,
And each man his own Crew,
But the Pilot knows the Unknown Seas,
And He will bring us through.

Notes

1. from The Huntsham Book (published: The Huntsham Society).
2. more information about the Savoy Chapel

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