After Hugh's death
Following Hugh's tragic death, aged only 48, Jessica and Vera Story moved from Huntsham Court to Little Court, Berrow, Somerset - close to Burnham on Sea. "During her widowhood she drew an annuity from Huntsham Estate of about £800 a year."1 It would appear that Josephine also moved to Berrow - in 1923 her marriage certificate gives her place of residence as the "Parish of St Mary's, Berrow, Somerset." Hugh's younger brother, Gilbert, and his wife Glwadys took over the estate at Huntsham.
Marriage to Frank Lunn
The marriage of Josephine and Frank Lunn took place at the Chapel Royal, Savoy in London on 1st November 1923. Again, the service was conducted by Hugh Boswell Chapman (Jessica's brother). Jessica caused Frank and Josephine great difficulties when, without consultation, she altered the date of their wedding. Frank had already arranged leave from his job at United Dairies and he recalled his feelings of great annoyance with Jessica in later years. Frank and Josephine went on to have four children - Peter, Douglas, John and Hilary.
Contact with Gertrude
Inscription on a bible given by Gertrude to Peter Lunn
"The inscription is by my maternal grandmother - Gertrude Morris in the Bible she gave to me, dated the day after my birthday. I do not know if she was present at the time of my birth in London or if somehow she met Mother at the time. I do remember Mother saying that Gertrude saw her with me on the beach, but I don't know where." Peter Lunn
Visiting Little Court ...
Josephine also maintained contact with Jessica following her marriage and visited Little Court, Berrow with her children during the summer holidays.
... and The Melon incident
The following is a memory of John Lunn, as a very young boy, of an incident during one of their visits. It offers an insight into the character of "Mrs Troyte" (as the children knew her).
"We went to Little Court before the war in the Summer holidays. I was about aged 4. We had to be on our best behaviour. In the dining room was a sideboard with a huge bowl of fruit, including a melon. My mother [Josephine] warned us not to ask for melon - a rare and luxurious fruit at that time. Feeling daring and bolshy one morning, on being asked what I would like, I answered "melon". Deadly silence ... Mrs Troyte icily suggested I'd like an alternative ..."
Jessica died on 1st November 1941.
Return to Huntsham Court
Josephine Lunn (centre) visiting Gilbert and Glwadys Acland Troyte at Huntsham Court, sometime in the 1950's
Unknown to her children Josephine visited Huntsham some time after the second world war. The photograph above shows Josephine with Gilbert and Glwadys Acland Troyte outside the main entrance of Huntsham Court.
Gertrude in Cheltenham
John Lunn (Gertrude's grandson) established contact with Gertrude after Josephine's death in 1964. She owned her own home in Cheltenham ("Yorklands", 87 St George's Road) and shared the house with a lodger. John and his family visited Gertrude before she died in 1966(?). By this time she was frail, and though curious, out of respect for her feelings, John never asked Gertrude to reveal the story behind Josephine's birth.
Clues from two letters
Two letters written by Gertrude in May 1965 have survived. The first, written on 4th May, is to John Lunn and is signed "Anna". This may have been her middle name or perhaps her own mother's name. The second letter, written a day later on 5th May, is to Frank Lunn. In it she writes "I shall be 92 on June 15th" i.e. born in 1873. It is worth noting the day and month for future research. BUT she seems to have been confused about her age. The 1911 census records her age as 26. In the 1901 census her age is slightly obscured by a pen mark, but the "1" is clearly visible, making her a teenager. She also writes "I had thought of Jose's birthday [10th April] & thought of sending you for her grave, and then I thought it might have saddened you & so gave money for flowers on the altar at Christ Church." The letter is signed "G. Morris".
Josephine Lunn with youngest son John, August 1931
Notes
- from The Huntsham Book (published: The Huntsham Society).
T I M E L I N E .....
Litte Court, Berrow, Somerset - home of Jessica Acland Troyte & Vera Story
In the garden at Little Court, Berrow
the only known photograph of Jessica
"... looking back on a childhood blighted by Mrs Troyte's vindictiveness, my Mother (Josephine) recalled suffering what she regarded as one final insult from beyond the grave, when she was left a derisory amount by Jessica in her will - the same amount she left to her staff ..." John Lunn
Vera Story with Jack and Rollo
"Vera was a very kind and gentle person. She was very good at reading stories to us children." Peter Lunn
Huntsham Court after 1918 ...
Gilbert Acland Troyte gave up a distinguished army career upon inheriting the estate from Hugh. A Conservative MP for Tiverton from 1924-45, he was knighted on his retirement from the House of Commons. Gilbert appointed trustees to run the estate, which passed to his nephew, John, when he died in 1964. In a poor state of repair, the house was sold in 1978, and John moved to another house on the estate. On his death in 1988, the estate was left to the grandson of Gilbert's eldest sister, Gertrude - Tony Cross.
Josephine in later life
