Charles Robert Billyard-Leake MC (1898)

Born 1898 in Harefield, Middlesex, England

Ancestors

Husband of Frances Ursula Makepeace (Greswolde-Williams) Billyard-Leake — married 1924 in St George Hanover Square, Middlesex, England

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Biography

Charles Robert Billyard-Leake was born in 1898 at Harefield, Middlesex, England. He was the son of Charles Billyard and Letitia Leake.^[1]

Captain Charles Robert Billyard-Leake served with distinction in The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) from 1914-1922 and was awarded the Military Cross.^[2]

Charles Robert Billyard-Leake married Frances Ursula Makepeace Greswolde-Williams in 1924 at St George Hanover Square, London, England.^[3]

Charles and Frances Billyard-Leake had 2 daughters.

1. Sarah E Ann Billyard-Leake b. 1925
2. Letitia Louise Billyard-Leake b. 1929

Charles and his family came to live in Australia and manage his father's property, "Kenyu" near Cowra as reported in "The Sydney Morning Herald" Friday 30th August 1929.

Captain Billyard-Leake to Settle in Australia.

Captain C R Billyard-Leake, a member of the Australian family which lent Harefield Park, Middlesex as a hospital during the war, arrived in Sydney yesterday by the Orama. Captain Billyard-Leake is a brother to Lieutenant-Commander E W Billyard-Leake R. N. who was on the staff of the Prince of Wales during the Prince's visit to Australia. Captain Billyard-Leake was accompanied by his wife and their two children. Mrs Billyard-Leake is a daughter of Mr F. W. Greswold-Williams of Kenya, East Africa, who owns a ranch there with an area of 70,000 acres. It is the intention of Captain Billyard-Leake to settle near Cowra on a sheep station belonging to his father who at present resides in Egypt. Mrs Billyard-Leake, who is an expert rifle shot has been a big game hunter since her twelfth year. In that year she shot her first lion. Since then she has shot many leopards, elephants, rhinoceroses and warthogs.^[4]

The property "Kenyu" was transferred to the two brothers, Edward and Charles. After six months living on the property, Charles and his family emigrated again, this time to Kenya, where Mrs Billyard-Leake's family owned property, as reported in the " Sunday Times" on Sunday 2nd March 1930.

Captain and Mrs Charles Billyard-Leake, noted game hunters, who have spent much time in Africa, have been in Australia for the past six months, making Kenyu Station, Yass, their headquarters. Accompanied by their own small daughters, Louise and Anne, they will leave next month for Kenya Colony, E.A. ^[5]

The "Kenyu" property in New South Wales was sold for £58,000 in November 1930.^[6]

Charles and his wife established a good life in Kenya, but still maintained their strong links with the establishment back home; "The Telegraph", Brisbane, Wednesday 28th December 1938.

Host to the Duke

In the course of their visit to Kenya, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have been staying with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Billyard-Leake at their house, Escarpment, which has one of the finest views in Kenya (says the London "Evening Standard"). Mr. Billyard-Leake belongs to a wealthy Australian sheep farming family. He is the brother of Commander E. W. Billyard-Leake, one of the heroes of Zeebrugge, who attended the Prince of Wales during his world tour in the Renown. He married, the daughter of the late Mr. Frank Greswolde-Wiliiams, a pioneer among Kenya settlers, and together they run one of the largest training stables in the colony.

Caged Guests

Mrs- Billyard-Leake has spent most of her life in Kenya, where she shot her first buffalo at the age of nine. Her home adjoins that of her father, who reversed the normal zoological process by building a large cage from which his guests at night could watch lions and other wild animals prowling in the bush.^[7]

Research Notes

Unable to find a death/burial record for Charles. I suspect he died in Kenya but yet to find any evidence for this.

Harefield House Hospital (No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital) . . photo . .

Sources

1. ↑ UK Free BMD Index, Births Mar 1898, Billyard-Leake Charles R, Uxbridge, Vol 3a Page 36; [1] Accessed 14 Mar 2020.
2. ↑ The National Archives; War Office: Officers' Services, First World War, Lieutenant Charles Robert BILLYARD-LEAKE, The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own). Reference: WO 339/66976, Date: [1914-1922], Held by: The National Archives, Kew; Former reference in its original department: 142557 [2] Accessed 14 Mar 2020.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVZP-4FDS : 8 October 2014), Frances U M Greswolde-Williams and null, 1924; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1924, quarter 1, vol. 1A, p. 648, St. George Hanover Square, London, England, General Register Office, Southport, England. Accessed 14 Mar 2020.
4. ↑ "The Sydney Morning Herald" (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Fri 30 Aug 1929 Page 10 Captain Billyard-Leake [3] Accessed 10 Mar 2020.
5. ↑ " Sunday Times" (Sydney, NSW : 1895 - 1930) Sun 2 Mar 1930 Page 15; NLA trove newspapers [4] Accessed 13 Mar 2020.
6. ↑ Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954) Thu 22 Nov 1934 Page 12 Sale of Kenyu; NLA trove newspapers [5] Accessed 15 Mar 2020.
7. ↑ "The Telegraph" (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947) Wed 28 Dec 1938 Page 7 Host to the Duke; NLA trove newspapers [6] Accessed 14 Mar 2020.