Susan Charlotte Catherine (Fiennes-Clinton) Roberts (1858 - 1936)

Born 1858 in East Retford, Nottinghamshire, England

Ancestors

Wife of Alfred Temple Roberts — married 7 Aug 1884 in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England

Descendants

Died 26 Feb 1936 at about age 78 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England

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Biography

Susan Fiennes-Clinton married Alfred Temple Roberts, a school master. He taught at Winchester College from Jan 1883- July 1884. Shortly after the birth of their first child, Katharine Helen, in 1885, Alfred was appointed as deputy head of Royal College, St. Louis, Mauritius. A school very much in the tradition of the English public schools. Katharine's sister Gwen was born in Mauritius 1888, followed by Owen in 1896.

Source: email correspondence Nov 27, 2015 with granddaughter of Katharine Helen Temple Roberts.

Letter from Owen F. T. Roberts to Laura Fraser, nee English:

12/3/36

20, Belgrave Tce., Aberdeen

Dear Aunt Laura,

I am sure you will be distressed to hear that my mother died on February 26th. Less than a week earlier she was out in her little car, in which the grandsons habitually drive her around. She was laid up then for a few days with what appeared to be a gastric influenza: fortunately my sister had a nurse in because on the 24th she had a stroke, and ceased to be able to recognize anyone or have any sensation in a few hours. A wire brought me to Cheltenham by the morning of the 25th, and she finally passed away quite painlessly by early on the 26th. It was not the heart trouble which we feared, since her serious attack in 1934, would recur.

At her own request the funeral was quiet, that is without the ostentatious trappings of mourning, which she never cared for. And also at her request that her remains were cremated (at Bristol) and the ashes scattered at the garden of rest there, where also the same thing had happened to Aunt Ida’s remains a few years ago.

Aunt Adela could not leave Uncle Harry, who is very enfeebled nowadays, since his severe illness in 1934, so the mourners at the church were my mother’s descendants plus various Roberts relations who live near Cheltenham.

Of course, at her age of 77, we felt that we could not expect her to be with us much longer, but her death leaves very much of a black spot in our lives. Her life and interests had been so very much bound up in ours; not that she allowed any of us to order her about; but simply that without favouritism she did her best for the succeeding generations. This you must have realized from her letters to you.

I suppose she wrote to you for Christmas last, but I imagine she did not answer your letter, which I found among her papers. I have sent that letter on to Aunt Adela, as there is some reference to an introduction to you she gave to someone.

Her address, by the way, is 42, The Strand Walmer, Kent

I found among my mother’s papers, a snapshot of a grave, obviously of fairly recent date. It cannot be my father’s. as she would surely have shown it to us: also the vegetation is not tropical. I am wondering whether it is one of my uncle’s, Father Henry Fiennes-Clinton in Vancouver, sent by you lately?

I expect mother has given you the family news at Christmas.

Alfred at an R.E. experimental station, where they try out and report on new stunts and gadgets.

William becomes a clergyman in September, starting in an industrial district in North Yorkshire.

Hattie, half way through her training as a teacher for young children (up to 12).

Charles - sits for Woolwich in November and should get a good place.

Ranulf at Cambridge, takes his final exam in History next year, after that Civil Service, or school-master or he may turn out good enough for a University job.

Hugh - school at Farnham; vague about plans but he is not yet 16.

My own boys:

David is at my old school in Devonshire; he has started to specialize in Mathematics and Physics. I hope he will win his way to Cambridge in 2 or 3 years.

Geoffrey (12 years old) will, I hope, go to Blundell’s (the said old school) this year or next.

What a catalogue! I jog along at the University here publishing occasional learned papers in Applied Mathematics! My wife is still rather an invalid, has been really since the boys were born.

Gwen’s husband finds much to interest himself in welfare work near Cheltenham since he retired. Katharine and her husband find the growing business a bit precarious, relative prosperity or serious shortage of cash depending so much on whether the wholesale price of tomatoes is 4d, or 3d per lb. each year, or something like that.

I hope the world will not be plunged into anarchy before this letter reaches you. The last affair was bad enough for one life-time.

Your affectionate nephew,

Owen F. T. Roberts"

Records

Record of birth:

• Name Susan Charlotte Catherine Clinton
• Event Type Birth Registration
• Registration Quarter Apr-May-Jun
• Registration Year 1858
• Registration District East Retford
• County Nottinghamshire
• Event Place East Retford, Nottinghamshire, England
• Volume 7B
• Page 22
• Line Number 20

Record of marriage:

• Name Susan Charlotte C F Clinton
• Name Alfred Temple Roberts
• Event Type Marriage
• Registration Quarter Jul-Aug-Sep
• Registration Year 1884
• Registration District Southwell
• County Nottinghamshire
• Event Place Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England
• Volume 7B
• Page 507
• Line Number 371

Record of death:

• Name Susan C C T Roberts
• Event Type Death
• Registration Quarter Jan-Feb-Mar
• Registration Year 1936
• Registration District Cheltenham
• County Gloucestershire
• Event Place Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
• Age (available after 1866) 77
• Birth Year (Estimated) 1859
• Volume 6A
• Page 632
• Line Number 137

Census

Sources

• "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:26Y2-6RW : accessed 2 May 2016), Susan Charlotte Catherine Clinton, 1858; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, East Retford, Nottinghamshire, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.

• 1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census from findmypast.co.uk

• "England and Wales Census, 1861," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M7CP-76X : accessed 2 May 2016), Susan Clinton in household of Henry Fiennes Clinton, Bothamsall, Nottinghamshire, England; from "1861 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO RG 9, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

• "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBZR-1JS : accessed 2 December 2015), Henry * Clinton, 1871.

• "England and Wales Census, 1881," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKX6-9XBW : accessed 2 December 2015), Henry Fiennes Clinton, Cromwell, Nottinghamshire, England; from "1881 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing p. 36, Piece/Folio 3372/35, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey; FHL microfilm 101,774,981.

• Fiennes-Clinton family tree from www.william1.co.uk

• "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DV5-VHC : accessed 11 November 2015), Susan Charlotte C F Clinton, 1884; from “England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005,” database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Marriage, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.

• "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2DVR-32H : accessed 11 November 2015), Susan C C Filuner-Clinton, 1884; from “England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005,” database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Marriage, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.

• "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVHK-7QLG : accessed 11 November 2015), Susan C C T Roberts, 1936; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.

• email correspondence Nov 27, 2015 with granddaughter of Katharine Helen Temple Roberts.