|
the immediately surrounding gardens and shrubberies,
while the park and even the lake were assigned to Rebecca Law Hodges,
together with the furniture and pictures.
Captain John Twisden's eldest son (John Francis) and
grandson (John Kerr) earned their livings in India and, except as
exiles, had little connection with Bradbourne, though the latter was
actually de jure 8th Bart. For the second time in the history of
the Twisdens, a younger son earned the displeasure of his father through
an unwelcome marriage, and Captain John, perhaps with more justice,
treated his second son, William, as his own father Lieut. William, had
been treated by his grandfather Sir Roger. So this second William was
never invited to Bradbourne and died young in comparative poverty,
leaving two sons, William Twisden (d. j. 9th Bart.), blind and
unstable— who in turn had
a sickly son (Roger John Twisden, d. j. 10th Bart.) having no
descendants—and a second
son, John Francis Twisden (Plate XIV), in whom the title was ultimately
revived in 1909. Meanwhile Captain John, who was an engineer of the
South Western Canal, and had accumulated a small property in Devon, sold
up these belongings and migrated with his wife and surviving daughters
to Bradbourne. His youngest son, Thomas Edward Twisden (Plate XIII), was
making good as a solicitor in London. It became the family necessity to
manage the house and grounds with their own hands, the duties being
apportioned amongst the daughters. When |
|
Captain
John and his wife (Ann Hammond) died, the daughters formed a
"republic," each taking monthly turns to rule the
establishment. The picture of this household and the labours of these
ageing spinsters once again bears witness to the spell which Bradbourne
casts over those who know it. Their brother, Thomas Edward Twisden, who
had become a prosperous solicitor to the Great Western and other
Railways, helped this household financially and gradually sought out,
purchased and restored to Bradbourne, many of the family portraits. It
was a triumphant day, too, when he was able to buy back the Park from
the now impecunious Law Hodges. Just when Thomas Edward was hoping to
reap a well-earned retirement with his sisters, his partner was found to
have defaulted, and had to spend the rest of his life trying to make
good the irregular transactions of the latter. Apart from his
collections and reminiscences, he had nothing to bequeath to his great
nephew and apprentice in the firm, the young John Ramskill Twisden
(Plate XIV), but a legacy of these troubles in his solicitor's business.
Of the five old ladies, Elizabeth, Anne, Charlotte and Mary
died off one by one. Emily Henrietta survived to the great age of 94 and
was ultimately joined (1888) by her nephew and heir, the Rev. John
Francis Twisden, already a widower with an only son. Emily's survival
proved important to the family as she was the instrument through which
this |