Friday, 12 July 2019
Sunday, 2 June 2019
Thursday, 18 April 2019
Broiges
A comment from a Lowndes Square descendant: I have done more than dip into the Schiff story and am rather repelled by having just read Esmé's account post Uncle Ernest's will. No wonder the Lowndes Square family seemed alien. My mother had told me that lawyers had taken most of the Nöhring inheritance and that no-one had been considered good enough for the two aunts to marry, so that is the version she had. I certainly do not recognise my (fairly cosmopolitan) grandmother, who shopped in several countries, from the account!
Many thanks for your lovely card and the thoughtful comments. Strangely, I lay awake last night from 3am pondering the very issue you touch on. I feel I should now write something about it. There is a problem in that I do not really know what finally happened to uncle Ernest's bequest. The case dragged on for many decades. I think it boils down really to the terrible, massive, anti-German sentiment engendered by the First World War, and which is still seen today at football matches and similar events. Initially it does seem that the Lowndes Squares were stubbornly ignoring the wishes of uncle Ernest, for whatever reason. So in the short term -1 to the Lowndes Squares and +1 to the Brook Streets, who in some measure did something to respect the terms of the will, and paid quarterly allowances to the intended recipients.
It was, of course, quite fortuitous that Richard Nöhring ended up quite quickly as sole heir, which made it seem terribly unfair that he benefitted so much. So +1 to the Lowndes Squares there. Then Richard's flight to the States in 1938, caused no doubt by having a Jewish mother, means he could probably have done with some help, not least because he would not have been allowed to take any assets with him. -1 there, unless he did benefit in some way after the war from the bequest, but that I don't know. Perhaps some descendants can fill this in.
In the long term uncle Ernest's bequest benefitted greatly a large number of people in England, the children of Charles and Alfred and their descendants. Certainly the descendants can claim to have received privilege and entitlement in consequence, but to be fair they already inherited very considerable sums from Charles and Alfred. We're talking about scores of people benefitting in the long term, rather than just one person, Richard Nöhring.
Also in the long term it's interesting to look at the branches today. My own branch is bloody dysfunctional, partly the effects of the impoverishment caused by the last war. The Brook Streets too are rather difficult: Esmé's descendants are riven by family warfare. Rosalynd in Florence is an absolute saint and deals with the fraternal strife wonderfully well. I admire her. And the Lowndes Squares leave me in awe for the warm and loving welcome they have given me and my wife, their generosity of spirit, their encouragement, their strong sense of family. Of course I know it's not all hunky dory, it never is, but overall I reckon the Lowndes Squares win on points. Alec Graham was pretty accurate and fair in his analysis of the tensions, which of course I have reproduced in the book. The Brook Streets were a wild and whacky bunch, my God they were. And even Sydney, who caused a lot of the hurt in his writings, recognised this, and saw the merits of the Lowndes Squares, describing Charles Schiff as "the highest minded" of the three brothers, and "essentially moral". I think it's a question of chalk and cheese, they were so different.
Thank you for prompting me to think about this and write something down. It really was preying on my mind during the night. I think you can see how much I have appreciated meeting you.
Above is my reply to M-L, who correctly picked up on the painful story of the Lowndes Squares v. the Brook Streets, almost by telepathy. I included it because a hundred years had passed, but was still aware of the sensitivity surrounding it. I am looking forward to seeing her soon in Barnstaple. As I pointed out, I followed Alec Graham on this, who didn't shy from the issue. I could write a whole book on this, but I am sure the Brook Streets will be nonplussed too by all my research on Ernest Wilton Schiff's life and death, and the scandalous illegitimacy not only of Sydney but also, it seems, of his mother, never mind her divorce. Alec Graham was quite right to say it rivalled the Forsyte Saga. This is also very much the reason why the book is strictly for private circulation only within the Schiff descendants, and not available commercially or any other way. The hundred year rule seems fitting. The recent scandal of the Pio family I mention not at all, even though it is available on the internet. Just google 'Oscar Pio Plasmon' if you can read Italian. Hopefully we can all realise, as Alec Graham rightly pointed out, that attitudes were very different a hundred years ago. I wish I knew how the story ended up. I did discover at the last minute that Justina Rodenberg left a large legacy to her husband's alma mater, the university of Marburg, which suggests she didn't die destitute. I don't think Jenny Schiff suffered either, despite the depredations of war. I wonder how the story finally ended. As for the case in the House of Lords, I didn't mention that the Earl of Drogheda was married to Sydney and Violet Schiff's protégée, Joan Carr, fictionalised as 'Eleanor' in Julian Fane's book of that name. Julian was also a protégé of Violet. I also saw a report last week that Sir Ernest's fortune was estimated at £10M in 1910, but of course that was dented too by the war.
Justina Rodenberg left a large legacy of 150,000 marks to the university of Marburg, which was reported in the press on 16th February 1922, but I suspect the donation was worthless, as it coincided with the collapse of the German economy. This must have affected the Schiff sisters adversely, as they would have been living on the interest of their savings at this time in their lives. The quarterly allowance that they received from the Brook Streets must have been their salvation till their deaths very soon afterwards. Justina died 8th December 1923 in Berlin, and Jenny 18th September 1924 in Hamburg. At that point the claim to all Sir Ernest Schiff's legacy passed to Richard Nöhring.
Notes on Schiff Papers
At long last I have had a couple of days to scan through the mass of documents that have been placed with me. Sir Ernest's will and the related Nöhring affair now have a much better clarity in my mind. I suspect that the wartime law was never repealed that caused all the problems, and in fact the members of the family come out of it all rather well. People were indeed generous in attempting to help the German side of the family, who suffered terribly in the inter-war period, and they acted magnanimously when they could have ignored all cries for help. I have scanned all the very complex legal papers, which as always is hard work but fascinating. It was so good to see how eventually it all fizzled out and most people had comfort and satisfaction from the attempts to deliver the spirit of Sir Ernest's will, even Richard Nohring, who it seems was rather ill-treated by life. starting with his own father. I wonder why he was described as a blackguard.
One special delight was the 'Anna Schiff Fund 1931' folder. I was puzzled at the mention of her name in the earlier folders, but surmised correctly who she was. I already knew a great deal about her husband Wilhelm Schiff, the half brother of my gt gt grandfather Friedrich, as my half-great uncle Cavaliere Umberto Schiff was acquainted with Anna and Wilhelm's daughters, and he shared several family documents with me concerning them. It was touching to see how the English branch of the family continued to support this lady, widow of Charles Schiff's cousin, right up until the outbreak of war between Italy and Britain in 1940. I suspect Anna died during the war, and probably her daughter Sofia too.
I was interested to to see that family links with the Tallow Chandlers' Company go back quite a way. Do you know how and when they started?
Thank you so much for this fascinating material, which is giving me huge pleasure. There's almost enough for another book in its own right, a Schiff version of 'Bleak House'.
I'm still hanging on in, though am having to live increasingly as a recluse to avoid infections, so this material is especially welcome.
I'm delighted you enjoyed, and were able to appreciate too, the Schiff papers. I must say I too thought of Bleak House; certainly the parallel that the lawyers seems to be the main beneficiaries!
I think the first formal connection with the Tallow Chandlers was my uncle Martin Burch joining the Company; I think in the post WW ll years. The law firm of Monier Williams was the family's solicitors ever since acting for my grandfather Charles Schiff Burch in the purchase (funded by his uncle Ernest ) of the Halesowen Steel Foundry in 1905, and Randall Monier-Williams was Clerk to the Tallow Chandlers for some 50 years (!) up until 1979. In fact the TC's timed Matin's ascending to be Master in 1978/9 to coincide with handling Randall M-W's retirement. However, this was thrown off course by Martin dying in 1978 suddenly, only three weeks before he would have become Master.
There is a portrait by Cuneo in Tallow Chandlers' Hall of the Master, Wardens (including Martin) and Randall M-W.
Martin's eldest son Christopher (sadly dec'd last year) was a Freeman of the TC's (although not an active one); his brother Anthony (Dr) is a current liveryman and has been on the Court but passed up the opportunity to progress to Master; and Thomas Kelen, married to Rosemary, their sister, is an active liveryman. Now of course we give equal prominence to men and women so in modern times it would have been Rosemary not Thomas who would have joined. The fourth sibling, Charles, is not involved. I am the only other Schiff member and was Master in 2015/16. Maybe my son Felix (currently 27) might take an interest one day.
Post rationalising, one could argue that Martin joined as his mother's family (Job, of Newfoundland) were whalers in the North Atlantic and that whale oil is close to Tallow, but I think the truth is that Randall M-W recruited Martin to the Company as they were short of members.
As you are house bound and knowing that you have the Lowndes Square inventory I am attaching (I hope) photographs of what I believe to be my share of the Lowndes Sq chattels. Maybe you can reconcile them to the inventory. I do know for certain that each of these objects came from my grandfather Charles's house.
A French striking clock
A later French striking clock with two candlesticks ensemble
A pair of two branch candlesticks
Painting by Filippo Indoni (1800-1884) of Artist's Studio
Three porcelain tazze bearing the initials of Carl Gotleib Schiff (CS)
Watercolour of Ernest Schiff's horse winning the Lincoln Handicap in 1910 by Isaac Cullin
Small portraits of Carl Gotleib and his wife Mary Ballard Burch painted from photographs.
One special delight was the 'Anna Schiff Fund 1931' folder. I was puzzled at the mention of her name in the earlier folders, but surmised correctly who she was. I already knew a great deal about her husband Wilhelm Schiff, the half brother of my gt gt grandfather Friedrich, as my half-great uncle Cavaliere Umberto Schiff was acquainted with Anna and Wilhelm's daughters, and he shared several family documents with me concerning them. It was touching to see how the English branch of the family continued to support this lady, widow of Charles Schiff's cousin, right up until the outbreak of war between Italy and Britain in 1940. I suspect Anna died during the war, and probably her daughter Sofia too.
I was interested to to see that family links with the Tallow Chandlers' Company go back quite a way. Do you know how and when they started?
Thank you so much for this fascinating material, which is giving me huge pleasure. There's almost enough for another book in its own right, a Schiff version of 'Bleak House'.
I'm still hanging on in, though am having to live increasingly as a recluse to avoid infections, so this material is especially welcome.
I'm delighted you enjoyed, and were able to appreciate too, the Schiff papers. I must say I too thought of Bleak House; certainly the parallel that the lawyers seems to be the main beneficiaries!
I think the first formal connection with the Tallow Chandlers was my uncle Martin Burch joining the Company; I think in the post WW ll years. The law firm of Monier Williams was the family's solicitors ever since acting for my grandfather Charles Schiff Burch in the purchase (funded by his uncle Ernest ) of the Halesowen Steel Foundry in 1905, and Randall Monier-Williams was Clerk to the Tallow Chandlers for some 50 years (!) up until 1979. In fact the TC's timed Matin's ascending to be Master in 1978/9 to coincide with handling Randall M-W's retirement. However, this was thrown off course by Martin dying in 1978 suddenly, only three weeks before he would have become Master.
There is a portrait by Cuneo in Tallow Chandlers' Hall of the Master, Wardens (including Martin) and Randall M-W.
Martin's eldest son Christopher (sadly dec'd last year) was a Freeman of the TC's (although not an active one); his brother Anthony (Dr) is a current liveryman and has been on the Court but passed up the opportunity to progress to Master; and Thomas Kelen, married to Rosemary, their sister, is an active liveryman. Now of course we give equal prominence to men and women so in modern times it would have been Rosemary not Thomas who would have joined. The fourth sibling, Charles, is not involved. I am the only other Schiff member and was Master in 2015/16. Maybe my son Felix (currently 27) might take an interest one day.
Post rationalising, one could argue that Martin joined as his mother's family (Job, of Newfoundland) were whalers in the North Atlantic and that whale oil is close to Tallow, but I think the truth is that Randall M-W recruited Martin to the Company as they were short of members.
As you are house bound and knowing that you have the Lowndes Square inventory I am attaching (I hope) photographs of what I believe to be my share of the Lowndes Sq chattels. Maybe you can reconcile them to the inventory. I do know for certain that each of these objects came from my grandfather Charles's house.
A French striking clock
A later French striking clock with two candlesticks ensemble
A pair of two branch candlesticks
Painting by Filippo Indoni (1800-1884) of Artist's Studio
Three porcelain tazze bearing the initials of Carl Gotleib Schiff (CS)
Watercolour of Ernest Schiff's horse winning the Lincoln Handicap in 1910 by Isaac Cullin
Small portraits of Carl Gotleib and his wife Mary Ballard Burch painted from photographs.
1: Anna 1938–1946
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| Charles Burch to Sydney Schiff. March 27th 1942. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 23rd March 1942. |
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| Richard Nöhring to Sydney and Violet Schiff. [March 1942?] |
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| Richard Nöhring to Sydney and Violet Schiff. 2nd March 1942. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Mr Viall [Westminster Bank]. 20th March 1942. |
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| Richard Nöhring to Sydney and Violet Schiff. 5th March 1942. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Manager, Westminster Bank. 23rd March 1942. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 26th December 1941. |
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| Richard Nöhring to Charles and Helen Burch. 7th December 1941. |
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| Walter Llewelyn-Roberts to Charles Burch. 3rd May 1943. |
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| Walter Llewelyn-Roberts to Charles Burch. 19th August 1943. |
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| Walter Llewelyn-Roberts to Charles Burch. 5th August 1943. |
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| Walter Llewelyn-Roberts to Charles Burch. 28th September 1943. |
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| Walter Llewelyn-Roberts to Charles Burch. 29th March 1943. |
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| Guglielmina Sciffi to Charles Burch. 13th January 1946. |
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| Catherine Storrs to Charles Burch. 28th January 1946. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 19th August 1940. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 15th August 1940. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 1st August 1940. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 5th July 1940. |
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| Midland Bank to Charles Burch. 17th June 1940. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 18th April 1940. |
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| Charles Burch to Westminster Bank. 21st June 1940. |
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| Charles Burch to Sydney Schiff. 21st June 1940. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 18th June 1940. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 17th June 1940. |
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| Charles Burch to Sydney Schiff. 17th June 1940. |
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| Charles Burch to Westminster Bank. 15th June 1940. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 3rd February 1940. |
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| Lucile Sayers to Charles Burch. 4th February 1940. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 13th February 1940. |
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| Catherine Storrs to Charles Burch. 14th January 1940. |
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| Anna Schiff to Sydney Schiff. 30th december 1939. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 1st February 1940. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 26th January 1940. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 4th January 1940. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 20th January 1940. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 6th January 1940. |
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| April 1940. |
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| February–March 1940 |
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| May-August 1939 |
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| April–May 1939 |
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| February–March 1939 |
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| January–February 1939 |
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| August–November 1939 |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 30th January 1939. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 29th December 1938. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 21st November 1938. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 9th November 1938. |
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| Westminster Bank to Sydney Schiff. 7th November 1938. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 13th January 1939. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Westminster Bank. 13th January 1939. |
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| Sydney Schiff to Charles Burch. 21st December 1938. |
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| Westminster Bank to Charles Burch. 14th January 1939. |
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