John Blundell Maple
Encyclopedia
Sir John Blundell Maple, 1st Baronet (1 March 1845 – 24 November 1903) was an English
business
magnate. He was educated at King's College London
. His father, John Maple, had a small furniture shop in Tottenham Court Road
, London
, and his business began to develop about the time that his son entered it.
John soon took over the practical management of the company, and expanded it considerably. The firm became a limited liability company
with a capital of two million pounds in 1890, with Maple as chairman. He entered Parliament
as Conservative
member for Dulwich
in 1887, serving until his death in 1903, was knight
ed in 1892, and was made a baronet
in 1897. He was the developer of the Great Central Hotel at Marylebone station
, which opened in 1899.
He was the owner of Childwick Bury Stud
, a large Thoroughbred
Horse breeding
operation built on his estate. Appearing at first under the name of "Mr. Childwick," from 1885 onwards he won many important races including two of the British Classics. His public benefactions included a hospital and a recreation ground to the city of St Albans
, near which his residence, Childwick Bury Manor, was situated, and the rebuilding, at a cost of more than £50,000, of University College Hospital
, London.
Sir John Maple left a fortune of £2,153,000 at his death in 1903.
Maple's wife was Emily Harriet Merryweather. In 1896, his only surviving daughter, Grace Emily (d. 1950), married Baron Hermann von Eckardstein, who was First Secretary of the German
Embassy in 1898 and later Ambassador to the Court of St. James. The date of the divorce is unknown, but von Eckardstein was alive in late November 1910 when he came by the Cunard from Liverpool to New York. It is not clear whether the Baron was alive after the operation, but on 16 August 1910 in the Metheringham parish church, Lincolnshire, Gracy Emily, Baroness von Eckardstein married William Ernest George Archibald Weigall (1874–1952). Her second husband became MP for Horncastle, Lincs, UK 16 February 1911 to 1920, then governor of South Australia 1919-1922, and is better known as Sir Archibald Weigall, 1st Baronet. He was the fifth son of the artist Henry Weigall by his wife Lady Rose Sophia Mary Fane (1834–1921), daughter of John Fane, 11th Earl of Westmorland
by his wife Priscilla Wellesley-Pole, a niece of the 1st Duke of Wellington
. Grace Emily Weigall suffered many miscarriages, but bore an only daughter, Priscilla.
The granddaughter, Priscilla Weigall, was first wife 1935-1943 of the 6th Earl Howe
(1908–1984) by whom she had two daughters.
The Maples furniture business continued for many years, until it went bankrupt in 1997 and was taken over by the retailer Allders
.
Grace Blundell Maple born 1876 had four children: Kit born 1899 father Baron von Eckardstein whom she divorced;Reginald Benwell born 1906 father Dr C J Williams;Heather Campbell born 3 March 1911 father Elidor Campbell; Priscilla Crystal Frances Blundell Weigall born 1914 father Archibald Weigall. Reginald and Heather were both adopted out secretly at birth.
Heather Campbell married Gordon Tovey in March 1930 and went to live in New Zealand. She searched and found her parents after many years and met Priscilla in England. The events are recorded in her book "Searching for Grace" published 2010.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
magnate. He was educated at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
. His father, John Maple, had a small furniture shop in Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road
Tottenham Court Road is a major road in central London, United Kingdom, running from St Giles Circus north to Euston Road, near the border of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and his business began to develop about the time that his son entered it.
John soon took over the practical management of the company, and expanded it considerably. The firm became a limited liability company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
with a capital of two million pounds in 1890, with Maple as chairman. He entered Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
as Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
member for Dulwich
Dulwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Dulwich was a borough constituency in the Dulwich area of South London, which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
in 1887, serving until his death in 1903, was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1892, and was made a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1897. He was the developer of the Great Central Hotel at Marylebone station
Marylebone station
Marylebone station , also known as London Marylebone, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. It stands midway between the mainline stations at Euston and Paddington, about 1 mile from each...
, which opened in 1899.
He was the owner of Childwick Bury Stud
Childwick Bury Stud
Childwick Bury Stud is a Thoroughbred horse breeding farm near St Albans, Hertfordshire, England.Originally built in 1888 by Sir John Blundell Maple as part of his Childwick Bury estate, he bred and raced Thoroughbreds and built Childwick Bury Stud into a very successful horse breeding operation...
, a large Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
Horse breeding
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
operation built on his estate. Appearing at first under the name of "Mr. Childwick," from 1885 onwards he won many important races including two of the British Classics. His public benefactions included a hospital and a recreation ground to the city of St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, near which his residence, Childwick Bury Manor, was situated, and the rebuilding, at a cost of more than £50,000, of University College Hospital
University College Hospital
University College Hospital is a teaching hospital located in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is closely associated with University College London ....
, London.
Sir John Maple left a fortune of £2,153,000 at his death in 1903.
Maple's wife was Emily Harriet Merryweather. In 1896, his only surviving daughter, Grace Emily (d. 1950), married Baron Hermann von Eckardstein, who was First Secretary of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Embassy in 1898 and later Ambassador to the Court of St. James. The date of the divorce is unknown, but von Eckardstein was alive in late November 1910 when he came by the Cunard from Liverpool to New York. It is not clear whether the Baron was alive after the operation, but on 16 August 1910 in the Metheringham parish church, Lincolnshire, Gracy Emily, Baroness von Eckardstein married William Ernest George Archibald Weigall (1874–1952). Her second husband became MP for Horncastle, Lincs, UK 16 February 1911 to 1920, then governor of South Australia 1919-1922, and is better known as Sir Archibald Weigall, 1st Baronet. He was the fifth son of the artist Henry Weigall by his wife Lady Rose Sophia Mary Fane (1834–1921), daughter of John Fane, 11th Earl of Westmorland
John Fane, 11th Earl of Westmorland
General John Fane, 11th Earl of Westmorland GCB, GCH, PC , styled Lord Burghersh until 1841, was a British soldier, politician, diplomat and musician.-Background:...
by his wife Priscilla Wellesley-Pole, a niece of the 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
. Grace Emily Weigall suffered many miscarriages, but bore an only daughter, Priscilla.
The granddaughter, Priscilla Weigall, was first wife 1935-1943 of the 6th Earl Howe
Edward Curzon, 6th Earl Howe
Edward Richard Assheton Penn Curzon, 6th Earl Howe, CBE was a British peer, known as Viscount Curzon from 1929-1964....
(1908–1984) by whom she had two daughters.
The Maples furniture business continued for many years, until it went bankrupt in 1997 and was taken over by the retailer Allders
Allders
Allders is an independent department store in Croydon, established by Joshua Allder in 1862. It is the fourth-largest department store in the United Kingdom.The Croydon store was the flagship of a large chain of department stores in the UK...
.
Grace Blundell Maple born 1876 had four children: Kit born 1899 father Baron von Eckardstein whom she divorced;Reginald Benwell born 1906 father Dr C J Williams;Heather Campbell born 3 March 1911 father Elidor Campbell; Priscilla Crystal Frances Blundell Weigall born 1914 father Archibald Weigall. Reginald and Heather were both adopted out secretly at birth.
Heather Campbell married Gordon Tovey in March 1930 and went to live in New Zealand. She searched and found her parents after many years and met Priscilla in England. The events are recorded in her book "Searching for Grace" published 2010.