William Bernard Petre, 12th Baron Petre
Encyclopedia
William Bernard, 12th Baron Petre (20 December 1817 – 4 July 1884) “a pattern of charity and piety”, was an enthusiastic builder of churches. To a greater or lesser extent, he was responsible for new churches in Brentwood
, Chipping Ongar
, Barking
, Romford
and Chelmsford
and a mortuary chapel (designed by William Wardell
, a pupil of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin) in the grounds of Thorndon Hall
(dedicated on 11 September 1857, and used last for interment in 1965), as well as twice extending the chapel at Ingatestone Hall
, which then served as parish church for the locality.
and his first wife Frances Charlotte Bedingfeld (1796 - 1822).
His maternal grandparents were Sir Richard Bedingfeld, 5th Baronet and his wife Charlotte Georgiana Jerningham. Charlotte was a daughter of Sir William Jerningham, 6th Baronet and Frances Dillon.
The senior Frances was a daughter of Henry Dillon, 11th Viscount Dillon
and Lady Charlotte Lee. The senior Charlotte was a daughter of George Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield
and Frances Hales. The eldest Frances was a daughter of Sir John Hales, 4th Baronet
.
at the age of 32 because he had tuberculosis
. He designed many buildings there including the St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
. In testimonials to Wardell, Lord Petre expressed confidence in him, and noted his “acknowledged position in the first rank of England’s architects”.
awarded Lord Petre the Order of Pius IX
though there is a family tradition that he received it in recognition of his services as commander of a force of Papal Zouaves
, international volunteers, in the defence of Rome
against Giuseppe Garibaldi
.
If this sounds unlikely, besides the Swiss Guard
, Pius had another bodyguard called the Zouaves in which it was customary for young Catholic gentlemen, disqualified from becoming officers in the British Army
, to serve. With the departure of Pius' allied forces of the Second French Empire
at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
(1870), the Papal States
could offer little resistance to the Italian Army
and fell.
, Petre married Mary Theresa Clifford (1 September 1823 – 31 December 1895). She was a daughter of Charles Thomas Clifford and Theresa Constable-Maxwell. Her paternal grandparents were Charles Clifford, 6th Baron Clifford of Chudleigh and Eleanor Mary Arundell. Eleanor was a daughter of Henry Arundell, 8th Baron Arundell of Wardour
and his wife Mary Christina Conquest.
Petre and his wife had twelve children:
spent a weekend at Thorndon; he had been invited because Lady Petre had a bevy of “Good looking and divinely tall” daughters to marry off. The studious young man, however, did not enjoy himself much, finding the favourite pastime of roller skating
in the ballroom
too boisterous for his taste.
However, it was the Great fire of 1878 that finally ended Thorndon’s days as a great house. William almost certainly commissioned a large group of furniture, now at Ingatestone, in the latter part of the 19th century,possibly replacing items destroyed in the fire.
the Petres may have kept themselves, they seem to have been popular in the vicinity, and kind and liberal neighbours, for they are not infrequently referred to by travellers, and Daniel Defoe
writes of them in his A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain
(1724 - 1726).
‘From hence [Lees Priory], keeping the London Road, I came to Chelmsford, mentioned before, and Ingatestone, five miles west, which I mention again because in the Parish Church of this town are to be seen the ancient monuments if the noble family of Petre whose seat and large estate lie in the neighbourhood, and whose family, by constant series of beneficent action to the poor, and bounty upon all charitable occasions, have gained an affectionate esteem through all that part of the County, such as no prejudice of religion could wear out, or perhaps ever may – and I must confess need not, for good and great actions commend our respect, let the opinions of persons be otherwise what they may’.
The friendliness was carried on long after Defoe’s visit. Miss Parkin still retains a lively memory of the kindliness of William, 12th Baron, and has a photograph, taken by him in the Rectory garden, of Rector Parkin and his family. It is a matter for regret that of late years the great landowner has been so much less in touch with the parish.
"Cardinal Wiseman, First Archbishop of Westminster, consecrated the new church at Romford on 6th May 1856. It was one of the first, after the Restoration of the English Hierarchy. The land for the church had been donated by the Petre family of Thorndon and Ingatestone Hall, and they also paid for the building. At that time, Romford was rather more rural and had only a handful of Catholic families, thus the proportions of the church reflected the meagre size of the congregation. Today, St Edward’s stands at the centre of what is a thriving market town, rather more urban in character.
Owing to the nature of the ceremonies and the necessity of commencing at an early hour, it was impossible to accommodate a large congregation at the consecration of the church. Two days later, on 8 May, Cardinal Wiseman returned for the opening ceremony and High Mass, at which he preached. It was the octave day of the Ascension and hence the text chosen for the sermon. Secular newspaper reports of the time state that the Cardinal preached standing at the centre of the Altar, and that it was long! They also state that the congregation, at the opening, was large only because Catholic families had come from far and wide for it is well known that it is almost a rarity to find a Romanist in our town!
I am very pleased to present this re-publication of Cardinal Wiseman’s sermon. Though lengthy by modern standards, it is a masterpiece and reflects the enthusiasm and sense of mission which the Catholic Church in England felt at that time. It is my hope that the reading of this sermon today will be an inspiration for our work of the new evangelisation of our land.
My dear Lord,It is in compliance with your Lordship’s kind wish, that I publish this sermon. I do not regret any little additional trouble this may give me: for it is fully compensated by the opportunity afforded me, of publicly testifying my regard for your Lordship. While the new church at Romford will be a lasting monument of your Lordship’s generous zeal, these few lines may serve as its inscription; to record the gratitude of a poor congregation, through one whose joy it is fully to share it, and whose duty it is to express it.
With earnest prayer for every blessing on Your Lordship, and Your House, I am ever,My dear Lord,Your Lordship’s affectionate Servant in Christ.
Brentwood, Essex
Brentwood is a town and the principal settlement of the Borough of Brentwood, in the county of Essex in the east of England. It is located in the London commuter belt, 20 miles east north-east of Charing Cross in London, and near the M25 motorway....
, Chipping Ongar
Chipping Ongar
Chipping Ongar is a small market town, and a civil parish called Ongar, in the Epping Forest district of the county of Essex, England. It is located East of Epping, South-East of Harlow and North-West of Brentwood.-Geography:...
, Barking
Barking
Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
, Romford
Romford
Romford is a large suburban town in north east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
and Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
and a mortuary chapel (designed by William Wardell
William Wardell
William Wilkinson Wardell was a Civil Engineer and Architect, notable not only for his work in Australia, the country to which he emigrated in 1858, but also for having a successful career as a surveyor, and an ecclesiastical architect in England and Scotland before his departure.In Australia,...
, a pupil of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin) in the grounds of Thorndon Hall
Thorndon Hall
Thorndon Hall is a Georgian Palladian country house within Thorndon Park, Ingrave, Essex, England, approximately two miles south of Brentwood and from central London....
(dedicated on 11 September 1857, and used last for interment in 1965), as well as twice extending the chapel at Ingatestone Hall
Ingatestone Hall
Ingatestone Hall is a sixteenth century manor house in Essex, England. It was built by Sir William Petre, and his descendants live in the House to this day.Queen Elizabeth I of England spent several nights at the hall on her royal progress of 1561....
, which then served as parish church for the locality.
Family
He was a son of William Henry Francis Petre, 11th Baron PetreWilliam Henry Francis Petre, 11th Baron Petre
William Henry Francis, 11th Baron Petre was the first Baron Petre to take his seat in the House of Lords after the passing of the Catholic Relief Act 1829.-Family :...
and his first wife Frances Charlotte Bedingfeld (1796 - 1822).
His maternal grandparents were Sir Richard Bedingfeld, 5th Baronet and his wife Charlotte Georgiana Jerningham. Charlotte was a daughter of Sir William Jerningham, 6th Baronet and Frances Dillon.
The senior Frances was a daughter of Henry Dillon, 11th Viscount Dillon
Henry Dillon, 11th Viscount Dillon
Henry Dillon, 11th Viscount Dillon of Costello-Gallen was an English peer.Henry's father was the Hon. Arthur Dillon , a son of the 7th Viscount, who was Colonel and founder of the Dillon Regiment in 1688...
and Lady Charlotte Lee. The senior Charlotte was a daughter of George Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield
George Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield
George Henry Lee I, 2nd Earl of Lichfield was the sixth son of Edward Henry Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield and his wife Charlotte Fitzroy, an illegitimate daughter of Charles II by his mistress, the celebrated courtesan Barbara Villiers. On 14 July 1716 George Henry Lee succeeded his father as the 2nd...
and Frances Hales. The eldest Frances was a daughter of Sir John Hales, 4th Baronet
Hales Baronets
The Hales Baronetcy, is a title in the Baronetage of England. There were three Hales baronetcies. The oldest was created in 1611 for Edward Hales. He was a member of a Kent family. The second was created in 1660 for Robert Hales, MP for Hythe 1659, also of a Kent family. The third was created in...
.
Wardell
William Wardell went to AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the age of 32 because he had tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. He designed many buildings there including the St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
The Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to "Mary, Help of Christians", Patron of Australia...
. In testimonials to Wardell, Lord Petre expressed confidence in him, and noted his “acknowledged position in the first rank of England’s architects”.
Order of Pius IX
It was no doubt for these charitable works that Pope Pius IXPope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
awarded Lord Petre the Order of Pius IX
Order of Pius IX
The Order of Pius IX , also referred as the Pian Order , is a Papal order of knighthood founded on 17 June 1847 by Pope Pius IX.-Classes:The Order comprises five classes:...
though there is a family tradition that he received it in recognition of his services as commander of a force of Papal Zouaves
Papal Zouaves
The Papal Zouaves were an infantry force formed in defence of the Papal States.-Origin:The Zouaves evolved out of a unit formed by Christophe Léon Louis Juchault de Lamoricière...
, international volunteers, in the defence of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
against Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
.
If this sounds unlikely, besides the Swiss Guard
Swiss Guard
Swiss Guards or Schweizergarde is the name given to the Swiss soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards, and palace guards at foreign European courts since the late 15th century. They have had a high reputation for discipline, as well as loyalty to their employers...
, Pius had another bodyguard called the Zouaves in which it was customary for young Catholic gentlemen, disqualified from becoming officers in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, to serve. With the departure of Pius' allied forces of the Second French Empire
Second French Empire
The Second French Empire or French Empire was the Imperial Bonapartist regime of Napoleon III from 1852 to 1870, between the Second Republic and the Third Republic, in France.-Rule of Napoleon III:...
at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
(1870), the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
could offer little resistance to the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
and fell.
Marriage and children
On 26 September 1843, in LondonLondon
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...
, Petre married Mary Theresa Clifford (1 September 1823 – 31 December 1895). She was a daughter of Charles Thomas Clifford and Theresa Constable-Maxwell. Her paternal grandparents were Charles Clifford, 6th Baron Clifford of Chudleigh and Eleanor Mary Arundell. Eleanor was a daughter of Henry Arundell, 8th Baron Arundell of Wardour
Henry Arundell, 8th Baron Arundell of Wardour
Henry Arundell, 8th Baron Arundell of Wardour was a British nobleman in the 18th century. A portrait was painted of him by the famous artist Sir Joshua Reynolds....
and his wife Mary Christina Conquest.
Petre and his wife had twelve children:
- Frances Mary Petre (c. 1846 - 25 May 1920). Married George Forbes, 7th Earl of GranardGeorge Forbes, 7th Earl of GranardGeorge Arthur Hastings Forbes, 7th Earl of Granard KP was an Irish peer and soldier, styled Viscount Forbes from 1836 to 1837....
. - William Joseph Petre, 13th Baron PetreWilliam Joseph Petre, 13th Baron PetreWilliam Joseph, 13th Baron Petre was a Monsignor of the Roman Catholic Church.-Family :He was the eldest son of William Bernard Petre, 12th Baron Petre and Mary Theresa Clifford ....
(26 February 1847 - 8 May 1893). - Isabella Mary Petre (c. 1849 - 15 July 1919). Married Frederick Stapleton-Bretherton. They were parents to Evelyn Princess Blücher.
- Margaret Mary Petre (c. 1850 - ?). A nun.
- Katherine Mary Lucy Petre (c. 1851 - 21 October 1932).
- Theresa Mary Louisa Petre (c. 1853 - ?). A nun.
- Mary Winifrede Petre (c. 1855 - 31 July 1947). A Sister of CharitySisters of CharityMany religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity as part of their name. The rule of Saint Vincent for the Daughters of Charity has been adopted and adapted by at least sixty founders of religious orders around the world in the subsequent centuries....
. - Eleanor Mary Petre (1856 - 17 November 1908). Married Edward Southwell Trafford.
- Bernard Henry Philip Petre, 14th Baron Petre (31 May 1858 - 16 June 1908).
- Monica Mary Petre (1860 - 15 May 1907). Married John Erdeswick Butler-Bowden, a Lieutenant-Colonel of the British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. - Philip Benedict Joseph Petre, 15th Baron Petre (21 August 1864 - 6 December 1908).
- Joseph Lucius Henry Petre (22 April 1866 - 24 January 1900). A Captain of the British Army. He fought in the Second Boer WarSecond Boer WarThe Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
and was among the casualties of the Battle of Spion KopBattle of Spion KopThe Battle of Spion Kop was fought about west-south-west of Ladysmith on the hilltop of Spioenkop along the Tugela River, Natal in South Africa from 23–24 January 1900...
.
Decline of Thorndon
By the 1860s, the pomp and glamour of earlier years of living at Thorndon had begun to fall away. The young John Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron ActonJohn Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton
John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton, KCVO, DL , known as Sir John Dalberg-Acton, 8th Bt from 1837 to 1869 and usually referred to simply as Lord Acton, was an English Catholic historian, politician, and writer...
spent a weekend at Thorndon; he had been invited because Lady Petre had a bevy of “Good looking and divinely tall” daughters to marry off. The studious young man, however, did not enjoy himself much, finding the favourite pastime of roller skating
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...
in the ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
too boisterous for his taste.
However, it was the Great fire of 1878 that finally ended Thorndon’s days as a great house. William almost certainly commissioned a large group of furniture, now at Ingatestone, in the latter part of the 19th century,possibly replacing items destroyed in the fire.
Family reputation
However much apart from noble courtNoble court
The court of a monarch, or at some periods an important nobleman, is a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure...
the Petres may have kept themselves, they seem to have been popular in the vicinity, and kind and liberal neighbours, for they are not infrequently referred to by travellers, and Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
writes of them in his A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain
A tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain
A tour thro' the whole island of Great Britain is an account of his travels by English author Daniel Defoe, first published in three volumes between 1724 and 1727....
(1724 - 1726).
‘From hence [Lees Priory], keeping the London Road, I came to Chelmsford, mentioned before, and Ingatestone, five miles west, which I mention again because in the Parish Church of this town are to be seen the ancient monuments if the noble family of Petre whose seat and large estate lie in the neighbourhood, and whose family, by constant series of beneficent action to the poor, and bounty upon all charitable occasions, have gained an affectionate esteem through all that part of the County, such as no prejudice of religion could wear out, or perhaps ever may – and I must confess need not, for good and great actions commend our respect, let the opinions of persons be otherwise what they may’.
The friendliness was carried on long after Defoe’s visit. Miss Parkin still retains a lively memory of the kindliness of William, 12th Baron, and has a photograph, taken by him in the Rectory garden, of Rector Parkin and his family. It is a matter for regret that of late years the great landowner has been so much less in touch with the parish.
Romford Church
He donated the lands for the building of the church of St Edward the Confessor in Romford , consecrated by Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman on 6 May 1856. The Parish priest (in 2006), Kevin W.A. Hale writes:-"Cardinal Wiseman, First Archbishop of Westminster, consecrated the new church at Romford on 6th May 1856. It was one of the first, after the Restoration of the English Hierarchy. The land for the church had been donated by the Petre family of Thorndon and Ingatestone Hall, and they also paid for the building. At that time, Romford was rather more rural and had only a handful of Catholic families, thus the proportions of the church reflected the meagre size of the congregation. Today, St Edward’s stands at the centre of what is a thriving market town, rather more urban in character.
Owing to the nature of the ceremonies and the necessity of commencing at an early hour, it was impossible to accommodate a large congregation at the consecration of the church. Two days later, on 8 May, Cardinal Wiseman returned for the opening ceremony and High Mass, at which he preached. It was the octave day of the Ascension and hence the text chosen for the sermon. Secular newspaper reports of the time state that the Cardinal preached standing at the centre of the Altar, and that it was long! They also state that the congregation, at the opening, was large only because Catholic families had come from far and wide for it is well known that it is almost a rarity to find a Romanist in our town!
I am very pleased to present this re-publication of Cardinal Wiseman’s sermon. Though lengthy by modern standards, it is a masterpiece and reflects the enthusiasm and sense of mission which the Catholic Church in England felt at that time. It is my hope that the reading of this sermon today will be an inspiration for our work of the new evangelisation of our land.
Correspondence with Wiseman
On 10 May 1856, Cardinal Wiseman wrote to Lord Petre from London:-My dear Lord,It is in compliance with your Lordship’s kind wish, that I publish this sermon. I do not regret any little additional trouble this may give me: for it is fully compensated by the opportunity afforded me, of publicly testifying my regard for your Lordship. While the new church at Romford will be a lasting monument of your Lordship’s generous zeal, these few lines may serve as its inscription; to record the gratitude of a poor congregation, through one whose joy it is fully to share it, and whose duty it is to express it.
With earnest prayer for every blessing on Your Lordship, and Your House, I am ever,My dear Lord,Your Lordship’s affectionate Servant in Christ.