{53} Edward IV Descent for Louisa (née Kekewich) Moore (1846-1921)

Kekewich of Peamore Coat of Arms

When he inherited Appleby Hall in 1871, George John Moore was 28 years old and not yet married. The 4500-acre estate was generating an income of about £8400. This was a respectable estate, and the new squire of Appleby would go on to serve as Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for Leicestershire, as his father and grandfather before him had. Three years after inheriting, he chose a bride from a family far more prominent on the national level.

"Proud and extravagant" is how Louisa Kekewich was described by Aubrey Moore, her husband's nephew who grew up at the neighbouring Appleby Rectory, in his 1982 memoir A Son of the Rectory. Though born at her father's county seat, Peamore House in the Devon parish of Exminster, Louisa was very much a city girl, like her own mother, Louisa (née Buck) Kekewich, who seems to have inherited the London residence in Park Lane of her parents, Lewis William and Ann (née Robbins) Buck. When thinking back to a ball held at Appleby Hall in 1910 or 1911, Aubrey Moore recalled, "The catering would for sure be done by Harrods or the Army and Navy Stores. Louisa Moore could do nothing without one or other of these stores." Louisa also insisted that her four children be born in the city: "They could not be born among the common herd of their own home but a house had to be taken in London, with doctors and nurses in attendance," he caustically observed.

Peamore House, Exminster, Devon, in 1742

Louisa had cause for some pride. Comparing the Kekewiches of Peamore House to the Moores of Appleby Hall in 1874, purely on lineage, they come up rather equal. Both families rose from the merchant class in the 17th-century to become one of the leading gentry families within their home counties (Devon and Leicestershire, respectively) by the mid-19th-century. But the Moores were eclipsed by Louisa's family when it came to prominence on a more national level: her father Samuel Trehawke Kekewich served in the House of Commons for 25 years, up to his death in 1873, the year before Louisa's marriage. Her maternal grandfather Lewis William Buck, who had died when Louisa was age 12, served as a Member of Parliament for the same amount of time. Her full brother George William Kekewich (1841-1921) had a distinguished career as a civil servant, would go on to be returned to the House of Commons, and received a knighthood, as did their half-brother, the judge Arthur Kekewich (1832-1907). It's possible, through his new wife's family connections, that George John Moore envisioned a career for himself that moved beyond the county level. But he was burdened with financial difficulties, due in part to Louisa either wilfully or unknowingly insisting on maintaining a lifestyle that was beyond his means. In about 1880 he rented a smaller place, Witchingham Hall in Norfolk, and attempted (unsuccessfully) to sell the Appleby Hall estate in 1885. Afterwards the couple returned to Appleby Hall to live, and remained there until George Moore's death in 1916.

George John Moore of Appleby Hall (1842-1916)

"Were it not for your mother's fortune I would not live here [at Appleby Hall] and you will recollect that I always told you that you would not be able to do so unless you acquired some money in some way," George John Moore wrote to his eldest son and heir Charles in the summer of 1914. At that point, Louisa's own fortune was about £70,000, but the squire informed his son in the same letter (transcribed in A Son of the Rectory) that Louisa's fortune was designated for their only daughter Elsie, and recommended that Charles sell the Appleby Hall estate when he inherited it. With her husband showing little desire to maintain the ancestral home of his family, it's not surprising that Louisa had even less motivation towards doing so. In their final years at Appleby Hall, the couple began to strip away whatever was of value contained in it. In his will, George John Moore left his wife all his own watches, jewellery, and gave Louisa carte blanche to select from Appleby Hall whatever she wanted of its contents within three calendar months of his death. Three months after inheriting Appleby Hall, Charles Moore wrote to his cousin, "I regret to inform you that never as long as I have Appleby will she [his mother Louisa] set foot in it or on it again. I have given orders to this effect and if she does, some lawyers will take measures to prevent her doing so." Appleby Hall was in a deplorable state, and it seemed to Charles that his parents had attempted to just let it fall down. "The whole matter is very sad, but it is not my fault and I might add that I should have thought that my Parents might have had more pride in the family than to have treated and left the property in such a state." In 1919, after the farm tenants refused his proposal to increase the rents, Charles Moore followed his late father's advice and sold Appleby Hall, ending 320 years of ownership by the Moore family. The new owner sold the lead off the roof of the Hall and allowed it to become ruinous. It was eventually demolished in 1937.

Charles Moore had married Lilian Gostling, the daughter of a cement merchant from the Surrey suburbs of London. Lilian was the governess at Appleby Hall to Louisa's two youngest children, and the lady never overcame her disappointment in this marriage of love made by her eldest son. In 1913 her second son Gerald married Gwendoline Hersee, a 35-year-old woman whose late father had been a secretary in a brokerage firm. It's clear from census details that Gerald's wife was from a respectable, albeit unremarkable, middle class family, just as his elder brother's wife was. Louisa "bitterly disapproved" this match as well, and so found no consolation in her last years in her two eldest sons. Her only daughter Elsie was regarded within the family "as rather a simple soul" and efforts to marry her off, both before and after the Great War, came to naught. Louisa did live long enough to see her youngest son Geoffrey, a decorated Army officer, marry into the gentry class, and provide her a grandchild in 1920.

St Michael & All Angels Church, Appleby Magna

Louisa was living in London when she wrote to her eldest son in January 1919, the coast of her home county of Devon was calling to her in her final years: "I think I shall go to the Victoria Hotel, Sidmouth, for the Spring ... I am not well nor strong." She died in Sidmouth two years later in 1921, aged 75, and is buried next to her husband in Appleby Magna Church, ironically enough resting for eternity in the village which she never much respected in life.

LOUISA KEKEWICH, b. 3 Mar. 1846 Peamore House, Exminster, Devon; d. 12 Oct. 1921 Seaton Burn, Sidmouth, Devon, bur. St Michael & All Angels Church, Appleby Magna, Leicestershire, 6th dau. of Samuel Trehawke Kekewich of Peamore House (1796-1873, descended from Edward I), and 3rd child by his 2nd wife Louisa Buck (1811-1880, descended from Edward IV - see Generation 12 below); m. 6 Oct. 1874 St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, London, GEORGE JOHN MOORE of Appleby Hall, b. 19 Dec. 1842 Aston Hall, Aston-upon-Trent, Derbyshire, bap. 7 Feb. 1843 St Michael & All Angels Church, Appleby Magna; d. 1 Oct. 1916 Appleby Hall, bur. 4 Oct. 1916 St Michael & All Angels Church, Appleby Magna, elder son of George Moore of Appleby Hall (1811-1871, descended from Henry VII) and his 2nd wife Isabel Clara Holden (1810-1867, descended from Henry IV), and had issue, three sons and one daughter.

Issue of George John and Louisa (Kekewich) Moore:

1) CHARLES LOUIS GEORGE MOORE of Coleridge Place, Strete, Devon (built from the proceeds of the 1919 sale of Appleby Hall), b. 3 Mar. 1876 Marylebone, London; d.s.p. 31 July 1961 Coleridge Place, bur. St Mary Church, Slapton, Devon; m. [*1], LILIAN EMILY GOSTLING, b. Edgcombe Villa, Upper Tooting, Surrey, bap. 6 Dec. 1869 Holy Trinity Church, Upper Tooting; d.s.p. 12 Jan. 1965 Hollybank Nursing Home, Primley Park, Paignton, Devon, dau. of William Gostling of Edgcombe Villa, cement merchant (1832-1890) and Elizabeth Howse (c.1836-1893).

2) GERALD HENRY MOORE of Stellensbosch, South Africa, Royal Navy officer, b. 16 May 1877 Pimlico, London; d. 11 Oct. 1957 Stellensbosch, bur. Main Cemetery, Onderpapegaai, Stellenbosch; m. 1st 16 May 1913 St Leonard Church, Hythe, Kent, GWENDOLINE MARGARET HERSEE, b. c.1878 Peckham, Surrey; d.s.p. 18 Nov. 1920 Waterside, Parkstone, Dorset, dau. of Frank Ernest Hersee of Lee, Kent, secretary to Joint Stock Company (1843-1901) and Clara Seaton Hay (c.1844-1909); m. 2nd 1929 New Zealand, MINNIE FLORENCE THOMPSON, b. 1 Aug. 1897 Tatsfield, Surrey; d. 27 May 1975 Stellenbosch, bur. Main Cemetery, Onderpapegaai, Stellenbosch, dau. of John Samuel Thompson of Tatsfield, "gold & silver chaser"[*2] (1857-1917) and Emily Alice Mary White (c.1861-1947), and by her had issue, one daughter.

Grave of Gerald H. and Minnie F. (Thompson) Moore
Main Cemetery, Onderpapegaai, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Issue of Gerald Henry and Minnie Florence (Thompson) Moore:

2A) ANNE DELILLE MOORE, b. 1931 Australia; living 2000-2003 West Indies. Per her cousin Peter Moore in the 2nd edition of A Son of the Rectory, "She was born in Australia and she lives now in the West Indies." No mention of a marriage or children.

3) Capt. (LANCELOT) GEOFFREY MOORE of M'Sonnedi, Southern Rhodesia [today Zimbabwe], King's Royal Rifle Corps, b. 5 Feb. 1886 Pimlico, London; d. 30 Mar. 1955 M'Sonnedi, cremated ashes bur. St Michael & All Angels Church, Appleby Magna; m. 22 Feb. 1917 St Peter Eaton Square, London, RACHEL ESME NEWTON, b. 4 Sept. 1891 Chelsea, London, bap. 7 Oct. 1891 St Mark Church, North Audley Street, London; d. 6 June 1965 Chelsea, only dau. of Charles Milnes Newton of Brompton (1856-1932) and Helen Mary FitzRoy (1857-1935, descended from Charles II), and had issue, two daughters.

Issue of Lancelot Geoffrey and Rachel Esme (Newton) Moore:

3A) KATHERINE RACHEL MOORE, b. 1920 Surrey; living 2000-2003 France ("Katherine continues to live in France" Peter Moore, Ibid); m. Southern Rhodesia, ANTHONY 'Tony' COLLIER JOHNSON, Rhodesian Air Force, prisoner of war in World War II, b. 18 Dec. 1917; d. 15 Oct. 1986 Wiltshire, England. Issue, if any, unknown.

Lord John Manners
(1922-2001)

3B) MARY DIANA MOORE, b. 10 Oct. 1933 Southern Rhodesia; d. 12 Sept. 1997 Park Hospital, Nottingham; m. 12 June 1957, Lord JOHN MANNERS of Reservoir Cottage, Knipton, Leicestershire, b. 18 July 1922; d. 24 Dec. 2001 Reservoir Cottage, 2nd son of John Henry Montagu Manners, 9th Duke of Rutland (1886-1940, descended from Henry VII) and Kathleen Tennant (1894-1989), and had issue, one son and two daughters.

4) ELSIE LOUISE MOORE, b. 13 Feb. 1889 Belgravia, London; d. unm. 25 Dec. 1924 Stoke Fleming, Devon, bur. St Michael & All Angels Church, Appleby Magna.

[*1] I cannot locate a marriage for Charles L.G. Moore and Lilian Gostling in the 1837-1915 England Marriage Index. Per Peter Moore's account in A Son of the Rectory, the couple was definitely married prior to World War I. Given the circumstances, it's very likely they eloped and married outside of England. The couple tried their hand at ranching in British Columbia(!!) the first few years of their marriage.

[*2] This is the most unusual occupation I've come across so far in the censuses. I picture John Samuel Thompson, pick-axe in hand, prospecting in the Klondike, though I'm sure the phrase must represent something completely different than my image.

Through her mother, Louisa (née Kekewich) Moore has a 13-generation illegitimate descent from Edward IV.

EDWARD IV had an illegitimate son,

Arthur, 1st Viscount Lisle - see
Generation 1

1) ARTHUR PLANTAGENET, 1st Viscount Lisle, b. c.1480; d. 3 Mar. 1542 Tower of London, bur. St Peter ad Vincula Chapel, Tower of London; m. 1st 13 Nov. 1511, ELIZABETH GREY, 6th Lady Lisle, b. c.1484; d. by 1526, dau. of Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Lisle (c.1435-1492, descended from Edward I) and Elizabeth Talbot, 3rd Lady Lisle (1451-1487, descended from Edward I), and had
2) Hon. FRANCES PLANTAGENET, b. c.1515; d. before 1583; m. 2nd, as his 1st wife, THOMAS MONCK of Potheridge House, Merton, Devon, b. c.1515; d. by 20 Aug. 1583 (when administration of his estate was granted), son of Anthony Monck of Potheridge House (d. 1545) and Elizabeth Wood, and had
3) ANTHONY MONCK of Potheridge House, b. c.1545; d. 1620; m. 13 Sept. 1568, MARY ARSCOTT, bur. 30 Jan. 1575 St Peter Church, Ashwater, Devon, dau. of Richard Arscott of Ashwater (d. 1578) and Margaret Fitz, and had
4) FRANCES MONCK, b. 15 June 1571 Ashwater, Devon, bap. 22 June 1571 St Peter Church, Ashwater; d. after 1620; m. (lic. 9 Feb.) 1596 Exeter, Devon, Sir LEWIS STUCLEY of Affeton Castle, West Worlington, Devon, b. c.1570, bur. 30 May 1620 St Mary Church, West Worlington, son of John Stucley of Affeton Castle (by 1550-1610) and his 1st wife Frances St Leger (c.1550-by 1597, descended from Edward III), and had

Stucley Coat of Arms
[Azure, three pears or]

5) JOHN STUCLEY of Affeton Castle, b. Potheridge House, bap. 24 Apr. 1597 All Saints Church, Merton, Devon; d. 31 Jan. 1638; m. 1st by 1619, HONOR HALS, b. c.1600; d. by 1625, dau. of Richard Hals of Kenedon and --- Sutcliffe, and had
6) Rev. LEWIS STUCLEY of Affeton Castle, b. c.1621; bur. 21 July 1687 St Mary Church, West Worlington; m. 6 Jan. 1673 St Helen Church, Abbotsham, Devon, SUSANNA DENNIS, b. Bideford, Devon, bap. 25 Aug. 1644 St Mary Church, Bideford; bur. 12 Jan. 1692 St Mary Church, West Worlington, dau. of Robert Dennis of Bideford (d. 1656) and Sarah Heard, and had
7) SARAH STUCLEY, b. c.1675; d. 4 Feb. 1742 Moreton House, Bideford, bur. 9 Feb. 1742 St Mary Church, Bideford; m. 4 May 1697, GEORGE BUCK of Bideford, b. 14 Dec. 1671 Bideford; d. 3 Nov. 1743 Moreton House, bur. 8 Nov. 1743 St Mary Church, Bideford, son of Hartwell Buck of Bideford (d. 1691) and Sibella Ford (d. 1706), and had
8) JOHN BUCK of Moreton House, b. 30 Dec. 1703; d. 3 Apr. 1745, bur. 13 Apr. 1745 St Mary Church, Bideford; m. 1st 19 Sept. 1729 St Mary Church, Bideford, JUDITH PAWLEY, b. 25 Feb. 1712, d. 5 Oct. 1739 Moreton House, bur. 8 Oct. 1739 St Mary Church, Bideford, dau. of William Pawley of Bideford (d. 1728) and Dorothy Batt, and had
9) GEORGE BUCK of Moreton House, b. 7 July 1731; d. 26 Jan. 1794 Moreton House, bur. 5 Feb. 1794 St Mary Church, Bideford; m. 6 May 1754 St Nectan Church, Hartland, Devon, ANNE ORCHARD, b. 7 Dec. 1729 Hartland Abbey, Devon, bap. 26 Dec. 1729 St Nectan Church, Hartland; d. 11 Feb. 1820 Moreton House, bur. same day St Mary Church, Bideford, dau. of Paul Orchard of Hartland Abbey (1682-1740) and his 3rd wife Rebecca Smith (d. 1765), and had

George Stucley Buck -
see Generation 10

10) GEORGE STUCLEY BUCK, Heir of Moreton House, b. 8 Mar. 1755 Moreton House, bap. same day St Mary Church, Bideford; d. 30 Nov. 1791, bur. 8 Dec. 1791 St Mary Church, Bideford; m. 8 Apr. 1780 St Peter Church, Tiverton, Devon, MARTHA KEATS, b. 23 Dec. 1753; d. 30 Nov. 1833 Moreton House, bur. 6 Dec. 1833 St Mary Church, Bideford, dau. of Rev. Richard Keats of Kings Nympton (1731-1812) and Elizabeth Brookes, and had
11) LEWIS WILLIAM BUCK of Moreton House, M.P. Exeter 1826-32, Devon North 1839-57, b. 25 Apr. 1784 Moreton House, bap. 27 Apr. 1784 St Mary Church, Bideford; d. 25 Apr. 1858 Park Lane, London, bur. 1 May 1858 St Helen Church, Abbotsham; m. 18 Apr. 1808 St George Hanover Square, London, ANN ROBBINS, b. 5 Jan. 1790 Pilley, Boldre, Hampshire, bap. Apr. 1790 St John the Baptist Church, Boldre; d. 27 Apr. 1879 Park Lane, London, bur. 2 May 1879 St Helen Church, Abbotsham, dau. of Thomas Robbins of Binfield House, Berkshire (1749-1807) and Ann --- (1763-1835), and had
12) LOUISA BUCK, b. 25 Feb. 1811 Moreton House, bap. 14 Mar. 1811 St Mary Church, Bideford; d. 11 Apr. 1880 Park Lane, London, bur. 17 Apr. 1880 St Martin Church, Exminster, Devon; m. 9 June 1840 St David Church, Exeter, Devon, as his 2nd wife, SAMUEL TREHAWKE KEKEWICH of Peamore House, b. 31 Oct. 1796 Bowden House, Ashprington, Devon; d. 1 June 1873 Peamore House, bur. 7 June 1873 St Martin Church, Exminster, son of Samuel Kekewich of Bowden House (1765-1822, descended from Edward I) and Salome Sweet (1773-1844, descended from Edward I), and had
13) LOUISA KEKEWICH (1846-1921), wife of George John Moore of Appleby Hall

My next post will elaborate on Louisa Kekewich's mother Louisa Buck, whom Ruvigny includes in his 1911 Mortimer-Percy volume.

Cheers,                                    ----Brad