{102} Ruvigny Continuation: Clarence Descent and Issue of RAdm. Walter Petre (1873-1942)

Rear-Admiral Walter Petre (1873-1942)
Note four chevrons on the right sleeve, one for
each complete year at sea during the Great War
[Image from National Portrait Gallery]

Continuing with the ancestry of guest blogger Desmond Clarke, up next is his maternal grandfather Rear-Admiral Walter Petre. The seventh and youngest son of a distinguished diplomat, Walter entered the Royal Navy in 1886 at age thirteen as a cadet at Britannia. He saw service in India during the suppression of the plague riots and in the Persian Gulf in the suppression of slave trade. In 1898, he was given his first command, a torpedo boat stationed at Bombay where he played for the Royal Navy polo team. He was at sea throughout the First World War and always had his ships blessed by the Catholic chaplain before putting to sea, which earned him the reputation of a 'lucky captain' among his crew.  He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1917 for a daring and successful raid laying mines at the entrance to Danzig (now Gdansk) in HMS Angora, which involved slipping past the German Fleet at Kiel both on the outward and return trips. Walter was the Senior Allied Port Captain at Constantinople working with the various Allied navies and High Commissioners during the difficult years 1920–23, and he arranged for the Sultan to get away after he was deposed. When he retired after thirty-seven years of service, he received the grateful thanks of the Lords of the Admiralty ['Funeral of Rear-Adml. W.R.G. Petre: Distinguished Naval Career', The Surrey Advertiser and County Times, Saturday, January 2, 1943; Desmond Clarke, 'Footnotes: a Personal History', pp. 12-13].

Constantinople in 1922

The Rear-Admiral's Petre family heritage had a lasting impact on his Naval career. First and foremost, he was a champion of his faith. While stationed in Constantinople in the early 1920s, he was the senior-ranking Catholic officer, and every Sunday he would take the salute outside the Italian cathedral there as the Irish Guards and Catholic sailors marched past following Mass. There were also unexpected impacts for Walter as the member of a distinguished family. During the nine years that Walter's father had served as the Minister Plenipotentiary in Portugal, Walter's mother Lady Emma Petre had become a friend of Queen Amélie, the last Queen Consort of that country. As Walter's grandson Desmond Clarke relates, "My grandfather, Walter, told his children this story of a visit by Queen Amélie to the ship in which he was serving as a junior officer. The ship had called at a Mediterranean port where Queen Amélie was staying on holiday. She expressed a wish to go on board the British battleship, so the whole ship’s company was drawn up to receive the royal visitor, the senior officers at the head of the gangway. Queen Amélie was duly piped aboard, but after shaking the captain’s hand, turned and said, 'But where is the son of my dear friend, Lady Petre?' 'Oh there you are, Walter' seeing my grandfather amongst the junior officers. She proceeded to embrace him warmly, and then turned back smiling to the official receiving party, leaving my highly embarrassed grandfather wishing the ground (or sea) would open up and swallow him!"

Rear-Admiral Petre can be found listed with his brothers on p. 376 of Ruvigny's 1905 Clarence volume. He did not marry till the following year, so his wife, Agnes Cadic, and their children are an addition to Ruvigny's account.

RAdm. Petre appears on p. 376 of Ruvigny's 1905 Clarence volume

RAdm. WALTER REGINALD GLYNN PETRE, D.S.O., of Pinecroft, Weybridge, Surrey, b. 14 Dec. 1873 Westminster, London, bap. Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory, Warwick Street, Soho, London; d. 26 Dec. 1942 Weybridge, bur. 29 Dec. 1942 Weybridge Cemetery, yst son of Sir George Glynn Petre of Dunkenhalgh Hall (1822-1905 - see Generation 19 below) and Emma Sneyd (1833-1916, descended from James V); m. 22 Jan. 1906 St Peter Catholic Church, Cardiff, Glamorganshire, Wales, AGNES MARIE CADIC, b. 1880; d. 21 Sept. 1963 Chichester, Sussex, bur. Weybridge Cemetery, dau. of Capt. Eugene A. Cadic of Rennes (1838-1908) and Marie Amélie Garnier-Duplessix (c.1840-1905)[*1], and had issue, four sons and three daughters.

Issue of RAdm. Walter and Agnes (Cadic) Petre:

Walter George Glynn Petre
(1906-2004)

1) WALTER GEORGE GLYNN PETRE of Sark, Channel Islands, aircraft engineer, b. 28 Oct. 1906 Weybridge; d. 19 Jan. 2004 Guernsey, Channel Islands, bur. 23 Jan. 2004 St Peter Churchyard, Sark; m. 12 Apr. 1939 Brompton Oratory, South Kensington, London, MYRA MILLICENT WILLOWS, b. 1916 Manor Farm, Rushton, Northamptonshire; d. 8 Mar. 1984 Channel Islands, only dau. of (Richard) Arthur Willows of Rushton Manor (1882-1923) and Annie Rigby Turney, and had issue, one son and two daughters, with six grandchildren.

2) Lt-Cdr. HENRY EDWARD PETRE of Eastbourne, Sussex, Royal Naval Reserve World War II, b. 9 Nov. 1907 Alverstoke, Hampshire; d. 18 Jan. 1994 Eastbourne; m. 9 Sept. 1939 St Charles Catholic Church, Weybridge, ROSEMARY SONIA GOTTSCHALK, b. 1913 Marylebone, London; d. 25 Jan. 2012, dau. of Benjamin Gottschalk of Marylebone (c.1852-1929) and Minnie Louisa Jane Eglinton (1865-1945), and had issue, with two other daughters (and six grandchildren) - all living, an est dau.

Issue of Henry Edward and Rosemary Sonia (Gottschalk) Petre:

2A) CECILIA MARIE 'Cylla' PETRE, b. 28 June 1940 Surrey; d. 27 June 1994 Oxfordshire; m. 11 June 1964 Chelsea, London, as his 2nd wife, DOUGLAS MILTON WIGGINS, MBE, of Holly House, Deddington, Oxfordshire, Wing Commander Royal Air Force in World War II, aeronautical engineer, b. 18 Apr. 1917; d. 1997 Oxfordshire, son of Edward Alfred Wiggins of Walton-on-the-Naze, mantle manufacturer (1874-1936) and Edith May Major (d. 1949), and had issue, two sons and three daughters, with seven grandchildren.

3) MARIE KATHERINE GABRIELLE PETRE, b. 5 June 1909 Woodbridge, Suffolk; d. unm. 2 Sept. 2005 Bosham, Sussex.

4) Capt. EDWARD JOSEPH ALGERNON PETRE, "very seriously wounded commanding a company of the Black Watch at Monte Cassino" [Desmond Clarke, 'Footnotes', p. 15], b. 30 July 1911 Weymouth, Dorset; d.s.p. 17 June 1992 Yeovil, Somersetshire; m. 1st 11 June 1939 Surrey (divorce), as her 2nd husband, DIANA (PERRY) WILKINSON, b. 7 Apr. 1912 London; d.s.p. 1 Apr. 2001 Brighton, Sussex, formerly wife of Louis Wilkinson, and (illegit.) dau. of Alfred Roger Ackerley (c.1863-1929) and Muriel Haidee Perry (b. 1890); m. 2nd 15 Sept. 1948 Oxfordshire, as her 2nd husband, HELEN BERESFORD (CORNELIUS) GOODE[*2], b. July 1905 Wirral, Cheshire; d. 26 Aug. 1980 Richmond, Yorkshire, formerly wife of Capt. Kenyon Edward Minton Goode of Nassau, Bahama Islands (1901-aft.1964), and dau. of Richard Cornelius of Liverpool, corn merchant (1867-1936) and May Beresford Haughton (1882-1924); m. 3rd 14 Jan. 1985 Register Office, Basingstoke, Hampshire, JEAN RENSHAW (SPENCER) HAGUE, teacher, b. 1930 Yorkshire, formerly wife of Brian J. Hague, and daughter of Frederick Hughes Spencer, mechanical engineer.

Madeleine (née Petre) Clarke
(1913-2005)

5) MADELEINE MARIE ETHEL PETRE, VAD Nurse WWII 1939-44, family history author, b. 16 June 1913 Portsmouth, Hampshire; d. 4 Jan. 2005 Chichester, Sussex; m. 19 Jan. 1944 St Charles Catholic Church, Weybridge, Maj-Gen. DESMOND ALEXANDER BRUCE CLARKE, C.B., C.B.E., of Caldbeck, Cumberland, b. 15 July 1912 Kasauil, the Punjab, India; d. 22 Nov. 1986 Cumberland, yr son of Robert Thomas Clarke of Weybridge (1871-1953) and (Margaret Mary) Gladys Whyte (1880-1966, descended from Henry IV), and had issue, three sons and two daughters, with thirteen grandchildren.

6) Maj. GERARD MALCOLM MARY LAURENCE PETRE of Sarnesfield Court, Herefordshire, b. 12 Aug. 1916 Portsmouth, Hampshire; d. (killed in action) 11 June 1944 Caen, Normandy, France, bur. Hottot-Les-Bagues War Cemetery, Normandy; m. 21 May 1941 Herefordshire, as her 1st husband, PAMELA MARIAN PRATT, b. 28 Sept. 1917 Kensington, London; d. 1976 Hammersmith, London, dau. of (George) Brian Pratt of Edge Grove (1895-1955) and Grace Marian Allison (1892-1967), and had issue, one son, with two grandchildren.

7) MONICA MARY PETRE, b. 28 Dec. 1919 Portsmouth, Hampshire; d. unm. 13 Jan. 1999 Southbourne, Emsworth, Sussex.

[*1] "Agnes was the youngest daughter of Eugene Cadic of Rennes in Normandy. Her godfather was the Bishop of Coutances and she inherited his Episcopal ring after his death. The Cadics had been very successful wine merchants based in Guernsey where their business, Bucktrout, still operates.  Eugene had married into the old French nobility, the Garnier du Plessis, and Agnes’ eldest sisters lived in two chateaux on the Cherbourg Peninsular at La Crosley, outside the village of Orglandes, and at Franqueville, near Fontenay. ... The Cadics were very devout Catholics and Agnes’ parents, Eugene and Marie, had accompanied the Cistercian Monks from La Trappe at Bricquebec to help them settle in the New Forest after they were briefly expelled from France at the turn of the 19th century.  Agnes was taught by the monks their sign language to communicate with them as they worked in the fields.  As a child she taught me a few signs!  Her grandfather had also helped to fund the building of the French Church in Guernsey" [Desmond Clarke, 'Footnotes: a Personal History', pp. 13-14].

[*2] Capt. Edward Petre's first wife, Diana (née Perry) Petre, a novelist, wrote a successful memoir of her life, The Secret Orchard of Roger Ackerley, published in 1975. Her sister Sally became Duchess of Westminster when her husband succeeded to that title in 1963. See Diana's obituary in The Telegraph. Capt. Petre's second wife Helen (née Cornelius), after their divorce, m. 3rd 11 May 1970 Berkshire, as his 2nd wife, Sir Ralph Henry Lawson, 4th Baronet of Brough Hall (1905-1975).

Following is the Edward III descent for RAdm. Walter Petre through George, Duke of Clarence (and his daughter, Blessed Margaret Plantagenet, countess of Salisbury), given by Ruvigny, with some elaboration.

Edward III had a 2nd surv son:

Blessed Margaret Plantagenet
- see Generation 7

1) Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence (1338-1368) m. 1) Lady Elizabeth de Burgh (1332-1363, descended from Edward I), and had
2) Lady Philippa Plantagenet of Clarence (1355-1377) m. Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March (1352-1381), and had
3) Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March (1374-1398) m. Lady Alianore Holland (1370-1405, descended from Edward I), and had
4) Lady Anne Mortimer (1388-1411) m. Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Earl of Cambridge (1385-1415, descended from Edward III), and had
5) Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) m. Lady Cecily Neville (1415-1495, descended from Edward III), and had
6) George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence (1449-1478) m. Lady Isabel Neville (1451-1476, descended from Edward III), and had
7) Margaret Plantagenet, 3rd Countess of Salisbury (1473-1541) m. Sir Richard Pole of Medmenham (1459-1504), and had
8) Henry Pole, 1st Lord Montagu (1492-1539) m. Jane Neville (1494-by 1538, descended from Edward III), and had
9) Katherine Pole (c.1516-1576) m. Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon (1514-1560, descended from Edward III), and had
10) Lady Elizabeth Hastings (c.1555-1621) m. Edward Somerset, 4th Earl of Worcester (c.1550-1628, descended from Edward III), and had
11) Henry Somerset, 1st Marquess of Worcester (1577-1646) m. Anne Russell (c.1577-1639), and had

2nd Marquess of Worcester
- see Generation 12

12) Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester (c.1602-1667) m. 1) Elizabeth Dormer (1614-1635, descended from Edward III), and had
13) Lady Anne Somerset (1631-1662) m. Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk (1628-1684, descended from James II of Scotland), and had
14) Lord Thomas Howard of Worksop Priory (1656-1689) m. Mary Elizabeth Savile (1663-1732, descended from Edward III), and had
15) Philip Howard of Buckenham House (1689-1750) m. 2) Henrietta Blount (1708-1782, descended from Edward III), and had
16) ANNE HOWARD, b. 29 Aug. 1742; d. 15 Jan. 1787 Thorndon Hall, West Thorndon, Essex, bur. 23 Jan. 1787 St Edmund & St Mary Church, Ingatestone, Essex; m. 19 Apr. 1762 Golden Square, St James, Westminster, ROBERT EDWARD PETRE, 9th Baron Petre of Writtle, b. Feb. 1742; d. 2 July 1801 Westminster, London, bur. 9 July 1801 St Edmund & St Mary Church, Ingatestone, son of Robert James, 8th Baron Petre of Writtle (1713-1782, descended from Edward III) and Lady Anna Maria Barbara Radcliffe (1716-1760, descended from Charles II), and had
17) Hon. GEORGE WILLIAM PETRE of Bellhouse, Stanford Rivers, Essex, b. 10 Jan. 1766 Mayfair, London; d. 22 Oct. 1797, bur. 28 Oct. 1797 St Margaret Church, Stanford Rivers; m. 16 Aug. 1785, as her 1st husband, MARIA HOWARD, b. 2 Jan. 1762 Bath, Somersetshire; d. 11 June 1837 Heatham Lodge, Twickenham, Middlesex, bur. same day St Mary Church, Twickenham, yr dau. of Philip Howard of Corby Castle, Cumberland (1730-1810, descended from Edward III) and Anne Witham (1734-1794, descended from Edward III), and had

Lt. Henry William Petre -
see Generation 18

18) Lt. HENRY WILLIAM PETRE of Dunkenhalgh Hall, Lancashire, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, fought in Battle of Waterloo and took home Napoleon's charger 'Morengo', b. 23 Apr. 1791 Marylebone, London; d. 26 Nov. 1852 Portman Square, Westminster, bur. St Mary Catholic Chapel, Enfield, Clayton-le-Moors, Lancashire, son of Hon. George William Petre of Bellhouse (1766-1797, descended from Charles II) and Maria Howard (1762-1837, descended from Edward III); m. 1st 17 July 1818 St Meubred Church, Cardinham, Cornwall, ELIZABETH ANNE GLYNN, b. 2 Sept. 1791 Glynn House, Cardinham, bap. 13 July 1792 St Meubred Church, Cardinham; d. (as a result of childbirth) 13 Sept. 1828 Dunkenhalgh Hall, dau. of Edmund John Glynn of Glynn House (1764-1840, descended from Edward III) and Elizabeth Anne Worsley (1771-1797, descended from Edward III), and had
19) Sir GEORGE GLYNN PETRE of Dunkenhalgh Hall, K.C.M.G., C.B., b. 4 Sept. 1822 Twickenham, bap. 30 Sept. 1822 St Mary Church, Twickenham; d. 17 May 1905 Hove, Sussex, bur. All Saints Churchyard, Odiham, Hampshire; m. 10 Apr. 1858 British Embassy, Paris, France, EMMA KATHARINE JULIA SNEYD, b. Dec. 1830 Mattingley Lodge, Heckfield, Hampshire, bap. 6 Mar. 1831 St Michael Church, Heckfield; d. 27 Dec. 1916 Hotel Rubens, London, 5th dau. of Maj. Ralph Henry Sneyd of Mattingley Lodge (1784-1840, descended from Edward I) and Jane Robina Dunbar (1791-1878, descended from James V), and had
20) RAdm. Walter Reginald Glynn Petre (1873-1942 - see details above)

The next blogpost will examine the descent from James V of Scotland for RAdm. Petre's mother Emma (née Sneyd), Lady Petre.

Cheers,                          ------Brad