Researching Victorian history

I love researching Victorian history and feel that history is in my DNA. I consider it a real privilege to research the life of Lord William Beauchamp Nevill. He had such an interesting life from his service as and aide de comp in Ireland to his twice being sentenced to prison.

He used these experiences to campaign for prison reform at a time when such thoughts were considered unfashionable.  He said that it was wrong to send children to prison for minor offences and that food should not be used as a tool of punishment.

Question

Do the aristocracy have a place in today's society ?

Penal servitude

Lord William Beauchamp Nevill anonymously written book on prison reform entitled 'Penal Servitude' the symbol on the front was his prison identifier :comprising his prisoner number (5y = 5 year sentence)

a single star to signify his first offence.

Always double check everything!

A lesson well learned today. While carrying out so.e research on another historical topic came across this old photograph. I initially though it was an ideal example of a resource that helps illustrate how Birmingham has changed. Luckily I spotted the meerkat someone has photoshopped in  before I used it !!!

John Henry Guy Nevill, 5th Marquess of Abergavenny, KG

John Henry Guy Nevill, 5th Marquess of Abergavenny, KG was nephew of Lord William Beauchamp Nevill. He is still widely missed an very well thought of in his home of Eridge . During my researchers I was often told a wonderful man he was and how greatly he is still missed . He died in 2000 at the age of 86 when the title of Marquess of Abergavenny past to the present Marquees. 

Aside from his army and political career, Lord Abergavenny was also a Director of Massey-Ferguson between 1955 and 1985

 with his wife Dame Patricia Neville he had a number of children 

• Lady Anne Patricia Nevill (b. 25 October 1938), married Captain Martin Whiteley and had issue.
• Lady Vivienne Margaret Nevill (b. 15 February 1941), married Alan Lillingston and had issue.
• Lady Jane Elizabeth Nevill (1944–1946), died in infancy.
• Henry John Montague Nevill, Earl of Lewes (1948–1965), died young.
• Lady Rose Nevill (b. 15 July 1950), married George Clowes and had issue.

Wormwood scrubs

When lord William Beauchamp Nevill was first sent to prison it was to wormwood scrubs.

These magnificent gates met Lord William in 1897.

What meaning do you think the Victorians had in creating such magnificent architectural gates ?

Researching The peerage

Can not recommend enough thepeerage.com for researching members of the aristocracy and their families. Well researched and interesting. Factual yet easy to use.


This is Lord William Beauchamp Nevill s entry. It has a really lovely feature that means with just the touch of a button the family tree is revealed.

The site covers all of the British peerage and an invaluable resource for the historian researching the upper classes