Frances Edwards (1808-1884) and Thomas Lionel (1798/9-1885)
Frances Edwards (1808-1884)
Daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel John Edwards (1776/7-1817) and Moodovailah Coppagee
Born on Malabar Coast (?) 1808
Married in St Mary’s Church, Fort St George, Madras to Thomas Lionel (1798/9-1885) on 4 June 1827
Frances and Thomas had 8 children
Frances Died in Madras on 24 December 1884
1.Frances Lionel (1828-1833)
Born in Madras on 20 March 1828
Baptised at Veprey, Madras on 24 August 1828 aged 4 months and 24 days
Buried at St Mary’s Church, Madras on 22 April 1833 aged 5 years and 33 days
2.Thomas Lionel (1830-1911)
Born in Madras 8 March 1830
Baptised at Veprey, Madras on 20 May 1830
Married at St Andrew’s Church, Madras,
Catherine Sinclair (1846-1900) on 30 September 1862
Thomas and Catherine had five children
Died at Cuddalore on 14 August 1911
Buried at Cuddalore on 15 August 1911
3.James Home Lionel (1837-1843)
Born in Madras 6 June 1837 Baptised at Veprey, Madras on 5 October 1837
Buried at Chaplain’s Station, Madras on 19 January 1843 aged 5 years and 7 months
4.Anne Elizabeth Lionel (1839-1843)
Born in Madras August 1839 Buried at Chaplain’s Station, Madras on 19 January 1843 aged 3 years and 5 months
5. John Lionel (1843-1906)
Born in Madras on 31 August 1843
Baptised at St Andrew’s Church, Madras on 6 February 1844
Married (i) Mary Elizabeth Dean (1842/3-1871) at Veprey, Madras on 31 March 1869
John and Mary Elizabeth had no children
Married (ii) Mary Jane Shunker (nee Harman) (1839/40) (widow of Mr Shunker) at St Andrew’s Church, Madras on 11 December 1872
John and Mary Jane had one child, Mary Harman Hamilton Lionel (b.1875)
Married (iii) Susan Lydia Gibson (1859-1912) at St Andrew’s Church, Madras on 25 May 1877
John and Susan Lydia had seven children
Died of acute dysentery on 20 September 1906
Buried at St Andrew’s Church Madras.
6. Nathaniel Lionel (1846-1846)
Born in Madras 24 August 1846
Died aged 1 hour and is buried at Chaplain’s Station on 24 August 1846
7. George Edward Lionel (1849-1869)
Born 12 May 1849
Baptised on 2 June 1849
Died of bronchitis on 8 August 1869
Buried at St Andrew’s Madras, 9th August 1869
8 Jonathan Lionel (b.1850)
Born in Madras 1850
Married at St Mathias Church, Veprey, Madras to Frances Rachel Ada Watson (b.c.1870) a teacher of Veprey, Madras on 28 January 1891. Jonathan and Frances had four children. (i) Mary Wilhelmina Lionel, (ii) Minette Olivier Lionel (b.1897), (iii) Frances Ada Lionel (1891-1974) who married Eldon Bertram Walker (11.8.1883- 12.6.1951). Frances and Eldon had four children: (i) Frances Elfreda Walker, (ii) Francis Alan Walker (1926-2006), (iii) Eldon Cyril Walker (1923-1992) and (iv) Lionel Andre Walker (1919-2002) (iv) Jonathan Sinclair Lionel (b.1893)
A transcription of this letter written in 1856 by Frances and her brother William Lindsay
To Messrs Binney & Co
Madras
Gentleman
As this government Agency will be / abolished in January next when the / said General now will cease to act / on behalf of Individuals, it deem it sensi / ble to address you on the following subject
The above officers have at present in / their custody two Bengal Government Promissory Notes, amounting to Rupees / 5,500, standing in the joint account of / Colonel F, Bowes (Frederick Bowes mentioned in the will) Major G. Spinks (also mentioned in the will as G. Spinks Captain) and / S. Dyer Esq (also mentioned in the will as Samuel Dyer surgeon). These parties are all dead, / and Mr Dyer having been the last surviving / heir legal Representative has been recognised / as the proper party to deal with the Promiss / ory Notes & Mr Ainslie of your firm was / the administrator to Mr Dyer’s Estate, and / authorised the Government Agents / to continue paying the Interest / to our elder sister Mrs Frances Lionel, / which has been done up to the / present
present period.
We believe that S. B. Ainslie is now in / England, and that he has left with / the Members of your Firm a Power of / Attorney, jointly and severally to act on his / behalf in his individual Capacity / in augmentation.
We therefore request from the Two / interest authorised in shall have paid, that you will / as the Attorney of Mr Ainslie, Mr A. of & Mr Dyer have the goodness to with / draw the above mentioned Promissory / from the custody of the Government Agents / and hold the same in yourselves / in Father’s Estate / in the execution of whomsoever the above named / Colonel Bowes and Major Spinks & Mr Dyer
We also request that you will be pleased to authorise the Bank /
Next Interest accruing from time / to time as directs. N pay the said elder / sister Mrs Frances Lionel, who has / hitherto received it, and who will grant a receipt periodically for the amount.
We are
Gentlemen
Your obedient Servants
Frances Lionel
W.L. Edwards
Madras 30 Sept 1856.
Surviving children of the late Lieut Coll J Edwards
A fascinating receipt of interest received by Frances of her legacy from her father sent the year of her death.
