Marguerite Kennedy Groome nee Henderson (1873 – 1963)

Marguerite Kennedy Groome gifted two paintings to Glasgow in 1952.

Fig. 1 The Misses C. and M. Crawford-Cumming
of Rosneath (pre-1868) Artist unknown
© CSG GIC Glasgow Museums Collection/ArtUK. Accession Number 2947

Fig. 2 Interior with Old Woman Knitting
A.P. Green (19th century, British)
© CSG GIC Glasgow Museums Collection/ArtUK  Accession Number 2948

          The sisters depicted in Fig. 1 are Charlotte Crawford-Cumming (seated) and Marion Finlay Crawford-Cumming. They are pictured in the garden of their home in Rosneath. The sisters were the daughters of Robert Crawford-Cumming (1808-1876) and his wife Sophia Connell (1815-1890). In 1839, Robert, on the death of his father Dougald, inherited the Barreman Estate on the Rosneath peninsula in Dunbartonshire. This estate comprised about six hundred acres and included the village of Clynder. On 13 August 1840 Robert married Sophia Connell in Rosneath ¹ and on 24 June 1841 Charlotte Crawford-Cumming was born. ² Her sister Marion was born on 22 September 1843.³ In the 1851 census, the family was at Port Street, St. Ninians, Stirlingshire with Sophia’s relatives. Robert was described as a ‘landed proprietor’. His lands included the House and Garden of Barrieman (Barreman), Barrieman Farm (occupier as well), Crossewan Farm, Stroul Farm, Stroul Park and Stroul Quarry. ⁴ In 1861 the family was at 42 Albany Street, Edinburgh with Charlotte 19 and Marion 17. ⁵
On 23 July 1868 Charlotte married Robert Henderson, eldest son of Robert Henderson of Malone Park, Belfast in St. John the Evangelist Church, Notting Hill, London. The service was conducted by the Rev. James Connell, Vicar of Hammersmith who was a cousin of the bride. ⁶  
Robert’s father was a shipping agent in Belfast and was also involved in the ship building and ferry trade. In 1847, he became a Commissioner of Belfast Harbour Board and, in 1853, formed the Belfast Screw Steam Shipping Co. He became a shareholder in William Sloan & Co., of Glasgow in 1858 and acted as their agents in Belfast. Robert (1842-1895) carried on the business when his father died. ⁷
On 4 March 1871 Marion Finlay Crawford-Cumming married Edward James Henderson, merchant, brother of Robert, in St. James Piccadilly, London. ⁸ It seems that Marion’s parents attended the wedding as they were in London at the time. ⁹ In the same year, Robert sold his Rosneath Estate to Robert Thom of Canna for £20,300. It was described as a ’fine property…..extending a mile and a half along the Gareloch shore’. ¹⁰ The sale was apparently to avoid the estate passing to his nearest male relative who was resident in Australia, as it was covered by a Deed of Male Entail. The sale was thus strictly illegal. However, his wife and daughters appear to have received the funds after Robert died on 24 September 1876. ¹¹
Marion Finlay Henderson (Crawford-Cumming) died aged thirty-five from convulsions leading to a coma at Strollamus, Isle of Skye on 9 January 1881. On her death certificate, her husband Edward is described as a ‘tacksman’. ^12,13 Marion was buried on 17 January in Belfast City Cemetery. Edward Henderson died in Bath on 30 May 1890. ¹⁴ leaving his daughter Marguerite, orphaned and probably in the care of her aunt and uncle. Charlotte and her husband were staying at the Burlington Hotel in Hene, Worthing, Sussex at the time of the census of 1891 perhaps preparing for the marriage of their niece Marguerite. Robert was a ’shipowner’ neither employed nor employer. ¹⁵ Robert died four years later in London. Charlotte published an ‘In Memoriam’ in remembrance. ¹⁶
In ever loving memory of Robert Henderson, my beloved husband, who
entered into rest on the night of the 30^th December 1895 at Clarges
Street, Mayfair.
Charlotte died at 26 Dover Street, London on 9 January 1900. She was buried on 13 January in the Belfast City Cemetery. ¹⁷ Later that year it was reported that ‘the estate of Charlotte Henderson late of Belfast in the County of Antrim formerly of 41, Clarges Street, Piccadilly,….. was granted to Marguerite Kennedy Groome wife of Harry Groome of Luxford Cottage, East Grinstead.¹⁸ The ‘estate has been valued at £67,055 17s 10d (£66,223 11s 4d net) (and that she) devised and bequeathed all of her real and personal estate to her husband Mr. Robert Henderson, of Belfast who died in her lifetime……(the) estate has therefor been granted to her niece and only next-of-kin Mrs Marguerite Kennedy Groome  ¹⁹
Marguerite Kennedy Groome nee Henderson was born on 10 May 1873 in Belfast. ²⁰ She was the daughter of Edward James Henderson and Marion Crawford-Cumming. On 10 November 1893, Marguerite married Harry Groome at St. Botolph’s, Church, Hene, Sussex. ²¹ Harry was thirty-two and from Broadwater, Sussex. The couple spent their honeymoon in the south of France. ²² The wedding was attended by Mr and Mrs Robert Henderson, the bride’s uncle and aunt. ²³
In March 1901, Marguerite, now twenty-eight, was living at Luxford Cottage, Lewes Road, East Grinstead, Sussex, with her husband Harry Groome and a son, Robert E. Groome, aged six and born in Eastbourne, Sussex. They were living on ‘Private Means’. ^24,25
Ten years later Marguerite and Harry were boarding at Oak House, Brockenhurst, Lymington, Hampshire. ²⁶ Their son Robert Edward Charles Groome aged sixteen was a boarder attending Harrow School, Harrow on the Hill, Middlesex. ²⁷ Tragically, Robert Groome, died in 1915 after the battle of Ypres. ²⁸

Second-Lieut. Robert E. C. Groome Royal Field Artillery, died near Ypres
on March 4^th (1915) of wounds received in action on the previous
evening. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Groome of Brooklands,
Brockenhurst, he was educated at the Priory School at Malvern and at
Harrow, afterwards passing to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
He received his commission in December 1913 and at the time of his
death was in his 21^st year. ²⁹

    In the census of 19 June 1921 Marguerite was 46 years 1 month. She and Harry were living at Lymington Road, Brooklands, Brockenhurst, Hampshire. Marguerite was probably widowed before 29 January 1929, when she undertook a ‘round voyage’ from England. ³⁰ In the pre-war register of 1939, Marguerite gave her date of birth as 10 May 1873. She was a widow living on private means at 6 Burlington Court Flats, Eastbourne, Sussex^{. 31} Thereafter Marguerite moved to Sidcliffe House, Sid Road, Sidmouth, Devon and in 1950 she advertised for a ‘cook-housekeeper’ and seems to have been quite particular!
Required Cook-Housekeeper; one lady: small flat: age 45; C. of E.; good
references.  Apply by letter. – Groome, Sidcliffe House, Sidmouth’. ³²

 The two paintings were donated to Glasgow in 1952 probably because of the sisters’ birthplace in Rosneath near Glasgow. It may also have been about this time that Marguerite moved to a nursing home in Devon. It was here that she died on 14 October 1963 aged ninety. ³³ Some details of her will were published the following year.
Mrs Margaret Kennedy Groome of Cranford Nursing Home, Exmouth, Devon, widow of Harry Groome, formerly of Sidmouth, Devon, who died on October 14, leaving £149,365 (£148,559 net) left her property “Finaghy” Belfast and one half of the residuary estate to her cousins Jean McMullen and Sidney A. B. Smyth of Malone Park, Belfast and £100 to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. ³⁴  She also left £100 to various hospitals and one half of the residuary estate to be divided equally between the N.S.P.C.C., St. Dunstan’s, the National Institute for the Blind, the Royal U.K. Beneficent Society, the Distressed Gentlefolks Aid Association, the R.N.L.I. and the R.S.P.C.A. ³⁵

References

1. Scotland Marriages, 1561 – 1910, FamilySearch
2. Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564 – 1950, FamilySearch
3. Ibid
4. Scotland’s People, Valuation Roll, Roseneath, Dunbartonshire
5. Scotland’s People, Census 1861
6. Belfast Morning News, 27 July 1868, p2
7. John Tomalin November 12, 2023, comment in https://www.dalmadan.com/?p=1496
8. England and Wales, Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005, database, FamilySearch
9. England and Wales, Census 1871, FamilySearch
10. Greenock Advertiser 13 July 1871
11. John Tomalin November 12, 2023, comment in https://www.dalmadan.com/?p=1496
12. Scotland’s People, Death Certificate
13. Belfast New-Letter, 12 January 1881
14. Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette, 5 June 1890
15. ancestry.com, England and Wales Census, 1891
16. Belfast Newsletter, 30 December 1898
17. ancestry.com, Belfast, Northern Ireland, Burial Indexes, 1869-2011
18. London Evening Standard 27 September 1900
19. Morning Post, London, 2 October 1900
20. ancestry.com, 1939 England and Wales Register
21. England, Sussex, Parish Registers 1538-!910, also England Marriages 1538-1973, FamilySearch
22. Irish Society (Dublin) 9 December 1893
23. Northern Whig, Antrim, Northern Ireland, 1 December 1893 – This publication gives a full description of the wedding.
24. England and Wales, Census 1901, FamilySearch
25. England and Wales, Birth Registration Indes, 1837-2008, FamilySearch
26. ancestry.com, 1911 England and Wales Census
27. England and Wales census 1911, FamilySearch
28. British Nationals Armed Forces Deaths, 1796 – 2005, FamilySearch
29. Hampshire Chronicle, 13 March 1915 and Harrow Observer, 26 March 1915
30. United Kingdom, Outgoing Passenger Lists 1890-1960, FamilySearch
31. ancestry.com, 1939 England and Wales Register
32. Western Morning News, 18 October 1950
33. England and Wales, Death Registration Index, 1837-2007, FamilySearch
34. Belfast Telegraph, 27 January 1964
35. Belfast Newsletter, 27 January 1964