New photos for the Apley Archives
Westbrook, the Fosters’ home on Isle of Wight
WO Foster’s family toboganning in the snow, possibly in Apley Park
S J Waring’s invoice for the 1903 renovations made to the house (Apley Park)
My Apley Archives photo selection is constantly growing. Finally looking through some boxes of Apley Estate archive material is a great job for dark January evenings. We unearthed this photo of the running of the bulls in Pamplona (Spain) taken by Brigadier Cuthbert Goulburn (more on him in a moment); an invoice from SJ Waring for renovations to Apley Park (aka Apley Hall) in 1903; a Foster family photo (possibly taken in Apley Park); a photo of Westbrook on the Isle of Wight. The Fosters may have had another home at another time on the Isle of Wight, as I’m sure I’ve seen photos of a different house there.
Brigadier Cuthie Goulburn (1906 – 1990) was confusingly the son of Brigadier General Cuthbert Goulburn D.S.O. (1860 – 1944) & Grace Foster (1875 – 1951), daughter of W.H. Foster of Apley Park, Shropshire. He was the grandson of the Rt. Hon. Henry Goulburn, Chancellor of the Exchequer who had bought Betchworth House in 1816. Hence the link between the Goulburn & the Foster families & so also the Betchworth & Apley Estates. Cuthie’s brother General Eddie Goulburn (1903 – 1980) lived at Stockton House on the edge of Apley Park. He had a sister Nancy (1904 – 1933). I’ll add more about Cuthie & Eddie Goulburn, as they play a signifcant role in the Estate’s more recent history. Both bachelors, Eddie inherited the Estate from the Foster family, passing it on to Gavin’s father in 1980. They are fondly remembered by many who still live on the Estate.
Harriet,
Your picture of the Foster family in the snow looks like the top of Long Bank in the park which is where I used to take my sledge for the same reason. My longest run was from the top right across the track at the bottom, up the slight incline and then on down to the brook just underneath Mr Coombes’ house. In those days frozen molehills were the main hazard because if you hit one it would throw you off your sledge !!
Gerald Todd.