Lord Henry Vane-Tempest mystery

[Paul Theroff]

Burke's says that Lord Herbert Lionel Vane-Tempest, born 6 July 1862, died unmarried in a Welsh railway accident on 26 January 1921.

Nevertheless there is a grave for a Lord Herbert Lionel Vane-Tempest-Stewart, born 1862, said to have died in Australia in 1940, with a wife and several children born in Australia (presumably with extant issue).

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48671745/herbert_lionel_henry-vane-tempest-stewart

Does anyone have any insight into this?

[S. S.]

That should not be possible. Henry's own Wikipedia entry backs his death in 1921:

"On Wednesday, 26 January 1921, Lord Herbert joined the east-bound express train from Aberystwyth at Machynlleth. Just before noon, the train was approaching Abermule where it was due to cross the west-bound stopping train from Whitchurch, Shropshire. Due to a failure by the staff at Abermule, the train from Whitchurch was allowed to proceed westward while the express train was approaching the station. The two trains collided west of Abermule station. Seventeen people were killed, including Lord Herbert, aged 58. He was buried in Machynlleth on Saturday, 29 January. Winston Churchill was Lord Herbert's first cousin once removed and inherited several thousand pounds from a trust set up by Lord Herbert's grandmother (Churchill's great-grandmother), Frances Vane, Marchioness of Londonderry, to aid her male descendants who were not due to inherit the family titles, as Lord Herbert died a bachelor. Churchill was able to put this inheritance towards the purchase of Chartwell"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Herbert_Vane-Tempest

The odd thing about that grave of course is Henry being listed there with the Londonderry arms on it. Why would a grave in Australia be that way. I can't imagine someone copied his name and decided to be buried under the Londonderry arms as a form of identity theft. 

S.S.

[Paul Theroff]

A contemporary obituary from 1940 in Australia:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198744169

[Paul Theroff]

"The Late Lord Vane-Tempest

relatives reside in rockhampton


The late Lord Herbert Lionel
Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart; son- of
the ' fifth - Marquis of Londonderry
and cousin of Mr. Winston Churchill,
who died- in the Lake Cargelligo Dis
trict Hosoital. at one (line lived in
the Central District, where ; he has
relatives.
Born at Capri, Italy, : in 1862, he
was educated r at Eton . arid - Oxford.
After active service with the 10th
Hussars in the Egyptian, rebellion, he
came to Australia as AiD.C. to the
late Sir Henry Loch,. Governor ot
Victoria. Later, he came to New
South . WaleB, where he acquired in
terests in properties at Wilcannia
and Jun'ee. Subsequently he went. to
Queensland, where he remained for
2f years. . He travelled extensively
in Queensland; and was interested In
gold and Sapphire mining.
In 1893, In, Queensland, he. married
Miss Mary Healy, at Tambo. She
died in 1908; ' In 1912 he returned to
New South' Wales, and secured pro
perty in the Lake Cargelligo. district,
where he remained to his death. He
is survived by four Sons and three
daughters. . .
The late Lord Vane. Tempest was
at one time a' resident of Mt; Morgan
(writes our Mt Morgan correspon
dent). He was on .the staff ,, of ' the
Mt Morgan, gold ; mining company
during the management of Captain
G. A. Riohaid. His wife died here.
Mr Percy Clements, -of . the .staff of
McLaughlin and; .Co.,' Rockhampton.
married ;a daughter . ; ,"

[BREMENMURRAY]

He is listed as High Sheriff of Montgomeryshire in Wales in 1910 therefore was not resident in Australia

[Matthew Kilburn]

Fascinating. Who was the Australian Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest-Stewart really, I wonder?

[BREMENMURRAY]

It is worth noting the Herbert and Henry were brothers. It was Herbert who died in 1921.Possibly his brother Henry moved to Australia but Wikipedia states he died in 1905

[Matthew Kilburn]

The grave in Australia seen on Find a Grave claims to be that of Herbert. Most odd.

[Paul Theroff]

Michael Andrews-Reading, who sometimes assists me when I need help with these matters, sent me the following information, from various sources he could find online:

"I am unsure of his real, birth identity, although he was sometimes referred to as Arthur or John Holmes.  He arrived in Western Australia in January 1886, having traveled 1st class from London.  He was then using the name "Cumberlege Ware", and afterwards called himself Bernard Ware Cumberlege.  He had various convictions for fraud, theft, forgery, drunkenness, was bankrupt etc and was in and out of prison."

[S. S.]

So a drunk and fraudster with a speckled past masqueraded as the younger son of a marquess and decided to have himself buried as one. Lovely. 

S.S.

[Paul Theroff]

And it seems that his children continued use of the Vane-Tempest name.