John Kenneth Ambler (1924-2008)

[Michael Rhodes]

John Kenneth Ambler, Knight Commander Royal Oder of Vasa, who was born
6 June 1924 at Dorking, Surrey; married 30 June, 1964, at Gärdslösa,
Isle of Öland, Sweden, HRH Princess Margaretha Désirée Victoria of
Sweden (b 31 Oct 1934), 1st daughter of Gustaf Adolf Oscar Frederik
Arthur Edmund Bernadotte, Crown Prince of Sweden by his wife the
former Pricess Sibylla Calma Marie Alice Bathildis Feodora of Saxe-
Coburg & Gotha ; died in Oxfordshire, 31 May, 2008, at the age of 83.
He was separated from the Princess (?). He leaves 2 sons, (Charles)
Edward Ambler b 1966, James Patrick Ambler b 1969, and 1 daughter,
Sybilla Louise b 1965.

====

[Der Hurtmeister]

Thanks Michael,

I have a question.... on 25 April 2002 you posted the following:
[QUOTE]
Vivien Ambler, aunt of John Kenneth Ambler, and aunt by marriage of
Princess Margaretha of Sweden, died in January, 2002, aged 94.

Mrs Ambler, a widow, had lived alone for 40 years, and art experts
were astonished to discover a treasury of paintings, antiques and
silver at her home at Branton Court, Farnham, Knaresborough, North
Yorkshire.


Branton Court, built in 1860, was bought by Major Ernest Ambler and
his wife in 1931. The interior reflected their passion for country
pursuits and keen interest in collecting paintings, furniture,
silver,
jewellry, arms and armour of the highest quality. Maj. Ambler,
something big in textiles, & who served in the West Yorkshire
Regiment, died in 1958 aged 60. Mrs Ambler lived on her own with no
live-in help, maintaining the house and gardens (set in 350 acres),
and was decribed as "a very private person."


In 1964 her nephew John Kenneth Ambler brought his bride-to-be,
Princess Margaretha of Sweden, sister of King Carl Gustav, to Branton
Court where they were guests of Mrs Ambler.


A valuer from Bonhams North East found three paintings by Atkinson
Grimshaw in one of the rooms, and in another room, an oil on canvas
entitled "West Country Mail Coaches at the Gloucester Coffee House,
Piccadilly" was found to be one of the finest examples of the work of
James Pollard (1792-1867), who had a reputation for evoking the mail
coach area. Major Ambler paid £189 for the painting in 1927, and it
is
expected to realise up to £150,000 when the contents of Branton Court
are auctioned by Bonhams at three sales in Leeds in July and August.


Vivien Olga Ambler was born in Germany - because her mother was
advised it provided the best obstetric care -and lived in Australia
until 1919. When she returned as a 12 year-old, the ship's captain
tried to deny that the vessel was overrun by rats, so she caught two
and took them to the bridge.


During the Second World War Mrs Ambler would drive her horse and trap
into Knaresborough, knock on the window of her bank with a whip and
wait until the manager came out with her money.


Branton Court was a house and lifestyle preserved in aspic. A friend
said: "I don't think Mrs Ambler had any concept of just how valuable
her treasures were. She was shocked when she saw the prices of things
in Country Life."


The furniture, mainly bought in the 1920s and 30s, includes an early
George III mahogany breakfront bookcase and other pieces by Gillows.


Maj. and Mrs Amber had no issue, and their silver and jewellry will
be
sold on July 16 with the rest of the house contents (the Atkinson
Grimshaw & Pollard paintings) on July 23 and August 6. Branton Court
will be sold in a few weeks.


The contents of Branton Court have already been moved for security.
It
remains to be seen whether Princess Margaretha's husband, or Mrs
Ambler's great nephews and great nieces will be beneficiaries of the
estate.


...Michael Rhodes.


[END QUOTE

Now.. was Vivien the sister of Louise Gwendolen Cullen (John Kenneth
Ambler's Mother) or was Vivien the wife of the brother of Charles
Ambler (John's father)?

Or is she both (sisters marrying brothers)?

Any help on John's family appreciated.



On 13 Jun, 06:39, Michael Rhodes <migx73allenford2...@yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:

[Dennis Cunniff]

On Jun 13, 2008, at 12:24 PM, Der Hurtmeister wrote:

>
> Thanks Michael,
>
> I have a question.... on 25 April 2002 you posted the following:
> [QUOTE]
> Vivien Ambler, aunt of John Kenneth Ambler, and aunt by marriage of
> Princess Margaretha of Sweden, died in January, 2002, aged 94.

> [END QUOTE
>
> Now.. was Vivien the sister of Louise Gwendolen Cullen (John Kenneth
> Ambler's Mother) or was Vivien the wife of the brother of Charles
> Ambler (John's father)?
>

According to information given at auction, she was Vivien Olga
Flemmich, wife of Maj. Ernest Ambler (1892-1958), brother of Charles
Ambler.

<http://www.artfact.com/catalog/viewLot.cfm?lotCode=1J5PM05U>

- Dennis J. Cunniff

>

[the_ver...@comcast.net]

Thanks Dennis! I appreciate the link.

--
The Verminator
"The path to citizenship begins with LEGAL immigration"

[Michael Rhodes]

> According to information given at auction, she was Vivien Olga  
> Flemmich, wife of Maj. Ernest Ambler (1892-1958), brother of Charles  
> Ambler.

Vivien was born 21 Mar 1907 surnamed FLEMMICK, according to her birth
certificate.
She married Mr Ambler (also as FLEMMICK) at St George's, Hanover Sq.

John Kenneth Ambler was born in 1924. He had elder siblings Charles H
Ambler born at East Grinstead
in 1921 and Eileen Ambler born at Bradford, West Yorks, in 1920.

His father, Charles H Ambler was born Jul-Sep 1896, and died at
Horsham, Apl-June 1954. Charles
was one of 6 children of John Ambler (1829- ) by his 2nd wife the
former Edith Alice Gates (born Lewes,
Sussex 1857, d at Bradford, West Yorkshire 1900). (John Ambler's 1st
wife had been Emma Yates (b Cleckheaton,
West Yorks, c 1835, d between 1871-1881.

John Ambler and his 2nd wife Edith had issue:-
(1) Mabel Ambler, born c 1886 at Bradford
(2) John H Ambler, born c 1889, at Bradford
(3) Ernest Ambler, born c 1892 at Bradford =Vivien Flemmick, no issue
(4) George Ambler, b c 1894, Bradford
(5) Charles H Ambler, b c 1896, Bradford
(6) Grace Eveline Ambler, b c 1896, at Bradford = 1918 (?) at
Hampstead, Alec H Blair




======

[the_ver...@comcast.net]

Thanks Michael! Much appreciated.

--
The Verminator
"The path to citizenship begins with LEGAL immigration"

[Michael Rhodes]

The Amblers of Bradford, by Malcolm Barker, Yorkshire Evening Post,
Feb 29, 1964.



"....Bradford is the traditional home of the Amblers. Even today, with
the family spread throughout the world, therw are probably more among
the wool mills than anywhere else. There are 30 Amblers in the London
area telephone directory, for instance, against 72 in Bradford. The
Ambers are among the leaders of Bradford industry - there's Dumb
Mills, Frizinghall, run by Fred Ambler, Ltd. Abram Ambler and Sons
Ltd, at Prospect Mills, Wilsden, Amber and Mann, wool importers and
merchants, and Ambler and Scott Ltd, combers and topmakers.

Whether the Amblers - Fred and Jeremiah and Abram among them - have a
common ancestor is a question that would make even the most
experienced genealogist quail. Even the Amblers are not sure
themselves. One of the younger Amblers, discussing the engagement (of
John Ambler to HRH) said today: "I think Mr. John K. Ambler - the
Princess's Ambler - is my father's second cousin, but he may be once
or even twice removed for all I know."

Not all the successful Amblers have been textile Amblers. It was a
Bradford Ambler who wrote: "Ambler's Reports" on law in the 17th
century and it was another legal Ambler, Mr. Louis Ambler, a London
barrister, who attempted the near-impossible and compiled the Ambler
family tree.

A copy of his book, The Ambler Family, privately printed for the
benefit of the Amblers who wanted to trace their lineage, is in the
possession of Mr. Raymond Ambler, of Burley Road, Menston.

Mr. Raymond - he's in the wool trade - said today that the Amblers
apparently stemmed from a Frenchman, a M. Aumbleur, who came across to
this country in the 14th century.

"Ambler", said Mr. Ambler, "is now undoubtedly a Bradford or West
Riding name, although you do find Amblers in Shropshire and America
and, I understand, Canada. I think it would be possible to trace them
all back to Bradford with a lonf and careful study of the book and
records, but I have never really had the time to do it."

Mr. Raymond Ambler is the brother of Mr. Alfred Ambler, of Harden
Hall, Cullingworth. Their great-grandfather was Abram Ambler, of
Prospect Mills, Cullingworth. An illustration of the way the family
name was spread among the mill name boards of Bradford and district is
provided by Mr. Alfred Ambler.

The Fred Ambler who founded Fred Ambler Ltd., of Dumb Mills,
Frizinghall, was a cousin of his father.

In the whole dynasty of Amblers Mr. John Ambler is probably the first
to marry into blood Royal."



Yorkshire Evening Post, June 30, 1964: "...A (Swedish Royal) Court
spokesman said that none of Mr. Ambler's relatives were at the
wedding. Mr. Ambler's mother, said the spokesman, was not fit to
travel and his sole living brother was unable to travel from Kenya for
the ceremony."



Yorkshire Post, July 1, 1964: "....but (Mr Ambler's) 34 invited
British guests did not include any members of his family. A Court
spokesman said Mr. Ambler's mother, 70, had been advised against
travelling for medical reasons and his brother, farming in Southern
Rhodesia, was too far away..."



Yorkshire Post, April 15, 1965: "8lb Baby Girl for Swedish Princess"

"Princess Margaretha of Sweden, 30, gave birth to an 8lb. baby girl in
London yesterday. The birth was at King's College Hospital shortly
after 2 p.m.....The baby, who is to be named Sybilla Louise was
delivered by Sir John Peel, surgeon gynaecologist to the Queen."



Yorkshire Evening Post, May 6 1965: "Royal Godparents"

The three-week old daughter of Princess Margaretha of Sweden and
London businessman John Ambler was christened Sibylla Louise at
fashionable St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, London, today.

"Among the godparents were Crown Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands
and Princess Christina of Sweden, Princess Margaretha's younger
sister. The other godparents were Mr. Ambler's aunt, Mrs Vivien
Ambler, of Farnham, near Knaresborough, Count Bernadotte of Wisborg,
and Mr Guy McLaren."



Yorkshire Post, July 15 (?) 1966 "The Princess's Baby"

"Mrs. John Ambler (Princess Margaretha of Sweden) gave birth to a son
in the London Clinic early yesterday. A Swedish Embassy official said
the baby weighed 8lb. and is to be called Charles Edward."



Yorkshire Post, October 28, 1966: "A King at the christening"

"The son of Mr. Ambler and Princess Margaretha will be christened
Charles Edward, at Winslow Parish Church, Buckinghamshire, on Sunday.

The King of Swedenm his great-grandfather, and one of the godparents,
will be there."



Yorkshire Post, October 31, 1966 "Royal Godparents"

King Gustav of Sweden was a godparent at the Christening at Winslow,
Bucks., Parish Church yesterday of his great-grandchild, the son of Mr
John Ambler and Princess Margaretha of Sweden.

The service was conucted by the Rev Sven Evander, the First Pastor of
the Swedish community in London.

The other godparents were Crown Prince Carl Gustav, Sir Thomas
Pilkington, Mr W.R. Birch Reynardson, Mr Christopher Schofield (Mr
Ambler's best man at his wedding), and Princess Benedikte.

Mr. Kaj Falkman, First Secretary of the Swedish Embassy in London,
stood proxy for Crown Prince Carl Gustav, who is on naval service.
Countess Bertil Bernadotte, whose husband is second cousin of Princess
Margaretha, stood proxy for Princess Benedikte.

The baby was christened Charles Edward."



===

[Michael Rhodes]

AMBLER:- John Kenneth, passed away peacefully after brief illness on
31st May aged 83. Much loved and missed by his wife, children and
grandchildren. Cremation on June 5th attended by close family.
Scattering of ashes and memorial to be conducted in September.



===