ATHILL, Diana OBE (1917-1919)

[Richard R]

She died on 23 January 2019. She was d of Maj Lawrence Francis Imbert ATHILL (1888-1957, s of Rev Herbert ATHILL (1851-1919) and Mary Anne Abbot IMBERT-TERRY (1844-1935), scion, but not a descendant, of the Bts of that name) by his 1916 m (reg Q4 London) to Alice Katharine (1895-1990) d of William CARR (1862-1925), sometime head of the gentry family of that name of Stackhouse and Ditchingham, and Margaret Franck (1866-1958) d of Rev James Franck BRIGHT DD (1832-1920), scion of the gentry family of that name of Colwall.

From a line of long lived women. Her mother survived into her 95th year and her BRIGHT grandmother died in her 92nd year. Her IMBERT-TERRY grandmother appears to have died in her 91st year.

TELEGRAPH ONLINE OBIT:

EXTRACT:
...Diana Athill was born in Norfolk on December 21 1917, the daughter of an officer in the Royal Artillery. Her parents’ finances were often uncertain, but her mother’s family had a bit of money – her maternal great-grandfather had been Master of University College, Oxford – and much of her childhood was spent in the comfort of her grandmother’s 18th-century manor house at Ditchingham Hall, Norfolk.
The idyll of her early years was, however, blighted by the unhappiness of her parents’ marriage. Her mother found her husband physically repulsive – a feeling that somehow conveyed itself to her offspring; after bearing him two children, she began an affair with someone else and gave up any pretence at married happiness.
During the ensuing quarrels, the children usually took their mother’s part against their undemonstrative father. It was only after her father’s death that Diana Athill learnt from his letters to his wife how sad and patient he had been....
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2019/01/24/diana-athill-acclaimed-author-editor-promoted-careers-writers/

Times obit:https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/diana-athill-obituary-mwls39l63

[G. Willis]

The Athill family appears to have been distinguished in Antigua; George Athill (1806-1857), of Hildenborough, Tonbridge, Kent, farmer, Diana Athill's great-grandfather (m. 1845, Charlotte, née Tappenden- very probably, based on her age in census records [as also given at the UCL page below] and lack of competing records, she b. 1816, dau. of Thomas and Charlotte Tappenden, of Ashford, Kent) was (apparently a natural) s. of James Athill (1759-1822), Chief Justice of Antigua. George Athill was allegedly a 'free man of colour'; James Athill died a bachelor, but with three natural children- Vere Langford Oliver, author of 'The History of the Island of Antigua' (vol. I featuring a pedigree and considerable detail on the Athill family- see https://archive.org/details/historyofislando01oliv/page/10), provides the text of his will, at the head of which is observed that the testator 'leaves legacies to certain mulattos' [this shown on page 11 of the volume linked above; it reads: 'Independent of other transactions between me and the co-partnership of John and Sam Athill*  I have advanced £1100 c.at 5 per cent. I remit the interest and leave this sum to them in trust for their brother Geo.*' (* here Oliver notes beneath the text 'natural sons of testator')

Oliver traces two generations back from James Athill, thus: he s. of Dr James Athill (1727-1779), of Antigua, physician, Member of the Council, by his wife Anne (1737-1802), dau. of Samuel Redhead. Dr J. Athill s. of John Athill (-1732/3) of Guestwick, Norfolk, and his wife Elizabeth (c. 1690-1768 [d. aet. 78]).

George and Charlotte's son was Rev. Herbert Athill (1851-1919), rector of Digswell, Herts., as above.

The above based on the book 'Legacies of British Slave-ownership: Colonial Slavery and the Formation of Victorian Britain', by Catherine Hall et al, Cambridge University Press, 2014, some of the research from which featured here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/1 and https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146640977, which identifies George as brother of John and Samuel Athill, and all three as natural sons of James Athill, as above.

[Richard R]

From the Telegraph of 9 February 2019: ATHILL Diana died on Wednesday 23rd January 2019, aged 101. The Funeral Service will take place at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden on Wednesday 20th February 2019 at 3 p.m. No flowers please but donations to Marie Curie Hospice... There will be no memorial service. All enquiries to Leverton & Sons.