BESLY, Lt-Col John Richard Seymour (1932-2019)

[Richard R]

From the Telegraph and Times of 1 October 2019: BESLY Lt Col John Richard Seymour died peacefully on 25th September, aged 87 years. Beloved husband of Ginny and previously of Dinah, much loved father, stepfather, grandfather and stepgrandfather. Private family funeral, Service of Thanksgiving TBA. Donations if desired to The Colonel's Fund Grenadier Guards and The British Heart Foundation.

He was s of Ernest Francis Withers BESLY CMG (1891-1965) and Helen Judith (1897-1974, d of D'Oyley Scott RANSOM (1863-1932) of Wyverton Hall, Nottinghamshire and Helen Winifred FOWLER (1874-1949)). He m 1958 Dinah Priscilla (1930-87) d of Brig Adrian Clements GORE (1900-90), scion of the Bts of that name cr1622, and Enid Aimee CAIRNES (1902-97), and had two sons and three daus.

[G. Willis]

Some Besly details:

i) J. R. S. Besly as above appears to have used his second name; there is a 1989 record of the marriage of a John R. S. Besly and Rena G. Ward, but she is not mentioned in the Telegraph or Times announcements nor can I find anything else regarding her or this apparent marriage; the J. R. S. Besly we are discussing is however the only option per U.K. records that I can locate.

ii) An outline of the Besly family:

Ernest Francis Withers Besly of Barton Hatch, Limpsfield, Surrey, a judge, legal adviser to H.M. embassy, Cairo, lecturer on Egyptian judicial system. He younger s. of Rev. Edward Frederick Seymour Besly [some sources give 'Besley'; he is often referred to as 'Rev. E. F. Seymour Besly', presumably indicating his favoured forename?] (1856-1905), of Eston, Middlesbrough, N. Yorks., educ. Trinity Coll. Dublin (B.A. 1878, M.A. 1882), vicar of Eston, formerly curate, St Aubyn's Chapel, Stoke Damerel, and his wife (m. 1887) Evelyn Georgina, dau. of - Moore. The eldest son, (Edward) Maurice (1888-1945), educ. Tonbridge Sch., Gonville and Caius Coll., Cantab., was a noted conductor (inc. of the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Albert Hall Orchestra, Scottish Orchestra) and composer, as well as director of music and organist at Queen's Coll., Oxon. from 1919-26; he was previously music master at Tonbridge Sch. from 1912-14, and returned there from 1918-19 as assistant music master, having served as Capt. R.E. (WWI). In later life he was a solicitor and notary public.

Rev. E. F. S. Besly eldest s. of John Besly (1819-1908), of 33, South Street, formerly of 9 South Street, Barnstaple, Devon, formerly of Langdon Road, St George's Terrace, Rochester, Kent, formerly of 13, Dockyard Terrace, Devonport, clerk (occupation variously appears as 'secretary' and 'naval storekeeper'), H.M. Dockyard, Devonport, and his wife (m. 1855) Sarah Elizabeth (1825-1889), dau. of - Davie.

John Besly eldest s. of Charles Besly [also Besley; this variation is evidently common, as even J. R. S. Besly's first marriage is recorded as 'Besley'] (1784-1863), of 12, St Michael's Terrace, formerly of 7, Hill Park Crescent, Plymouth, formerly of 14, Caroline Place, East Stonehouse, formerly of Morice Square, Stoke Damerel, clerk (first class 1849-), H.M. Dockyard, Devonport (chief clerk, Storekeeper's Office at retirement, apparently formerly 'secretary to the Admiralty at Devonport', which sounds perhaps rather grander than a clerical post; this latter appears in the Visitation of England and Wales vol. 14, in the pedigree of Vincent [descendants of Rev. William Vincent, D.D., Dean of Westminster]; Charles Besly's second dau., Sarah, m. 1845, James Gibson, of Lanark; their dau., Jean Baine Gibson, m. Charles Greaves Vincent, of Ryde, Isle of Wight, solicitor, town clerk of Ryde from 1893, admitted to the Skinners' Company 1862; their dau., Grace Desborough Vincent (1870-) m. 1900, Rev. Henry James Moore Sanders, vicar of East and West Challow, Berks.), by his wife (m. 1816) Ann Prescott (1798-), dau. of Ralph Banks.

Charles Besly's father was apparently a John Besly, of Barnstaple, evidently also sometime of London, that being the place of his son's birth.