Lady Windham, (1918-2002), widow of Sir Ralph Windham, Kt, (1905-1980)
Michael Rhodes
widow of Sir Ralph Windham, (1905-80), of Waghen Hall, East Yorkshire,
who had a distinguished career in the Colonial Service, & was Chief
Justice of Tanganyika (later Tanzania) from 1960 to 1965.
She was born 19 February, 1918, as Kathleen Mary Fitzerbert, scion of
the Irish landed family, the FitzHerberts of Black Castle, the only
daughter of Capt Cecil Henry Fitzherbert, DSC, RN, of Millbrook,
Abbeyleix, County Leix, by his wife, the former Ellen Katherine
Lowndes.
Her family were neighbours, and kinfolk, of the Viscounts de Vesci.
She was educated at Langford Grove, Essex, and married, 11 September,
1946, Ralph Windham, head of the landed family of Windham of Waghen.
Her husband descended in the male line from Sir Thomas Smith, High
Sheriff of Essex in 1663, who had been created a Baronet in 1661, and
was heir presumptive to his distant cousin Sir Thomas Weyland
Bowyer-Smyth, 15th Baronet, between 1978 and 1980.
Ralph and Kathleen Windham spent their early married life in
Palestine, in a new house outside Tel Aviv, where Windham was in the
Government of Palestine as a legal draughtsman. Just months after
their marriage Ralph had the unusual experience fo being abducted from
his courtroom in Tel Aviv by members of the Irgun. He was held
incommunicado by his kidnappers for some days.
In 1947 they moved to Ceylon where Ralph Windham became Puisne Judge
of the Supreme Court in Ceylon.
Three years later she and her husband transferred to Kenya where Ralph
Windham held the same appointment, which he held until 1955.
They then moved to Zanzibar, where her husband was Chief Justice,
until 1959. He next became Justice of Appeal in the Court of Appeal
for Eastern Africa, and then was Chief Justice of Tanganyika.
For a period in 1962 her husband was acting Governor-General of
Tanganyika.
One day in Dar-es-Salaam, when aged 46, Lady Windham was mugged by
thieves who made off with her handbag. She was returning to her car
from the beach, when two men leapt upon her from behind. Barefoot she
gave chase. One crook punched her in the face, but she pursued them
through the streets. She finally forced them to drop the bag.
In 1965, on her husband's retirement, they returned to Britain. Sir
Ralph, who was knighted in 1960, died as the result of an accident, 6
July, 1980.
Lady Windham leaves two sons, John and Andrew, and two daughters,
Penelope and Belinda.
The elder son is heir presumptive to the Bowyer-Smith baronetcy.
--
Michael Rhodes.