The latest in the Ruthin Local History Society’s lectures was held last night. Entitled "The Cornwallis Wests's War", it was by retired county archivist Kevin Matthias
The Cornwallis Wests, later the Cornwallis-Wests, were for more than 100 years Rhuthun/Ruthin's most notable family. They lived at Newlands in Hampshire and at Ruthin Castle. Kevin Matthias has been cataloguing the estate's documents but the most interesting, the family's diaries, were all destroyed by their London agent. But Matthias was nevertheless able to paint quite a picture of this notorious, high-rolling family.
Why the Cornwallis-Wests's war, specifically? The First World War was a turning point for much of the landed gentry. Divorces, deaths and death duties meant that, post-war, these families were often never the same again.
Important in Rhuthun they might have been but the Cornwallis-Wests suffered for delusions of grandeur, according to Matthias. They likened themselves, he said, to the aristocracy by comparing themselves to Sir William Watkin Wynne's Wynnstay estate. The Wynnstay estate was eleven times bigger than the Cornwallis-West's combined Ruthin and Hampshire holdings. But what the Cornwallis-Wests lacked in terms of land & money they made up for in political and especially social influence.
Spending
Matthias painted a complex picture of how the Ruthin Castle estate came to the Cornwallis-Wests. This was so obfuscated that it's best glossed over. One key feature, however, was that during the years of the late 19th and early 20th century, the family was spending more money than they had. They were relying on rental income—they had been forced to rent more property in the mid- to late-1800s—and spending it before they received it. Rhuthun's rents went on a lavish lifestyle, in both Newlands and Rhuthun. As the money dwindled, so the family turned to remortgages, several times, and loans.
It was these that latterly paid for the Cornwallis-Wests's fast lifestyle. And fast it certainly was. At the turn of the century, they were part of Edward Prince of Wales's set, a number of whom had dubious reputations. One of the set was Camilla Parker Bowles's grandmother whom, Matthias said, was rumoured to have had an affaiot with Edward. A number of the women, including Patsy Cornwallis-West, were described by Matthias as "PBs" or professional beauties. There was a noted fascist Italian playboy prince among the party who would later became governor of Rome under Mussolini. The bishop of St Asaph, later to become the first archbishop of Wales under disestablishment, was also one of them.
Colonel William Cornwallis-West was very well regarded, respected and connected. He was the lord lieutenant of Denbighshire (for 41 years), chairman of the county council's health committee, MP, president of the Denbighshire Territorial Forces Association and held other notable positions besides. One of Matthias's particularly interesting anecdotes told of Willaim and his wife Patsy driving—the whole family were early adopters of the motor car—to the south of France for a holiday… in 1915! A newspaper reported this as a journey "under considerable difficulty". I bet.
Upstanding William married 17-year-old Irishwoman socialite Mary Adelaide Virginia Thomasina Eupatoria whose nickname after her maiden name Fitzpatrick was Patsy. Patsy appeared extensively in the local and national press. By 1914, Patsy has a patina of respectability. She was president of the Ladies' Patriotic Hospitality Committee, which appealed for and collected in Ruthin Castle blankets, comforts for the troops and actually made garments for wounded soldiers. From the spring of 1916, she was taking in wounded soldiers into Ruthin Castle. In 1916, she had become patron of the Denbighshire County Comforts Association.
Willaim and Patsy's daughter Daisy married the Prussian Prince of Pless and became a princess. She moved to his home estate but found Prussian etiquette hard, often returning to Rhuthun. Before or during the war, Daisy had tried to mediate for peace. At war, she became a nurse and cared for wounded men of both sides. Of this, the prince was suspicious and this and her frequent trips home resulted in a divorce in 1922. Dasiy became one of the earliest publishers of memoires, even before the likes of the Mitfords, and these were widely read. The prince, meanwhile, remarried but soon after died. His new widow then married one of the price & Daisy’s son's (basically, one of the widow's stepsons). Of this union, Matthias said that there were descendants in central Europe. Daisy, meanwhile, died in relative poverty. She had been a social reformer and an early proponent of the green movement.
Thanks to Patsy's influence with the Prince of Wales, daughter Constance married the Duke of Westminster. Known as Sheila, she was a sportswoman and actress. Their son and heir died aged four of appendicitis. At the time, Sheila wasn't present and she was blamed, as mother. This, even though the duke wasn't there, either. Sheila nevertheless set up a hospital in northern France, said by Matthias to be the best equipped of its time.
The Petticoat Scandal
Patsy is widely believed to have been a mistress of Edward VII at the age of 16. Matthias reported that Patsy's mother had tried for an assignation with Prince Albert and had been moved out of the court.
Wounded sergeant Patrick Barrett of the Welsh Fusiliers was admitted to Sheila's hospital and then sent to St Asaph to convalesce. It was here that Patsy, aged 62, basically had a crush on him. She wanted him promoted and used her influence to see him to second lieutenant, where Barrett was sent to Bodelwyddan for officer training. There followed amorous letters from Patsy to Barrett. He wrote to her to insist she stopped. Rebuffed, Patsy spread the story that it was he who was pestering her. Because of Patsy's connections, few believed Barrett, even though he had kept Patsy's letters. He was hauled before his commanding officer and almost stripped of this rank. With injuries, shell shock and now humiliation, Barrett initially retreated but he took the matter to law.
Pasty, meanwhile, was influential in persuading Lloyd George to pass an an army Act that resulted in all future courts martial being held in camera (whereas beforehand they had been in public). Patsy was therefore able to keep much of the scandal away from the public. Although the Court did not mention her by name, they did discredit her and they regretted that she should hold her positions. Patsy's husband George Cornwallis-West stood by her, saying it was Irish impetuousness that had resulted in her only giving an ailing soldier a kiss on the forehead...
William died in 1917 and Patsy in 1920. Son George inherited the estate. Matthias reported that George was once caught by the police speeding in Kent in his Brush motor car. He felt that the police were not sportsmanlike and should be shot. In court, he reckoned he said that it wasn't sporting to stop him in an open stretch of road. He had two marriages, one to Winston Churchill's mother; and the second to Mrs Patrick (Stella) Campbell who shocked the world by being the first actress in the world to swear on stage with the words "not blydi likely".
George fought at Antwerp, was wounded and invalided out. His connections with his sister, the Princess of Pless, resulted in his being accused of having connections with the enemy, something that was untrue. He returned home soon to be declared bankrupt. His administrator organised the great Ruthin Castle Estate sales of 1913 and the big one, in 1922. He was suffering from Parkinson's disease and killed himself. There were no heirs, at least no legitimate ones.
Legacy
The Cornwallis-Wests were often well regarded in Rhuthun. They were great benefactors. They certainly did much during the First World War. The family, before William, had rebuilt the Castle and built the walls. Matthias and some in the audience felt that even Patsy was also a benefactress and, for example, had given the former school building on Mwrog Street to the Roman Catholic church (in spite of her being Protestant). Ian Skidmore, however, in his book " Glyndŵr Country: the essence of Wales" refers to locals who remember Patsy as "The Bitch". In splitting up the estate in 1922, there came the opportunity for some ordinary Rhuthun folk to own their own homes and land.
The Cornwallis Wests, later the Cornwallis-Wests, were for more than 100 years Rhuthun/Ruthin's most notable family. They lived at Newlands in Hampshire and at Ruthin Castle. Kevin Matthias has been cataloguing the estate's documents but the most interesting, the family's diaries, were all destroyed by their London agent. But Matthias was nevertheless able to paint quite a picture of this notorious, high-rolling family.
Important in Rhuthun they might have been but the Cornwallis-Wests suffered for delusions of grandeur, according to Matthias. They likened themselves, he said, to the aristocracy by comparing themselves to Sir William Watkin Wynne's Wynnstay estate. The Wynnstay estate was eleven times bigger than the Cornwallis-West's combined Ruthin and Hampshire holdings. But what the Cornwallis-Wests lacked in terms of land & money they made up for in political and especially social influence.
Spending
Matthias painted a complex picture of how the Ruthin Castle estate came to the Cornwallis-Wests. This was so obfuscated that it's best glossed over. One key feature, however, was that during the years of the late 19th and early 20th century, the family was spending more money than they had. They were relying on rental income—they had been forced to rent more property in the mid- to late-1800s—and spending it before they received it. Rhuthun's rents went on a lavish lifestyle, in both Newlands and Rhuthun. As the money dwindled, so the family turned to remortgages, several times, and loans.
It was these that latterly paid for the Cornwallis-Wests's fast lifestyle. And fast it certainly was. At the turn of the century, they were part of Edward Prince of Wales's set, a number of whom had dubious reputations. One of the set was Camilla Parker Bowles's grandmother whom, Matthias said, was rumoured to have had an affaiot with Edward. A number of the women, including Patsy Cornwallis-West, were described by Matthias as "PBs" or professional beauties. There was a noted fascist Italian playboy prince among the party who would later became governor of Rome under Mussolini. The bishop of St Asaph, later to become the first archbishop of Wales under disestablishment, was also one of them.
Colonel William Cornwallis-West was very well regarded, respected and connected. He was the lord lieutenant of Denbighshire (for 41 years), chairman of the county council's health committee, MP, president of the Denbighshire Territorial Forces Association and held other notable positions besides. One of Matthias's particularly interesting anecdotes told of Willaim and his wife Patsy driving—the whole family were early adopters of the motor car—to the south of France for a holiday… in 1915! A newspaper reported this as a journey "under considerable difficulty". I bet.
Upstanding William married 17-year-old Irishwoman socialite Mary Adelaide Virginia Thomasina Eupatoria whose nickname after her maiden name Fitzpatrick was Patsy. Patsy appeared extensively in the local and national press. By 1914, Patsy has a patina of respectability. She was president of the Ladies' Patriotic Hospitality Committee, which appealed for and collected in Ruthin Castle blankets, comforts for the troops and actually made garments for wounded soldiers. From the spring of 1916, she was taking in wounded soldiers into Ruthin Castle. In 1916, she had become patron of the Denbighshire County Comforts Association.
Willaim and Patsy's daughter Daisy married the Prussian Prince of Pless and became a princess. She moved to his home estate but found Prussian etiquette hard, often returning to Rhuthun. Before or during the war, Daisy had tried to mediate for peace. At war, she became a nurse and cared for wounded men of both sides. Of this, the prince was suspicious and this and her frequent trips home resulted in a divorce in 1922. Dasiy became one of the earliest publishers of memoires, even before the likes of the Mitfords, and these were widely read. The prince, meanwhile, remarried but soon after died. His new widow then married one of the price & Daisy’s son's (basically, one of the widow's stepsons). Of this union, Matthias said that there were descendants in central Europe. Daisy, meanwhile, died in relative poverty. She had been a social reformer and an early proponent of the green movement.
Thanks to Patsy's influence with the Prince of Wales, daughter Constance married the Duke of Westminster. Known as Sheila, she was a sportswoman and actress. Their son and heir died aged four of appendicitis. At the time, Sheila wasn't present and she was blamed, as mother. This, even though the duke wasn't there, either. Sheila nevertheless set up a hospital in northern France, said by Matthias to be the best equipped of its time.
The Petticoat Scandal
Patsy as a PB
Patsy is widely believed to have been a mistress of Edward VII at the age of 16. Matthias reported that Patsy's mother had tried for an assignation with Prince Albert and had been moved out of the court.
Wounded sergeant Patrick Barrett of the Welsh Fusiliers was admitted to Sheila's hospital and then sent to St Asaph to convalesce. It was here that Patsy, aged 62, basically had a crush on him. She wanted him promoted and used her influence to see him to second lieutenant, where Barrett was sent to Bodelwyddan for officer training. There followed amorous letters from Patsy to Barrett. He wrote to her to insist she stopped. Rebuffed, Patsy spread the story that it was he who was pestering her. Because of Patsy's connections, few believed Barrett, even though he had kept Patsy's letters. He was hauled before his commanding officer and almost stripped of this rank. With injuries, shell shock and now humiliation, Barrett initially retreated but he took the matter to law.
Pasty, meanwhile, was influential in persuading Lloyd George to pass an an army Act that resulted in all future courts martial being held in camera (whereas beforehand they had been in public). Patsy was therefore able to keep much of the scandal away from the public. Although the Court did not mention her by name, they did discredit her and they regretted that she should hold her positions. Patsy's husband George Cornwallis-West stood by her, saying it was Irish impetuousness that had resulted in her only giving an ailing soldier a kiss on the forehead...
William died in 1917 and Patsy in 1920. Son George inherited the estate. Matthias reported that George was once caught by the police speeding in Kent in his Brush motor car. He felt that the police were not sportsmanlike and should be shot. In court, he reckoned he said that it wasn't sporting to stop him in an open stretch of road. He had two marriages, one to Winston Churchill's mother; and the second to Mrs Patrick (Stella) Campbell who shocked the world by being the first actress in the world to swear on stage with the words "not blydi likely".
George fought at Antwerp, was wounded and invalided out. His connections with his sister, the Princess of Pless, resulted in his being accused of having connections with the enemy, something that was untrue. He returned home soon to be declared bankrupt. His administrator organised the great Ruthin Castle Estate sales of 1913 and the big one, in 1922. He was suffering from Parkinson's disease and killed himself. There were no heirs, at least no legitimate ones.
Legacy
The Cornwallis-Wests were often well regarded in Rhuthun. They were great benefactors. They certainly did much during the First World War. The family, before William, had rebuilt the Castle and built the walls. Matthias and some in the audience felt that even Patsy was also a benefactress and, for example, had given the former school building on Mwrog Street to the Roman Catholic church (in spite of her being Protestant). Ian Skidmore, however, in his book " Glyndŵr Country: the essence of Wales" refers to locals who remember Patsy as "The Bitch". In splitting up the estate in 1922, there came the opportunity for some ordinary Rhuthun folk to own their own homes and land.