Charlemont Beneficence

A reader has sent me an interesting account of his grandmother's time in the service of the 7th Viscount Charlemont:-

"My maternal grandmother Laura Foxford worked on the domestic staff of the 7th Viscount at Drumcairne, Stewartstown, County Tyrone.”

"When he died [in 1913] he left enough money to each of his staff to emigrate if that was their wish.”

"My grandmother, who had been born in Plymouth and whose father an ex-Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer (who, on retirement, worked in the pre-partition Irish Coastguard service), opted to move to New York.”

"My grandfather Robert Russell, whose family farm abutted Drumcairne, followed her.”

"They were married in America and my mother, who celebrated her 100th birthday in February of this year, was born there in 1916.”

"They returned to Ireland around 1920.”

"I have a delightful little lady's fob watch in silver which Lord Charlemont gave my grandmother in 1911, according to the engraved inscription."

First published in May, 2016.