The Whites' family life

We don’t learn much directly about Sophia White, née Powell, from her husband’s record, but we can read a lot between the lines. She was born in 1817 to George and Eleanor Powell; he was the Chief Clerk and Surveyor (ie Chief Executive) to the Waterloo Bridge Company, a huge civil engineering project, and very well connected in the City of London.

Sophie Powell and John White married in 1841, and their only child, Fanny, was born in 1843.

At some stage Sophie had an accident which caused her real problems with her hip, and in later life was largely housebound and a wheelchair user, with both a live-in carer and a nurse.

Sophie White seems to have been a redoubtable character. She did all the things that might have been expected of a grandmother, and also took a key role in a number of charitable activities in and around Rickmansworth. The sample extractsbelow suggest some of the work she did, especially for the young people of the town.

Uxbridge & W.Drayton Gazette, 14 August, 1875

Their Golden Wedding in 1891 was widely noted and celebrated, and her death in early 1896 was seen as a real loss to the town.

Insert picture of golden wedding

Sophie and the School Children

Mrs White (always ‘Dear Sophie’) was a benefactor to children’s causes in the town, often working with Lady Ebury, who was about the same age and quite a close friend. A sample of her activities in support of the schools:

July 14th 1869, “My Dear Sophie gave her Annual School Treat to the Infant School Children & Supper to the Women & Children in the district. Many Friends here to join us.”

Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette 26 July 1884

July 1877, “My Dear Wife had her Infant school Children’ treat this afternoon. A splendid Evening for it.”

Jan 1879, “Dear Sophie gone to a School treat at the Nat School provided by herself & Lady Ebury.”

Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette, 6 Feb 1886

July 1883, “Dear Sophie’s Infant School Children’s treat. A great many Friends here to help… Fanny and 4 of her Children here. I saw Them off by train…a fine afternoon …my dear Wife was able to get out in her Chair & see it all and enjoy herself with her friends.”

Watford Observer 1 December 1883

Feb 1884, “Dear Sophie went down to the Nat School to the Boys treat. Ld & Lady Ebury & all the Grosvenors There. Dear Sophie finds all The Boys presents & the same with the Girls at their treat and Lady Ebury the eatables & drinkables for the Children & Company.”

Feb 1884, “Dear Sophie went down to the National School to the Girls Treat. The Grosvenors with Ld & Lady Ebury there. I hope she will not take Cold as the Weather was so Wet & Windy. She went down in her Chair & was Thoroughly wrap’d up.”

Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette, 7 August, 1886

The Working Lads’ Club

April 30 1877, “Dear Sophie gone to her Lads Club. It really does appear as though it would be a great success. I sincerely trust it may be so, for her sake as well as the Lads as she has taken so much trouble & anxiety over it.”

July 8th 1877, “All at Church in the Evg. except Dear Sophie who goes to her Boys Club to read to them.”

Sep 1877, “Dear Sophie & her friends holding a Bazaar…. The Weather was bad but notwithstanding it proved a Wonderful Success as she took abt. £80 [around £15,000 at today’s values]. The Bazaar was held for the benefit of the Working Lads Club & the Infant School Childrens Book Club.”

April 1883, “My Dear Wife is going into the same premises with her working Lads. It is a great undertaking for her but she seems to surmount all difficulties. May God bless the Work she takes in hand I sincerely pray.”

May 1883, “At the Closing of the Lads Club for the Summer Months. Dear Sophie gave them all a supper in their New quarters. Many friends present and all appeared very much pleased.” Insert picture of Town Hall where the bazaar was held

Watford Observer, 10 December 1887

The Bazaar became an annual event in Rickmansworth, and Sophie drove it until a few months before her death even though unable latterly to attend.

Watford Observer, 6 December 1890

Sophie and her own family

John and Sophie’s daughter Fanny married William Hounsfield on 2 March 1865. They lived at Oxhey Hall farm, and had their first child, Edith, in September 1867. Sophie took her role as grandmother seriously.

27 Sept 1867, “Drove Dear Fan & her Baby & Sophie a round of Calls to Day and got home at 5 o’ck”

11 Sept 1869,“My Dear Fanny confined this Morning with a Boy… the Baby was born about 4 o’c this Mg. My Dear Wife has gone over this Evg.”

30 Sept 1873, “Dear Sophie went to London for the Day. Met Dear Fanny & her two Girls at the Watford Station who went & returned with her.”

21 May 1874,“My Dear Fanny confined early this morning with a little Girl, the 6th Child. … My Dear Wife gone over to stay with her for a short time.”

But life was not always so happy:

30 Jan 1868, “Mr Powell my Dear Wife’s Father died this Morning…”

Nov 1883,“Dear little Baby Boy [Herbert, aged 2] has diptheria. Dear little Soul we are much grieved… the dear Child pass’d away at 3.40 P.M… Our grief is great.”

1 Mar 1895, “What a Sad tale I have to note to night. The Sudden death my poor Son-in Law, William Hounsfield who died this morning at 11 AM after only a few hours…”

Family life - the Hounsfields

John and Sophie’s daughter Fanny married William Hounsfield on 2 March 1865. They lived at Oxhey Hall farm, and had the first of their eleven children in September 1867.

Like Fanny’s father and grandfathers, they were without doubt a middle-class Victorian family, and we see something of how such a family lived. The children had a governess, and both girls and boys went away to school.

Insert photo of school/croquet/penny readings

July 7th 1869,“Dear Fan & Hounsfield came over to Tea & met a lot of young friends of Mary Whites to a Croquet Party”

7^th April 1870, “Dear Fan & Hounsfield came to Tea & went with us to the penny readings…”

Oct 1878,“My dear [grand]children Edie & Amy with their schoolfellows came this aftn. Their governess Miss Girling brought them & took them back by the 7.25 train from Rick’th.”

July 1883, “…Train for Bognor with Dear Fan … to go along to see the Dear Girls Edie and Amy at School... went to the St Michaels School Chapel where my dear Girls are.”

25 July 1879, “Edie & Amy with their school fellows & Governess came to tea & have a game in the hay field. The afternoon was nice & fine for them. They left by the 9 eveng Train.”

17th March 1883, “… Dr Hurndalls school Boys up this Evening to Tea before their departure as the Dr is giving up his School this Easter & they will all be distributed to their homes …very nice Boys … unfortunate for our dear Grandson Arthur as he has only just gone there…”

We’ll be able to augment this account with William Hounsfield’s own diaries in due time.