Social Victorians/People/Longhurst

Also Known As

• Family name: Longhurst
• A Mr. P. A. Longhurst attended the Duchess of Devonshire's 1897 fancy-dress ball. His identity is still unknown.

Demographics

• Nationality:

Timeline

1892 May 25, Wednesday, a Mr. Longhurst, "representing the British Chamber of Commerce," attended a full-dress dinner at Lord and Lady Dufferin's in Paris. This man turns out to be Mr. T. Longhurst probably.

1892 November 14, Monday, a Mr. Longhurst attended a dinner given by the British Chamber of Commerce at the Hôtel St. Petersburg in Paris. (Probably Mr. T. Longhurst)

1893 January 2, Monday, Mr. P. A. Longhurst was in a meeting to form a local branch of the Agricultural Union. M. J. Longhurst was his brother, Montagu J. Longhurst; the article does not mention P. A. Longhurst again, so this is only the first paragraph of it:

THE AGRICULTURAL UNION.

FORMATION A BRANCH AT FRANT.

A meeting was held on Monday evening the Boys' School, Frant, under the auspices of the local Farmer's Club, with the object of forming a branch of the Agricultural Union at this village. Colonel Hamilton Grace. C.C., presided, supported by Mr George Arnold, Mr Ed. Dunkley, the Rev. W. C. Streatfeild [sic], Messrs. P. A. Longhurst, M. J. Longhurst, W. Carrington, Bond, Cooper, Boorman, and a good attendance of labouring men and others.

1893 February 16, Thursday, Mr. Percy Longhurst was active (including singing) at a meeting of the Conservative Association in Frant.

1893 12 June, Monday, P. A. Longhurst took part in the "annual reunion" of the Charing Cross Hospital Sports. He ran in the One Mile Scratch Race and did not place.

1893 November 27, Monday, P. A. Longhurst is the "hon. secretary" of the Frant Farmers' Club. Still is on Monday, 12 March 1894.

1894 May 24, Thursday, Mr. Percy A. Longhurst and Mr. Ernest Longhurst are listed as having arrived at St. Vincent's Rocks Hotel, Clifton in the Clifton Society.

1895 March 30, Mr. Percy Longhurst was a visitor at a boarding house called Sunnyside in Folkestone; apparently higher in status than boarding houses are private hotels, with hotels higher yet. The names of a very few familiar people appear in the lists of visitors to the higher status places. He is still there on 6 April 1895.

1895 July 8, Monday, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Surrey to lay the foundation stone for a new Lower School at Epsom College for "sons of medical men." The Royal party included Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, Alexandra, Princess of Wales, "Princess Victoria, the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn, the Earl and Countess of Donoughmore, and Sir John Ellis, the equerry in attendance." As part of the Epsom Urban Council, E. Longhurst was "[a]mongst those invited to the ceremony."

1895 September 7, Saturday, Sir Joseph Renals, the Lord Mayor of London, and Lady Renals were in Paris. They were met during the day by "the Chairman and Directors of the British Chamber of Commerce — Messrs. S. B. Arnold (President), Robertson (Vice President), Longhurst (Hon. Secretary), Eugène Laurier, Spiers, and Robertson." (Probably Mr. T. Longhurst)

1896 June 2, Tuesday, the British Chamber of Commerce held its annual banquet in Paris:

LORD DUFFERIN AT THE BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

(FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT.)

The annual banquet of the British Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday evening was one of the most brilliant assemblies in the annals of the Chamber. About a hundred and fifty guests attended, including the British Ambassador and Lady Dufferin; Mrs. Rowan Hamilton, mother of Lady Dufferin; Lady Helen Munro-Ferguson and Lady Hermione Blackwood, daughters of their Excellencies; Sir Albert Rollit, M.P., President of the London Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Lyng, President of the American Chamber of Commerce; Monsieur Hector Fabre, the Canadian Commissioner to Paris; and others. ...

He (the speaker [Rollit]) told us that he had studied the annual report of the B.C.C. on his way to Paris, and had been much impressed by the fulness and accuracy of the information contained therein, thanks to the zeal displayed by the hon. secretary, Mr. Longhurst. Statistics, it had been said, could be made to say anything: but the statistics of the B.C.C. would be found to tell the truth, or as near it as possible.

1896 October 31, Saturday, a Mr. P. Longhurst was present at the Elridge Hunt. Most of the people present were local, and a very few were prominent and attended the Duchess of Devonshire's ball:

ERIDGE HUNT.

OPENING MEET.

There was gay throng gathered around the stately Castle of Eridge on Saturday last, when the hunting season was inaugurated by the first meet of the Eridge Foxhounds, which was held under the most favourable auspices, both in regard to the weather and the members who took part in the hunt. Rain fell during the previous evening, but Saturday dawned with a clear blue sky, which brightened with a radiant sunshine as the forenoon advanced, and added considerably to the delightful spectacle which the surroundings of Eridge Castle now present, clad in their winter foliage, and which, ere long, will disappear before the power and force of the gale. Shortly after ten o’clock visitors began to take up positions on the terraced walks, which were lined long before the appointed hour for the hounds to take the field. Amongst those in attendance were a large number of lady cyclists from Tunbridge Wells, who, encouraged by the bright October morn, took their early spin to the Marquis of Abergavenny’s pretty Sussex seat. Many of the resident families in the neighbourhood drove up to the Castle in carriage and pair, and several familiar faces on such occasions could be seen as they came on the scene with smart horses and traps. The genial Master of the hounds (Lord Henry Nevill) formed a conspicuous figure in his hunting costume, and no less noticeable was the form of Lord William Nevill, who yearly is to be seen in the field at the opening of the Eridge hunting season. Lord George Nevill was not present, but he was represented his sons, Masters Guy and Rupert Nevill, who, though young, look every inch sportsmen. Amongst other prominent personages in attendance were:— Lady Henry Nevill, Lady George Nevill, Lady De La Warr, Miss Joan Nevill, Miss Madge Nevill, Sir George Stirling, Bart., Mr. A. G. Boscawen, M.P. (looking the picture of health after his autumnal holiday in the “land o’ brown heath”), Mrs. Boscawen, Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay Hogg, Mr. F. V. Williams, Shirley Hall, Langton (late Master of the Hunt), Mrs. Williams, Mr. G. E. Macbean, secretary of the Hunt (who received the visitors as they approached the Castle, and, as usual, was most obliging to all who applied to him for information regarding the day’s proceedings), and Mr. F. W. Stone, treasurer of the Hunt. After breakfast, which was served in the dining-room of the Castle, Jack Petts, the huntsman, brought the hounds from the kennels, and they stood on the walk ready to take the field they looked a handsome pack. Shortly before twelve the Master gave the signal to start, and in addition to most of those above who took part in the hunt were: Miss Leeke, Miss Crossley, Miss Barrow, Mr. T. W. Larnack, Mr. C. A. Field, Mr. S. D. Larnack. Mr. T. H. Hope, Mr. Stanley Puckle, Mr. R. B. Pott, Mr. E. B. Stone, Mr. T. W. Sheppard, Mr. F. Weare, Mr. W. Dust, Mr. C. C. Clarke, Mr. Walter Cobb, Mr. A. T. A. Pryce, Mr. Stanley Pott, Mr. H. H. Goldfinch, Mr. G. Thornton, Mr. E. E. Robb, Mr. G. F. Martin, Mr. H. Pulford, Mr. Walter Harris, Mr. J. D. Alexander, Mr. C. W. Walker, Mr. R. De Bray Hassell, Mr. W. Rule, Mr. P. Gregory, Mr. G. Cawston, Mr. A. Duke, Mr. E. A. Ashby, Mr [sic] B. S. Wilmot, Mr Maxwell Skipper, Mr G. W. Cass, Mr J. Dunn, Mr G. T. Hammond, and Mr P. Longhurst. Amongst others interested in the Hunt, and who assembled on the lawn, were:— Lady Hope, Lady Alexander, Miss Stirling, Mrs Temple Soames, Rev A. Caldecott (vicar of Eridge), Rev R. T. Thornton, Mr Granville Milner, Mr. E. Durrant, Mr J. Kirby Pain, Alderman H. H. Cronk, Mr. Lee, Master of Ashdown House School, Forest Row, who brought his pupils with him, Mr Boot, Mr R. Roberts, Dr A. T. Abbott, Mr W. Urquhart, Mr A. Williamson, Mr S. Cole, Mr George, Mr F. Steere, Mr Smith, Mr Thomas, Mr Wilson, Mr George, Mr Boissier, Mr G. H. Field, Mr G. Taylor, Mr Ramsley, Mr Dust and party, Mr E. Terry, Mr Cobb, Mr. Ashton, Mr. Gray, Forty [sic], and a host of others. Shortly after the start Reynard was found, but after a time he was lost, and a considerable period was spent endeavouring to dislodge him from a drain in the Old Warren, where it was thought he had found shelter. Afterwards the Hunt proceeded in the direction of Burchett's Wood, where another fox was found. Compelled to break cover, he raced in view of the huntsmen and those who followed the chase across a track of ploughed land, pursued by the hounds, who drove him into the wood. The run was afterwards in the direction of Saxonbury, Cowford Bridge, and White Hill, when the “sly 'un" succeeded in giving the hounds "the slip.” Cobbler's Hall, a covert close the to Castle, was then visited with success, another good run being forthcoming in the direction of White Hill, but no kill took place during the day.

During the assembling of the visitors at the Castle Mr. Percy Lankester, of Tunbridge Wells, took several photographs on the lawn in front of the Castle.

1897 July 2, Friday, Mr. P. A. Longhurst attended the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball.

1900 May 26, The Lancet published a list of "Communications, Letters, &c.," in which was listed "Mr. P. A. Longhurst, Lond." He is also listed in the 22 June 1901 British Medical Journal.

Costume at the Duchess of Devonshire's 2 July 1897 Fancy-dress Ball

At the Duchess of Devonshire's fancy-dress ball, Mr. A. P. Longhurst (at 689) was dressed as an "Egyptian runner."

Notes and Questions

1. At this point, no other Longhursts appear at any social events among this crowd. Perhaps the Gentlewoman has a typo or error somewhere in his name?
2. A Mr. P. A. Longhurst shows up very occasionally in the British Newspaper Archive for this time. His family of origin has one or two teenaged girls or young women as servants, so they seem lower-middle class. The articles about him locate him in Frant, Sussex, which makes it seem likely that this man is Percy Arthur Longhurst (1864–1946). Perhaps he owned a farm near there. He sometimes sang at meetings or events in Frant, Surrey, or Sussex; sometimes brothers or sisters were present. Perhaps the Mr. Longhurst in articles about South London politics are referring to him as well, although normally too many Mr. Longhursts were active at about this time to have any certainty at all about who was who. The Longhursts of Maidenhead and Dorking might be related.
3. Though he was presented to the Lord Lieutenant of Dublin and the Prince of Wales acting on Queen Victoria's behalf and before that, it seems unlikely that Mr. A. P. Longhurst is Seaward (occasionally Seward) Longhurst unless the initials are another mistake by the Gentlewoman. Colonel Viscount Downe presented Veterinary Captain Longhurst, A.V.D., to the the Lord Lieutenant of Dublin, 4th Viscount Monck on 17 February 1892, Wednesday. On 13 March 1893m Monday, a Queen's Levee was held on behalf of Victoria by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. Lieut.-Gen. Sir Evelyn Wood presented "Longhurst, Veterinary Capt. Seaward, Army Veterinary Department, Professor in Army Veterinary School." His name was Seaward Longhurst.
4. The Mr. Longhurst who was a member of the British Chamber of Commerce in Paris seems to have been Mr. T. Longhurst, who lived at "133, Boulevard Périere, Paris," so he is not the one who attended the Duchess of Devonshire's ball.