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Biography of Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet 1848-1915

Paternal Family Tree: Antrobus

On 11 Feb 1847 [his father] Edmund Antrobus 3rd Baronet (age 28) and [his mother] Marianne Georgiana Dashwood Lady Antrobus were married. They had six children.

On 25 Dec 1848 Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet was born to Edmund Antrobus 3rd Baronet (age 30) and Marianne Georgiana Dashwood Lady Antrobus.

In 1886 Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet (age 37) and Florence Caroline Mathilde Sartoris Lady Antrobus (age 30) were married.

On 23 Dec 1886 [his son] Edmund Antrobus was born to Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet (age 37) and [his wife] Florence Caroline Mathilde Sartoris Lady Antrobus (age 30).

On 01 Apr 1899 [his father] Edmund Antrobus 3rd Baronet (age 80) died. His son Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet (age 50) succeeded 4th Baronet Antrobus of Antrobus in Cheshire. [his wife] Florence Caroline Mathilde Sartoris Lady Antrobus (age 43) by marriage Lady Antrobus of Antrobus in Cheshire.

In 1901 Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet (age 52) commissioned the the first major restoration of Stonehenge which he owned.

On 03 Feb 1903 [his mother] Marianne Georgiana Dashwood Lady Antrobus died.

In 1905 Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet (age 56) was initiated into the Ancient Order of Druids and, thereafter, allowed ceremonies to take place at Stonehenge.

Stonehenge was visited last week by a numerous part of Druids, who performed with great solemnity a series of strange and mystic ceremonies around the old monuments. The Ancient Order had travelled to Stonehenge to hold a lodge there. They began operations with a luncheon, at which Sir Edmund Antrobus, the proprietor of the land on which Stonehenge stands, was the guest. Then Sir Edmund and many others were initiated into the mysteries and nature of the Order. Behind an altar stood the Most Nobel Grand Arch, and on either side of him extended a line of bards [?], wondrously arrayed and bearded, and carrying staffs and symbols. Then the candidates for the initiates were led in blindfolded, such candidates with hand on the shoulder of the man in front. There was, it is sais, some laughter from the crowd as they filed forth, but the hymn of welcome drowned the ribaldry, and they were brought to their place between the lines of bearded bards in a burst of melody. The initiation was solemn and severe, and, as a spectacle, was a great success. Our photographs are by Reinhold, Thiele and Co.

On 11 Feb 1915 Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet (age 66) died at his home Amesbury Abbey, Wiltshire [Map]. His brother [his brother] Cosmo Gordon Antrobus 5th Baronet (age 55) succeeded 5th Baronet Antrobus of Antrobus in Cheshire, and inherited the Amesbury Abbey, Wiltshire [Map] estate including Stonehenge.

The Times. 13 Feb 1915. Death of Sir Edward Antrobus (deceased)

Owner and Guardian of Stonehenge.

Colonel Sir Edward Antrobus, Bt., died at Amesbury Abbey [Map], on Thursday afternoon at the age of 67. He is succeeded by his only remaining brother, Mr. [his brother] Cosmo Gordon Antrobus (age 55). His only son [[his son] Edmund Antrobus], who was a Lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards, was killed in action on October 24 last.

Sir Edmund Antrobus will be remembered as the owner of the famous Stonehenge, on Salisbury Plain, which was included in the Amesbury Abbey estate of about 8000 acres. After consulting with the Society of Antiquaries, the Society of Ancient Monuments, and the Wilts Archaeological Society, Sir Edmund determined to enclose the monument by wire fencing, and the action led to litigation in the High Court. In April, 1905, the Solicitor-General claimed an order against the owner to remove the fencing, and an injunction to restrain him from erecting such fencing. The claim was based on two grounds - (1) That Stonehenge was a national monument of great interest, and was subject to trust for its freer use by the public: and (2) that there were public roads running up to and through Stonehenge, and that those roads had been blocked by the defendant's fencing. Sir Edmund produced title deeds showing the purchase in fee by this great-great-uncle from the trustees of the Duke of Queensbury, some seventy years before, and an absolute fee simple title in himself. Mr. Justice Farwell, in giving judgement for Sir Edmund, observed that it was only fair to the defendant to say that he was not acting capriciously, but on expert advice, the preservation of the stones.

Sir Edmund, who was the fourth baromet, took a large share in local administration. He was an alderman of the Wilts County Council, a justice of the peace, a member of the Amesbury Rural District Council, and served on many local committees. A few years ago his intention of selling the Amesbury Abbey estate was announced, but the sale was never effected.

Sir Edmund Antrotus was formerly colonel of the 3rd Battalion of the Grenadier Guards, and served in the Suakin Expedition of 1885. He married, in 1886, [his former wife] Florence (age 59), daughter of the late Mr. J. A. Sartoris, of Hopsford Hall, Coventry.

Cosmo Gordon Antrobus 5th Baronet: On 22 Oct 1859 he was born to Edmund Antrobus 3rd Baronet and Marianne Georgiana Dashwood Lady Antrobus. On 11 Feb 1915 Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet died at his home Amesbury Abbey, Wiltshire. His brother Cosmo Gordon Antrobus 5th Baronet succeeded 5th Baronet Antrobus of Antrobus in Cheshire, and inherited the Amesbury Abbey, Wiltshire estate including Stonehenge. On 21 Sep 1915 Cosmo Gordon Antrobus 5th Baronet sold Stonehenge at auction. It was bought by Cecil Herbert Edward Chubb 1st Baronet; see Archaeologia Cambrensis Series 6 Volume 15 1905 Stonehenge. On 29 Jun 1939 Cosmo Gordon Antrobus 5th Baronet died. His first cousin Philip Humphrey Antrobus 6th Baronet succeeded 6th Baronet Antrobus of Antrobus in Cheshire.

Archaeologia Cambrensis Series 6 Volume 15 1905 Stonehenge. 22 Sep 1915. Sale of Stonehenge. — Great public interest was shown in the sale by auction at Salisbury yesterday [September 21st] of the Amesbury Abbey estate, including Stonehenge. Sir Howard Frank, of Messrs. Knight, Frank and Rutley, conducted the sale, and explained that the estate came into the market in consequence of the deaths of Sir Edmund Antrobus and of his only son [[his son] Edmund Antrobus], who was killed in action last October. The estate, which has many historical associations, comprises 6,420 acres, and has an estimated rental of £5,359. It was first submitted as a whole, but as no purchaser was forthcoming it was offered in lots, of which Amesbury Abbey and grounds formed the first. This was unsold. Farms and buildings in the town of Amesbury, however, sold at good prices, and most of the property changed hands. When Stonehenge was put up for sale Sir Howard Frank asked for an opening bid of £5,000. A bid for that amount was made at once, quickly followed by an advance of £100, and £6,000 was readied within a minute. Then there was a lull. The auctioneer said the price was a poor one for Stonehenge, which could not be valued, but if there were no further offers he would accept it. Bidding recommenced and mounted to £6,600, at which the property fell to a local landowner, Mr. C. H. E. Chubb (age 39), of Bemerton Lodge, Salisbury. After the sale Mr. Chubb said that when he went into the sale room he had no intention whatever of buying the monument. "While I was there," he added, I thought a Salisbury man ought to buy it, and that is how it was done." Asked if he had any plans for the future of Stonehenge, Mr. Chubb said that, while he intended to preserve the monument, he would do nothing for some little time, as he had to consider the position. — Times, September 22nd, 1915.

Profits Of Stonehenge. — -Mr. Chubb, the new owner of Stonehenge, will not be given legal possession for some months. Meanwhile he has formulated no plan for the future, except that he is determined to take every step to see that the stones are preserved as heretofore.

The opinion expressed locally is that Mr. Chubb has made an excellent bargain, quite apart from the historic interest attaching to Stonehenge. As the purchase price was £6,600, and the net receipts from fees paid by visitors to the enclosure average £360 per annum, the transaction, regarded in a cold commercial light, represents an investment of over 5 per cent.Times, September 23rd, 1915.

Stonehenge: Its Recent Sale And Price.- The following letter appeared in "The Times of October 6th, 1915:— Sir, — The sale by auction a few days ago of Stonehenge for the comparatively small sum of £6600 will, I think, cause regret in many quarters that the opportunity was lost of vesting this most important national monument in some public body, and of restoring to the public the access to it, free of charge, which had been enjoyed for countless centuries. It will be recollected that fourteen years ago litigation was undertaken with this object. The claim was made that two well-worn ways leading up to, and through, the outer circle of stones were obstructed by the inclosure, which was erected partly with the object of guarding the stones, but mainly for the purpose of enforcing a charge of admission of Is. a head. Those of us who were engaged in this attempt were worsted in the suit and were heavily mulcted in costs. It was not generally known, however, and could not be stated at the hearing of the suit, that at an early stage of the proceedings we offered to purchase the monument and a few acres of Down land surrounding it for the sum of £10,000, with the purpose of placing the monument under the full protection of the Ancient Monuments Act. The effect of this would be that the Government would be charged with the duty and cost of guarding and preserving the stones, and that access of the public to them would be secured, free of charge, for ever. The then owner of the property did not object to a sale, but he said that his price was £50,000. For this sum he had already offered the monument to the Government, and when it was rejected, on the ground that it was altogether exorbitant, he threatened to sell the stones to an American millionaire, who would ship them across the Atlantic. The then Chancellor of the Exchequer, to whom the offer and threat were verbally made, very properly replied that if an attempt was made to remove the monument he would send a regiment from the camp on Salisbury Plain to prevent it. In spite of this rebuff, the excessive price was insisted upon, with the result that the suit was proceeded with. Since then the admission fees have been maintained, and I am informed that the visitors to Stonehenge have been only one-fourth in number of what they used to be. The net produce from the charge for admission has averaged the last three years £320, after deducting the cost of guarding and preserving it. The fees for admission during the last half-year have been greatly reduced in consequence of the war.

"When, a few weeks ago, the intended sale of the monument was announced, I would gladly have made an effort to raise a sum for its purchase, with the object of undoing the wrong which had been done in 1901. But I found that, in view of the many claims arising out of the war, it was impossible to raise by subscription even the moderate sum which appeared to be the full commercial value of the monument, based on the admission fees.

"There remained, however, the possibility that the monument might be purchased by some public body, such as the National Trust, who would maintain the charge for admission to it until more favourable times, when it would be possible to reduce or abolish that charge. In this view, the National Trust, at my suggestion, entered into a correspondence with Messrs. Knight, Frank and Rutley, the agents for the sale of the Amesbury estate. The society had no funds at its immediate disposal for such a purpose, but among its generous supporters there would probably have been found those who would advance the purchase-money on loan on the security of the admission fees. It was necessary, however, before applying to any such friends, to know the price demanded for the monument. The society was informed by the agents that the owner could not name a price, but was prepared to entertain any offer from the National Trust above the sum of £10,000 — a price evidently based upon the offer made for it fourteen years ago. The society replied to this that, after careful consideration, they had come to the conclusion that the minimum price named by the owner was altogether excessive, particularly in view of the exceptional conditions consequent on the war, and that they were unable to make an offer of that amount or above it.

"The reply of the agents to this, on September 17th, was 'that the vendor, who is a tenant for life of the property, would not be justified in selling Stonehenge previous to the auction except at a price which was considered by us (Messrs. Knight, Frank and Rutley) to be high.' They added — 'The reserve at the auction, however, is a low one, in our view, and is thousands of pounds below the amount mentioned in our previous letter,' namely, £10,000. They suggested that the National Trust should be represented at the auction. It was thus practically admitted that the price named by the owner in the previous letter was, in the opinion of the experienced agents who advised him, too high by some thousands. The letter was received by the National Trust on Saturday, September 18th, three days before the sale by auction. It was impossible, in this short interval, to make arrangements for finding the possible purchase-money. The society, therefore, was not represented at the auction, and made no bid. The monument was bought for S6600 by a gentleman resident in the neighbourhood, who has stated that he has bought it as an investment, but with the full intention of doing his best to preserve it a promise which I doubt not he will fulfil. Not the less, however, it is to be regretted that the monument has not become the property of some public body, with the prospect of the reduction or remission of the entrance fees. I may be permitted also to point out that the price obtained at the auction, while it confirms the opinion of the agents who conducted the sale, is also striking proof that the sum offered for the monument in 1901 was most generous, and such as, in the interest of the entailed estate and of the public, should have been accepted.

I am yours faithfully,

Eversley.

Abbotsworthy House, Winchester,

October 1st.

In 1923 [his former wife] Florence Caroline Mathilde Sartoris Lady Antrobus (age 67) died.

Ancestors of Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet 1848-1915

Great x 2 Grandfather: Philip Antrobus

Great x 1 Grandfather: John Antrobus

GrandFather: Edmund Antrobus 2nd Baronet

Father: Edmund Antrobus 3rd Baronet

Edmund Antrobus 4th Baronet

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet

Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Dashwood

Great x 4 Grandmother: Penelope Chamberlayne Lady Dashwood

Great x 2 Grandfather: James Dashwood 2nd Baronet

Great x 4 Grandfather: James Reade 2nd Baronet

Great x 3 Grandmother: Dorothy Reade

Great x 4 Grandmother: Love Dring Lady Reade

Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Watkin Dashwood 3rd Baronet

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Spencer

Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Spencer

Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Spencer Lady Dashwood

GrandFather: George Dashwood 4th Baronet

Mother: Marianne Georgiana Dashwood Lady Antrobus

Great x 3 Grandfather: Admiral William Rowley

Great x 2 Grandfather: Admiral Joshua Rowley 1st Baronet

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Rowley 2nd Baronet

GrandMother: Marianne Sarah Rowley

Great x 2 Grandfather: Admiral Robert Harland 1st Baronet

Great x 1 Grandmother: Susanna Edith Harland

Great x 2 Grandmother: Susanna Reynold