Thorley Postal History - Hartigan 1914

From the Thorley Archives

Thorley Postal History

Hartigan 1914

Sender’s address, Thorley House
Thorley House designed by Eustace Corrie Frere ARIBA in January 1901 for
Laurie Frere of Twyford House.
Occupied on 1911 census by William age 60 and Mary Alice Hartigan, 28.

Adhesive 1d red stamp George V
Overseas postage rate for postcards
Postmarked Bishop’s Stortford
Dated 9pm 4th December 1914

In Canon Procter’s account of Thorley men in WW1 William is Doctor Hartigan. He employed William Charles Baverstock of Sparrow’s Nest as chauffeur as well as Arthur Threadgold as a groom.

The reverse picture side is of Windhill
and St Michaels Church, Bishop’s Stortford.

The Relationship to
Mrs Clarributt– Skinner
has yet to be determined

Thorley House. Dec 4th
-- so many thanks for your long kind letter.
M has written to you lately
and will have told you all my news.
I have no heart for letter writing
these sad days so excuse a p/card.
Dermot is still at Highclere Castle
and has not been so well lately
so I am going down to see him again
probably this week- end.
All warmest best wishes to you and C
for X’mas and especially the new year
which we must hope will bring an end
to all the cruel slaughter
– with love – F.G.H

M refers to the writer’s daughter Mary Alice Hartigan

Dermot is the writer’s son Dermot Hartigan, Major M.C. Sad days refers to her son being shot in the lung at Meterien, France on 13th October 1914. He was invalided home to convalesce at Highclere Castle, Berkshire before returning to France in May 1915. After a distinguished career he ended his war service 1st April 1919. He joined up again in August 1945 and saw service on the home front in both the army and the navy. He died in Dublin in 1976 aged 89.

F.G.H. are the initials of Mrs Florence Gertrude Hartigan

A complete record of Major Hartigan’s service history can be seen on the Medal Society of Ireland’s website

Thorley House designed by Eustace Corrie Frere ARIBA in January 1901 for his cousin Laurie Frere of Twyford House. E. C. Frere also designed the lych gate for St James Church, Thorley in the 1920s and Rye Street Hospital, Bishop's Stortford that is featured in the William Clark card. The plans for Thorley House were donated to the Thorley archives by Mrs Pamela Finch (Wolfson) whose family lived there from the 1930s and then later on in the house next door, Sparrows Nest.

Highclere Castle was a hospital during World War One

Thorley Postal History

Sender’s address, Thorley House Thorley House designed by Eustace Corrie Frere ARIBA in January 1901 for Laurie Frere of Twyford House. Occupied on 1911 census by William age 60 and Mary Alice Hartigan, 28.	Adhesive 1d red stamp George V Overseas postage rate for postcards Postmarked Bishop’s Stortford Dated 9pm 4th December 1914
In Canon Procter’s account of Thorley men in WW1 William is Doctor Hartigan. He employed William Charles Baverstock of Sparrow’s Nest as chauffeur as well as Arthur Threadgold as a groom.	The reverse picture side is of Windhill and St Michaels Church, Bishop’s Stortford.