Featherstone Family

This is primarily the story of Marie Featherstone born 25 April 1896 at Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, the daughter of John Thomas Featherstone, a baker and his wife Albina Eliza. Marie was baptised in the parish church 11 June 1896. Subsequently, she was recorded in the 1901 and 1911 Censuses as daughter at home.

Arrival in Steeple Morden

The next mention of Marie is in 1929, when she is recorded as owner and occupier of Orchard Cottage in Hay Street. This is in a Rating Valuation, where the names of the previous owners and occupiers had been entered, but crossed out and replaced by Miss Marie Featherstone,  suggesting that Marie had recently arrived in the parish?

The following year Marie is in the Press as a successful breeder of West Highland Terriers at Elmslea Kennels, Steeple Morden and 1930, 1931 and 1932 she is recorded in the Electoral Rolls at The Cottage. The next Electoral Roll available is 1935 and her name is not included.

Life after Steeple Morden

The dog breeding was given up, at some point and by 1936 she is resident at 104 Cholmley Gardens, West Hampstead with Hester Sara Manfield, Elizabeth Ann Phipps and Margaret Tomlinson Scott, where she remained until the menage moved in early 1939 to Grove House, Biddenham, Bedfordshire. The ladies enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle with regular foreign cruises.

Hester Sara Manfield born 25 April 1888 (co-incidentally on the same day and month as Marie) was exactly eight years older than Marie. She was born in Northampton daughter of James Manfield, a major shoe manufacturer and his wife Louisa. In 1911 they were living at Weston Favell House, Northamptonshire, which her father had had built and the household employed ten servants, ranging through lady’s maid, cook, chauffer, gardener, footman and housemaids.