The Joys and Distractions of Historical Research.

Sir Walter Gilbey's Funeral, November 1914

One of the joys and distractions of historical research is finding an unexpected clue - and before you know where you are you are hard at work on an interesting side issue - which becomes more interesting the deeper you dig.

Some years ago I obtained a pair of photographs of a funeral - but who was being buried, and it took about 5 years to be certain it was the funeral of Sir Walter Gilbey, of Gilbey's Gin fame, who was being buried in Bishops Stortford in 1914

Earlier this week I was looking at an account of the 1915 AGM of the Tring Agricultural Society, which described Sir Walter's contribution to the Society in these words:  

"Sir Walter had been a member of Tring Show for 22 years, and he must often in his younger days have trodden the ground where our annual show is held, when a pupil on the Tring Park Estate."

I wanted to know more - and then more ... If you are intrigued to know why a very rich man such as Sir Walter started out a "a pupil on the Tring Park estate" see Auctioneer's Apprentices in Tring, 1828-1848

Update to the Gilbey Funeral at Bishops Stortford

A few years ago I acquired two photographs of a grand funeral procession and by carrying out some detailed research, using clues such as poster on the wall, and in windows, in the background was able to identify the place where one of the photographs was taken, and to date it to a very narrow period. While it has not yet been confirmed it seems very likely that the funeral was of Walter Gilbey, of Gilbey's Gin fame, in Bishops Stortford, in November 1914. For details of the interesting story behind the pictures see The Funeral, Bishops Stortford.

 At the time the location of the above picture was not known, although it shows the same hearse with the same floral arrangement on the top. Now David Brown, of Bishops Stortford writes: 

From the houses - particularly the small gable end you can see behind the house on the left, and the windows in the attic - it is pretty clear that the procession is in London Road just south of the junction with South Street (the Whitepost roundabout).  The procession is heading south along London Road and presumably would have turned right up Thorley Hill towards the cemetery

 I have also added a brief news report of the funeral, which took place on November 16th, from The Times and a portrait from the Illustrated London News.