Catherine Smyth (née Vanheelen)

1. Marriage of Francis George Smyth and Catherine Vanheelen 22/10/1792 at St Marylebone. He was probably the Francis George Smyth esq who was resident at the newly-built Oldbury Hall, near Atherstone, Warwickshire, when it was to let for a term of three years in 1795 (Smyth was "leaving the country"); he was of Wilbury House, Wiltshire, when his sister married in 1799.

2. Three children born to this marriage: Francis George Raxted Smyth, baptised St Andrew's, Clifton, 19/03/1798; Henry William, born at Stratford Place, London, 17/09/1803, died at Kingston, Jamaica, immediately after arriving there, 23/11/1825 (having gone there for the sake of his health); Harriet Catherine, who married Thomas Bladen Capel in 1816.

3. Her husband was appointed Lieut.Col. of the 2nd Bn, Gloucestershire Militia, 1810, and as "Lt.Col. F G Smyth" was present at several Royal Levees in the following years. In 1811 his wife gave "an elegant supper and ball at Upper Brook Street to upwards of 300 persons of the first distinction. The suite of apartments were beautifully decorated with flowers and illuminated with the most excellent chandeliers".

1. Ancestry.com, London England Marriages and Banns 1754-1921 [database online]; Northampton Mercury 14/03/1795; Salisbury and Winchester Journal 29/11/1799.

2. Ancestry.com, England, Select Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 [database online]; Ancestry.com, London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 [database online]; Norwich Mercury 28/01/1826; see separate entry for Thomas Bladen Capel.

3. Morning Post 12/09/1810, 10/05/1811 and 01/03/1824.

We are grateful to Paul Hitchings for his assistance with compiling this entry.