Home > People and Places
A Guide to the People and Places in Arthur's Letters.
Arthur Dease had a global circle of friends and contacts. He travelled the world before and after World War 1 and of course his parentage and upbringing ensured he mixed with the highest levels of British society at home and abroad. I will be updating this page regularly as I continue research his letters and one day even work my way through 170 or so letters left to transcribe.
I hope it also helps visitors to this site place the letters in some sort of context. I have previously added an interactive map of place names in France that Arthur mentions in his letters to his mother; I hope this will also be useful to those with an interest in WW1.
I hope it also helps visitors to this site place the letters in some sort of context. I have previously added an interactive map of place names in France that Arthur mentions in his letters to his mother; I hope this will also be useful to those with an interest in WW1.
Key People.
|
Father - Colonel Sir Gerald Richard Dease 1831-1903
|
Arthur's father, Irish, lived in Celbridge Abbey, County Kildare, Ireland. Was Chamberlain to various Lords Lieutenant of Ireland and a director of several businesses in Ireland, including The Bank of Ireland where he was Governor between 1890 and 1892.
|
|
Mother - Lady Emily Dease 1842-1929
|
Emily married Arthur's Father in 1863. Formerly Emily Throckmorton of Coughton Court, Warwickshire, England. Daughter of Sir Robert George Throckmorton, 8th Baronet, and Elizabeth Acton.
|
|
Will - William Dease 1867-1946
|
Arthur's brother, served with the Remount Service in WW1. An Irish farmer and landowner. Married Gertrude Lascelles. Parents of Arthur's nephew, Ernest.
|
|
Evie - Eveline Dease 1869-
|
Arthur's sister married an Italian, Ferdinand Leoni, in 1901 and lived in Rome during WW1. Parents of Arthur's niece Ita - not sure of her real name.
|
|
Alison S - Alison Mary Purves Smith 1882-1971
|
Arthur's Australian wife, they married in October 1917 in London. Alison was the daughter of wealthy businessman William Smith of Melbourne.
|
|
Maurice - Maurice James Dease VC 1889-1914
|
The son of Arthur's cousin, Edmund Dease, Maurice was awarded the first Victoria Cross of World War 1. He was killed in action defending Nimy Bridge, Mons, Belgium on 23rd August 1914.
|
Key Places Mentioned in Arthur's Letters
|
Celbridge - Town and location of Celbridge Abbey
|
The Abbey was Arthur's family home in County Kildare, Ireland. The town had a population of about 1,000 people when Arthur's family lived there.
|
|
Coughton - Coughton Court
|
Located in Warwickshire, England. The home of Arthur's mother, Emily, and seat of the Throckmorton family since the 15th century. The Throckmorton's were a prominent Catholic family and still rent the house from The National Trust. Arthur and his family were frequent visitors to Coughton Court.
|