Obituary of Richard Henry Fremlin (d.1916)

Post date: Mar 06, 2012 10:12:19 PM

Extract from Parish magazine of April 1916:

The name of Richard Henry Fremlin will be remembered in Wateringbury long after those who were privileged to know him personally and now mourn his loss shall have passed away. For 45 years, or thereabouts, he lived his bachelor life at May Lodge, the house attached to Upper Mill Farm, which, with the Lower Mill and "Wardens," the old home of the family, he inherited from his father, James Fremlin, on the death of the latter in 1881. May Lodge had at one time been occupied by Dr. William Rutter Dawes, F.R.S., the astronomer, and afterwards by Mr. Arthur Fremlin, who went to live at Court Lodge, Teston, in or about the year 1870. When Mr. Richard succeeded his brother Arthur in the management of Upper Mill Farm the house was but a small one: before entering into residence he enlarged it, and he added to it again at a later date.

 After a time he was asked by his brothers at Maidstone to assist them in the management of their growing business there. The additional responsibilities which he thus undertook made his life a busy one, so that he had little time. And being moreover of a retiring nature he had little inclination, to enter into what is known as public life. But he fully recognised the responsibilities of his position and opportunities in the parish. 

In early days he joined with his brother Ralph and his friend Mr. E. J. Goodwin in carrying on a night school in a cottage in Old Road: those were times before the State recognised the importance of elementary education. His name appears for the first time in the minute book of the Vestry in the year 1873. In 1879 he was elected to serve on the new Burial Board, and also on the Sanitary Committee which created a drainage system for part of the village. In 1884, at the time of the enlargement of the north aisle of the Church, he was elected by the people as their Churchwarden, an office which he discharged continuously, with the exception of one year (1891-2), until Easter, 1897.

Under March 25th, 1889, there appears a vote of thanks to  the Churchwardens for the many services rendered by them to the church and parish; and again under March 27th, 1894,  "to Mr. Fremlin and Mr. Jude for their liberality in connexion with the new organ erected in the church in the course of preceding year."   Without being an expert musician he was very fond of music and took much interest in the musical rendering of the Church Services.   

For the last twenty years, the period for which the writer can personally testify, though Mr. Fremlin was not fond of attending public meetings, no movement projected for the welfare of the parish was carried out without his careful consideration and backed by his generous financial support: the enlargement of the schools  in 1896, the building Parish Church Rooms, the erection of the Lych Gate in memory of the Jubilee of Queen Victoria; the establishment of the Queen Victoria Memorial Essay Prize, may be mentioned among the public undertakings which the place owes in a great  measure  to his assistance; and he was always ready to lend a willing hand to any request for assistance of a less public nature—in fact his kindness cannot be measured, for he was a man who always preferred to keep in the background and to do good by stealth so to speak.  

It was a great joy to  him  to be  able to share the  pleasure of  his plentiful garden with friends—a garden which he was continually extending and stocking with precious  plants collected from all quarters of the globe, and indeed  lovers of flowers  came from all parts of the world, one may say to make his acquaintance and to see his treasures.  During  the  spring and  summer months the grounds were thrown open on Wednesday afternoons to the public, and many parishioners habitually availed themselves of the privilege thus accorded to them.  A man of wide culture and reverent mind, albeit of independent thought—" no doubt we shall have what we want there," he replied simply to a friend who going round his garden with him, connected its beauty with a reference to the hope of the future. That was not long before he began to  be confined to his house by his last illness, borne throughout bravely and patiently.  He reached the full term of fourscore years, and was laid to rest in his parents' grave near the Church Porch on March 30th.

Extract from Kent & Sussex Courier of 25 May 1916:

Richard Henry Fremlin, Wateringbury, Senior partner in the well-known firm of Messrs. Fremlin Bros., whose death occurred at the age of 80 on the 25th March last, has left estate valued £248,413 lis. with net personalty £230,758 9d. Mr. Alfred Charles Leney, Garden House, Saltwood, Hythe, Kent, brewer; Mr. Harry Leney, Selling Court, Selling. Kent, brewer; and the Rev. Frederick Fremlin Key. of the Rectory, Egginton, Derby, his nephews, are the Executors. The Will is dated 31st December, 1915, wherein Testator left: —Little Benover Farm, Yalding, his nephew, Harry Leney; Redhill Farm and to his brother Frank; residence and freehold property in Wateringbury to his sisters, Florence Flint and Helen Fremlin; property in Africa to his nephew. Arthur Granville Fremlin; £2,000 to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; £l,OOO Dr. Barnardo's Homes; £5OO to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. 

The residue of his property is left in 100 parts, as to 10 parts to his sister, Annie Durant King: 13 parts in trust for his sister Elizabeth Jude Hunt;16 parts in trust for his sister, Frances Flint; 16 parts in trust for his sister, Helen Fremlin; and remainder to nephews and nieces.