Vol 3 - Lackham Countryside Centre

The Manor of Lackham Vol 3 : The Montagu family
ammunition and the attack was beaten off” 424
As has already been seen, this time three members of the family were
stationed in North America – George was with the 15 th Regiment of Foot,
his uncle Admiral John Montagu was Admiral Commanding the British
Navy in the colonies and George’s cousin John was serving in his father’s
flagship.
Ann stayed with the Montagu’s at Lackham during this separation.
While in America George was promoted to Captain, and it was here that
he first started his work as a naturalist – initially “by shooting any of the
more interesting American birds”, although initially this was only so that
he could show them to his mother 425 or wife 426 .
George left the Army shortly after returning to England.
George and Ann may not have remained at Lackham; their first
daughter, Eleanor, was baptised at Rowde 427 , as was his eldest son
Frederick Courtney, close to Devizes 428 , in 1780. It is possible
that the baptism took place at Rowde because George’s brother in
law, William Higginson 429 was Vicar there, or they may have been
living in the village.
424 http:/www.pwstubbs.force9.co.uk/15 th /15 th .htm ibid
425 Cunnington, W (1852) Memoir of George Montagu WAM III
426 Moroney EH (1965) Col Montagu and his harrier Country Life, Aug 26 p516-517,
and Badeni, J (1992)
427 According to the Rowde parish registers (Henceforth RPR) Eleanor Anne Wortley
Montagu was born 8 th September 1780 and baptised two months later. It is these
records which show Ann as Mary Ann.
428 RPR Baptisms Born Jan 22 1783 Frederick Augustus Courteny Montague son
George & Mary Anne Montague bap Mar 11
429 As seen above he had married George’s sister Elizabeth in 1764
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