Vol 3 - Lackham Countryside Centre

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The Manor of Lackham Vol 3 : The Montagu family service with the Royal Navy and Frederick was killed at the Battle of Albuerra 438 . George was deeply affected by the loss “ of his favourite son ” 439 and erected a moving epitaph in Lacock Church. 440 . George Courtenay Conway was, apparently, in the Navy although no details have so far been discovered. After leaving the Army George did not relinquish all contacts with the Military, and joined the Wiltshire Militia, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. At about the time the family moved to Easton Grey George Montagu formed a deep and lasting attachment to another lady, Mrs. Dorville, the wife of a city merchant, a woman of talent and education, who made beautiful drawings for his books 441 433 Cunnington, W (1852) Memoir of George Montagu WAM III p 91 He was Brigade Officer in the 23 rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers under Lord Beresford when he was killed (1811) in Portugal, aged 26. 439 Cunnington, (1852) ibid 440 on the wall of Lackham Aisle, St Cyriacs Lacock To Frederick Augustus Courtenay Montague Capt of the 23 rd Regiment or Royal Welch Fussileers, and Major in the Portugese service. Adorned with the choicest gifts of heaven, Nature had wreathed the olive Branch, that so conspicuously flourished on his brow, as emblematic of his amiable and affectionate mind. Patriotism and Loyalty, that roused him to seek mortal glory, led him to volunteer his service in his Country’s cause at the early age of 16. And, after displaying undaunted courage in Holland, in Martinique, in the expulsion of the French from Portugal, and lastly, at the age of 26, at the memorable battle of Albuera, in Spain, fought on the 10 th of May, in the year 1811, he finished his mortal career, pierced through the heart by a musket-ball, whilst gallantly leading his men to a charge. He nobly fell, leaving the laurels so gloriously acquired to be entwined round the hearts of his afflicted parents, who in commemoration of their departed Son, erected this Monument. 441 Lacock inscriptions W&SHC Monumental Inscriptions fiche 108
The Manor of Lackham Vol 3 : The Montagu family It is possible that George was already associating with Mrs Dorville when he moved to Easton Grey – an elderly resident of Alderton recalled that one of the Montagu’s kept a Mistress at the Manor House and this would have been possible after the Montagu’s moved out. It is known that she and George Montagu had several children, who were acknowledged by him. 442 Nothing is known of her family, although it is noted that George’s sister Arabella, married Ralph Dorville Woodforde some three or four years before this, it is tempting to speculate that it was through his brother in law that George came to know Mrs Dorville, but this is speculation. In 1795 George was elected to be a Fellow of the prestigious Linnean Society, proof that he was already much respected as a naturalist. 443 In 1799, three officers in the Wiltshire Militia (Captains Awdry, Houlton and Phayre) brought Col Montagu before a courts martial on five counts of abusing his position as Commanding Officer and conduct unbecoming a commanding office, after what one observer has described as “some provocative marital skirmishing”. He was found guilty and dismissed from the Regiment 444 . Cunnington was writing very close to George’s lifetime and so it is perhaps understandable that neither his association with Mrs Dorville nor his court martial makes an appearance in Cunnington’s account at all. The association with Mrs Dorville, however, had desperate consequences for George, and the Montagu estates. It was the reason that, although Lackham and Alderton were initially bequeathed to George, he couldn’t inherit under the modified terms of his brothers’ 442 Badeni, J (1992) Past People in Wiltshire and Gloucestershire p67 443 My thanks to Gina Douglas, Librarian and Archivist to the Linnean Society for her assistance. George was nominated by J. Latham, W. Peete and T. Lamb and was elected a Fellow on 21 July 1795. 444 Badeni, J (1992) ibid p70 gives details of the actual charges, 109
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