Other Activities

Other Activities of the firm Ince & Mayhew

Ince & Mayhew are known for their delightful furniture which can be seen and enjoyed in museums and stately homes around the world. They were also Upholders and carried out tasks related to that role, such as hanging tapestries, wall-papering, etc. One perhaps surprising task was their role as Undertakers. They arranged the funeral of the cook of the Duchess of Bedford and then in 1781 they were called upon to arrange the funeral for the third Earl of Darnley. As the family vault in Westminster Abbey was full, the funeral had to take place in Cobham, Kent, where the Darnley family had had their residence since the first Earl married Theodosia Hyde, whose mother had been a member of the Stuart family and sister of the Duke of Lennox, the owner.

In the Medway and City Archives there is an original bill from Ince & Mayhew, dated September 1781, which outlines the expenditure incurred and the amazing procession which took place. Hugh Roberts has detailed the proceedings in his article 'No Grandeur was Wanting': The Funeral of the 3rd Earl of Darnley’. Furniture History Volume LI - 2015. The bill had on its front cover an outline of the procession, with details of the various groups of people involved. This caught my imagination and I decided to try to illustrate it.

The banners in the procession came mostly from the female line of the family via Theodosia Hyde, wife of the first Earl of Darnley. Their creation would have been organised by the Herald sent from the College of Arms who would have instructed Drapers & Painter Stainers from those Livery Companies.

I was also curious about what happened to the third Earl's widow, the Countess of Darnley, who was only 34 when her husband died. From the bills of Ince & Mayhew we know she had work done on the London house in Berkeley Square. She also kept in close contact with her children and there are many letters in the archives that she exchanged with them, especially the two older boys, John, Lord Clifton and Edward, both of whom attended Eton. She also wrote to her daughter Theodosia when the latter was wondering whether to marry her cousin Thomas Cherburgh Bligh. She sent her some sample sentences to use in a letter depending on whether she decided to end her relationship with Mr Bligh or keep him on a trial basis. In 1790 her son became the fourth Earl of Darnley and married Elizabeth Brownlow. He bought the manor of Southborough and installed his mother in the manor house, Great Bounds, where she lived out her days. Southborough is on the edge of Tunbridge Wells and people would stay there who were visiting the Spa. There is an amusing account of a Ball given by the Duke of Leeds in August 1782 in a letter from Wilhelmina King to Mary Hamilton. This was attended by Lady Mary Bligh, the Countess's daughter, and Mrs Butler, the Countess's mother. The company was not very brilliant, as evidenced by Lady Mary Bligh leading out the dancing with Mr Beaufoy, a Quaker. The Countess was very involved with the church in Bidborough, and gave money for the building of a gallery for the children to attend Sunday School.
The Countess of Darnley died in 1803 and in the churchyard of St Lawrence, Bidborough there is a stylish sarcophagus designed by Sir James Westmacott. Her epitaph reads A Woman of blameless Life exercised and conspicuous in the Practice of every Christian Virtue, followed by a quote from James 1 v27 Two of her grandchildren are buried in the same tomb: William Stoyte Bligh, son of the Hon William Bligh and the late Lady Sophia Bligh 23 May 1808 - 6 Apr 1821 and Miss Theodosia Bligh granddaughter of the late Countess of Darnley who departed this life 31 May 1867. Theodosia was the daughter of Thomas Cherburgh Bligh and Theodosia Bligh (see above) who resided at Brittas, Co. Meath, one of the family seats in Ireland, the other being at Rathmore, Co. Meath.

To the Memory of Mary, Countess of Darnley, Daughter and Heiress of John Stoyte Esq of Street in the County of Westmeath in Ireland and wife of John Earl of Darnley Born October 18th 1747 Died March 27th 1803 Aged 55 Also William Stoyte Bligh 1808-1821 and Miss Theodosia Bligh 1798-1867