Ingress Abbey Contents

There is an item on this blog about the life of Samuel Charles Umfreville (1820-94), who lived at Ingress Abbey, built by James Harmer (1777-1853) in Greenhithe, North Kent. My article was read by Michael Harmer, who has an interest in Harmer family history. He has emailed me with some information about what happened to the contents of Ingress Abbey after Samuel Charles Umfreville’s death.

When Samuel died, the Umfreville family leased Ingress Abbey to Holder Bros before eventually selling it. The family however kept the contents and these eventually ended up with his grand-daughter Phyllis Annora Umfreville (1896-1970), the only child of his eldest son Samuel Charles (1863-1937) and his wife Beatrice Lucy nee Brumell. Phyllis was a spinster who died 3 June 1970 at Yeaton Hall, Walford Heath, Baschurch, near Shrewsbury. Her executors auctioned her possessions through C E Williams & Co of Oswestry. The auction was held in the grounds of Yeaton Hall on the 15 and 16 October 1970, it consisted of 800 lots. The catalogue’s general information states "Much of the furniture at Yeaton Hall was originally in the possession of the Umfreville family at Ingress Abbey, Greenhithe, Kent and was specially made for the late Miss Umfreville's great grand-father in the early 1800's from timber grown on the estate....."

One particular lot (170), a set of chairs, has been resold several times and in November 2006 it was sold by Christies the Lot Provenance reads - "Supplied to Alderman James Harmer, for Ingress Abbey, Greenhithe, Kent. By descent to the Umfreville family (who sold the house in 1906). .........."

Lot Notes "The dining chairs, designed in the Gothic manner promoted by George Smith's ‘The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer's Guide, 1826' were commissioned by Alderman James Harmer (b. 1777) following his purchase of Ingress Abbey, Kent in 1820 and its aggrandisement in the 'Gothic Elizabethan' manner under the direction of the architect Charles Moreing. The chairs were executed by Henry Stidolph who is recorded at Dartford, Kent between 1824 and 1839......."

The catalogue also includes a photo of two of the chairs.