Sophia Runciman
1800 - 1842
Life History
9th December 1800 |
Born |
1842 |
Died in Kensington |
Notes
From IGI
SOPHIA RUNCIMAN
Birth: 09 DEC 1800
Christening: 07 JAN 1801 Woburn, Bedford, England
Parents:
Father: WILLIAM RUNCIMAN
Mother: CATHERINE
Sophia Runciman was a Schoolmistress in Brighton.
In the 1841 census Sophia, aged 40, is listed at Brunswick Terrace, Schoolmistress.
Next in the list of occupants is her sister Jane Buschman, 43, also a Schoolmistress.
(Brunswick Terrace was clearly a school, possibly a language school. The terrace is quite grand. See image.)
In the 1851 census, Jane is shown as headmistress at Brunswick Terrace, so it is likely that she took over the school in 1842 when Sophia died.
Sophia Runciman's Will, 1837
includes mention of the following people (and helped to provide answers to a number of questions):
Charles Runciman (the Artist, her brother)
Charles Stewart Drewry (the solicitor, cousin-german)
Jane Buschmann (Jane Runciman wife of Theodore Buschmann)
Catherine (Moody) Glanville (née Runciman)
Henry Runciman Drewry
Richard Hardinge Stewart (son of Cosmas Stewart and Catherine Moody )
James Painter (husband of Louisa Drewry)
Mary Ann Drewry (née Stewart)
Laurentia Drewry (née Buschmann)
Anne Shaw (Richard Hardinge Stewart's unmarried 'sister')
And other Runcimans
The Will is long (8 pages), a very legalistic and wordy document, and difficult to read.
Images of Sophia's Will: Pages 1 & 2, Pages 3 & 4, Pages 5 & 6, Pages 7 & 8
The main provisions of the Will and the context in which the above people are mentioned are:
Cash bequests to:
Charles Runciman (her brother)
Jane Buschmann (sister)
Catherine Glanville (sister)
Charles Stewart Drewry
The cash bequest to Charles Stewart Drewry is pencilled in, as are the following personal items:
jewelry watch etc to: sisters Ann, Fanny (Frances?), Bell (Isabella?) and her friend Ann Roberts.
some dividends and interest to her brother William
interest from a trust for the maintenance and support of sister Elizabeth "who is of unsound mind and wholly incapable of looking after her affairs."
The residue of the estate, which seems to include her business as a Schoolmistress (maybe she owned a school or had a part share), and a variety of investments, to go to :
Henry Runciman Drewry, Richard Hardinge Stewart ("both of the War Office") and
James Painter "of Rowland Street" (husband of Louisa Drewry).
Charles Stewart Drewry and James Painter are appointed executors.
Mary Ann Drewry and Laurentia Drewry were witnesses to the signing of the will.
On proving the will in 1842, Appeared Personally:
Charles Stewart Drewry ("of No 77 Chancery Lane"),
Mary Ann Drewry ("of 4 Park Street, Notting Hill, ... widow"),
Laurentia Drewry ("wife of the said Charles Stewart Drewry"),
Ann Runciman ("of Brighton") and
Charles Runciman ("of No 3 Oxford Terrace, Edgware Road").
"Charles Stewart Drewry for himself made oath that he is the lawful cousin German of Sophia Runciman formerly of Brighton .. and late of Brompton in the parish of St Mary Abbot Kensington".
Ann and Charles Runciman confirm on oath their relationshsips to Sophia, and, with Mary Ann and Laurentia, attest to the circumstances in which the will was made. They verify the handwriting of Charles Stewart Drewry in the notes in the margin and Sophia's handwriting in the interlinear notes.
Charles states that he was present when the will was made but that the deceased had not informed him of any alterations she had made.
There appears to still be some question as to the alterations to the Will so a second set of people
Appeared Personally:
Anne Shawe - "of 2 Blandford Place" i.e the Ann Shaw shown as living in the house of Richard Hardinge Stewart from 1841 to 1871
Maria Glanvill - "of Sutton Court in the County of Berks Spinster" - sister to Thomas William Glanvill perhaps, or possibly Maria, the daughter of Thomas and Cathe Moody Runciman, who would then be about 14 years old?)
Ann and Maria state on oath that they have known Sophia for several years, are well acquainted with her handwriting and that the alterations have been made by Sophia.
Implications
Charles Stewart Drewry and Sophia are confirmed as first cousins (cousins German).
James Painter, husband of Charles Stewart's step-sister, Louisa, appears to be treated as a cousin, as does Henry Runciman, Charles Stewart's step-brother.
If Charles Stewart is first cousin to Sophia, then the relationship must be via Mary Anne Stewart and Catherine Barbara Stewart.
Richard Hardinge Stewartis also treated as a cousin, suggesting that Mary Anne Stewart and Catherine Barbara Stewart are sisters to Cosmas Stewart (Richard's father).
[Note: The later relationships between the Drewry and Buschman families are confirmed in the 1912 Will of Jane Marjorin Buschman, daughter of Sophias sister Jane.]
From freeBMD
Death: Sep 1842, Runciman Sophia, Kensington, 3 193