Bright Family of Dromartin Castle
Robert Onesipherous Bright married Catherine Miles
born 7 Jul 1823 1856 born circa 1834
died 15 Nov 1896 died 5 Feb 1911
Robert Onesiphorus Bright second son of Robert Bright, a merchant of Abbot’s Leigh, Bristol
born 7 Jul 1823. He was educated at Rugby and Winchester and joined the 19th Regt of Foot
as a commissioned officer in 1843. He married Catherine Miles, daughter of Sir William Miles
and Catherine Gordon on 5 Nov 1856. He was brother to Richard Bright MP for Somerset.
He commanded the 2nd Brigade of the Light Division during the Crimean and the Khyber line
during the 2nd Afghan War of 1879/80. He was awarded the CB in 1881 and the GCB in 1894.
They lived at Normandy Park and their town residence was 71 Cornwell Gardens in
Kensington. He was promoted to General in 1894 after his retirement in 1893. Sir Robert
died on the 15 Nov 1896 at Normandy Park in Guilford and left 20K in personal estate,
probate was granted to his brother George. He had invested in the Hotchkiss Ordnance
Company. Dame Catherine Bright of 62 Redcliffe Gardens, South Kensington died 5 Feb 1911
aged 77 and left personal estate of 6K.
1 William Robert Bright, eldest son born circa 1860 joined the Bengal Civil Service. He
married Ellen T Metcalfe, daughter of Charles T Metcalfe, CSI Bengal Civil Service at
Bankipur on 12 Feb 1883 and was living at of 28 Victoria Square, Clifton in Bristol in
1896.
2 Emily Maria Bright born 10 Oct 1861 at Muree, India married John Percy Gethin son of
John Gethin and Emmeline Horsfall on 19 Dec 1912. John died in 1934 and Emily died
February 1944.
3 Florence Tempe Bright third daughter born 19 Apr 1863 at Murree, India married Capt
Alfred Luther Lane of the Royal Artillery at Christ Church, Simla on 4 Oct 1883.
4 Ellen Lucy Bright
5 Isabel Frances Bright fourth daughter born 1866 Muree, Bengal married Herbert Cary
George Batten, JP of Somerset and of Leigh Lodge at St Peters Church, Cranley Gardens
on 5 Oct 1898 as is second wife. They honeymooned at Killarney. They lived at Keyford,
which was destroyed by a fire in 1926. Herbert died in 1926 and Isabel died in May 1946
at her home at St Rafael Shepton Beauchamp.
6 Reginald Arnold (Arthur) Bright born 1870 at Saugor, Bengal joined the Royal Artillery. He
married Dorothea Margaret Barker, daughter of Major General Sir George Barker in 1913.
They lived at 3 Slone Court, Chelsea and he served in the South African War in
Mesopotamia, the Afghan war of 1919 and at Pershawar from 1921-23. He retired in 1924
having attained the rank of Brigadier General. He died at Osborne House, Isle of Wight in
May 1942.
7 Katherine Bright fl 1891.
8 Richard Bright youngest son born 25 Dec 1872 at Morar Gwalior, Bengal, India joined the
army and attained the rank of Lieut Col. He married Frances Eva Cary Batten, only daughter
of Col Herbert Cary-Batten of Leigh Lodge, Abbot’s Leigh at Holy Trinity Church, Abbot’s
Leigh on 6 Feb 1907. Frances was the step daughter of his sister Isabel. He was posted to
Ireland as adjutant to the East Kent Regiment, The Buffs in 1910 and they moved into
Dromartin Castle. He saw active service in North West Frontier and in Central Africa and
having been invalided from France in the later part of WW1, he became a GSO at Gibraltar
and retired to Ryme Intrinsida where is joined the parish council and was secretary of the
local choral association. He was personal ADC to the King of Denmark for a royal visit and
was made a commander of the Dannebrogordenen. He died in March 1938 at Princes Place
a house he had built on the Ryme estate. He was survived by his wife, son and daughter.
Frances moved to Sherborne during WW2 when her house was given over for use to the
government. She was an accomplished violin and viola player and was involved in the
Dorset Choral Association. Frances died at Upper Ridgeway, Sherborne, Dorset in 1950.
1 Catherine Eva Bright born 17 Jun 1908 at Aldershot in Hampshire married Bruce
Hervey of Frampton.
2 Robert Henry Bright born 20 Dec 1912 at Dromartin Castle was an officer In the Royal
Tank Corps. He married Rachel Helmer, youngest daughter of Roy Helmer of Bernard
Castle on 23 Oct 1937at Startford Parish Church in Yorkshire. He then served in the
British Embassy in Washington.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – October 2020
Robert Onesipherous Bright married Catherine Miles
born 7 Jul 1823 1856 born circa 1834
died 15 Nov 1896 died 5 Feb 1911
Robert Onesiphorus Bright second son of Robert Bright, a merchant of Abbot’s Leigh, Bristol
born 7 Jul 1823. He was educated at Rugby and Winchester and joined the 19th Regt of Foot
as a commissioned officer in 1843. He married Catherine Miles, daughter of Sir William Miles
and Catherine Gordon on 5 Nov 1856. He was brother to Richard Bright MP for Somerset.
He commanded the 2nd Brigade of the Light Division during the Crimean and the Khyber line
during the 2nd Afghan War of 1879/80. He was awarded the CB in 1881 and the GCB in 1894.
They lived at Normandy Park and their town residence was 71 Cornwell Gardens in
Kensington. He was promoted to General in 1894 after his retirement in 1893. Sir Robert
died on the 15 Nov 1896 at Normandy Park in Guilford and left 20K in personal estate,
probate was granted to his brother George. He had invested in the Hotchkiss Ordnance
Company. Dame Catherine Bright of 62 Redcliffe Gardens, South Kensington died 5 Feb 1911
aged 77 and left personal estate of 6K.
1 William Robert Bright, eldest son born circa 1860 joined the Bengal Civil Service. He
married Ellen T Metcalfe, daughter of Charles T Metcalfe, CSI Bengal Civil Service at
Bankipur on 12 Feb 1883 and was living at of 28 Victoria Square, Clifton in Bristol in
1896.
2 Emily Maria Bright born 10 Oct 1861 at Muree, India married John Percy Gethin son of
John Gethin and Emmeline Horsfall on 19 Dec 1912. John died in 1934 and Emily died
February 1944.
3 Florence Tempe Bright third daughter born 19 Apr 1863 at Murree, India married Capt
Alfred Luther Lane of the Royal Artillery at Christ Church, Simla on 4 Oct 1883.
4 Ellen Lucy Bright
5 Isabel Frances Bright fourth daughter born 1866 Muree, Bengal married Herbert Cary
George Batten, JP of Somerset and of Leigh Lodge at St Peters Church, Cranley Gardens
on 5 Oct 1898 as is second wife. They honeymooned at Killarney. They lived at Keyford,
which was destroyed by a fire in 1926. Herbert died in 1926 and Isabel died in May 1946
at her home at St Rafael Shepton Beauchamp.
6 Reginald Arnold (Arthur) Bright born 1870 at Saugor, Bengal joined the Royal Artillery. He
married Dorothea Margaret Barker, daughter of Major General Sir George Barker in 1913.
They lived at 3 Slone Court, Chelsea and he served in the South African War in
Mesopotamia, the Afghan war of 1919 and at Pershawar from 1921-23. He retired in 1924
having attained the rank of Brigadier General. He died at Osborne House, Isle of Wight in
May 1942.
7 Katherine Bright fl 1891.
8 Richard Bright youngest son born 25 Dec 1872 at Morar Gwalior, Bengal, India joined the
army and attained the rank of Lieut Col. He married Frances Eva Cary Batten, only daughter
of Col Herbert Cary-Batten of Leigh Lodge, Abbot’s Leigh at Holy Trinity Church, Abbot’s
Leigh on 6 Feb 1907. Frances was the step daughter of his sister Isabel. He was posted to
Ireland as adjutant to the East Kent Regiment, The Buffs in 1910 and they moved into
Dromartin Castle. He saw active service in North West Frontier and in Central Africa and
having been invalided from France in the later part of WW1, he became a GSO at Gibraltar
and retired to Ryme Intrinsida where is joined the parish council and was secretary of the
local choral association. He was personal ADC to the King of Denmark for a royal visit and
was made a commander of the Dannebrogordenen. He died in March 1938 at Princes Place
a house he had built on the Ryme estate. He was survived by his wife, son and daughter.
Frances moved to Sherborne during WW2 when her house was given over for use to the
government. She was an accomplished violin and viola player and was involved in the
Dorset Choral Association. Frances died at Upper Ridgeway, Sherborne, Dorset in 1950.
1 Catherine Eva Bright born 17 Jun 1908 at Aldershot in Hampshire married Bruce
Hervey of Frampton.
2 Robert Henry Bright born 20 Dec 1912 at Dromartin Castle was an officer In the Royal
Tank Corps. He married Rachel Helmer, youngest daughter of Roy Helmer of Bernard
Castle on 23 Oct 1937at Startford Parish Church in Yorkshire. He then served in the
British Embassy in Washington.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – October 2020