Ms Frances King-Harman
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Cecil and Sarah, with their three surviving children; Thomas Anne and Joan
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Stafford family of Taney House, Dundrum
John Stafford married Eleanor Anastasia Gilbert
born circa 1814 23 Feb 1854 born circa 1832
died 27 Jul 1873 Victoria, Australia died 18 Jun 1928
Portobello, Roscommon Sligo
John Stafford born circa 1814 fourth son of Thomas Stafford of Portobello, Co Roscommon. He
married Eleanor Gilbert on 23 Feb 1854 at St Francis' Cathedral, Melbourne. Eleanor was the
only daughter of William John Gilbert of Collingwood, Melbourne late of Hamilton, Upper Canada.
John a farmer and a JP died 27 Jul 1873 at Portobello. After his death Eleanor entered a convent
and was later a Mother Superior. Mother Alphonsus died 18 Jun 1928 at the Ursuline Convent
in Sligo.
1 Charles Stafford eldest son married Mademoiselle Leila Josephine De Labrosse, second
daughter of the late Vicomte at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, London on 11 Jun 1906.
2 Thomas Stafford, second son born 3 May 1857 at Portobello, Co Roscommon. He
qualified as licentiate of the RCPI in 1882 and established a medical practice at Boyle,
Co Roscommon. He was resident physician to Colonel King-Harman of Roscommon.
He was appointed an inspector with the local government board in February 1890. He
married Frances Agnes (Fay) King-Harman at St John the Evangelist’s Church, Smith
Square, London on 21 May 1890. The marriage was boycotted by the bride’s family.
Frances was the only daughter of Edward and Emma Frances King-Harman. Fay was
considered a local beauty and known as the Rose of Lough Ce. She was heiress to the
Rockingham Estate and acted as her father's private secretary. Under the terms of her
father’s Will she needed the written consent of her mother to marry otherwise the
estate would be held in trust until her eldest son reached 21. In 1898 Thomas was
conferred a diploma by the Royal Institute of Public Health and the following year he
became a member of the RCSO. In 1898 he was appointed as the medical commissioner
of the Local Government Board for Ireland and was part of the enquiry and report
undertaken into the state of public health as part of Poor-law Reform in Ireland 1903-6.
The Rockingham Estate, some 40k acres was sold to the tenants under the Irish Land Act
of 1903. The house was the residence of the Lord Lieutenant at the time.
Thomas was knighted and appointed a DL in 1906. He went to Washington in 1908 and
delivered a paper on the increase and spread of TB. They lived at Taney House from
1904 to 1911 and in 1908 obtained a lease on Rockingham House until their son reached
majority. Thomas and Frances held regular shooting and house parties at Rockingham.
Thomas was a cricketer of considerable ability cricketer in his youth and in later years was
a racehorse owner, supporter of racing and steward of the Irish Turf Club. In 1914 he
was conferred with a baronetcy. Frances died 23 Mar 1916 in London late of Rockingham
and the Coberg Hotel, Mayfair. It was said that she never recovered from the death of
her eldest son. Frances converted to Catholicism after 1911, her body was repatriated
and after High Mass at the private Oratory in Rockingham House, she was buried at
Ardcarne, Rockingham. The funeral procession was over a mile long and included over
a hundred motor cars. Thomas was unwell after her death and underwent an operation
for appendicitis two days later, he remained at Rockingham until he was well enough to
travel in August that year and went to England to recuperate. He resigned his
commission with the Local Government Board at the end of that year. On 21 Feb 1918
the IRB raided Rockingham House while Thomas was away and took a quantity of arms
and ammunition. In 1921 Thomas was elected a member of the Senate, but he did not
attend either of the Senate's two sessions prior to its dissolution. Thomas of Rockingham
Castle, Boyle, Co Roscommon, died suddenly 11 May 1935 at the residence of his great
friend, the Marquess of Headfort. He was buried with his wife in the family vault at
Ardcarne. He left 97K in personal estate.
1 Edward Charles Stafford, eldest son born 13 Apr 1891 at College Gardens, Belfast
and was educated at Eton. He assumed by Royal Licence on 3 Feb 1900 the
additional names and arms of King-Harman. Edward married Olive Pakenham-
Mahon on 4 Jul 1914 at the guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks, London. Olive
was the only daughter of Captain Henry Pakenham Mahon of Strokestown, Co
Roscommon and his wife Mary Burrard. Four months after their marriage
Edward, a captain in the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards was killed in action at Klein
Zillebeke on the Western Front on 6 Nov 1914. It was June 1915 before his family
had confirmation of his death.
1 Lettice Mary Stafford born posthumously married Robert Humphrey
Lomer of the Grenadier Guards on 29 Jan 1935 at the Royal Military
Chapel at Wellington Barracks.
Olive secondly married Wilfred Stuart Atherstone Hales in December 1921.
2 Cecil William Francis Stafford younger son born 6 Jan 1895 at 4 Upper Merrion Street. He
enlisted and served in WW1 with the Royal Rifle Corps. He assumed the additional
surname and arms of King-Harman in 1932 for himself and his family. Sir Cecil married
Sarah Beatrice Acland on 2 Jun 1917. Sarah was the daughter of Colonel Alfred Dyke
Acland of Feniton Court, Honiton, Devon. Cecil became the second Baronet of
Rockingham on the death of his father in 1935. Cecil was a lay member of the
Representative Church Body. They lived at Rockingham House where Cecil bred horses
and was a senior steward of the Irish Turf Club. In 1936 MacDermott's Castle on their
land was destroyed by fire. They took part in An Tóstal in 1953 and opened Rockingham
House to the public. On the evening of 10 Sep 1957, an electrical fault caused a fire to
rage through the house for the best part of 24 hours. Cecil, Sarah and their daughter
Anne were at the Doncaster races when it happened. A fire in 1867 had rendered it to
ashes and it was subsequently rebuilt by Lord Lorton. The family moved to the Royal
Hotel in Boyle and Sir Cecil considered rebuilding Rockingham, however the cost was
prohibitive and the estate of 2400 acres was put up for sale. It was sold to the Land
Commission. In 1971 the Irish Forest Service demolished the ruins of the mansion, much
of the land is now Lough Key Forest Park. The baronetcy became extinct on the death of
Cyril.
1 Cicely Joan (Joan) Stafford born 7 Mar 1918 at Knightsbridge studied music
in Munich. She was recruited to MI6 due to her knowledge of the German
language, and worked alongside Kim Philby at Bletchley Park.
2 Elizabeth Anne (Anne) Stafford born 1919 in England attended was a talented
painter and exhibited frequently in Dublin in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
3 Thomas Edward Stafford born 1921 in England was killed in WW2.
4 Diane Mary Stafford died an infant circa 1926.
2 John Stafford third son born 28 Nov 1858 at Portobello drowned while boating on Red
Wood River Minnesota on 21 Apr 1881.
3 William Francis Stafford born 27 Dec 1862 at Portobello died at Portobello on
19 Sep 1871.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - February 2023
John Stafford married Eleanor Anastasia Gilbert
born circa 1814 23 Feb 1854 born circa 1832
died 27 Jul 1873 Victoria, Australia died 18 Jun 1928
Portobello, Roscommon Sligo
John Stafford born circa 1814 fourth son of Thomas Stafford of Portobello, Co Roscommon. He
married Eleanor Gilbert on 23 Feb 1854 at St Francis' Cathedral, Melbourne. Eleanor was the
only daughter of William John Gilbert of Collingwood, Melbourne late of Hamilton, Upper Canada.
John a farmer and a JP died 27 Jul 1873 at Portobello. After his death Eleanor entered a convent
and was later a Mother Superior. Mother Alphonsus died 18 Jun 1928 at the Ursuline Convent
in Sligo.
1 Charles Stafford eldest son married Mademoiselle Leila Josephine De Labrosse, second
daughter of the late Vicomte at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, London on 11 Jun 1906.
2 Thomas Stafford, second son born 3 May 1857 at Portobello, Co Roscommon. He
qualified as licentiate of the RCPI in 1882 and established a medical practice at Boyle,
Co Roscommon. He was resident physician to Colonel King-Harman of Roscommon.
He was appointed an inspector with the local government board in February 1890. He
married Frances Agnes (Fay) King-Harman at St John the Evangelist’s Church, Smith
Square, London on 21 May 1890. The marriage was boycotted by the bride’s family.
Frances was the only daughter of Edward and Emma Frances King-Harman. Fay was
considered a local beauty and known as the Rose of Lough Ce. She was heiress to the
Rockingham Estate and acted as her father's private secretary. Under the terms of her
father’s Will she needed the written consent of her mother to marry otherwise the
estate would be held in trust until her eldest son reached 21. In 1898 Thomas was
conferred a diploma by the Royal Institute of Public Health and the following year he
became a member of the RCSO. In 1898 he was appointed as the medical commissioner
of the Local Government Board for Ireland and was part of the enquiry and report
undertaken into the state of public health as part of Poor-law Reform in Ireland 1903-6.
The Rockingham Estate, some 40k acres was sold to the tenants under the Irish Land Act
of 1903. The house was the residence of the Lord Lieutenant at the time.
Thomas was knighted and appointed a DL in 1906. He went to Washington in 1908 and
delivered a paper on the increase and spread of TB. They lived at Taney House from
1904 to 1911 and in 1908 obtained a lease on Rockingham House until their son reached
majority. Thomas and Frances held regular shooting and house parties at Rockingham.
Thomas was a cricketer of considerable ability cricketer in his youth and in later years was
a racehorse owner, supporter of racing and steward of the Irish Turf Club. In 1914 he
was conferred with a baronetcy. Frances died 23 Mar 1916 in London late of Rockingham
and the Coberg Hotel, Mayfair. It was said that she never recovered from the death of
her eldest son. Frances converted to Catholicism after 1911, her body was repatriated
and after High Mass at the private Oratory in Rockingham House, she was buried at
Ardcarne, Rockingham. The funeral procession was over a mile long and included over
a hundred motor cars. Thomas was unwell after her death and underwent an operation
for appendicitis two days later, he remained at Rockingham until he was well enough to
travel in August that year and went to England to recuperate. He resigned his
commission with the Local Government Board at the end of that year. On 21 Feb 1918
the IRB raided Rockingham House while Thomas was away and took a quantity of arms
and ammunition. In 1921 Thomas was elected a member of the Senate, but he did not
attend either of the Senate's two sessions prior to its dissolution. Thomas of Rockingham
Castle, Boyle, Co Roscommon, died suddenly 11 May 1935 at the residence of his great
friend, the Marquess of Headfort. He was buried with his wife in the family vault at
Ardcarne. He left 97K in personal estate.
1 Edward Charles Stafford, eldest son born 13 Apr 1891 at College Gardens, Belfast
and was educated at Eton. He assumed by Royal Licence on 3 Feb 1900 the
additional names and arms of King-Harman. Edward married Olive Pakenham-
Mahon on 4 Jul 1914 at the guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks, London. Olive
was the only daughter of Captain Henry Pakenham Mahon of Strokestown, Co
Roscommon and his wife Mary Burrard. Four months after their marriage
Edward, a captain in the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards was killed in action at Klein
Zillebeke on the Western Front on 6 Nov 1914. It was June 1915 before his family
had confirmation of his death.
1 Lettice Mary Stafford born posthumously married Robert Humphrey
Lomer of the Grenadier Guards on 29 Jan 1935 at the Royal Military
Chapel at Wellington Barracks.
Olive secondly married Wilfred Stuart Atherstone Hales in December 1921.
2 Cecil William Francis Stafford younger son born 6 Jan 1895 at 4 Upper Merrion Street. He
enlisted and served in WW1 with the Royal Rifle Corps. He assumed the additional
surname and arms of King-Harman in 1932 for himself and his family. Sir Cecil married
Sarah Beatrice Acland on 2 Jun 1917. Sarah was the daughter of Colonel Alfred Dyke
Acland of Feniton Court, Honiton, Devon. Cecil became the second Baronet of
Rockingham on the death of his father in 1935. Cecil was a lay member of the
Representative Church Body. They lived at Rockingham House where Cecil bred horses
and was a senior steward of the Irish Turf Club. In 1936 MacDermott's Castle on their
land was destroyed by fire. They took part in An Tóstal in 1953 and opened Rockingham
House to the public. On the evening of 10 Sep 1957, an electrical fault caused a fire to
rage through the house for the best part of 24 hours. Cecil, Sarah and their daughter
Anne were at the Doncaster races when it happened. A fire in 1867 had rendered it to
ashes and it was subsequently rebuilt by Lord Lorton. The family moved to the Royal
Hotel in Boyle and Sir Cecil considered rebuilding Rockingham, however the cost was
prohibitive and the estate of 2400 acres was put up for sale. It was sold to the Land
Commission. In 1971 the Irish Forest Service demolished the ruins of the mansion, much
of the land is now Lough Key Forest Park. The baronetcy became extinct on the death of
Cyril.
1 Cicely Joan (Joan) Stafford born 7 Mar 1918 at Knightsbridge studied music
in Munich. She was recruited to MI6 due to her knowledge of the German
language, and worked alongside Kim Philby at Bletchley Park.
2 Elizabeth Anne (Anne) Stafford born 1919 in England attended was a talented
painter and exhibited frequently in Dublin in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
3 Thomas Edward Stafford born 1921 in England was killed in WW2.
4 Diane Mary Stafford died an infant circa 1926.
2 John Stafford third son born 28 Nov 1858 at Portobello drowned while boating on Red
Wood River Minnesota on 21 Apr 1881.
3 William Francis Stafford born 27 Dec 1862 at Portobello died at Portobello on
19 Sep 1871.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - February 2023