Captain Nevile R Wilkinson & Lady Beatrix Herbert circa 1902
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Phyllis & Guendolen Wilkinson circa 1918 - Courtesy of Gerard O'Kelly
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Wilkinson family of Mount Merrion
Nevile Rodwell Wilkinson married Lady Beatrix Frances Gertrude Herbert
born 26 Oct 1869 29 Apr 1903 born 1878
Highgate, Middlesex Guards Chapel, London
died 22 Dec 1940 Wellington Barracks died 3 Dec 1957
Nevile Rodwell Wilkinson son of Colonel Josiah Wilkinson and Alice Emma Smith was born at Highgate on
26 Oct 1869. He was educated at Harrow and Sandhurst. He entered the Coldstream Guards in
October 1890, attained the rank of Captain in 1899 and fought in the African wars of 1899-1902. His
father died in 1903 and left 234K in personal estate. He married Lady Beatrix Frances Gertrude Herbert,
first daughter of the 14th Earl of Pembroke and his wife Lady Beatrix Lambton, at the Guards Chapel,
Wellington Barracks on 29 Apr 1903. Her father settled 20K on her when she married.
The couple moved to Mount Merrion where they lived periodically until the start of the First World War.
Nevile studied art under Sir Francis Job "Frank" Short RA, a British printmaker and teacher of printmaking
at the South Kensington School of Art (now the Royal College of Arts) and retired from the army in 1907.
He designed bookplates, collaborated on a history of the Coldstream Guards and documented the
paintings of Wilton House, the home of his father-in-law.
Nevile was appointed Ulster King of Arms in February 1908. It was a rocky start with Sir Arthur Vicars the
previous Ulster. He refused to hand over the keys and declined to resign from office. Sir Arthur Vicars was
also looking for the return of 1500 books and manuscripts and his paintings. When this was resolved
Nevile kept the office closed until Dec of 1909, given the buildings notoriety he felt it would be over-run by
visitors keen to see where the crown jewels had been stolen from. He used this time to redesign and
redecorate the offices and to set up a heraldic museum using the library's archival material. The displays
included 12 great seals of Ireland protected under glass and the walls of the library were decorated with
patents and grants.
The couple travelled extensively during the first few years of marriage, visiting Ceylon and France in a bid
to improve Nevile's health. In 1907 having completed a replica of Pembroke House. Nevile commissioned
James Hicks & Sons, Irish Cabinet Makers to build a doll's house in the style of a Renaissance palazzo on a
scale of one inch to the foot. Nevile was a collector of miniature porcelains and paintings, and this was
seen as a way of housing these miniatures. It was a house for the Fairy Queen and was called Titania's
Palace. Lady Beatrix carved the inlay work for the floors and Nevile painted tiles, mosaics and ceilings. In
collaboration with Mia Cranwill miniature reproductions of the Cross of Cong and the Ardagh Chalice were
produced for Titania's Palace. Nevile was knighted in 1920 and that same year was chairman of the
NSPCC in Ireland. The doll's house was completed in 1922 and went on exhibition in England as a way of
raising funds for children's charities. The family toured with the palace, USA 1928, Argentina 1934,
Australia 1934 and Canada 1936. By 1930 the palace had travelled over 40K miles.
The family were good friends of the Earl of Wicklow and spent a lot of their visits to Ireland at Shelton
Abbey, Arklow. Neville died on 22 Dec 1940 at Bloomfield Donnybrook, late of Shelton Abbey, having
suffered with diabetes for years and was buried at Kilbride. The post of Ulster King of Arms ended with
his death. In 1943 the Office of Arms was transferred to the Government of Ireland and renamed the
Genealogical office. Since then, the Office has operated as part of the National Library and under the
direction of the Chief Herald.
1 Guendolen Eleanor May Wilkinson baptised at Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace in June 1904.
At six feet she was one the tallest girls 'in society' and worked with the Arklow District Nursing
Association and was president after the death of mother. The association closed in 1968 after
62 years in operation. She was also assistant matron to her grandmother's charity The Beatrix
Children's Nursery in East Knoyle. She died 30 Mar 1987 at East Knoyle and left 435K in personal
estate.
2 Muriel Phyllis Wilkinson born 3 Apr 1908 at Duchess Street, Portland Place, London and was
baptised 10 May 1908 at Wilton in Wiltshire. It appears that she had Down Syndrome but this
is not noted on census or registers. She accompanied her mother on holidays, excursions and to
garden parties but didn't attend her mother's funeral. She acted as tour guide for Titania's
Palace when it was based at Ballynastragh House in Gorey. She also helped out at the children's
clinic run by the Arklow District Nursing Association, of which her sister was president. She
died 22 Dec 1967 at Mere near Wilton and left 3K in personal estate. She was buried at East
Knoyle Cemetery.
Lady Beatrix secondly married Ralph Francis Forward-Howard, 7th Earl of Wicklow on 5 Mar 1942 at Christ
Church Cathedral. She was president of the Arklow District Nursing Association. Ralph died in October
1946 and the Dowager Countess set up a maternity and child welfare clinic in Arklow in memory of her
late husband She moved to Ballynastragh near Gorey and put Titania's Palace on show to raise funds. The
Countess of Wicklow died on 3 Dec 1957, at a nursing home in Leeson Street. Her funeral was held at St
Saviour's, Arklow and she was buried at Kilbride Graveyard. The palace containing over 2k miniatures was
sold in 1967 in aid of children's charities and was purchased by Lord Keyes and Olive Hodgekinson, owner
of the Wookey Hole Hotel in Somerset. In 1978 Legoland, Denmark purchased it and it is now on show in
Egeskov Castle where it is on loan from Legoland.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – August 2021
Nevile Rodwell Wilkinson married Lady Beatrix Frances Gertrude Herbert
born 26 Oct 1869 29 Apr 1903 born 1878
Highgate, Middlesex Guards Chapel, London
died 22 Dec 1940 Wellington Barracks died 3 Dec 1957
Nevile Rodwell Wilkinson son of Colonel Josiah Wilkinson and Alice Emma Smith was born at Highgate on
26 Oct 1869. He was educated at Harrow and Sandhurst. He entered the Coldstream Guards in
October 1890, attained the rank of Captain in 1899 and fought in the African wars of 1899-1902. His
father died in 1903 and left 234K in personal estate. He married Lady Beatrix Frances Gertrude Herbert,
first daughter of the 14th Earl of Pembroke and his wife Lady Beatrix Lambton, at the Guards Chapel,
Wellington Barracks on 29 Apr 1903. Her father settled 20K on her when she married.
The couple moved to Mount Merrion where they lived periodically until the start of the First World War.
Nevile studied art under Sir Francis Job "Frank" Short RA, a British printmaker and teacher of printmaking
at the South Kensington School of Art (now the Royal College of Arts) and retired from the army in 1907.
He designed bookplates, collaborated on a history of the Coldstream Guards and documented the
paintings of Wilton House, the home of his father-in-law.
Nevile was appointed Ulster King of Arms in February 1908. It was a rocky start with Sir Arthur Vicars the
previous Ulster. He refused to hand over the keys and declined to resign from office. Sir Arthur Vicars was
also looking for the return of 1500 books and manuscripts and his paintings. When this was resolved
Nevile kept the office closed until Dec of 1909, given the buildings notoriety he felt it would be over-run by
visitors keen to see where the crown jewels had been stolen from. He used this time to redesign and
redecorate the offices and to set up a heraldic museum using the library's archival material. The displays
included 12 great seals of Ireland protected under glass and the walls of the library were decorated with
patents and grants.
The couple travelled extensively during the first few years of marriage, visiting Ceylon and France in a bid
to improve Nevile's health. In 1907 having completed a replica of Pembroke House. Nevile commissioned
James Hicks & Sons, Irish Cabinet Makers to build a doll's house in the style of a Renaissance palazzo on a
scale of one inch to the foot. Nevile was a collector of miniature porcelains and paintings, and this was
seen as a way of housing these miniatures. It was a house for the Fairy Queen and was called Titania's
Palace. Lady Beatrix carved the inlay work for the floors and Nevile painted tiles, mosaics and ceilings. In
collaboration with Mia Cranwill miniature reproductions of the Cross of Cong and the Ardagh Chalice were
produced for Titania's Palace. Nevile was knighted in 1920 and that same year was chairman of the
NSPCC in Ireland. The doll's house was completed in 1922 and went on exhibition in England as a way of
raising funds for children's charities. The family toured with the palace, USA 1928, Argentina 1934,
Australia 1934 and Canada 1936. By 1930 the palace had travelled over 40K miles.
The family were good friends of the Earl of Wicklow and spent a lot of their visits to Ireland at Shelton
Abbey, Arklow. Neville died on 22 Dec 1940 at Bloomfield Donnybrook, late of Shelton Abbey, having
suffered with diabetes for years and was buried at Kilbride. The post of Ulster King of Arms ended with
his death. In 1943 the Office of Arms was transferred to the Government of Ireland and renamed the
Genealogical office. Since then, the Office has operated as part of the National Library and under the
direction of the Chief Herald.
1 Guendolen Eleanor May Wilkinson baptised at Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace in June 1904.
At six feet she was one the tallest girls 'in society' and worked with the Arklow District Nursing
Association and was president after the death of mother. The association closed in 1968 after
62 years in operation. She was also assistant matron to her grandmother's charity The Beatrix
Children's Nursery in East Knoyle. She died 30 Mar 1987 at East Knoyle and left 435K in personal
estate.
2 Muriel Phyllis Wilkinson born 3 Apr 1908 at Duchess Street, Portland Place, London and was
baptised 10 May 1908 at Wilton in Wiltshire. It appears that she had Down Syndrome but this
is not noted on census or registers. She accompanied her mother on holidays, excursions and to
garden parties but didn't attend her mother's funeral. She acted as tour guide for Titania's
Palace when it was based at Ballynastragh House in Gorey. She also helped out at the children's
clinic run by the Arklow District Nursing Association, of which her sister was president. She
died 22 Dec 1967 at Mere near Wilton and left 3K in personal estate. She was buried at East
Knoyle Cemetery.
Lady Beatrix secondly married Ralph Francis Forward-Howard, 7th Earl of Wicklow on 5 Mar 1942 at Christ
Church Cathedral. She was president of the Arklow District Nursing Association. Ralph died in October
1946 and the Dowager Countess set up a maternity and child welfare clinic in Arklow in memory of her
late husband She moved to Ballynastragh near Gorey and put Titania's Palace on show to raise funds. The
Countess of Wicklow died on 3 Dec 1957, at a nursing home in Leeson Street. Her funeral was held at St
Saviour's, Arklow and she was buried at Kilbride Graveyard. The palace containing over 2k miniatures was
sold in 1967 in aid of children's charities and was purchased by Lord Keyes and Olive Hodgekinson, owner
of the Wookey Hole Hotel in Somerset. In 1978 Legoland, Denmark purchased it and it is now on show in
Egeskov Castle where it is on loan from Legoland.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – August 2021