By H.Gregson.

This article is taken from a chapter in Mr Gregson’s book on Borwick. The book only exists in typescript, and so is not as widely known as it deserves. We are fortunate that he allowed this shortened version to be put together for the magazine. He was not able to see the proofs before he died, but his wife has read the article and given permission for its publication.

Mr Fuller-Maitland was another distinguished occupant of Borwick Hall. A more cultured tenant than many of his predecessors and a man remembered with affection by some present residents of the village.
He was born on the 7th April, 1856, at 90 Gloucester Place, Portman Square; a house which had been inherited by his mother and in which she had lived for three years before her marriage to John Fuller-Maitland of Park Place; a mansion which had been owned by Frederick, Prince of Wales. Fuller-Maitland described his grandparents, each an only child, as representing two of the wealthy and devout families that made up the “Clapham Sect”¹. Undoubtedly, the family into which he was born was very wealthy and well-connected in London society. His mother had moved in literary circles and had known Dickens and also Charles Lamb.

There were signs of eccentricity in his father’s family and particularly in one great-grandmother, who was fond of riding and still continued to ride on Clapham Common up to the age of 93. One day she saw a butcher’s boy on an attractive looking cob. She enquired of his employer if he would sell the horse and concluded a satisfactory deal. When she tried to ride the cob, it would not move, so she sent for the boy. He explained that it would only go when he had a basket on his arm. The great-grandmother set up a basket and, for the rest of her life, she rode with it on her arm.

Life at Gloucester Place and Park place was very happy for the young Fuller-Maitland and, although there was not much music played, the young boy did learn to read music. The family moved to a new house in Phillimore Gardens in Kensington. Fuller-Maitland was considered to have poor health and, when he went to his first school (a class taught by a Miss Offord, the daughter of a Baptist Minister), he was not allowed to play out with the other boys. In fact, there were symptoms of some serious infantile disorder and the boy was coddled, being given a sponge cake and a glass of port each morning break. At the age of ten, he was sent to a school “for the sons of gentlemen” called “Argyll College”. Music was taught at the school, an unusual subject in schools at that time, but there was also outside tuition on the piano by a Miss Allen.

In 1867 Fuller-Maitland caught typhoid fever at the school and it turned out to be a severe attack. However, instead of the usual convalescence at the sea-side, he was entered at Westminster School as a day boy. The food was unattractive to the young boy, who seemed to attach much importance to the matter, and the daily journey on the underground was not good for his health. After a year, during which little progress had been made, he was taken from the school and given daily lessons by a private tutor, a curate named Wilmot. Some better progress was made. Music was the only thing in which young Fuller-Maitland was interested, but his parents only co-operated reluctantly. In the eighteenth seventies, it was not considered right for a boy to play the piano and he was encouraged to confine his music to singing and playing the violin. However, eventually, he was allowed piano lessons, which he enjoyed.

There were eminent visitors to the home, including Longfellow and Disraeli. In fact, he was introduced to Disraeli by Lady Beaconsfield² with the words “James, this is Dizzy; Dizzy this is
James”. His name was John. There were visits to concerts, including the new Albert Hall and he became familiar with the standard oratorios.

In October 1875, Fuller-Maitland entered Trinity College, Cambridge, and this was to him a special joy. He did not seem so excited by the prospect of learning, but he relished the musical atmosphere. He immediately joined the C.U.M.S [the University Music Society], and took part in all its activities. Life was more and more a matter of deeper involvement with music and he enjoyed the friendship
of those who had similar interests.

Fuller-Maitland’s father objected to young men having no profession. Law had been considered, but this course was now abandoned. Music was the only possibility. Study with Liszt was considered, but his parents thought this inadvisable as there was a strong anti-Liszt movement. He did travel regularly to country houses, enjoying his music and playing the piano in very good company. The Bach Choir was just starting and he took a very active part in its development. Professionally he gained employment with The Guardian as a critic and he stayed with them for five happy years.

Besides his literary work he played at many concerts in London. At the end of these five years, the Times critic died and Fuller-Maitland was engaged for a month’s trial; this term was eventually extended to twenty-two years. Apart from his work for The Times, he edited a collection of nearly 300 pieces known as the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book. He collected folk songs and, in 1893, he published them in a book entitled English Country Songs.

In 1910, whilst staying with the Welch family in Lancaster, Fuller-Maitland saw the empty Borwick Hall and was immediately attracted to it. At the time the hall was owned by George Marton of Capernwray, but it was unoccupied and had been so for approximately fifty years. He became the tenant in 1911 and spent £7,000 on restoration, including the farming capacity which he transferred to Manor Farm, which he built. He furnished the house with the best of furniture, Sèvres porcelain, Chippendale furniture, and fine paintings. In the dining-room was a huge display of wine-glasses, liqueur glasses, sherry glasses, port glasses, hock glasses, custard glasses, tumblers, cut and engraved decanters with matching glasses, a rare Waterford sweetmeat stand with twelve hanging baskets. There were services in Wedgwood, Minton, Rockingham and Crown Derby. There was a Spanish Mahogany table, extending to 15ft, an inlaid mahogany pillared table, a bow-fronted mahogany sideboard and an Empire mahogany pedestal sideboard (with drawers, sliding trays and a cellarette) to store and display them all. The room was given colour by his collection of vases and bowls; some oriental, some Delft, some Blue and White, some Canton and some Worcester. There was also a banqueting Hall, with maroon velvet curtains, and a display of objects in copper and brass, a Smoke Room, furnished in oak…The detailed list is fascinating, but too long to be included here.

These were furnishings that would be typical of a house occupied by someone of Mr. Fuller-Maitland’s standing at that time, but other furnishings reflected his own special interests. In the Banqueting Hall was a 1765 Snetzer German Chamber Organ in a panelled mahogany case; it had 5 stops, 4 1/2 octaves and a foot blower. In the Smoke Room there was an upright grand by John Broadwood & Sons. There was also a 1795 harpsichord and a clavichord. He also had a great music library which is now in Lancaster Public Library. It included sixty volumes of the complete edition of the works of J.S.Bach.

Mr. Fuller-Maitland took an interest in the area in which he had come to live, particularly in the parish church at Warton, where he became Choirmaster and where he did much to improve the standard of music. He took an interest in the Mary Wakefield Music Festival and the Morecambe Musical Festival. He had a procession of distinguished guests at the house, and there were regular musical evenings. Several local people, who showed talent, were helped by Fuller-Maitland and, in some cases, lessons were paid for by him.

He also co-operated with Mr. Rawlinson-Ford of Leeds in the publication of the Lucas manuscript, which is a fascinating account of life in Warton in the early seventeen-hundreds. Mr. Fuller-Maitland died on the 30th March, 1936 at the age of 79. He had made a very generous contribution to the life of the area. Borwick Hall in his time must have given much pleasure to his many guests and visitors. Indeed, it may be we are still all in his debt for, without his injection of a considerable amount of money, the fine building could well have become a ruin.

Notes

1. Clapham Sect. c. 1785-1830. A group of Evangelicals, influential in such matters as the fight against slavery, the founding of the Church Missionary Society, and missionary activity in India. ↩︎
2. Lady Beaconsfield. Mrs Disraeli was created Viscountess Beaconsfield in 1868, eight years before her husband was raised to the peerage ↩︎