Brenda McMahon has submitted the following:-
John Eden was born on October 9th 1888 the son of Sir William Eden and Lady Sybil Frances (nee Grey) of Windlestone Hall, Ferryhill. The couple married on July 20th 1886 at St Pauls, London and went on to have six children although sadly one died. They were Elfrida, John, Timothy, Robert Anthony and William Nicholas. Another son, Simon was born and died in 1904.
In 1891 Jack was living with his family at Windlestone Hall with 18 servants at the Hall and 3 gardeners living at Windlestone Cottage.
By 1901 there is no trace of the family except for John (Jack) who was a boarder at school at Walton, Suffolk. It transpires that there had been a financial matter to be dealt with so Sir William sent his entire family and entourage to Europe which possibly explains why, other than Jack, there is no trace of the family on the census.
Jack was educated at Eton and Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant with the 12th Lancers on January 27th 1909; he served in India between March 9th 1909 until October 23rd 1909: then South Africa from October 24th 1909 to January 8th 1913. He was promoted to lieutenant on May 25th 1914.
He took part in the retreat from Mons, the Battles of the Marne and the Aisne and was near Wervecq on October 17th 1914 when he was killed in action at Mont des Cats. He had been hit by shrapnel. His body was eventually found by a patrol of 20th Hussars the Germans having already removed his boots, cap and coat. The Hussars buried him where he lay although he was later re-interred.
His will showed his estate amounted to £4160 2s 7d which was left to his mother.
His father had died at the Cavendish Hotel in London on February 20th 1915 leaving an estate valued at £71,570 3s 3d. The title should have passed to Jack, but as he had been killed in action in 1914 the next in line was Timothy Eden. Timothy was in Germany at the outbreak of hostilities. He was perfecting his language skills with the intention of joining the Diplomatic Service. He was later held at a civilian detention camp at Ruhlegen, Germany and was repatriated in 1916.
Another brother who fought in the Great War was Robert Anthony Eden (known as Anthony). He received his commission with the 21st (Yeoman Rifles) King’s Royal Rifle Corps and arrived in France in 1916. He won the Military Cross at the Battle of the Somme. He survived the war and later entered politics where he advanced to the position of Foreign Secretary then later became Prime Minister between 1955-1957.
His youngest brother William Nicholas Eden was killed on H.M.S. Indefatigable on May 31st 1916.
His mother, Lady Sybil offered Windlestone Hall for use as a VAD Hospital for wounded soldiers for which service she was later awarded the OBE.
John Eden is remembered at Kirk Merrington on K26.01
