Ann Raymond Heath (nee Dunbar) (1787-1842), England.

Ann Raymond Heath (nee Dunbar)

1787-1842

We know about Ann from an entry in the book "Records of the Heath Family" by George Heath, 1913. This mentions that her God Father was her distant cousin Lieut General Sir John Moore and that he gave her away at her wedding. While the book does not say much about Ann, it does give a long list of her Dunbar ancestors going back to King Alfred the Great. She was also a decendant of Sir John Napier the inventor of logarithms.

Anne Raymond Dunbar, elder daughter of William Dunbar, Notary Public, and Jean Morthland, his wife, was born at Walworth, August 5th, 1787, and died in London, August 22nd, 1842.

Details as to the nature and qualities of this lady are very few. She certainly brought a fine pedigree into the Heath family, besides the mathematics deriving from the Simsons and the Napiers. Julia Moore had little to say about her, except that she used to get annoyed by the habits of French visitors in whose entertainment Serjt. Heath found pleasure. J.C. Moore wrote to me - "She was all compact of simple and natural virtues," so different to her sister Mrs Sneyd, "who thought there was no existence, except among Rt. Honourables." Sir John Moore gave her away at her wedding, besides sending her a present of £100 with the following letter:

MISS DUNBAR Tuesday, 22nd April, 1806.
MY DEAR COUSIN,
As previous to your marriage, you may want various trifles, which it may not be convenient to your mother to give you, will you forgive me for offering the enclosed, and for begging your acceptance of it.
Believe me always, with every wish for your happiness.
Your affectionate Cousin,
JOHN MOORE.

A white and gold tea service was bought with part of this present, of which Mrs H.E. Malden has the remains, with the original letter.

I, Matthew Charles Dunbar, Lieut. and Capt. in the Bengal Army, at present in a sound state of mind, do hereby make my last Will and Testament.
First. - I do will and bequeath whatever sums of money may be found of mine invested in the hands of my agents, Messers. Macintosh & Co., of Calcutta, in the East Indies, to the children of my beloved brother and sister, George and Anne Raymond Heath, of London, and I do direct that the money so bequeathed, be equally divided amongst the aforesaid children (five in number), and by name as follows:- Julia Heath, John Moore Heath. Douglas Heath, Dunbar Heath and Leopold Heath.
Second. - I do will and bequeath whatever profit or advantage may be forthcoming on my death, from the share which I now possess, in the Laudable Society, to the children above named, and which is to be equally divided among them.
Third. - I do will and bequeath the amount of my property of every description to the children aforesaid, to be equally divided without favour or affection.
Fourth. - I do will and direct that all my private letters be placed under seal, and made over to one of my exors.
Fifth. - I do will and direct that Jas. Moore, Esquire, of London, conjointly with Edward Cairncross Sneyd, Lieut. in the Bengal Army, be exors. to this my last Will, and I do hereby revoke any former Will.
Given under my hand and seal on this 12th day of June. 1819.
Witness my hand and seal in presence of the undermentioned,
M.C. DUNBAR, Lieut. Brev. Capt.,
Bengal Army.
Witness.
Signed -
CHAS. RENNY,
Asst. Surgeon, R.A.
CHAS RAY,
Asst. Surgeon, R.A.
A true and faithful copy
E SNEYD, Exor.

Our cousin, Mrs. H.E. Malden, to whom the family owe so much for her researches in our past history, is the possessor of some interesting relics of our grandparents.

1. A small gold locket, 1-in. in diameter, with an outer and inner circle of black enamel and gold for mourning. M.C.D. in the centre on one face, and a small glass centre showing hair, on the other. Inside, an open gold cover of fine workmanship, protecting a glass, under which some black hair is arranged.
Inscription inside. The hair of my adored brother M.C. Dunbar. Obt. 19 June, 1819, Obt. 30 years.

3. A few ornaments, ring, watch chain, prayer book and work box, formally belonging to our grandmother.

4. The silver teapot and cream jug presented to Serjt. Heath by his clients on his retirement.

5. Urn, two decanters and remains of the white and gold tea set purchased with Sir John Moore's wedding present.

6. A whole tea set, a wedding present from Miss Jane Moore to our grandmother, and always kept for best.

Anne Raymond Dunbar, elder daughter of William Dunbar, married in1806 George Heath, Esq., of Kitlands, near Dorking, Surrey, Serjeant-at-law and J.P. for Surrey, who was born 27th June, 1779, and died 22nd January, 1852. She died 22nd August, 1842, leaving four sons and two daughter (1) Rev. John Moore Heath; (2) Douglas Denon Heath, of Kitlands, Surrey; (3) Rev. Dunbar Isidore Heath;(4) Admiral Sir Leopold George Heath, K.C.B. Daughters - (1) Julia Anna; and (2) Emma Jane, For marriages and issues of whom see Heath Pedigree.

This pedigree, which has been circulated in the Heath family on the authority of the Dunbars, is an interesting and undoubtedly authentic document, but its statements on the relation of the Earls of Dunbar to those of Northumberland, with consequent bearing on the royal descent of the family, are not altogether clear without a reference to further authorities. A comparison of them has, therefore, been made with others bearing on the matter in the contemporary Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the historical notes in Kingsley's romance "Hereward the Wake," J.R. Green's "Making of England: and "Conquest of England," and other standard works, and the result is that the circumstances may be state in the following order, which may, it is believed, be taken as substantially correct. From Alfred the Great, temp. 849-901, were descended, in direct line, the later kings, down to Ethelred the Unready, who died 1016. Ethelred had a daughter, Aelgifu, who married Uchtred, Earl of Northumberland, and had issue a daughter, Aldgitha, who married Maldred, son of Crinan the Thane, from which union sprang a son, Gospatric. Uchtred had, however, other children, Ealdred and Eadwulf, sons by a former wife. Uchtred held his earldom under the Saxon King Edmund, but when the Danish King Canute invaded England he made his submission to him, but was immediately afterwards murdered by an enemy in a private feud. Canute then gave the earldom to a friend of his own, Eric the Norseman, with whom, however, he afterwards quarrelled, and banished him from England circ.1023, restoring his possessions to the family which formerly held them. Ealdred, the eldest son, now ruled as earl, but on his death, which happened not long afterwards, Northumberland as by mutual consent divided, as it had been once before, into two earldoms, Bernicia and Deira, Eadwulf, Ealdred's brother, taking the one, and his daughter, or rather the Danish noble Siwad, who had married her, the other. Three years later, however, Siward raised a dispute with Eadwulf, killed him, and seized Bernicia, so the earldom of Northumberland became once more re-united. This Siward is a character in Shakespeare's "Macbeth," and was much concerned in the wars with Scotland. He himself died in 1055 at York, and the earldom was then given by Edward the Confessor, who was reigning at the time, to Tostig, brother of Harold, son of Earl Godwin. In 1065, however, the northern nobles rose against Tostig, and one of their leaders was Gospatric, who thus sought to establish himself in the earldom of his grandfather, Uchtred. The rebellion was at first successful, and Tostig fled to Flanders, but in 1066 it was quelled by Harold, who had become king. Gospatric retired to Scotland where, in 1070, he became father of a younger Gospatric. Gospatric, the elder, according to some authorities, subsequently returned to England and submitted to William the Conqueror, who restored to him his earldom of Northumberland, of which, however, he was again deprived in 1072, and finally died circ. 1100. Gospatric the younger, growing up in Scotland, married there, circ. 1103, Sibella, daughter of Patrick Dunbar, and was himself created Earl of Dunbar and March at some date previous to 1130. From him descended, in direct line, the later Earls of Dunbar and March down to Patrick, the 8th Earl, temp. 1284, whose son, John Dunbar, Earl of Moray, was great-grandfather of Sir Alexander Dunbar, temp. 1425-1497, from whom, through his son David, can be traced the later Dunbars, in direct line down to Robert Dunbar, temp. 1727, minister of Dyke, father of William Dunbar, 1740-1800, whose daughter, Anne Raymond Dunbar, married Serjt. Heath, from which union sprang all the later Heaths dealt with in this book it would appear, therefore, that they are lineally descended, in direct liine, from a Dunbar knight, the Earls of Dunbar, the Saxon Earls of Northumberland, and, ultimately, from Alfred the Great.

Lady Petre, of Hatchwoods, Winchfield, possesses five interesting old portraits in oil of

Robina Brisbane, his daughter, and two others, also miniatures of her maternal grandfather, W. Dunbar, 1740-1800, and his daughter Anne and Jane.

Whilst Mrs.Sneyd was in India, the portraits were in the keeping of Ann Hare, Mrs.J.Cotterill.

On the return of lady Petre's brother, John Thompson Sneyd, from India in 1855, these pictures, being part of Mrs. Sneyd's estate, were returned to Hatchwoods, where they still remain.

The inscription is to a great extent illegible, but the following copy is supplied by the Surveyor's Office, Guildhall, where all the old inscriptions are preserved in books.

In connection with the above, an old Prayer Book in my possession, dated 1770, proves an interesting link between the three families of Moores, Dunbars and Simsons.
On its title page appears the name James Simson.
On a fly-leaf-"Dear Mrs. Simson's Prayer Book."
"Given to Jane Henderson by Mrs. Dunbar, as a token of remembrance of her dear and valuable friend Mrs. Simson, whom Jane Henderson had the highest esteem and affection for."
Oct. 26th, 1810.
On the opposite page is the name of Harriet Jane Moore.
James Simson, 1729-1777,was brother to Mrs. Morthland, 1720-1802, and Mrs. J. Moore, 1735-1820.
Jane Figgins married John Henderson the actor. Both were buried in Poets Corner, Westminster Abbey. Their only child Harriet, married Jas. Carrick Moore.

My Dearest Leo,
I fear yesterday's letter from Douglas would be rather a shock to you, as I suppose that accord from the Admiralty (viz. Mr Christie's) means, that you will not be, Sir C Adams' Gunnery Lieutenant. Well, it is lucky you have no particular disagreables in your present situation; if you are to be disappointed. I am very glad that Mrs Marriott had such a fair hope of her son's recovery, and that you have had it in your power as well as in your kindly nature, to shew her and her daughter some attention. We are a jolly party here now. The Bethunes were all going to disperse last Monday; consequently, we were obliged to send for Emma, and now we have got her, she seems to happy and makes such life and gaiety in our sober coterie that I believe we shall not separate again. She says "Oh, Mamma, don't send me away again, I will sleep under a bed, or any where, rather than leave you." Your Father sent for a carpenter, and for 10 shillings has contrived her, what Honey calls, "a noice little boax." I suppose she was thinking of our Horses new stable. Which on the subject of Osses Ma desires me to introduce the following, Bell, (the Bethunse coachman) lamenting the death of a favourite carriage horse, said to Gina - "Well ma'am, our comfort is, that os, as'nt died in debt!! He's paid for himself over, and over again" !!! We are highly amused at your Hen & Pig Story. Should you like a packet of Dunbar's Welch letters. You need not out of compliment, unless you really wish it. As to myself dear Leopold, I can not say much. I believe it is very doubtful, if I shall ever be able to walk again, more than from bed to sofa. My Doctor says, my general health is good, and that I have a good constitution, but it . . .

My dearest Leo,
Your fate is decided not to leave the Impregnable. Sir J Pechell has put his veto against your having the other appointment. So now deary, make yourself happy, with your nice friend Captain Forbes, your nice cabin, your well polished guns, and all your other Agrémens, and be off to the Mediterranean. Not much to be pitied after all, now that you are likely to have your work. We know nothing more, than the above fact, which Mr Christie announced in a note to Douglas; saying also, that Sir C. Adam had written to the Lady, who had applied for you. Your note of this day tells us nothing of the Jewel, which I am expiring to hear. Mr and Mrs Henry Hope are living at Richmond for the Honey Moon. The Lady could not bring herself to love a rich young man so well as a poor young man, very much to the regret of her Uncle the Great Col. He says they have 400 a year between them, and he has retired from the Navy. The Uncle would dearly have preferred the wealthy husband, but notwithstanding her folly, he has sent them a wedding present. As I understand the rest of the party are going to write, I will say Adieu! Be sure to forward John's letter to Dunbar.
God bless you my Leo!
Your affectionate mother,
Anne Heath.
[Another short note written onto the same letter reads as follows]
Dearest Leo,
Who do you think did up all kinds of Penny Joys and thick packets to you if I was not here? Why Sir you might have known the finger, and I feel greatly hurt that you did not. However, I am afraid I ought to have written to you and indeed I can hardly believe I have not done so since we have been in town. I am so very glad Edward Nett is doing well. I suppose they will be coming home again soon. And now about that nasty old Radical Sir J Pechell! If you are greatly disappointed I am very sorry dear, but I can hardly (now it is settled, which you know always makes a difference) reflect that you exchange Niggerland for the beautiful interesting Mediterranean, so especially interesting just now in all ways. And then the "Illustrious Stranger"! If it is worth a million of money to the Captain surely you Lieutenants will come in for £60,000 or £80,000 a piece for your share. Pray do not fail to tell us all about it, "sub rosa" you know

My dearest Leo,
Your sad news of the morning to Douglas, is a blow so unexpected, and so regretted by me, that I own I am quite put out. All that have left you, I have regretted, but Captain F was my strong hold, and I looked to his friendship, to make up to you, for every other disagreeable, or annoyance. You are a wise man, Leo, and as we cannot help ourselves in this matter, we must hope that his successor, may be a good Officer and a just man, though of course you are not likely to meet with the same friendship in a stranger, that you old Melville gave you. Pray give me the earliest account of your new Commander. I suppose Douglas told you all about the Doctor drenching me here and after poor Julia had gone off with all her valuables, how she was ordered back to town next day, and that we kept my birthday here. Soon after 9 o'clock on the 15th morning, my bedroom door was thrown open and Douglas came first, with a pair of very handsome candlesticks for my bed room, a dark ground with beautiful flowers on them in enamel. His own present to me. Father came next, with a beautiful plate for flowers with a lid to cover it, full of holes, so that the flowers will remain as they are placed. It is black and gold, with little bouquets strewed over it. This was by subscription Pa', Julia, Emma. Besides these a Course Pied of knitting (?) from Emma to throw over my feet on the sofa, and one of those Shetland Wool Shawls from Julia. A pair of welsh wood Jacks from Dunbar and my photograph of you. Do not you think I made a very good thing of being ill? Such useful, as well as ornamental things. I send you more of dear Danny's letters. How he seems to enjoy himself, dear man. I shall live on the hope of getting another peep at you my Leo, before we part! Do not take me quite by surprise as there is great pleasure in the anticipation of pleasure, and I think I am not quite hearty enough to hear a sudden surprise. God Bless you my dear child!

You may perhaps see me this week, but as Papa can not make up his mind, so neither do I quite make up mine, as I . . . [don't?] wish to accompany him. Do not if you happen to be . . . expect us till your dear . . . when the last Southampton coach comes on Friday . . . until.

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