The Family of Henry Robinson Stanley and Catherine Jane Wilson
| Henry Robinson Stanley (1853-1917) |  |
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| Catherine Jane Wilson (185?-1921) | |
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| Married: 1st November 1883 | ||
| Charles William Stanley (1885-19??) |  |
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| Henry Benjamin Stanley (1888-1925) |  |
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| Kathleen Victoria Stanley (1890-19??) | |
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| Ellen Dorothea Stanley (1893-19??) |  |
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| Mary Grace Stanley (1895-19??) | |
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| Robert Alexander Stanley (1898-19??) | |
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On the 1st November 1883 Henry Robinson Stanley was married to Catherine Jane Wilson in Warrenpoint Parish Church. The service was performed by the Rev C. Herbert Waddell and witnessed by William N. Wilson and Ellen Wilson. The groom's rank or profession is given as manager of mill, and his residence as Rostrevor, no rank or profession is entered for the bride who resides in Warrenpoint. The groom's father Henry Stanley is a doctor (M.D.) and the bride's father, Benjamin Deane Wilson is a draper. (See Note 2)
It was in 1884 that the news broke that the town was to have a large and prestigious hotel. The Beach Hotel (now the Convent of Mercy Nursing Home) was being built by Henry Robinson Stanley of Portadown at a cost of £2,800. The builder was Alexander Whelan of Newry. It was the largest building in the town. The restaurant and public bar opened on Easter Monday, 1885. (Bradley, L. 1998, p32.)
Their first child Charles William Stanley was born on the 18th January 1885 and baptized in Warrenpoint Parish Church on the 12th April of the same year by the Reverend Thomas B. Naylor. The quality, trade or profession is recorded as Hotel Keeper and their abode is recorded as Warrenpoint. (Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p11, No. 89).
In spite of improving times it was a difficult year for the hotel business in Warrenpoint in 1885. The Beach Hotel which had opened its bedrooms for business on June 1, 1885, was in serious financial trouble by the end of July. Henry Robinson Stanley had over-reached himself financially and was in a Court of Bankruptcy for failure to pay serious sums to the builders. (Bradley, L. 1998, p32.).
The Newry Telegraph of January 28, 1886, reports on a case arising from the bankruptcy in its Law Intelligence column as follows:
COURT OF BANKRUPTCY – Tuesday
(Before the Hon Judge Miller.)
Re Henry Robinson Stanley, a bankrupt.
This case appeared in list for judgement upon a charge and discharged filed in relation to the furniture in the possession of the bankrupt at the time of his adjudication. The bankrupt had erected a large hotel at Warrenpoint, called the Beach Hotel, and became indebted to the builder on foot of the contract. He arranged with Messrs James Brown & Co of Glasgow, cabinet manufacturers, for the furnishing of the hotel, and they accordingly supplied furniture to the extent of £580 13s 7d. The bankrupt, not being able to pay this amount, afterwards executed a bill of sale to Messrs Brown & Co of the furniture and other effects in the hotel to secure payment of the amount so due by instalments, with power to them to take possession on failure of payment of the first or any subsequent instalment. Before the first instalment became due the bankrupt was adjudicated, and the messenger of the Court took up possession of the furniture under the order and disposition clauses of the Bankruptcy Acts, and it was contended on behalf of the assignees, that they were entitled to hold same under those clauses as against the owner of the bill of sale, notwithstanding that one of the conditions in the Bills of Sale Act, upon which a holder of a bill of sale is entitled to take possession, is the bankruptcy of the owner of the goods – the acts appearing to be contradictory. The point raised was a novel one, and was of the utmost importance, as it affected the value of bills of sale as a security, A charge was filed by the assignees, claiming the furniture to which Messrs Brown & Co filed, a discharge, relying upon the bill of sale, and the matter was freely argued before the Court some time ago, and stood over for judgement. His Lordship, after reviewing the law applicable to the case at considerable length, decided that where a bill of sale had been duly registered within the seven days prescribed by the Act of Parliament, and the grantee of the bill of sale was not in a position, under the provisions of the document, to take up possession before bankruptcy, the order and disposition clauses of the Bankruptcy Acts did not apply. He therefore set aside the charge of the assignees, and declared Messrs Brown & Co entitled to the furniture, but having regard to the novelty of the point and the uncertainty of the law on the subject, he would make the order without costs. It is not known yet if an appeal will be lodged. Messrs R P Carton, QC, and Stavely (instructed by Messrs Hamilton & Craig, Dublin) appeared for the assignees; and Messrs John V Gerrard, QC, and John Gordon (instructed by Mr R A Mullan, Newry) was for Messrs Brown & Co.
The Newry Reporter of January 28, 1886 also reports on the same case in its Law Reports column as follows:
HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE.
COURT OF BANKRUPTCY – TUESDAY.
(Before Judge Miller).
MR HENRY ROBINSON STANLEY
The bankrupt was a hotel proprietor at Warrenpoint, County Down, and the case was on the list for judgement on charge and discharge, the question at issue being an important one on the New Bills of Sale Act. It appeared that the bankrupt erected a new hotel at Warrenpoint, called the “Beech Hotel”, and became indebted to builders on foot of the contract. The hotel was furnished by Messrs J Brown and Co, cabinet manufacturers, of Glasgow, to whom Mr Stanley became indebted in a sum of £580 13s 7d. To secure this he executed a bill of sale, but as the bankruptcy took place before the parties were entitled to take possession thereunder, the messenger of the Court entered into possession; and it was contended, on behalf of the assignees, that the goods came within the order and disposition clause of the Bankruptcy Act, and that they were consequently entitled to realise same against the holders of the bill of sale. The assignees filed a charge claiming the furniture, to which the holders of the bill of sale filed a discharge. Judge Miller, in delivering judgement, reviewed the law applicable to the case, and held that, where a bill of sale had been duly registered within the seven days prescribed, and where, by the terms of the 7th section of the Act, the grantee of the bill of sale could not take possession before bankruptcy, the order and disposition clauses of the Bankruptcy Act did not apply. He therefore set aside the charge of the assignee, but, having regard to the novelty of the point and the uncertainty of the law on the subject, he would make the order without costs.
Council for the Assignees – Messrs Carson, QC, and Staveley (instructed by Mr Bennett Thompson). Counsels for the chargeant – Messrs Gerrard, QC, and John Gordon (instructed by Mr Mullan, Newry).’
Life for the Stanley family went on, after the failure of the hotel Henry opened the Stanley Restaurant in Dock Square (Bradley, L. 1998, p78).
Their second child Henry Benjamin Stanley (Harry) was born on the 2nd March 1888 and baptized in Warrenpoint Parish Church on the 13th June of the same year by the Reverend Thomas B. Naylor. The quality, trade or profession is recorded as Hotel Keeper, and their abode is recorded as The Square, Warrenpoint. (Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p15, No. 128).
Their third child Catherine Victoria Stanley (Kitty) was born on the 22nd June 1890 and baptized in Warrenpoint Parish Church on the 18th September of the same year by the Reverend Thomas B. Naylor. The quality, trade or profession is recorded as Hotel Keeper and their abode is recorded as The Square, Warrenpoint. (Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p19, No. 151).
Their fourth child Ellen Dorothea Stanley (Nellie) was born on the 5th January 1893 and baptized in Warrenpoint Parish Church on the 16th March of the same year by the Reverend Thomas B. Naylor. The quality, trade or profession is recorded as Hotel Keeper and their abode is recorded as Warrenpoint. (Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p24, No. 190).
Their fifth child Mary Grace Stanley (Grace) was born on the 17th March 1895 and baptized in Warrenpoint Parish Church on the 22nd May of the same year by the Reverend Thos. B. Naylor. The quality, trade or profession is recorded as Hotel Keeper and their abode is recorded as The Square, Warrenpoint. (Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p27, No. 216).
Their sixth and final child Robert Alexander Stanley (Bobby) was born on the 22nd February 1898 and baptized in Warrenpoint Parish Church on the 22nd April of the same year by the Reverend Thomas B. Naylor. The quality, trade or profession is recorded as Hotel Keeper and their abode is recorded as The Square, Warrenpoint. (Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p27, No. 216).
On Wednesday evening, 3rd April 1907 Misses Kitty and Nelly Stanley appeared on the programme of the ‘Children’s Concert’ held in the New Town Hall, Warrenpoint. They formed a trio with Miss A. McWhirter to sing 'Come, Sisters, tell me' and Miss Nellie Stanley sang solo with the chorus in the Floral Action Song 'Mistress Mary'. (Programme of Children's Concert, New Town Hall, Warrenpoint on Wednesday, 3rd April 1907, Newry: Newry Telegraph Office.)
In March, 1917, Mr Henry R Stanley died at the early age of 63. Originally from Portadown, his was a name etched in the history of the development of Warrenpoint. He was the Stanley who had invested his money in building the Beach Hotel and who had been declared bankrupt before the hotel was many months in operation. The enlarged hotel became the Warrenpoint G.N.R. Hotel, which in turn became the present St. Joseph’s Nursing Home. After the failure of the hotel he opened the Stanley Restaurant in Dock Square which prospered under his management for almost 30 years. (Bradley, L. 1998, p78).
Henry Robinson Stanley died on 13th March 1917, in his death certificate the cause of death is listed as influenza 4 days, cardiac syncope.
The funeral of the late Henry Robinson Stanley took place on Friday, 16th March 1917 from the Stanley Restaurant to Clonallon Cemetery, and was conducted by Rev. E. S. Medcalf, M.A.
Notes.
Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Marriages 1869-1934, p28, No. 56
BRADLEY, L. (1998) Warrenpoint: Origins and Developments. Warrenpoint: Liam Bradley.
Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p11, No. 89
Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p15, No. 128
Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p19, No. 151
Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p24, No. 190
Warrenpoint Parish Church, Register of Baptisms 1878-, p27, No. 216
Programme of Children's Concert, New Town Hall, Warrenpoint on Wednesday, 3rd April 1907, Newry: Newry Telegraph Office.)
Newry Reporter, Saturday, March 17, 1917
| See also: | 1911 census for County Down |
| Funeral of Henry Robinson Stanley 1917 | |
| Funeral of Catherine Jane Stanley 1921 | |
| Funeral of Henry Benjamin Stanley 1925 |
