The Hon. Emily Dulcibella Dickinson and Her Sisters, Hon. Florence Selina Eden and Hon. Maria Harriet Eden of Boyn Hill House - Daughters of 3rd Baron Auckland

Monument to Emily Dulcibella Dickinson, Florence Selina Eden and Maria Harriet Eden, All Saints' Churchyard, Boyne Hill, Maidenhead Berkshire.

"In affectionate remembrance of Emily Dulcibella wife of Edmund Dickinson.  Formerly of Berkley House Frome. And daughter of Lord Auckland.  Late Bishop of Bath & Wells. Died 27th January 1893 aged 60

Also to the memory of Florence Selina Eden 4th daughter of 3rd Baron Auckland.  Born January 6th 1835.  Died June 5th 1909.

Also to the memory of Maria Harriet Eden.  5th daughter of 3rd Baron Auckland.  Born September 14th 1836.  Died January 11th 1909."

Emily Dulcibella Dickinson was born Emily Dulcibella Eden in 1833, Florance Selina Eden was born in 1835, and Maria Harriet Eden was born in 1836 in Huntingfordbury, Hertfordshire to Robert John L Eden, 3rd Baron of Auckland, and Bishop of Bath & Wells, and his wife Mary Ann Hurt.

Emily and her sisters, Florence and Maria first appear on the 1841 Census living in the parish of Brixton, Surrey at The Vicarage with their parents and siblings.  By 1851 the family had moved to the Isle of Mann and where living at Bishop's Court.  By 1861 the family had again moved, this time to the "Palace" Wells St Andrew, Somerset.  Visiting the family at the time was Edmund Henry Dickinson, a banker from Somerset.

That same year Emily married Edmund Henry Dickinson, related to the Plantagenets through Lady Isabella Plantagenet.  In 1863 they celebrated the birth of their first son, Robert Edmund.  1864 saw the arrival of Philip Francis, 1866 saw the birth of their first daughter Violet Mary, and in 1870 their son Oswald Eden was born. However, Emily, Florence, and Maria's father, Robert Eden, 3rd Baron of Auckland was to pass away on 25th April 1870.

The 1871 Census finds Emily, her husband, and children living at Berkley, Somerset.  Florance and Maria are living with their widowed mother Mary Ann at 11 Chamberlain Street, Wells, Somerset.

1881 Emily and Edmund have moved again, this time to 17 Berkley Street, Middlesex, London.  Living with them at the time is their daughter Violet.  Robert Edmund is a pupil at Trinity College in Cambridge.  I am unable to trace Philip Francis on the 1881 Census.  Oswald Eden is a boarding pupil at Pembroke Lodge School in Somerset. Florence and Maria can be found living together at Maidenhead Road, Cookham Berkshire, with their three servants.

In 1891 both Emily and Violet are visiting the Nelthrop family in Lincolnshire.  Joining them are Emily's sisters Florence Selina, and Maria Harriet.  Edmund can be found in the 1891 Census living in Westbury in Wiltshire.  I am unable to trace both Robert Edmund, and Oswald Eden on the 1891 Census, however Robert Edmund Dickinson becomes mayor of Bath in 1899 until 1900.  Philip Francis can be found visiting the McCall family at Little Barwick House in Somerset. 

Sadly, two years later in 1893 Emily passed away and was buried at All Saints Churchyard in Maidenhead.  Edmund was to follow her four years later in 1897.

In 1901 Violet Mary is living with her younger brother Oswald Eden, now a secretary of a building society, at 21 Manchester Street in Marylebone, London.  I am unable to find either Robert or Philip on the 1901 Census. Florence and Maria are now living at 27, Boyn Hill House, Boyn Hill Avenue, Maidenhead, Berkshire.  On 11th January 1909 Maria was to pass away at home aged 72. Nearly five months later Florence was to pass away on 5th June 1909 aged 74. On the 9th June 1909 the Maidenhead Advertiser reported:

"EDEN. 

The death took place early on Saturday morning at her residence, Boyn Hill, of the Hon. Florence Selina Eden. The deceased lady had been in failing health for some two years and in February last was obliged to take to her bed. She gradually became weaker and passed peacefully away as above stated. Throughout her illness she was attended by Dr. Moore. The Hon. Florence Eden was the fourth daughter of the third Lord Auckland, and was 74 years of age. She and her sister, the Hon. Maria Eden, who, it will be remembered, died in January last, were very highly esteemed in Maidenhead, and particularly so in the Boyn Hill district, their many charitable works and kindly interest in their poorer neighbours being well-known, and they will be greatly missed. 

Both ladies were generous supporters of All Saints' Church and schools, and all parochial institutions had their warmest sympathy and support. The deceased ladies had resided in the Boyn Hill district for upwards of a quarter of a century. The Hon. Florence Eden was until quite recently president of the Ladies' Committee of the Maidenhead Cottage Hospital, which position she resigned on account of ill-health. She was a great friend to the institution, and rendered the management valuable service; she also contributed generously by gifts of money and in kind towards its maintenance. All Saints' parish in particular, and the town generally, have sustained a great loss by the decease of these ladies, and they will be greatly missed. 

The funeral of the Hon. Florence Eden took place yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon. at All Saints' Church, Boyn Hill. The coffin containing the deceased lady's remains was borne on a bier from Boyn Hill House to the church, where it was met at the entrance by the Vicar (Canon Drummond), the Rev. A. Newton, and the Rev. W. D. Hawken (curate) and the choir. Inside the church the Rev. A. Newton read the lessons and Canon Drummond took the remainder of the service. Hymn 538, " They whose life on earth is o'er," was impressively sung. As the procession passed down the nave the Nunc Dimittis was chanted, and during the procession to the grave the hymn, "Brief life is here our portion, was effectively sung. In addition to the relatives and other mourners, there was a large congregation in the church, and at the graveside these were joined by many others, a large concourse of persons witnessing the interment.

There were many manifestations of sorrow and sympathy, not the least affected of those present being Canon Drummond, who took the committal portion of the service, and who was a personal friend of the deceased lady. The service concluded with hymn 429, "On the Resurrection morning." The body of the deceased was in a shell with an outer coffin of polished oak, with solid brass fittings, and on the breast-plate was the following inscription : 

"The Honourable Florence Selina Eden; born January 21ith,184; died June 3th,.1909." 

The grave was lined with begonias, carnations, chrysanthemums, arum and other flowers, this being the work of deceased's late gardener, Mr. W. Thatcher. The following were the mourners :—Hon. Henley (brother) and Mrs. Eden, Lord Auckland (nephew), Hon. Geo. Eden, B. H. H. Eden and W. A. Eden (nephews), Miss Dickinson (niece), Messrs. Henry Paget, Eden Paget, Hugh Paget and Eric Paget (nephews), Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, Mr. Geo. Hurt (cousin), Mr. B. Harris (solicitor), Nurse Peck, Miss Dormer, Miss Churchman, and Mr. and Mrs. Dymott. There were also present: Mr. J. W. Duncan and Mr. B. Hobbis (churchwardens). W. G. Sawyer and Miss Sawyer, Mrs. Armitage, Miss Goodden, Mr. W. J. Robson. and many others connected with All Saints' and St. Paul's Churches.

There were about 30 beautiful wreaths and other floral tokens, and these were sent by the following:—Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Eden, wreath; Mr. Hurt, The Priory, Datchet, wreath; Mr. and Mrs. Thatcher, wreath; the household. K.A.M., wreath; Mrs. and Miss Fox, Porchester House. Maidenhead, cross; Capt. and Mrs. Charles Pretyman, Boyne Holme, wreath; Miss Forbes, Boyn Hill Cottage, cross; Mrs. Wasey. 7, Boyn Hill-avenue, wreath; Mr., Mrs. and Miss Wootton; Boyne Grove, wreath; Mrs. W. Wigram, cross; Almshouses (inmates), sheaf; Mrs. J. S. Davies, Oakcroft, cross; Mr. and Mrs. Dymott, harp, Jim and Claude Paget, sheaf; Miss Barnard, The Liberty Wells, cross; Mr. R. and Mrs. Eden. wreath; Hon. Mrs. Sutton, Nelthorp, sheaf; Rev. and Mrs. Murray Gawne, wreath; Hon. Agnes Eden, Ford House, Wandford, chaplet; Hon. Mrs. Chetwynd, cross; Boyn Hill Gymnastic Club, wreath; Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, wreath; Eden and Gertrude Paget, wreath; Lord Auckland, two large wreaths; Eric Paget, wreath. 

The funeral arrangements were very satisfactorily carried out by Messrs. J. C. Webber Sons, Ltd., under the personal superintendence of Mr. J. C. Webber. The Hon. H. Eden desires to thank all those who sent wreaths, on the occasion of the funeral yesterday (Tuesday)."

Florance left money to various charities in her will. On 28th July 1909 the Maidenhead Advertiser reported:

"WILLS OF MAIDENHEAD LADIES. £2OO TO THE MAIDENHEAD COTTAGE HOSPITAL. 

The Hon. Florence Selina Eden, of Boyn Hill House, Maidenhead, daughter of the third Baron Auckland, whose death occurred on the 5th of June, left an estate of the gross value of £220.999 3s. 7d., Including net personalty of £219,887 1s. 3d. Probate of her will, with a codicil attached, has been granted to her brother, the Hon. Robert Henley Shaw Eden. of Tyddillan, Corwen, Merioneth, and Mr. Robert Hildyard Henley Eden, of Sherborne, Dorset, nephew of deceased, two of the executors, her sister the Hon. Maria Harriet Eden, the other executor, having died in the lifetime of deceased. Testatrix by her will bequeathed to the Additional Curates Society £200; to the Maidenhead Cottage Hospital, £200; the Universal Central African Minion, £100; and to All Saints' Church Fund, Maidenhead, £100. The residue of her estate goes to her brother absolutely."

Interestingly Violet Mary Dickinson complied her great aunt Emily Eden's letters and published them into a book called Miss Eden's letters, which is available to preview through Google Books.