The Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Montreal Park    Cross Keys  Sevenoaks  

Books and other documents
PublishedTitle, author and references
1797The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent - Volume III by Edward Hastedp. 95
1840New Guide for Tunbridge Wells by John Colbran and edited by James Phippen ⇒ p. 373
1901Old Sevenoaks by Frank Richards and illustrated by Charles Essenhigh Corke, F.R.P.S.p. 41
1909English Homes and Villages (Kent & Sussex)
also published as
Tunbridge Wells and its Neighbourhood by Lady Hope ⇒ p. 194

Historical records

c 1765HistoryMontreal Park

Amherst, Jeffrey, first Baron Amherst of Holmesdale was born on 29th January 1716/7 at Brooks Place, Riverhead, Kent, the second son of Jeffrey Amherst and his wife, Elizabeth, the daughter of Thomas Kerrill of Hadlow, Kent.

Amherst became a soldier at the tender age of 14. After service in the War of the Austrian Succession, he gained fame during the Seven Years' War, particularly in the North American campaign. The succesful Siege of Louisbourg in 1758 led immediately to Amherst taking command of all of England's armies in North America. Amherst's second in command was the young James Wolfe who played a crucial role at Louisbourg and subsequently in the liberation of Quebec. England was to concentrate most of its efforts for the duration of The Seven Years' War in North America; and, after four years of fighting, in 1763, at the Treaty of Paris, France gave up its North American possessions and, subsequently, North America, was to be dominated by English policy and language.

Today a single obelisk remains as a memorial to Jeffrey Amherst:

Dedicated to that most able Statesman during whose Administration, Cape Breton and Canada were conquered and from whose influence the British Arms derived a Degree of Lustre unparalleled in past ages.

LOUISBOURGH surrendered and Six French Battalions Prisoners of WarJuly 26, 1758
FORT DU QUESNE taken possession ofNov. 24, 1758
NIAGARA surrenderedJuly 25, 1759
TICONDERAGE taken possession ofJuly 26, 1759
CROWN POINT taken possession ofAugust 4, 1759
QUEBEC capitulatedSept. 18, 1759
FORT LEVI surrenderedAug. 25, 1760
ISLE OF NOIX abandonedAug. 28, 1760
MONTREAL surrendered and with it all Canada, and ten French battalions laid down their armsSept. 8, 1760
ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, retakenSept. 18, 1762

Circa 1752 Jeffrey Amherst had a son Jeffery by an unknown mother and he also became a soldier and rose to the rank of Major-General. On 20th May 1753 Jeffrey Amherst married Jane Dalison at Gray's Inn Chapel in London. Within a few years she succumbed to insanity and died on 7th January 1765. Amherst razed the family seat at Riverhead (which he had inherited in 1763 on the death of his brother Sackville) and built a new house that he christened "Montreal". On 26th March 1767, at St James's, Westminster, he married Elizabeth Cary, the daughter of Lieutenant-General George Cary. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries the house and family hosted an annual summer picnic for the children educated at the junior school they established in the village of Riverhead; the school still bears Amherst's coat of arms. With the decline of the family's fortunes the house was knocked down in the late 20th century to make way for a housing development.

In 1770, Amherst was appointed Governor of Guernsey and in 1772 Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance. In 1776 he received his peerage as Baron Amherst of Holmesdale. Subsequently, the latter part of his army career was less successful. He was appointed Field Marshal in 1796 but died a year later died at his home, Montreal, Riverhead, Kent, on 3rd August 1797.

See also


3rd Aug 1797DeathJeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst of HolmesdaleMontreal ParkODNB web site

c 1800MontrealMontreal, Sevenoaks by Rock & Co., LondonPrivate collection

29th Aug 1802BirthHon. Jeffrey AmherstMontreal Parkwww.thepeerage.com

3rd Apr 1881CensusEarl Amherst, M, Head, married, age 75, born Grosvenor St, St Georges, London; occupation peer of the realmWilliam Pitt Amherst, 2nd Earl Amherst of ArracanMontreal Park1881 Census
Sevenoaks, Kent
Countess Amherst, F, Wife, married, age 66, born Bishbourne, Kent; occupation peeressGertrude Amherst [Percy], Countess Amherst of Arracan
Lady M. C. Amherst, F, Daughter, single, age 32, born Grosvenor St, St Georges, LondonLady Margaret C. Amherst
Lady L. F. Amherst, F, Daughter, single, age 29, born Sevenoaks, KentLady Charlotte F. Amherst
George Croucher, M, Servant, married, age 60, born Milford, Hampshire; occupation: butlerGeorge Croucher, butler
James Mongomery, M, Servant, single, age 26, born Winchester, Hampshire; occupation: under butlerJames Mongomery
Henry Caraway, M, Servant, single, age 26, born Wickham, Kent; occupation: footmanHenry Caraway
James Eade, M, Servant, single, age 27, born Great Clackton, Essex; occupation: footmanJames Eade
Edward Grace, M, Servant, single, age 17, born Bartley, Hampshire; occupation: steward room boyEdward Grace
Edwin Ephraim Heal, M, Servant, single, age 24, born Kennington, Surrey; occupation: groomEdwin Ephraim Heal
Eliza Scott, F, Servant, single, age 42, born Whalton, Northumberland; occupation: housekeeperEliza Scott
Janet Claridge, F, Servant, single, age 30, born Honington, Warwick; occupation: housemaidJanet Claridge
Clara Jane Lee, F, Servant, single, age 32, born Mitcham, Surrey; occupation: laundry maidClara Jane Lee
Mary Ann Wager, F, Servant, single, age 26, born Camberwell, Surrey; occupation Laundry MaidMary Ann Wager
Emma Wilmot, F, Servant, single, age 25, born Grt Bedwin, Wiltshire; occupation Stillroom maidEmma Wilmot
Lizzie Booker, F, Servant, single, age 19, born Chiddingstone, Kent, occupation: laundrymaidLizzie Booker
Mary E. Brown, F, Servant, single, age 22, born Chidwick, Dorset; occupation: dairy maidMary E. Brown
Elizabeth Mutton, F, Servant, single, age 25, born Belper, Derby; occupation: kitchenmaidElizabeth Mutton
Sarah Ann Ballard, F, Servant, single, age 24, born Churchdown, Gloucester, occupation: scullerymaidSarah Ann Ballard
Annie Smither, F, Servant, single, age 23, born Sevenoaks, Kent; occupation: housemaidAnnie Smither
Eliza Bland, F, Servant, single, age 18, born Warcross, Westmorland, occupation: housemaidEliza Bland
Maria Wallen, F, Servant, single, age 30, born Oare, Berkshire; occupation Ladies MaidMaria Wallen
Lucy King, F, Servant, single, age 23, born Warminster, Wiltshire; occupation: ladies maidLucy King
Sir Arthur Edward Middleton, Baronet, M, Son in law, married, age 43, born Hawohough ?, Northumberland; occupation: baronetSir Arthur Edward Middleton, 7th Baronet Middleton, of Belsay Castle
Gilbert W. Middleton, M, Grandson, age 8, born St Georges, Hanover Square, LondonGilbert William Middleton
Charles A. Middleton, M, Grandson, age 7, born St Georges, Hanover Square, LondonSir Charles Arthur Middleton
Gertrude Mary Middleton, F, Granddaughter, age 5, born Westminster St MargaretsGertrude Mary Middleton
Elinor Isabel Middleton, F, Granddaughter, age 4, born Bolan, NorthumberlandElinor Isabel Middleton
Hugh Jeffery Middleton, M, Grandson, age 1, born Bolan, NorthumberlandHugh Jeffery Middleton
Albert T. Neal, M, Servant, single, age 35, born Corsham, Wiltshire, employed by Sir Arthur Middleton; occupation ButlerAlbert T. Neal
Henry Anderson, M, Servant, single, age 15, born Newminster, Northumberland, employed by Sir Arthur Middleton; occupation: footmanHenry Anderson
Mary Jones, F, Servant, single, age 36, born Angelsea, Wales, employed by Sir Arthur Middleton; occupation: nurseMary Jones
Annie Chilton, F, Servant, single, age 22, born Howarden, Buckingham, employed by Sir Arthur Middleton; occupation: nurseAnnie Chilton
Alice Owen, F, Servant, single, age 19, born Angelsea, Wales, employed by Sir Arthur Middleton; occupation NurseAlice Owen
Hon. John Ashburnham, M, Visitor, age 36, born St Georges, Hanover Square, London; occupation: diplomatic serviceHon. John Ashburnham

3rd Apr 1881CensusJohn Ketteringham, M, Head, married, age 69, born Stratton Park, Hampshire, handicap: partially deaf; occupation: retired coachmanJohn Ketteringham, coachmanMontreal Lodge1881 Census
Sevenoaks, Kent
Ann Ketteringham, F, Wife, married, age 63, born Kemsing, KentAnn Ketteringham
Fanny Kipps, F, Visitor, single, age 50, born Kemsing, Kent; occupation: retired servantFanny Kipps

26th Mar 1886DeathWilliam Pitt Amherst, 2nd Earl Amherst of ArracanMontreal Parkwww.thepeerage.com

1909MontrealMontreal, SevenoaksEnglish Homes and Villages

14th Aug 1910DeathWilliam Archer Amherst, 3rd Earl Amherst of ArracanMontreal Parkwww.thepeerage.com

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