Lukis on Hutchesson

More reminiscences about the Hutchesson family of Guernsey from F.C. Lukis, as transcribed by Edith Carey in her Scrapbook manuscript at the Library.

More about the Hutchessons: continued from How Dr Hutchesson fell between two fires.


A cousin of my sister's friend, Miss Osborne, who was settled in Bristol as a Banker, became acquainted with the eldest daughter of Dr Francis Perry Hutchesson, who had married Elizabeth, daughter of Mr Charles Le Marchant of the Quatre Saisons. Mr Osborne had the misfortune to lose his wife, eldest daughter of Dr Hutchesson. The second daughter married Major Powell who commanded the 53rd Regiment and was killed near Cawnpore or at Futteypore on his march to Lucknow, through his zeal on stopping to attack a native battery en route, instead of going straight to his goal. Dr Hutchesson was left with two sons. The eldest died of drink (whilst preparing himself for the university), and Thomas Hutchesson went to Cambridge but was expelled and placed under Mr Jessop, now the master of the High School at Norwich. From there he returned to his family with all his vicious propensities, and, to the surprise of all, married Amy, the daughter of Joshua Priaulx. The union, as might have been foreseen, was not a happy one, and after some years of improper conduct and vice, he was found drowned in the harbour of St Peter Port.

Dr Hutchesson, when he married, lived in the Pollet at Mr Chepmell's dwelling house in 1822, but removed to the Petit Marché. When Mr Charles Le Marchant had completed his house then in 1824, when Dr Hutchesson and his wife went to live with him [sic]. His daughter-in-law Amy Priaulx, after the drowning of her husband, was remarried to Major Lennox R.A. and died in childbed at Clifton in October 1867, leaving two Hutchessons and three Lennox's. One of the latter, a Miss Lennox, married Canon Hervey, Chaplain of Sandringham.

Mrs Hutchesson's sister Martha married Samuel Hill Laurence, Lieut.-Adj. of the 32nd Regiment. Henrietta, the other sister, married Lieut.-Col. Baynes R.A. Laurence bought a piece of ground in Candie Road and built the house now in the possession of P. Naftel. Mrs Baynes purchased Choisi House and grounds. The dwelling house built by Charles Le Marchant, and which descended to Mrs Hutchesson, has been sold after her death to Mr Philip Nicolle.