Dobree, Le Mesurier, Perchard

From Edith Carey's Scrapbook, Lukis Memoirs (MSS).

See also: Some Perchard memorial inscriptions;Lukis on Hutchesson


Helier Dobrée married Miss le Marchant, whose sister had married Captain Bourne, and who having bought the house and grounds of the Vaudinerie, opposite Keppel [Place], left this property to Harry Dobrée of St George. This mansion was burnt to the ground in 18- when occupied by Saumarez Carey, and has never been rebuilt.

The failure in business of Messrs William Brock and Le Mesurier, and the firm of Paul and Havilland Le Mesurier, as well as that of Campbell, Proudent [Bowden?], & Co., threw much business into the hands of the Dobrées. Bonamy Dobrée became one of the Chief Directors of the Bank of England and since his death his son and others have continued the firm of Messrs Samuel Dobrée & Sons.

The old house established by Mr Peter Perchard, who was highly respected and was elected Lord Mayor of London more than once, was that which was afterwards the firm of William Brock, brother of Daniel de Lisle Brock, Bailiff of Guernsey, who was joined afterwards by Benjamin le Mesurier. Benjamin Le Mesurier married Miss Beaumont and lived in the Triangle at Hackney, where my sister Kate, Lady Mansell, used to sojourn occasionally. After her death Benjamin Le Mesurier married Miss Johnson, daughter of Mr John Johnson, and they lived in Guernsey for some years; by this marriage he became the father of Henry Peveril Le Mesurier, now in Indian Railways, Benjamin, his brother, also in that employ, and Cuthbert, sometime in the Royal Navy. After the death of Benjamin Le Mesurier Snr. in 1836, his widow and three sons resided on their property at Wellington near Newbury, Bucks.

The family of Perchard is almost unknown in Guernsey, although the name appears to have existed in several parishes, and also in Jersey. It has at present no1 representation.

John Le Mesurier, Major General and Governor of Alderney, retired from that island and lived in Berkshire. He married Martha, daughter of Peter Perchard of London above mentioned. Her only sister, Rachel, married Mr Winter of Hammersmith, an [?-]ment Brewer. These two Misses Perchard lived, in 1803, with their father in Chatham Place, near Blackfriars Bridge, and I was often taken to see them by my father as he was a great friend of the said Peter Perchard. I also often went to Walthamstow where some of the Le Mesuriers lived. The Reverend Mr Winter of Tottenham was connected with them, his curate for some time was the Revd P. De Putron, now rector of Burston, Norfolk. There were also Miss Perchards living at Court Place in Guernsey and were related to many of the islanders, but they died without heirs.2

Henry Dobrée built Beau Séjour on fields on the North Side of the L'Hyvreuse Promenade, once belonging to John Bouillon Perchard; one field known as Le Grand Courtil de l’Hyvreuse, the other as Le Petit Courtil and Le Courtil de la Tortue. Laurens Perchard sold to the parish some part of the Promenade de l’Hyvreuse.3


1 Edith Carey queried that.

2 See 'The Le Mesurier Memorial Re-dedication,' Alderney Society Bulletin 28 (1993), pp. 50 ff.

3 The 1793 Livre de Perchage contains the following (No. 570): M. Jean Bouillon Perchard, his house and other buildings and his Grand Courtil at the Hyvreuse to the North of the military parade Ground; his plat Courtil to the east of his above-mentioned Grand Courtil; and his Courtil de la Tortue to the north of his plat Courtil. (No 569): St Peter Port Parish in their public promenade Ground of L'Hyvreuse, roughly to the east of the estates of Monsieur Pierre Etienne and Nicolas Dobrée, separated from them by the road.