On 30 June 1883, Mary (Fawcett) Murray recorded in her Calling Book that she met with a Mrs West. In 1886 she listed Mrs West again when living at Efford Cottage.
Meeting at Efford Cottage
Mrs West had the rather unusual maiden names: Theresa John Cornwallis Whitby.
Theresa West's mother, Mary Anna Theresa (Symonds) Whitby, had inherited Newlands Manor from Admiral William Cornwallis.
The story of Mrs West's son William Cornwallis West and grandchildren make extraordinary reading:
The extraordinary Cornwallis Wests
On 22 March 2019 our local paper, the New Milton Advertiser & Lymington Times, had a leading article: "Nelson's forgotten hero saluted at last".
Admiral Cornwallis is notable for blockading the port of Brest until 1806 preventing Napoleon from invading Britain. There are memorials to Mrs West, Cornwallis and the Whitbys inside the church of All Saints in Milford on Sea.
Colin Bower
30 June 2025