Introduction

It is remarkable that for a time an extraordinary family lived near the small but pleasant seaside town of Milford on Sea. A family that became involved with Royalty throughout Europe but also scandal, upheaval in World War I and financial disaster.

1. Chronological Sequence of Events

Perhaps the easiest (and quickest!) way to present this story is to summarise events in chronological sequence:

Captain John Whitby

John Whitby was well-regarded as a naval officer by Admirals Nelson and Cornwallis. Nelson had long been a friend of and junior to Cornwallis who also commanded Captain Whitby.

After the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Lord Nelson, it was Captain Whitby who broke the news to Lady Hamilton.

In 1802, John Whitby married Mary Ann Theresa Symonds and in 1803 he took his wife to stay at Newlands.

Admiral Cornwallis treated the young Whitbys as the children he would never have.

Admiral Sir William Cornwallis

Admiral Cornwallis had a distinguished Naval career and in 1803 was made Commander in Chief of the Channel Fleet.

He acquired the Newlands estate of 60 acres in Milford by lease in 1800. He later purchased the property, and retired from the Navy in 1806.

In 1802 to 1803 Admiral Cornwallis commenced the rebuilding of Newlands Manor following a fire in the original house.

Mrs Whitby supervised the construction of Newlands and its gardens.

After the death of his naval collegue Captain Whitby in 1806, Admiral Cornwallis looked after the widow Mary Anna Theresa Whitby (age 22) and her daughter.

In turn for over 15 years, she looked after Admiral Cornwallis in his declining years

Mary Anna Theresa Whitby

On Sir William Cornwallis' death in 1819, Mrs Whitby (eventually in 1823) inherited the Cornwallis fortune (which included the Manors of Milford Barnes and Milford Montague) in trust for her daughter Theresa John Cornwallis Whitby.

In 1829 Mrs Whitby acquired the Manor of Milford Baddesley bringing the estate to 1400 acres in Milford and 500 in Hordle.

Theresa John Cornwallis Whitby

In 1827/1837 Mrs Whitby's daughter married Frederick Richard West who owned Ruthin Castle in North Wales.

They lived at Arnewood until Mrs Whitby died in 1850 and they moved into Newlands.

They had 3 daughters and 2 sons.

Frederick West died in 1862.

After Mrs West's death in 1886, Newlands passed to her son Colonel William West who changed his name to Cornwallis-West.

Colonel William Cornwallis-West

William West was born in Florence, a temporary home of his parents who were enthusiastic about Italian art.

He too pursued art in Italy in the 1860s but on the death of his elder brother took up residence in Wales to administer the family estate of 10,000 acres.

In 1871 he married Mary Adelaide Eupatoria FitzPatrick (the granddaughter of the second Marquis of Headfort) against his mother's wishes.

In his book, Patsy, Tim Coates describes her scandalous affairs and ambitious schemes for husbands for her two daughters.

In the late 1880s, William Cornwallis-West created Milford as a seaside resort Milford-on-Sea and developed Hordle Cliff with new roads named after family and friends, e.g. Cornwallis Road, De la Warr Road, Headfort Road, West Road, Whitby Road, Westminster Road and Pless Road.

Life at Newlands

Members of Europe's Royal Families and many other distinguished guests came to Newlands including the Prince of Wales (later Edward (VII) and the German Kaiser.

The Ruthin estate heavily subsidised Newlands and after the sales of Ruthin lands, Newlands fell into neglect.

Major George Frederick Myddleton Cornwallis-West

He first married the Lady Randolph Churchill (mother of Winston) and secondly Mrs Patrick Campbell. His third wife was Mrs Georgette Hirsch.

During his first marriage, he lived extravagently and went bankrupt in 1913. After Colonel Cornwallis-West's death in 1917, he sold the Ruthin estate in 1919 and Newlands in 1920.

Colin Bower
30 June 2025

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