A merry Pig doeth good like a medicine

Maud Long

Born in Hannington, Wiltshire in 1862, Maud Felicia Frances Ann Long (nee Willes Johnson) was the youngest daughter of John Samuel Willes Johnson and Margaret Ann Pugh, and so was the aunt of Violet Lovett to whom this guestbook was given. Her father died in 1863 whilst Maud was only a few months old. Margaret moved in with her sister, Mary, who had also been widowed. On the 1871 census, Margaret and her three daughters are at Mary’s house, Cole Park in Malmesbury.

In 1879, Margaret and her daughters were awarded the right to “use the surname of Pugh in addition to and before that of Johnson” (Morning Post, 1 March 1879). This may have been prompted by the death of her sole remaining brother, Charles Vaughan Pugh, in December 1874. Because at that point all three of her brothers had died without issue, the Llanerchydol estate devolved to Margaret and adding Pugh to her name coupled with the use of the Pugh arms and heraldry may have helped maintain the Pugh tradition on the estate.

The Wellington Journal, dated 8th January 1881, carries a report of the Oswestry Dispensary Ball. In the list of guests attending, both Maud Willes Johnson and Mr Robert C C Long are noted as being present. This is the first mention in print of Maud and her future husband in the same article. Later on in January, the Wellington Journal reports that Mrs Willes Johnson put on some amateur theatrical performances (15th January 1881) with both Maud and Robert taking part. A few days later, the Eddowes Journal (19th January 1881) reported on the Shropshire Hunt Ball with Maud and Robert numbering amongst the guests.

On the 1881 census, Margaret, her daughter Mary and sister Mary were at Llanerchdol Hall. Maud was staying at the Waterloo Hotel at 85 and 86 Jermyn Street, London. Also staying there was her year-long married sister Harriet and husband Henry Jenner Scobell (brother of Sophia Waring nee Scobell). The Waterloo was one of the most fashionable places to stay in London, and reputedly was where Sir Walter Scott stayed. It may be that Maud was staying here in advance of being presented at court; Maud’s sponsor was the Marchioness of Londonderry who was a family friend. Later on in April 1881, the Morning Post reports that Mrs Willes Johnson and family will be spending the season at 3 Cleveland Row.

Margaret died in November 1881. The Wellington Journal (3rd December 1881) reported on her funeral and stated that Mrs Willes Johnson died at Waterloo Hotel. She had left for London on November 8th, but complained of being unwell on her arrival in London. She succumbed to an attack of bronchitis and an affection of the heart. A Mr Long travelled in the first mourning coach with Mr Lovell and Mr de Windt.

The romance between Maud and Robert continued, and they married in February 1884. The Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette (14th February 1884) provides some details about the arrangements. Robert was accompanied by his brother, Walter Long M.P whilst Maud was walked down the aisle by her cousin Mr Audley Lovell. She had 7 bridesmaids, and wore a “cream satin petticoat with broche velvet train, and bodice trimmed with handsome lace…….The bridesmaids were all attired in dresses of cerise-coloured cashmere and velvet, with muffs and hats en suite, and each wore a diamond and ruby pin, the gift of the bridegroom.”

On the 11th November 1884, Maud gave birth to their first daughter Muriel. The address given on the birth announcement in the Morning Post (15th November 1884) is Kingston House, Abingdon.

A newspaper report from 1890 fills in a few details about Maud and Robert’s life. The Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette (6th February 1890) reads “Enlargement of offices – Mr Robert Long’s offices in the High Street are now being enlarged, and an additional office for private transactions will, in due course, be erected. Mr Long has removed from Ashton House to Wye House, the residence for many years of Mrs May, who has left Marlborough and gone to live with some friends in Bath”. A year prior to this, on January 1st 1889, Maud had given birth to their second daughter, Margaret, whilst living at Ashton House.

By the time of the 1901 census, the Long family had moved from Wiltshire, and were residing at Ludford Park, Shropshire. Guinevere (Violet) Lovett was stopping with the family too. However, by November of the same year, the premises had been sub-let to Mr G W Brook, under whose tenancy there was a small fire (Leominster News and North Herefordshire and Radnorshire Advertiser, 22 November 1901). In 1907 the family were still associated with Ludford Park, as per a notice in the Leominster News and North Herefordshire and Radnorshire Advertiser (6th December 1907) which explained that due to Mr Robert C C Long meeting with an accident in the hunting field, the theatricals (in aid of the Ludlow Polo Club) scheduled for December 18th would have to be postponed.

On the 1911 census, Robert is with Mary and Arthur Lovett in Weston Rhyn, whilst Maud’s daughters, Margaret and Joan (Millesaintes) are at Rowden Hill House, Chippenham with Violet Lovett. At the moment, I cannot find Maud or Muriel on the 1911 census. By this time, Muriel was married to Noel Dawson Campbell and his is stationed in India so perhaps Maud and Muriel were there. Robert and Maud seem to be at Rowden Hill House for the next couple of years – it is from there that Margaret’s engagement to Mr A R Uvedale Corbett is announced (in 1911) and ended (March 1912). However according to the 1915 edition of Kelly’s Directory, the family have moved to Northleigh, Bradford on Avon.

Maud died on 25 March 1919. Her death notice says that she died at 117 Ashley Gardens, but her residence was Whitby House, Melksham. Her funeral took place at West Ashton Church, and it is there that she is commemorated on a memorial tablet unveiled in July 1944.