Transcript

Of

Henley Thomas Bartlett [Obituary]

Trans. Devon. Assoc. 1886, Vol XVIII, p. 56-57.

by

Rev. W. Harpley

Prepared by Michael Steer

A biographical sketch of renowned Victorian tennis player, Lillian Cole-Pine Coffin, who for many years resided in Withycombe Raleigh, indicates that she was related by marriage to the Reverend Charles John Samuel Pine-Coffin. On his death, his wife Margaret Pine-Coffin remarried. Her second husband was Major-General Henley Thomas Bartlett (12 February 1824-26 July 1885 in Exmouth). They were married in 1874 in Saint George’s Church, Hanover Square, London. Major-General Bartlett was a retired lieutenant-colonel in the Bengal Staff Corps and a Justice of the Peace for the county of Devon. In the 1881 Census of England, the Bartlett family was living in a house in Littleham. His obituary makes no mention of the marriage. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers..

Henley Thomas Bartlett was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Devon, a Major-General in the army, formerly Lieut.-Colonel in the Bengal Staff Corps, and many years a resident at Exmouth. He joined the Association in 1881, and was a Vice-President that year. General Bartlett entered the army 21st April, 1841, and became Major-General 25th November, 1874. He commanded the 18th Punjaub Infantry at the Mutiny at Peshawaur, 28th August, 1857, and was wounded; he was treasurer with the Abyssinian force 1867-68, and received medals on both occasions, and was mentioned in the despatches.

General Bartlett, besides being a most zealous and active magistrate, was a man of very genial temperament, and took a lively interest in all public affairs, but was especially active in the promotion arid support of sports and outdoor amusements. He was the author and mainspring of the West of England Lawn Tennis Tournament, and was very popular among the volunteers. There was no more active supporter of the County Association, and not only did he attend each county meeting, but wherever the county team happened to be competing he was present, showing his sympathy with Devonshire in the contest she was carrying on. He originated the annual Christmas dinner to the poor people of Exmouth, and was always ready to open his purse for any benevolent objects.

He died after a brief illness, at his residence at Exmouth, on July 26th, 1885, at the age of 61.