Back
The Second Family of Captain John Francis Hyde
Maud Henderson-Bland - (neé Hyde)




Robert Henderson-Bland
(0000 - 1940 - infinity)
(Click on image for C.V.)
Members of the Second Family:
Most of the following sections is from notes written by my sister Audrey on what our father Graham Hyde had to say.

"Father and Eliza were devoted to each other, so it was a great shock, to him, when she died at the age of 41, on the 11th of November, 1868.

Another two years were to pass before he married again.

He married Lillie Anne Kitchen, in 1870, but she lived for only another 11 years and died, at the age of 33, of tuberculosis, on the 6th of March, 1881. They had three daughters; Lily, born 26th April,1871; Maud, born 24th September, 1872, and Muriel, born 17th July, 1876.

Return to List

Lily Mollison nee Hyde:
By the time I was born, Lily had married a M.James Mollison and they had a little girl they called Ouchy! They pronounced it Oochey. I never did learn her proper name and hope Ouchy was a nick-name. Poor girl if it wasn't. Lily sometimes visited us, when we were young, but I didn't get to know her very well.

Return to List

Maud Henderson-Bland nee Hyde:
Maud was sent to a convent in Avranches, France, for her education. In the grounds of the Convent, were many statues, among them, one in a niche holding a lifesize statue of the Virgin Mary. The nuns always crossed themselves when passing, but one observant nun noticed 'The statue' blink. Heavens! A miracle! she thought. She called for others to come over quickly and see the 'The Miracle'. They stood in awe until 'The Statue' burst into giggles, and to all it was soon obvious a pupil called Maud Hyde, had shattered their hopes.

Fortunately, Maud was one of their best pupils, so she didn't get expelled, but instead got a severe lecture from the Mother Superior, and she had to pray for forgiveness for weeks.

Maud married a very self-centered man, by the name of Robert Henderson-Bland. (R.H.B.) He was an actor, playwright, soldier, and a playboy. Few knew he was married.

His film career, started in the role of Christ, in the first British epic movie, made in 1912. The Director was a Canadian, named Sydney Olcott, and the film, "From the Manger to the Cross", was made on location in Jerusalem, Syria and Egypt. It received rave reviews when it was released.

It was plays, rather than movies R.H.B. preferred to act in, and he made many tours around Britain, Europe and America. He also had a year touring South Africa with Lily Langtry.

In 1915 he joined up into the Gloucestershire Regiment, and fought in World War 1. After the war he stayed in the Regular Army Reserve of Officers until 1927, and attained the rank of Captain. After returning to civilian life on 22 Oct 1919 he spent a lot of time in America staging his plays.

Meanwhile Maud learned to be a corsetiere, and opened a shop in North Audley, Mayfair, selling underwear, and as a sideline, millinery. She had a small staff, who worked very hard to build up the business, and she was lucky to have Queen Alexandria as one of her regular clients. This helped her reputation enormously, and she became known as the 'Royal Corsetiere'.

She later moved her shop to Baker Street.

Maud was a tall, striking woman, and in later years, developed a rather serious outlook on life. Before marrying R.H.B. she had a blazing row with Father. On parting, he yelled, "May you always be barren!"

Little did he know she would never have children, which could have been just as well, as R.H.B.who was seldom home, always needed a lot of money for his career. Maud was devoted to him, but he made her very unhappy because many of his romances were bandied about publicly, but she stayed with him until his death in 1940. She passed on, at the age of 80, on the 7th May 1957.

Return to List

Muriel Ely nee Hyde:
Muriel, whom we children called Mu, was very fond of Father and stayed with us in Margate.She was more of a Mother to us than our own Mother, who was immersed in the Suffragette Movement.

After Father died, Muriel went to London and found herself a job as a receptionist, until she met her husband, Rutland Ely, whom we called Rut. I lost touch with Rut and Mu after I left England, so I don't know what happened to them."

Return to List

Footnote:
I would be pleased to receive any further information on members of the family. In particular I have no photos of Lily or Muriel.

Acknowledgements and thanks to my twin sister Audrey Paterson (fraternal twin) for the written content.

Return to List


Back