Ash, William Claudius Casson, elder son of William Henry Ash, of Heathfield, Sussex, by Mary Esther, daughter of Joseph Wellington Casson, of Dublin; b. Feb. 6, 1870; adm. Sept. 28, 1883 (D); migrated up Rigaud's; left July 1888; entered the Militia; 2nd Lieut. 2nd Batt. The Duke of Cambridge's Own (The Middlesex Regt.) Sept. 28, 1892; Lieut. July 31, 1895; Capt. March 14, 1900; served in the South African War 1902; Adjutant 5th Batt. Jan. 13, 1902- Jan. 12, 1907; Major April 1, 1909; temp. Lieut.-Col. Dec. 30, 1914 - Feb. 7, 1915; temp. Lieut.-Col. commanding 23rd (Service) Batt. of his Regt. Oct. 30, 1915; went out to the western front Nov. 4, 1914, was wounded at Loos Sept. 25, 1915, and invalided home; returned to the front May 3, 1916; mentioned in despatches L. G. Jan. 1, 1916, and Jan. 4, 1917; D.S.O. Jan. 1, 1916; m. March 1, 1894, Edith Learoyd, second daughter of Edward Wright Barnett, of Selly Oak; d. at Etaples Sept. 29, 1916, of wounds received at Fiers Sept. 15.
Ashbrooke, Philip Biden Derwent, son of Philip Ashbrooke of Porlock, Somerset, and Gladys Derwent, d. of Alfred George Derwent Moger of Bath, Somerset; b. 23 Aug. 1925; adm. Sept. 1939 (G); left July 1940; St John’s Coll. Camb., matric. 1942, BA 1949, MA 1957; RAC (2nd Lieut. ) Sept. 1945; ADC to Governor of Kenya 1946-7; RARO 8th Hussars (Lieut. ) Jan. 1949; City of Lond. Yeomanry, TA, 1951 (Capt. ); called to the Bar, Gray’s Inn, 1950; Western Circuit; legal dept. Shell International Petr. Co. 1956-82, latterly sen. legal adviser; retd. 1982; m. 23 Oct 1954 Veronica Philippa, d. of Eudo Philip Joseph Stourton of Sutton Courtenay, Berk.; d. 31 Mar. 1993.
Ashburnham was originally located in Ashburnham House. The building had housed the library of the antiquarian Sir Robert Cotton, containing some of the most important Old English manuscripts in existence, many of which were destroyed or damaged in the fire of 1731, including the manuscript of Beowulf. Those that survived formed the foundation collection of the British Library.
Originally owned by the Abbey, the Public Schools Act of 1868 recommended that the building be bought by the School on the death of the occupant, the sub-dean, much to the Abbey’s consternation. The Dean and Chapter used their control over the Governing Body to attempt to prevent the school from buying the building from the Abbey, but this manoeuvre was overturned by Parliament. The sub-dean living in the house survived until 1881.
The house was finally founded the year after the sub-dean died.
ASHBURNHAM, ---; b.; at school 1660-2 (Busby’s Account Book).
ASHBURNHAM, BERTRAM, 4TH EARL OF ASHBURNHAM, eldest son of George Ashburnham, 3rd Earl of Ashburnham (qv), and his second wife; b. 23 Nov 1797; adm. Midsummer 1811; left 1814; succ. father as 4th Earl of Ashburnham 27 Oct 1830; DL JP Sussex; a famous collector of rare books and manuscripts; he is said to have started his collection in 1814 while a boy at the School, by the purchase of a rare copy of the Secrets of Albertus Magnus for eighteen pence at Ginger’s shop in Great College Street, and to have continued buying with unwavering judgment and success until a few months before his death; m. 8 Jan 1840 Katherine Charlotte, dau. of George Baillie MP, Jerviswood, Lanarkshire, and sister of George Baillie-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Haddington; d. 22 Jun 1878.
ASHBURNHAM, BERTRAM, 5TH EARL OF ASHBURNHAM, eldest son of Bertram Ashburnham, 4th Earl of Ashburnham (qv); b. 28 Oct 1840; adm. Jun 1854 (James'); left 1857; went to school at Fontainebleau, France; accompanied Marquis of Bath on Garter mission to Vienna Jul 1867; Roman Catholic convert 1872; succ. father as 5th Earl of Ashburnham 22 Jun 1878; a Knight of Malta and Knight Grand Cross of Pontifical Order of Pope Pius; as a peer initially took Conservative whip, but joined Liberal Party over Irish Home Rule; chairman, British Home Rule Association 1886; the representative in Britain of Don Carlos and the legitimate restoration party of Spain; FSA 3 Jun 1880, resigned 1893; declined household office in Liberal government 1893; DL JP Brecknockshire, JP Sussex, Carmarthenshire; m. 25 Feb 1888 Emily, dau. of Richard Chaplin; d. in Paris 15 Jan 1913.
ASHBURNHAM, HON. CHARLES, third son of George Ashburnham, 3rd Earl of Ashburnham (qv), and his second wife; b. 23 Mar 1803; adm. 17 Jun 1811; left 1811; re-adm. 24 Apr 1815; left 16 Mar 1818; Trinity Coll. Cambridge, adm. pens. 21 Apr 1820, fellow commoner 15 Apr 1821, matr. Lent 1822; MA 1824; precis writer, Foreign Office Aug 1828 - Aug 1829; Secretary to Legation, Mexico 1835-41; Secretary to Legation, Constantinople 29 Feb 1848; m. 6 Feb 1832 Sarah Joanna, second dau. of William Murray, Jamaica; d. 22 Dec 1848.
ASHBURNHAM, GEORGE, 3RD EARL OF ASHBURNHAM, son of John Ashburnham, 2nd Earl of Ashburnham (qv); b. 25 Dec 1760; adm. 21 Apr 1771; in school list Oct 1775; Trinity Coll. Cambridge, adm. nob. 13 Mar 1778, matr. 1778; MA 1780; styled Viscount St. Asaph until 1812; Grand Tour 1781-3 (Italy); Lord of the Bedchamber to Prince of Wales 1784-95; called up to House of Lords in his father’s barony 23 Mar 1803; succ. his father as 3rd Earl of Ashburnham 8 Apr 1812; GCH 1827; KG 10 Jun 1829; FSA 13 Jan 1785; Trustee, British Museum, from 1810; Busby Trustee from 8 Jun 1816; m. 1st, 28 Aug 1784 Lady Sophia Thynne, third dau. of Thomas Thynne, 1st Marquis of Bath KG PC; m. 2nd, 25 Jul 1795 Lady Charlotte Percy, eldest dau. of Algernon Percy, 1st Earl of Beverley, and sister of George Percy, 5th Duke of Northumberland PC; d. 27 Oct 1830.
ASHBURNHAM, JOHN, 2ND EARL OF ASHBURNHAM, only son of John Ashburnham, 1st Earl of Ashburnham, Captain Yeomen of the Guard, and his third wife Lady Jemima Grey, second dau. of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent KG; b. 30 Oct 1724; adm. Jun 1736 (Hawkins'); left 1741; Clare Coll. Cambridge, adm. nob. 28 May 1741, matr. 1741; LLD 1749; succ. as 2nd Earl of Ashburnham 10 Mar 1736/7; Grand Tour (in Italy 1745); a Lord of the Bedchamber 18 Mar 1748- Nov 1762; Keeper of Hyde Park and of St. James’s Park 1753- Nov 1762; Lord Lieut., Sussex 18 Mar 1754 - 20 Sep 1757; Master of the Great Wardrobe 23 Jul 1765- Nov 1775; Privy Councillor 12 Jul 1765; First Lord of the Bedchamber and Groom of the Stole 10 Nov 1775- May 1782; member Society of Dilettanti 1745; m. 28 Jun 1756 Elizabeth, dau. of John Crowley MP, Alderman of London, of Barking, Suffolk; d. 8 Apr 1812.
ASHBURNHAM, HON. JOHN, second son of Bertram Ashburnham, 4th Earl of Ashburnham (qv); b. 6 Mar 1845; adm. 21 Jan 1858 (James'); left 1858; entered Diplomatic Service 1866; attaché at Lisbon 1867, Madrid 1869; Third Secretary 1870; transferred Constantinople 1872; Second Secretary 1875; transferred Vienna 1879; acting Agent and Consul-General, Bulgaria 1879-80; retired 7 Apr 1883; JP Sussex; m. 21 Mar 1907 Maud Mary, eldest dau. of Charles Royal-Dawson, South East Wynaad, Madras Presidency, India; d. 12 Apr 1912.