Letters and recollections of Cecily Debenham

This material is held atUniversity of Birmingham, Cadbury Research Library, Special Collections

Scope and Content

Transcripts of Kenrick family letters and recollections of Cecily Debenham (nee Kenrick) made by John Kenrick from the originals prior to 1990, with a list of additional comment and correction to accompany the recollections dated 1996. Photocopy made in 1996

The Kenrick letters comprise correspondence between Cecily's brother, Byng and his future wife, Norah Beale just before their marriage on 24 July 1906 together with other letters to Norah immediately following their marriage, from her mother Alice Beale, her sister, Edie and friend, Clara Martineau. Letters to her brother, Wilfred Byng Kenrick, c 1892-1949, a few of which are to him and his wife, Nora, together with a single letter to Norah, 1950

Her recollections, written for her children in 1946-1947, contain reminiscences of her personal and family life up to her marriage in 1892. They include recollections of her parents, grandparents and siblings and also of members the wider Kenrick and Chamberlain families in Birmingham. There are descriptions of events including, for example, a holiday with Joseph Chamberlain and family to Egypt in 1899-1900. Other information recorded include details of her education and governesses, references to health, leisure and public activities, descriptions of the house to which her family moved in 1876, The Grove in Harborne, and the visitors the family had, and her courtship by Ernest Debenham

Administrative / Biographical History

Cecily, daughter of William Kenrick and Mary Chamberlain (1869-1950) was born on 25 August 1869. She married Ernest Ridley Debenham on 8 November 1892. Cecily had three siblings: Millicent (b 1871), (Wilfred) Byng (1872-1962) and Gerald (b 1876). Her brother, Byng, married Norah Beale in 1906. Cecily and Ernest Debenham had eight children: Marjorie (1893-1990), Hester (1895-1985), Joan (1897-1943), Alison (1903-1967), Piers (1904-1964), Gilbert (1906-2001), Cecil (b 1906), and Martin (1909-1977). Cecily Debenham died on 31 October 1950

Access Information

Open. Access to all registered researchers.

Acquisition Information

Copy made for stock by permission of the owner of the transcript in 1996

Other Finding Aids

Please see full catalogue for more information.

Archivist's Note

Catalogued by Helen Fisher, March 2016. Initial collection description by Philippa Bassett, March 2007. Prepared in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Director of Special Collections (special-collections@contacts.bham.ac.uk). Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.