Provenance:
Aline Thorold (1869-1951) m. Ernest James Wythes (1868-1949) at Copped Hall, Essex, until 1917 and The Wood House, Essex, thereafter and by descent to
Barbara Dorothy Wythes (1896-1984) m. (Francis) Guy Robert Elwes (1895-1966) at The Wood House, Essex until 1961 and Ham Spray House, Marlborough, thereafter and by descent to
Aline Mary Margaret (Elwes) McDonnell (1923-2023) m. Hubert McDonnell Jr. (1919-2004), Greenwich, Connecticut, and thence by descent.

Note:
The present lot was a wedding gift on the occasion of the marriage of Aline Thorold (1869-1951) to Ernest James Wythes (1868-1949) in 1894 from the crew of the Yacht, St. George, led by Captain William Tutton. The Saint George was commissioned by Ernest James Wythes upon receiving his inheritance and was a three-masted auxiliary schooner registered at 694 tonnes. The yacht was designed by Mr. W.C.Storey and was built by Ramage and Ferguson of Leith and completed in August 1890. After many successful voyages, Wythes lent the St. George to Royal Navy from the 3rd March 1915 to 7th March 1916 and she
was renamed ORIFLAMME. She was used by the director of the Naval Intelligence Division as an
auxiliary patrol yacht and based on the Humber. From 22nd April 1918 she was used as base ship on
the Humber and was renamed WALLINGTON. She ceased active service in June 1918 and was
returned to Mr. Wythes on the 29th March 1919. Mr. Wythes went on to sell the yacht after the war in 1919.

Pictured:
An 1807 engraving of Copped Hall, S. Rawle from a drawing by S. Shepherd.

Aline Elwes McDonnell and Family, circa 1954.