Michael D.Heath-Caldwell M.Arch.

1893

Admiral Sir Leopold Heath – aged 75 going on 76 in November

Lady Mary Heath – (ne Mary Emma Marsh) – aged 66

Marion Heath – May – aged 36

Frederick Heath – (Gen. F.C. Heath-Caldwell) aged 34 going on 35

Herbert Heath – (Admiral Sir Herbert Heath) – aged 31 going on 32

Eliza Louisa Marsh-Caldwell – known as Louisa – aged 74 of Linley Wood

Georgina Marsh-Caldwell – Gies – aged 72 of Linley Wood  

Rosamond Marsh-Caldwell – Posy – aged 65 of Linley Wood

22^nd June 1893

Herbert Heath was on board the H.M.S. Victoria under the direction of Sir George Tryon, Fleet Commander in the Mediterranean off Tripoli in Lebanon.

Tryon had the fleet of 14 ships doing manoeuvres to keep themselves occupied. They were in two groups and performed a turning in manoeuver of the two groups, in line, towards each other that resulted in H.M.S. Victoria and H.M.S. Camperdown having a prang, of which, H.M.S. Victoria came out worse, and sank.

Tryon gave orders to get H.M.S. Victoria to head for shore, not at the time realising how serious the damage was. A party of sailors under Lt Herbert Heath tried to unroll a collision mat down the side of the ship to patch up the hole. But the ship was going under too fast and by the time they had unravelled the mat they were already themselves standing in water and had to give up.

Within five minutes of the collision the bow was under water and the ship was listing to starboard. The ship capsized within 13 minutes. The area around Herbert became a “widening circle of foaming bubbles, like a giant saucepan of boiling milk.”

358 sailors were lost with the ship. Tryon went down with the ship.

Dorking and Leatherhead Adverstiser.

Thursday 29 June 1893

Holmwood.

The Loss of the Victoria.

We offer our hearty congratulations to Sir Leopold Heath on the miraculous escape of his son Lieutenant Herbert L. Heath, on of the officers of the ill-fated Victoria. 

New has been received at Anstie Grange of Lieutenant Heath's safety. The fact that his name did not appear in the list either of those saved or who had lost their lives naturally gave cause for anxiety, but it has since been ascretained that Lieut. Heath had been ordered for temporary duty away from his ship.
To this circumstance he probably owes a most providential escape. A few years ago, it is said, this gallant young officer narrowly escaped death through some defect in a diving apparatus, and last year he was falsely reported to have been shot in Australia.

Northwick Guardian

Wednesday 23 August 1893

Primrose League Fete at Sandbach.

On Saturday afternoon, a fete and garden party in connection with the Brookside Habitation of the Primrose League was held in the grounds of Betchton House, the residence of Mr L. Barlow, ruling councillor of the habitation.

The weather was very much against the success of the gathering, for rain threatened during the whole of the morning.

A meeting was announced to be held in the Square in the afternoon, and an address was to be delivered by Mr R.M.D. Littler Q.C., but the rain which had threatened all day came down in torrents and the meeting had to be abandoned.  - - -

Amongst those present we noticed the following:- General Sir Richard Wilbraham, Mr Lionel Barlow, Mrs Barlow, Mr Littler Q.C., Mr and Mrs G.B. Baker, the Misses Marsh-Caldwell (Linley Wood), Misses Royds, Miss Shooter, Major and Mrs Heath,  - - Miss Poole, - - - and many others.

 After tea, the rain having cleared off, a platform was improvised of three lorries, which were hung with banners bearing suitable inscriptions such as "Imperatium Liberate," "Primrose League, Brookside Habitation," &c. whilst onthe sides of the tea tent were hangings with the words "Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India," "God save the Queen," &c.

On the platform were - Mr Lionel Barlow (chairman), Mr Littler Q.C., General Sir Richard Wilbraham, Mrs Barlow, the Misses Marsh-Caldwell (Linley Wood), Major and Mrs Heath, Misse Royds, Miss Shooter,  - -  (rest unreadable)