Edward Knight's Family
| |
|
Sir Edward Bridges Rice, continued.
... four campaigns; seldom, if ever, unemployed, never held a Civil appointment, and was never on half-pay.
He married, on February 18th 1864, Cecilia Caroline, second daughter of the Rev. Sir William Vernon-Harcourt, Canon of York – by whom he had one son, Henry Edward Harcourt, father of the present owner of Dane Court.
On the death of his mother, Elizabeth Rice, in 1884, he entered into possession of Dane Court – but he did not take up residence there for several years. He lived at Elvington Court, about two miles away; interesting himself in transforming Dane Court from a charming, friendly, old-fashioned white-washed home into a modernized red-brick building, removing all creepers from the walls and tidying everything up with Naval precision. Fortunately the interior of the house remained untouched.
He was at some time Justice of the Peace for Kent and Hampshire.
'I knew him well in his retirement, both at Elvington and at Dane Court. He was the most endearing of Uncles and the most gentle and modest of men. He never alluded much to his career, though he was fond of talking and was a delightful companion. He was most equable in temper, I never saw him put out, or heard him utter a hasty or an unkind word. He and his wife sat, for the most part, in what had been 'grandmama's sitting-room', in large arm chairs on either side of a blazing fire – and where the welcome was almost as warm as the fire was hot!'
– His niece, Miss Marcia Rice.
[67]