Edward Knight's Family
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Sir Ernest Rice [3] continued.
Promoted Vice-Admiral in 1899.
Promoted Admiral in 1904.
Commanding Coastguard and Royal Naval Reserves from 1903 until 1905 – when he retired from the Royal Navy after 51 years service.
He was nominated a Knight Commander of the most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on June 22nd 1914.
Sir Ernest Rice married, first, on September 22nd 1870, Laura Marianne, daughter of Edward York of Wighill Park, Yorkshire, (whose sister Caroline married his brother, John Morland Rice.) By her he had one son and two daughters – his son, Commander Arthur Rice R.N., a brilliant young officer, was killed in a seaplane accident on June 14th 1914.
His first wife died on January 18th 1899 and, on September 12th 1903 he married Fanny Julia, daughter of Clinton Dawkins of Over Norton – and widow of Lt. Col. Robert Gunning of the 60th Rifles. His second wife died in 1923; she never fully recovered from the shock she received when her home, Silbertswold Place, near Dover, was burnt to the ground three years previously. Fortunately, largely due to the Admiral's exertions in directing the rescuers, the furniture and pictures were saved from the fire – including the Zoffany portrait of Jane Austen. For the remainder of his life the Admiral lived at Dane Court, which he rented from his nephew Henry.
Ernest Rice was a man of forceful character, always the Naval Captain, dominating his family and his sisters ...
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