Frederick Ayrton

Egypt From 'The Chaplin and Skinner Families' page 26:

>> (1) Frederick Ayrton. The following is an excerpt from the Annual Report of the Institution of Civil Engineers (23rd December, 1873):--

"Mr. Frederick Ayrton, the eldest son of Mr. Frederick Ayrton, a solicitor of Gray's Inn, was born in London on the 20th of March. 1812. After being educated at Ealing school he was entered at Addiscombe in 1826 as a cadet for the East India Company's army. He passed that seminary for the Artillery, and in June 1828 was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Bombay Artillery.
"He returned to England in 1812 [1832?] in consequence of ill health. when he seized the opportunity of studying, under the late Mr. Brunton, civil engineering The late Mr. Robert Stephenson, having become acquainted with him, wished him to retire from the army and become an Assistant Engineer on the London and Birmingham railway, then in course of construction, but he preferred the army.
"On returning to India, at the end of 1835, he was employed in superintending experiments for boring for water in the island of Colaba, which, however, did not prove successful. He was next engaged on survey duties in the Deccan He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1837, and after acting for a short time as Quartermaster of the 1st Battalion of Artillery, he proceeded, in July, 1839, to Aden, to conduct the duties of Adjutant to the European and native details of artillery there stationed. In consequence of the views expressed by him respecting the fortifications of Aden, he was in June, 1840, appointed to act as Executive Engineer; there, whilst in command of the troops stationed at the wall which protects the British territory against incursions from the Arabs, he repulsed the last attack made by them in force to drive the British out of Aden. In 1841 he was again compelled to return to Europe from ill health. He became a Captain in June, 1843, but finding that his imperfect eyesight, which had been injured, disabled him from discharging the active duties of his military career, he was permitted to retire from the service on a pension in 1843.
"He then entered himself at the Middle Temple, and in 1846 was called to the Bar; but. having taken to the study of Arabic whilst at Aden, he devoted himself to that and other Literary pursuits until 1851, when Abbas Pasha, the Viceroy of Egypt, hearing of his qualifications for the office of Secretary to the Viceroy, offered him that appointment. On his arrival Egypt, towards the end of 1851, he entered upon the duties of his office. He was much esteemed and respected by the Viceroy, who eventually amongst other duties confided to him the superintendence of the education of his only son Ilhami Pasha.
" He was also intrusted with the legal defence of the interests of the Egyptian Government in regard to claims brought against it by Europeans of high standing in the country, and his upright conduct in these important matters gave much satisfaction to the Viceroy, who openly expressed his sentiments regarding him: The Viceroy likewise took advantage of Mr Ayrton's knowledge of artillery affairs to consult him frequently about a new organisation of this arm of the Egyptian army. At the death of Abbas Pasha, in 1854, Mr. Ayrton continued to assist the young Prince, his scholar, with his advice, which was much needed, and faithfully remained attached to the Prince's interests until his career prematurely ended by death at Constantinople in 1861.
"From this time Mr, Ayrton's connection with the Egyptian Government ceased, He then occupied himself occasionally as a Consulting Barrister. in preparing cases for trial in the Consular Courts, but never pleaded in any of these courts. Much of his leisure was also taken up with researches into the history of mediaeval Egypt, and it is to be regretted that the results of his studies have not been
given to the public. He took a great interest in the railway system of Egypt, which was commenced on his arrival in Egypt, and published a pamphlet in which he made known his views and opinions. These. however, were not properly appreciated by the Government.
"The Suez Canal. during its construction. came in, as a matter of course, for a full share of his attention. He made himself perfect master of all details connected with its works, and repeatedly
visited the whole undertaking from end to end.
"When claims were brought against the Government of Turkey by British subjects and protégés, in consequence of the massacre of Christians at Jedda, in June, 1858, Mr. Ayrton was selected by the claimants to forward their views and advocate their interests. He proceeded in consequence to Jedda to meet the English and French Commissioners (Messrs. Walne and Sabatier), who had been named by their respective Governments, in conjunction with a high Turkish functionary, to adjudicate upon the several claims preferred of indemnification for losses of property suffered during the period of outrage and massacre. Mr. Ayrton conducted his cases with much talent and perseverance, and it may
be safely affirmed that the results obtained by him, in every instance, gave unbounded satisfaction to his employers, who recompensed him handsomely for his arduous exertions. But Mr. Ayrton did not remain satisfied with simply obtaining decisions from the Commissioners at Jedda. Armed with these, he proceeded to Constantinople, where he agitated in high quarters, until he obtained from the Turkish Government payment of the last farthing to which his clients were entitled. To those acquainted with the dilatory mode of conducting financial matters in the East the difficulties encountered by Mr. Ayrton, in this part of his duties, will be duly appreciated-
"During the absence, on leave, of Her Majesty's representative from Cairo, Mr, Ayrton was twice intrusted with the management of all consular affairs, administrative and judicial - namely, from the 25th of April to the 9th of October, 1859, and from the 8th of June to the l7th of September, 1864. He retired from Egypt in ill health in 1872; but failing to obtain relief from the waters of Vichy and other places, he returned to England in 1873, and died on the 20th of June, a few days after his arrival.
"Mr. Ayrton was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 9th of June, 1835. <<

END 1847 - Hurst Pierpoint
[From Fred Ayrton Jnr to his brother, addressed to Acton S Ayrton Esqr, Bombay via Marseilles, and postmarked Hurst Perpoint (Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex), July 6, 1847]

Alburne near Hurst (?)

6th July 1847

My dear Acton

I write this from a sort of English jungle where John and Matilda have taken part of a house for the summer. The mode of living can scarcely be dignified with the appellation of á la campagne. The place is so completely devoid of the ordinary resources of life. The nearest place where an (?) cigar can be bought is a mile and three-quarters off. The butcher lives so far away that he can only come his rounds every other day -- in fine the railway station (the Hastings Gate on the Brighton Railway) is three miles distant. At the side of the house is a ditch with a plank over it and into it three of the children have successively fallen. At the back of the house is a shallow pond in which they bath Agnes even having made her debut there by heading the brook this morning. The amusements of the day are climbing trees and rolling down slopes. The communication with the surrounding parts is kept up by means of a donkey carriage which has just now gone loaded with Matilda, the governess, Agnes, Julia and Holroyd to meet John at the Railway Station where he was to arrive from Brighton by the 7 o'clock train, he having gone there by one of the morning trains to meet Dr Allen, his medical adviser for the time being.

I sleep at a Public styled the King’s Head about 200 yards up the road. I came here on the 3rd and shall probably return to town on the 8th. The Inces(?) are living in the next house but one to us. I have not seen Walter since my arrival, he having been in town consequent upon the death of his Uncle, but dis(?) Walter is well and (?) him for his absence and he passed by about an hour ago. Tomorrow we are to have a grand pic nic to the neighbouring hill -- the party will consist of the Inces(?), ourselves and Miss Cater (Dudley’s sister) who is staying with an Aunt of theirs who resides in a cottage a mile and a half off across the fields. The great amusement will consist in sliding on our backs down a very steep side of the hill which may be 350 feet high.

The climate of Alburne is much milder than that of Brighton in consequence of the place lying in a hollow surrounded with high ground, and I think that the effect upon John has been decidedly beneficial but he is far from perfectly recovered altho’ so far so as to be able to go about and even join the party to the pic nic -- the rest of the family are very well and I may say the same of the Inces.

The climate of (?) does not agree with Walter’s asthma and he will I believe shortly remove to some more congenial locality -- but as usual (?) with his having failed to give his landlord a sufficient notice of his intention to quit at the end of his year’s holding and this after I had in ample time particularly cautioned him as to the measures he should pursue in giving the notice. The landlord is every respect a troublesome man and Walter will probably find himself (?) with the house for a year longer than he reckoned.

Dudley’s sister is a very pleasant amiable person. She has emerged from the religious seclusion with which she has spent her life up to a very late period and now plays polkas and dresses and behaves like other Christians. In countenance she is very like Dudley but having (?) and notwithstanding her previous religious life more at home than she is in society. The cause of her recession from the convent at Dublin was their (?) displeasure at her return from Australia (?) a step in which from the conduct of the parties there in connection with the convent she was perfectly justified.

You will see from the papers forwarded this August to Scott what are the steps taken by the (?) since the last post. Lord Wharncliffe’s letter is about the best that has been written here. Chapman is very progressive but he has no idea of doing anything except by sidling up to people and (?) on the little point of the day. There does (?) appear to be some ground for assessing that the Court are becoming more tractable but I do not think that we shall receive any intimation from them which will put us in a position to go forward until after the election and after the forthcoming harvest which if the weather continues favourable will be most plentiful. If the Committee in they (?) to state the amount. I wrote about this officially to Scott as long ago as January or February last.

At last I fancy I am pursuing researches in the right direction for a drying apparatus for the Coffee. (?) furnished me with a letter of introduction to a Mr Russel of Wilmington about 4 miles inland from Erith on the river between London & Gravesend, a grower and drier of hops. He appears to have paid a great deal of attention to the hop drying and spoke very confidently of the process answering for Coffee. His apparatus is very complete and very simple – it consists of a circular stove about three feet in diameter in a circular building 18 feet in diameter, above the stove (?) cone which (?) the circular (?) of the building at 11 feet from the ground and (?) of this (?) is occupied by the floor upon which the hops are placed. It takes only 6 to 8 hours to dry a charge of hops from 1 to 2 feet thick on the floor – the heat of the air is about 140deg but that can be regulated. Mr Russel stated that he did not think the glass roof could be at all efficacious. On my way to town I shall see the (?) of the plan – the cost of (?) work for one hop ost was £35.

With regard to the £200 it is perhaps better to let it remain here for a short time longer if the Rev really gets head it will be well to buy some shares. As towards such I will if no better opportunity presents send it by the Southampton Post of the 20th.

Your affectionate Brother
Fred Ayrton