James Carnegy Capel

Born on 21 May 1864, James Carnegy Capel was baptised at St Stephen’s in Paddington on 2 July 1865. He was the second son of Arthur Risdon Capel and Mary Anne Jemima née Carnegy. His father, a tea broker, was for many years the Treasurer of the London Orphan Asylum at Watford; he later changed his name to Arthur Risdon Capel Carnegy Arbuthnott when his wife came into possession of the estates of Balnamoon and Findowrie through the death of her sister in 1892.

On 5 April 1894 ‘Mr James Carnegy Capel, son of Mr Arthur R. Capel Carnegy Arbuthnot [sic], of Bramham-gardens, was married to Ethel Lydia, eldest daughter of Mr Arthur Gibson Hill, of Welton, Brough, East Yorkshire […] at St Augustine’s Church, Queen’s-gate. The bridegroom was attended by his brother, Mr Harold Carnegy Capel, as best man, and there were five bridesmaids. […] A reception was held later at Bailey’s Hotel, Gloucester-road, and in the course of the afternoon Mr and Mrs James Carnegy Capel left to spend the honeymoon at Brussels’ (The Queen, 14 April 1894).

The couple appear on the 1901 census, with the first two of the three daughters their marriage would eventually produce, living at 34 Roland Gardens, Kensington. James gave as his profession ‘Shoe Manufacturer and Warehouseman.’ The household also included four servants.

Ten years later the family were still living at the same address, now with seven servants. James, who had become a ‘Glove manufacturer’ in the intervening years, was now using the surname ‘Arbuthnott.’

James Carnegy Arbuthnott, of Balnamoon and Findowrie in the County of Forfar and 97 Wood Street, London, died on 11 September 1921. He left an estate valued at £104,961.

‘The death occurred suddenly at Balnamoon, near Brechin, on Monday, of Mr James Carnegy Arbuthnott, laird of Balnamoon and Findowrie, and a member of a historic Scottish family which has been connected with the Balnamoon estate for over 250 years’ (Arbroath Herald and Advertiser, 16 September 1921).