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The Family of Field-Marshall Sir Bernard Law Montgomery
from 'Romantic
Inishowen' 1947 by Harry Percival Swan
Much
has been written and told about Field-Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, most
colourful military figure of the war, but little is known about his early life.
The News Chronicle sent its Special Correspondent, Louise Morgan, to Donegal to
learn more about him. At New Park, a big rambling house built in 1776 by his
grandfather at Moville, on the lovely shores of Lough Foyle, she found the
answers.
If
ever children were prepared for the new democracy it was the Montgomery family.
But the preparation was given unconsciously, and against a background of almost
primitive Christian fervour.
Their parents were one of the most happily-married of their generation. The
mother was Maud Farrar, one of the five daughters of the famous Victorian, Dean
Farrar of Canterbury, who wrote the moral schoolboy tale, Eric or Little by
Little.
Two
months before her seventeenth birthday, in 1881, Maud was married to Henry
Montgomery, Vicar of St Mark's, Kennington, anything but a fashionable parish.
He came of an old Irish family, was 34, more than twice her age, and had been
one of her father's curates. They were engaged when she was only fourteen. It
was a great love match until his death at 85. Any child with parents as happy as
these was bound to have a happy start in life.
The
sixteen year old wife faced a gigantic job. Children came very quickly, and at
twenty-four she had five. Bernard was the fourth. The job was all the harder
because there was very little money. When Henry came into his Irish estate, much
land had to be sold, leaving barely enough to keep New Park, the family home.
But even at sixteen, Maud had a remarkable and original organising capacity.
Every hour was an operation in management by his "little general" of a mother.
She
may have had to retire now and then from a skirmish, but she never lost a
battle. She made use of everything at hand, however unconventional. Getting a
job done, not following the traditional method, was the essential thing. She
served delicious dishes which cost nothing and when her guests discovered the
base was "vermin" (rabbit) they were at first scandalised, and then asked for
the recipe.
The
boys also had to get their own tea, eat in the schoolroom and clear up. They
loved doing all these things, and learned important lessons while enjoying
themselves.
Moville knows how much Field-Marshall Montgomery owes to his mother, and pays
her the affectionate tribute of expressing it humorously. An old boatman on
hearing the news that Monty was making Field Marshall Rommel run, commented with
a broad grin: "No wonder; he's not his mother's son for nothing".
An
insight into social life in Moville is found in the diary of Jane Harvey, who
spent August 1876 in Drumaweir near Greencastle. One of the big events of the
summer season was the Moville Flower Show, which was promoted mainly by the
gentry. The Regatta took place on 8th August and enjoyed a wider appeal. After
listening to the band of the 91st regiment of Highlanders, in the evening Jane
went to a ball at Kilderry, Muff, which ended at 5.20 am.
She
knew Ferguson Montgomery, a keen sportsman who organised games of tennis and
croquet for the ladies on the front lawns of New Park, watched by his parents,
Sir Robert and Lady Montgomery. Jane's son James preferred cricket, however, and
he
played a weekly match at Pennyburn. Bathing took place at Drumaweir and
afterwards everyone boarded the Harts's boat for Moville. In the evenings Lady
Montgomery was busy organising concerts and games of whist in the schoolhouse or
parlour for her guests.
On
Sundays Jane attended both morning and evening church services and listened to
the sermon of the young Henry Montgomery, later Bishop of Tasmania. She
described him as impressive but felt he did a better job in the morning. When
her holiday ended, she took the evening steamer from Moville back to Derry.
Montgomery Circles Over Moville
Flying in his personal
silver-winged Dakota from Long Kesh aerodrome, near Lisburn, to Londonderry, on
Saturday to receive the freedom of the city, Field-Marshall Montgomery gave
directions for the plane to circle low over Moville, his home town in County
Donegal.
The
Dakota dived to within a hundred feet. Twice it circled low over the town, and
the Field-Marshal, with an eager light in his eyes, saw New Park, his old home.
"It looks just the same", he said, "my dear old Irish home".
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