The Kensington Family

Charles Kensington

Birth: 10 October 1820, in Madras, Madras, India
Asiatic Journal for January-June 1821 p397
BIRTHS.
Oct. 10. At Madras, the lady of H.W. Kensington, Esq., of a son.

Father: Henry Warner Kensington, of the Madras Civil Service.

Mother: Francoise Anne (Boyd) Kensington

Married: Charlotte Massie Evans on 3 July 1841, at Midnapore, Bengal, India.
Asiatic Journal for September-December 1841 p221
MARRIAGES.
July 3. At Midnapore, Charles Kensington, Esq. lieut. M.N.I., to Charlotte Massie, daughter of the late Maurice Evans, Esq.,

Children:
Occupation: Army Officer (Indian Army).
Charles was a cadet at the East India Company's military seminary at Addiscombe from August 1835 until passing for the infantry on 12 June 1837. He returned to India on the Wellington, leaving London on 15 August 1837 and arriving in Madras on 14 December. Charles was posted Ensign in the 14th Madras Native Infantry, but had to do duty with the 16th Madras N.I. at Palaveram until a vacancy occurred in his own corps. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 8 October 1839 (East India Register (1845) p65) and, in 1842, saw active service with the 14th Madras N.I. during operations on the Yangtse Kiang River, for which he was awarded the First China War medal. From October 1843 the regiment was stationed in French Rocks, near Mysore (East India Register (1845) p65), then in Bangalore from April 1846, and Kulladghee from December 1849. On 23 January 1846, Charles was appointed Quartermaster and Interpreter (East India Register (1849) p65) and afterwards served as Adjutant to the left wing of his regiment.

Death: 1 August 1851, at Kulladghee, Bombay, India. Charles drowned after the boat he was in was upset.

Buried: 4 August 1851, at Kulladghee, Bombay, India, aged 31

Sources:

Charles Henry Maurice Kensington

Birth: 13 February 1847, in Bangalore, Madras, India
Allen's Indian Mail (1847) p203
BIRTHS.
KENSINGTON, the lady of C. 14th N.I. s. at Bangalore, Feb 13.

Baptism: 24 May 1847, in Bangalore, Madras, India
Charles was baptised as Charles Henry Howard Kensington, but all other references to him have his second middle name as Maurice.

Father: Charles Kensington

Mother: Charlotte Massie (Evans) Kensington

Married: Caroline Maria Stuart on 9 March 1882, in Madras, Madras, India. Charles is recorded as aged 35, and Caroline as aged 23. Caroline was born on 10 October 1856, and baptised on 14 December 1856 in Berhampore, Madras, the daughter of Henry Tod Stuart and Mary.
The Times of India 14 March 1882
March 9th at Madras Capt Charles HM Kensington RE to Caroline M Stuart eldest daughter of Col HT Stuart MSC Commandant 40th MNI  

After Charles's death, Caroline married again, to Ronald Bartleman Struthers, in 1892, in Steyning district, Sussex She is found living back on the Isle of Man in the 1901 census.

Children:
Charles and Caroline also had a still-born son on 1 February 1885.
The Times of India 6 February 1885 (transcribed at Families in British India Society):
BIRTHS.
Feb 1st at Bangalore the wife of Captain CHM Kensington RE of a son still-born

Occupation: Army Officer (Royal Engineers), reaching the rank of Major.
Charles, a Gentleman Cadet from the Royal Military Academy, was commissioned Lieutenant, in the Corps of Royal Engineers on 10 July 1867 (London Gazette 9 July 1867 p3853). In 1870, Charles was doing duty with the Madras Sappers and Miners in Bangalore (Army List 1871 p214) and on 24 January 1871, he was made Assitant Engineer, 2nd Grade, in the Department of Public Works, Madras, and posted to Mysore (Army List 1872 p214). Charles was promoted to Captain on 1 October 1879, and seconded as adjutant of the 1st West Riding of Yorkshire Engineer Volunteer Corps (London Gazette 17 October 1879 p5978). Charles was promoted to Major on 31 December 1886 (London Gazette 10 June 1887 p3149).

Notes: Charles was elected a fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society on 16 March 1887. In 1869, Charles played wicketkeeper for the Royal Engineers, beating the Royal Artillery by an innings and 31 runs at Chatham Lines (cricketarchive.com)

Death: 2 March 1889, in Bangalore, Madras, India
The Times of India 7 March 1889
March 2nd at Bangalore Charles Henry Maurice Kensington Major Royal Engineers aged 42 years  

Census & Addresses:
1881: Private Htl Officers House, 2, 3, 4 & 6 Grand Parade, Portsmouth, Hampshire
1887: New Brompton, Chatham, Kent (Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society (1887) p239)

Sources:

Charlotte Kensington

Birth: 25 January 1889, in Bangalore, Madras, India
The Times of India 31 January 1889
Jan 25th at Bangalore the wife of Major CHM Kensington RE of a daughter

Father: Charles Henry Maurice Kensington

Mother: Caroline Maria (Stuart) Kensington

Census:
1901: Maughold, Isle of Man: Charlotte Kensington, age 12, born India
1911: Kensington, London: Charlotte Kensington, age 22

Sources:

Evelyn Massie Kensington

Birth: 9 January 1886, in Ramsey, Isle of Man

Father: Charles Henry Maurice Kensington

Mother: Caroline Maria (Stuart) Kensington

Death: 17 January 1886, in Ramsey, Isle of Man

Buried: Ballure Chapel, Ramsey, Isle of Man
In loving memory of Evelyn Massie, infant daughter of Capt C.H.M. Kensington Royal Engineer and Caroline M. Kensington, died Jan 16, 1886, aged 7 days.

Sources:

Frances Maria Charlotte Kensington

Birth: 30 April 1842, in Moulmein, Bengal, India
The East India Register (1843) p256
BIRTHS.
BENGAL.  April 30.
At Maulmain, the lady of Lieut. Kensington, 14th M.N.I., of daughter.

Baptism: 22 September 1842, in Moulmein, Bengal, India

Father: Charles Kensington

Mother: Charlotte Massie (Evans) Kensington

Death: 12 November 1843, at the French Rocks, near Mysore, Madras, India
The East India Register (1844) p168
DEATHS.
MADRAS.  November 12.
At the French Rocks, Frances Maria Charlotte, daughter of Lieut. Kensington, 14th N.I. aged 18 months.

Sources:

Katharine Louisa (Kensington) Osborn

Birth: 8 December 1844, in French Rocks, Madras, India
Allen's Indian Mail (1845) p51
BIRTHS.
KENSINGTON, the lady of Lieut. 14th N.I. at French Rocks, d. Dec. 8.

Father: Charles Kensington

Mother: Charlotte Massie (Evans) Kensington

Married: William Osborn on 27 September 1866, in St Stephens Church, Ootacamund, Madras, India. William is listed as aged 34, the son of John Osborn. Katharine is listed as aged 21, the daughter of Charles Kensington. William was a captain in the 30th Regiment of the Madras Native Infantry.
The Times of India 10 October 1866
Sept 27th at St Stephen's Church Ootacamund, by the Venerable Archdeacon Dealtry, Captain William Osborn, 30th Regt MNI to Katharine Louisa, daughter of the late Lieut Charles Kensington, 14th Regt Madras NI    

William and Katharine were divorced on 31 July 1878.

Children:
Sources:

Violet Mary Massie Kensington

Birth: 29 July 1883, in Bangalore, Madras, India
The Times of India 3 August 1883
July 29th at Bangalore the wife of Capt CHM Kensington Royal Engineers of a daughter

Baptism: 24 October 1883, in Bangalore, Madras, India

Father: Charles Henry Maurice Kensington

Mother: Caroline Maria (Stuart) Kensington

Census:
1901: Settle, West Riding of Yorkshire: Violet Marie M. Kensington, age 17, born India, occupation: pupil in school
1911: Lambeth, London: Violet Mary Massie Kensington, age 27

Sources:
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