John Chaworth-Musters
(1838-1887)
4 April 1861
Volume 3, page 38, sitting number 2852.
John Chaworth Musters was the eldest son of John G. Musters of Wiverton in Nottinghamshire and his wife Emily née Hamond, daughter of Philip Hamond of Westacre, Norfolk. In 1849 he succeeded his grandfather in possession of his estates. He was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford.
On 15 March 1859 at Oxton he married Caroline (‘Lina’) Anne Sherbrooke, eldest daughter of Henry Sherbrooke of Oxton, Nottinghamshire.
The couple appear on the 1861 census, living at Annesely Hall with their one-year-old son, John. Also present on the night of the census were eighteen servants, including a butler, a footman, a coachman and four grooms.
John Chaworth-Musters died on 17 November 1887 at Aumont near Senlis (Oise) in France. His estate was valued at £14,847.
According to the Leicester Daily Post (19 November 1887), ‘News reached Nottingham yesterday of the death of Mr John Chaworth Musters, of Annesley Hall, at his hunting box, Awmont [sic], Senlis, France. Mr Musters was a popular landlord and sportsman in Notts, and on retiring from the mastership of the South Notts hounds some years back received as a testimonial a portrait of himself with the hounds. He contracted scarlatina three weeks ago passing through London. The end came unexpectedly, none of the family arriving in time. He was 48 years old.’
A longer report and an obituary appeared in the Nottingham Evening Post (18 November 1887). ‘Of late years Mr Musters has resided mostly abroad. […] Mr Musters was a Justice of the Peace and Deputy-Lieutenant for Notts., and in 1864 filled the office of High Sheriff of the county. He was the owner of three seats in Nottinghamshire, namely, Annesley Hall, Wiverton Hall, and Colwick Hall.
‘It is as a sportsman that Mr Musters will be best remembered. His father, Mr John Musters, was an officer in the 10th Hussars, and died in 1842, and his grandfather, Mr John G. Musters, who resided chiefly at Colwick Hall, could fish, shoot, ride, hunt hounds, dance, fight, leap, swim, play tennis or cricket against the best professors or amateurs in such performances. Mr Musters inherited the sporting proclivities of his ancestors, and when at Oxford kept a pack of beagles.’ On the death of the Marquess of Hastings, he took over mastership of the Quorn. ‘Mr Musters’s health, unfortunately, was unequal to the work, and the expense of the mastership of the Quorn was greater than he felt justified in continuing. […] Mr Musters was an exceedingly expert angler with a decided preference for the “big game” of Norway to the smaller fry to be found in English or Scotch streams.’
In 1860 he joined the South Nottinghamshire Yeoman Cavalry as a cornet, resigning with the rank of Major in 1875. ‘In politics Mr Musters was a thorough Conservative, but he seldom took part in political demonstrations. […] He was genial in temper, courteous in manner, and possessed a fine physique and a frank and noble demeanor.’