Miss Gostling
(1785-1874)
19 March 1861

Volume 2, page 332, sitting number 2617. 

[The sitter is identified as ‘Mrs [sic] Gostling’ in the Silvy daybooks but this is probably Miss Maria Gostling of Whitton Place, Hounslow.]

Born on 22 July 1785, Maria Gostling was the daughter of George and Lydia Gostling. She was baptised on 17 August 1785 at St Gregory by Saint Paul in the City of London, although Wikipedia says that this church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London and not rebuilt.

In 1857 she and her sister Lydia commission an imposing, alto-relievo monument in the parish church at Egham in Surrey, dedicated to their five dead brothers. The church already had two handsome memorials, one to each of their parents. 

Miss Gostling appears on the 1861 census, aged 75, living at Whitton Place in Twickenham with her nephew Charles Murray and his children Augustus (7), Rosalind (5), Julia (4) and Emily (2). Miss Gostling gave ‘Landowner’ as her profession. Her nephew gave as his profession ‘Magistrate, Barrister, not practising.’ The household also comprised eight servants, including a butler and a groom.

Miss Gostling was still at the same residence when the census was taken in 1871 and her nephew and his children were still living with her. 

Miss Maria Gostling died, aged 89, on 29 November 1874 at ‘Whitton Place near Hounslow in the County of Middlesex,’ leaving an estate valued at £30,000. Her nephew Charles Edward Murray was her sole executor. 

She was buried at Egham in Surrey on 5 December 1874. ‘The remains of the late estimable lady, Miss Gostling, of Whitton Park, were interred at Egham Church, in the vault of the Gostling family, on Saturday last. The deceased lady having been a warm supporter of the Volunteer movement, and having ever since the formation of the local corps (16th Middlseex Rifles) kindly granted the use of her grounds, including a large riding school, for exercising in, besides contributing annual prizes. The members expressed a wish to follow the remains of their esteemed patroness to the grave, and were allowed so to do. [A list of the principal mourners and further details of the funeral follow here.] On Sunday the Rev. G.W. Hawtayne, vicar of Whitton, preached a funeral service. […] In alluding to the deceased he said she had lived a good life, done much good for Whitton, was the foundress of the church they were assembled in, had lived to a ripe old age, and was beloved by all who knew her, especially by her family’ (Middlesex Family Times, 12 December 1874). 

[From an album probably compiled by a member of the Drought family of County Offaly in Ireland.]