Friday 14 August 2009

De Visme Monument Wimbledon

On the north side of the church is a large pyramid enclosed by iron rails.
"Sepulchrum hoc Gerardus de Visme, pro se et suis extruxit."


Wimbledon Lodge, the residence of the Hon. Lady Murray, was built by her father, Gerard de Visme, Esq., an eminent merchant, who resided for many years at Lisbon. He died Nov. 20th, 1797. During her minority the house was inhabited by Earl Bathurst. He was third earl, born 22nd May, 1762; was elected M.P. for Cirencester on attaining the age of twenty-one; a few months after he became Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty. From July, 1789, until June, 1791, he sat at the Treasury Board, having, in May, 1790, succeeded the Earl of Hardwieke as Teller of the Exchequer, the reversion of which office had been previously granted to him. In 1793 he was Commissioner of the Board of Control and a Privy Councillor. The first of these offices he held till the dissolution of the ministry in 1802 ; he succeeded to the peerage in 1794, and moved the address in 1796. In 1804 he was Master- worker of the Mint; in 1807, President of the Board of Trade; in 1809, Secretary for Foreign Affairs for about two months. On the 11th of June, 1812, he became Secretary for the Colonies till 1828, when he was elected President of the Council, an office of which he was deprived by the accession of the Whig party to power in 1830. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1817 ; he died" July 26th, 1834.
The Hon. Sir Henry Murray, who married the daughter of Gerard de Visme, Esq., resided at Wimbledon, except when on duty, till the time of his death. He was a distinguished general. A more detailed account of his military exploits will be found in the epitaph which is copied from his monument at page 82.

The history and antiquities of the parish of Wimbledon, Surrey By William Abraham Bartlett

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