The Chavasse family in the West Midlands is a British family of Catholic origin. When Claude Chavasse came from the borders of France and Savoy, he settled in Burford, Oxfordshire. His entry in the Burial Register there (April 1734) states: Claude Chavasse, a Roman Catholick (sic). Members of the family gained particular prominence as surgeons and clergymen. Members of the family still live in the United Kingdom today.

History

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Noel Chavasse VC and Bar, wearing the glengarry of the Liverpool Scottish Regiment
 
Medals of Noel and Christopher Chavasse. Noel's medals are top row. Christopher's medals are bottom row.

The Chavasse family is notable for counting amongst its ranks two Bishops of the Church of England, two Olympic athletes, a Knight Bachelor and one of only three people to be awarded a Victoria Cross twice. Bishop Francis Chavasse was instrumental in the building of Liverpool Cathedral and founded St Peter's College, Oxford.

Genealogy

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  1. Thomas Chavasse (* 7 May 1800 Warwick, Staffordshire; † 19 October 1884 Wylde Green House, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire) MD, FRCS; surgeon ∞ (I) 1827 Catherine Margaret Grant (* 1811; † 1842) ∞ (II) after 1842 Miriam Sarah Wyld (* ?; † ?). From these marriages he had nine children (4 sons, 5 daughters), including:[1]
    1. (I) Charles Edward Chavasse (* 3 November 1840 Birmingham; † 4 August 1893 Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire) ∞ Frances Lucy Evans (* 1839; † 1905), and had 7 children (3 sons, 4 daughters).[2]
    2. (II) Francis Chavasse (* 27 September 1846 Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire; † 11 March 1928 Oxford) Bishop of Liverpool, founder of St Peter's College, Oxford ∞ Ethel Jane Maude (* 1851; † 1927) and had 7 children (4 sons, 3 daughters), including identical twins:[3]
      1. Christopher Chavasse (* 9 November 1884 Oxford; † 10 March 1962) OBE, MC, TD, DD; Bishop of Rochester, Olympic athlete ∞ 1919 Beatrice Cropper Willink (* ?; † 1977) and had 5 children (3 sons, 2 daughters).[4]
      2. Noel Chavasse (* 9 November 1884 Oxford; † 4 August 1917 Brandhoek, Belgium) VC and Bar, MC; Captain, RAMC, Olympic athlete[5]
      3. Francis Bernard Chavasse (* 1889; ?) MC, ophthalmic surgeon (joint author of Worth's Squint; 7th ed. by F. Bernard Chavasse; Baillière & Co., 1939)
      4. Aidan Chavasse (* 1891; † 4 July 1917 Flanders)[6]
    3. (II) Sir Thomas Frederick Chavasse (* 19 March 1854 Aston, Warwickshire; † 17 February 1913 Bromsgrove, Worcestershire) Kt 1905, MD, FRCS; surgeon[7] ∞ 1885 Frances Hannah Ryland (* 1848; † 1928) MBE and had 4 children (1 son, 3 daughters), including:[8]
      1. Arthur Ryland Chavasse (* 1887; † 12 March 1916 Le Havre, France) MD, Captain, RAMC[9]
      2. Frances Gladys Ryland Chavasse (* 1893; † 1962 Polignac, killed crossing the road) mentioned in despatches 1945 at Monte Cassino,[10] former fiancée of the late Noel Chavasse VC and Bar, MC, later ∞ Rev. James F. Colquhoun (* 1881; † 1937) MC, priest
      3. Esme Margaret Ryland Chavasse (* 1896; † 1980) ∞ (I) Walter G. Marsden (* 1886; † 1920) Captain, RAMC ∞ (II) A. B. Quinney, of Sambourne (* 1890; † 1965)

Memorials

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Person Page 47206 – Thomas Chavasse". Thepeerage.com. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  2. ^ "Person Page 47207 – Charles Edward Chavasse". Thepeerage.com. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Person Page 47206 – Rt. Rev. Francis James Chavasse". Thepeerage.com. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Person Page 47208 – Rt. Rev. Christopher Maude Chavasse". Thepeerage.com. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  5. ^ Entry for Noel Godfrey Chavasse in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database (online), access date 16 October 2015
  6. ^ Entry for Aidan Chavasse in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database (online), access date 16 October 2015
  7. ^ "Chavasse, Sir Thomas Frederick (1854–1913)". livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Person Page 47206 – Frances Hannah Ryland". Thepeerage.com. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  9. ^ Entry for Arthur Ryland Chavasse in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database (online), access date 16 October 2015
  10. ^ "Person Page 47209 – Frances Gladys Ryland Chavasse". Thepeerage.com. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  11. ^ "Chavasse Family Papers". spc.ox.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
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