Richard Bagot ¹⁸

  General Notes:

From The Times, December 13, 1921

We regret to announce that Mr. Richard Bagot, the novelist, died on
Sunday at Levens Hall, Westmorland, the historic house which he
inherited on the death of his nephew, Sir Alan Bagot, last year.
Mr. Bagot will be remembered, not only as an excellent novelist, but
also as one who did notable service to the cause of Anglo-Italian
friendship. His appearance was attractive, for he had refined yet
marked features of the artist, as well as a certain distinction which
does not invariably accompany ancient lineage. Born of November 8,
1860, he was the son of Colonel Charles Bagot, Grenadier Guards,
grandson of the Right Hon. Sir Charles Bagot, an eminent diplomatist,
and Governor-General of Canada. Mr. Bagot was thus the great-grandson
of the first Lord Bagot, who traced his descent from Bagod of
Bramshall, Staffordshire, in 1086. His grandmother was a daughter of
the Earl of Mornington, eldest brother of the first Duke of
Wellington, and his mother was a daughter of Admiral the Hon.
Josceline Percy, whose father, the Earl of Beverley, was brother of
the fifth Duke of Northumberland. Mr. Bagot was educated privately,
and in 1881 he was received into the Church of Rome, being afterwards
created a Knight of the Order of Malta. In 1884 he became private
secretary and aide-de-camp to the late Sir Frederick Broome, Governor
of Western Australia.
Returning to England, he began contributing to various reviews and
magazines, and his first book, "A Roman Mystery", was not published
until 1899. Mr. Bagot had before that expressed strong political
views in opposition to the political attitude of the Vatican, and
these views are also discernible in his Roman novels. Perhaps his
most successful novels were, "Casting of Nets", (1901) and "Donna
Diana" (1903, and he also wrote "The Just and the Unjust", "Love's
Proxy", "The Passport", "Temptation", "Anthony Cuthbert", "The House
of Serravalle", "Darneley Place", and "The Gods Decide". As a
novelist Mr. Bagot was notable for his restrained method. He seemed
almost always to be the grave observer, pondering wide issues, and as
he spent infinite pains on the few characters he introduced, and
analysed their motives to the bottom, he obtained an effect of
exceptional reality.
In commemoration of Mr. Bagot's work for Italy and his services to the
cause of Anglo-Italian friendship, he was presented in February, 1917,
with an address from the Italian nation signed by members of the
Government, Senate, and Chamber, and representatives of literature,
science, art, industry, and municipal work. He also received the
decoration of Grand Officer and Commendatore of the Order of the
Crown, and was an hon. member of the Società Leonardo da Vinci of
Florence. He wrote "The Lakes of Northern Italy", "My Italian Year",
and "The Italians of Today", as well as many political and literary
articles: he also lectured from time to time, both in English and in
Italian. Indeed, he was said to have been the first Englishman to
address an Italian audience on the relations between the two
countries.

From The Times, December 16, 1921

The funeral of Mr. Richard Bagot, the novelist, of Levens Hall,
Westmorland, took place yesterday in the presence of a large
gathering. The first part of the service, according to the rites of
the Roman Catholic Church, was held at the hall by Canon Dunn and
Father Stephenson, only relatives attending. The burial was at
Heversham Churchyard. The coffin was conveyed from the hall to the
grave on a farm wagon drawn by a pair of Clydesdales. Tenants of the
estate acted as bearers, and among present were: -
Miss Bagot, Mr.and Mrs. Gaskell, Mrs. V. Jones, Signor Patricio
Villani, Major and Mrs. J. Cropper, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Wakefield,
Colonel Crewdson, Major Sandys, Major Argles, Mr. E.A. Fulton, Mr.
Fuller Maitland, Sir Maurice Bromley-Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. Frank
Crewdson, and most of the tenants on the estate.

  Burial Notes:

Burial

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He appeared on the census in 1861 in Elford House, Elford, Staffordshire.

2. He appeared on the census in 1871 in Church Dale House, Wolseley Road, Rugeley, Staffordshire.

3. Resided: 11 December 1921, Levens Hall, Westmorland. ¹³

4. He had an estate probated on 8 March 1922 in London. ¹³