Michael Henry Herbert ^54,58,68

  General Notes:

Found in The Times, October 7, 1903

The funeral of the Right Hon. Sir Michael Herbert, British Ambassador
in Washington, took place in Wilton Churchyard yesterday afternoon
amid many signs of regard and affection. Before the procession left
Wilton house a short service was conducted in the chapel by Canon the
Hon. Sidney Meade, among those present being the Hon. Lady Herbert
(widow) and her two young sons, Sidney and Michael Herbert, Lady
Herbert of Lea (mother), Lord and Lady Pembroke (brother and
sister-in-law), Lady de Grey, the Baroness Von Hügel and Lady Maude
Parry (sisters), Lady Muriel Herbert and, and Mrs. Arthur Ponsonby.
At the church, which was built by Sir Michael's father, the procession
was met by Archdeacon Buchanan, Canon the Hon. Sidney Meade, Canon
Olivier (rector), the Rev. E. M. Parken (curate), and the Rev. A.
Baker.
The chief mourners were Lord Suffield, representing the King, Lord
Pembroke, Lord Herbert, the Hon. George Herbert, Baron Von Hügel, Sir
Hubert Parry, Lord de Grey, Mr. Robert Goelet, Sir Edward Hamilton,
and Mr. Arthur Ponsonby. Among those present were Mr. Choate, the
United States Ambassador, Mr. H. White, First Secretary, and Mr. J. R.
Carter, Second Secretary of the United States Embassy, the Duke of
Beaufort, Lord Newport (representing Mr. Balfour), Field-Marshal Sir
Evelyn Wood, Brigadier-General Grierson, C.B., C.M.G., and Captain
Wood (representing the 2nd Army Corps), Major-General the Hon. Sir
Reginald Talbot, Lord Bath, Lord Durham, the Hon. George Lambton,
Signor Pansa (representing the Italian Embassy), the Hon. Charles
Hardinge (representing the Foreign Office), Colonel the Hon. H.
Legge, M.P., the Hon. Sir Schomberg M'Donnell, Mr. A'Court, and Sir E.
Antrobus.
After the first hymn, "Hark, hark, my soul", an interlude composed by
Sir Hubert Parry was played by the organist. The opening sentences of
the Burial Service were read by Canon Meade, the lesson by Archdeacon
Buchanan, and the 39th Psalm was sung to a chant by Dr. Armes. As the
procession left the church Chopin's funeral march was played.
At the grave side the rain was falling in a drizzling shower. Canon
Olivier read the committal portion of the service, and after the hymn
"Fight the good fight; with all thy might" had been sung, Archdeacon
Buchanan pronounced the Benediction. Among those who sent floral
tributes, in addition to the near relatives, were Lord and Lady
Browlow, Mrs. Ogden Goelet, Lady Selina Hervey, and Miss Mary Bidwell,
Sir Edward and Lady Monson, "Old Friends at this Majesty's Embassy,
Paris", the Pilgrims, the Staff at Washington, Lady and the Misses
Pauncfote, the Russian Ambassador in Washington, Lord and Lady Savile,
Mr. Choate, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt, Lord Magheramorne, the Hon.
Mrs. Legge, the American Society in London, the Dowager Lady Bath, and
Lord and Lady Yarmouth.
Service at Marlborough House Chapel
Simultaneously with the funeral at Wilton, a memorial service was, by
the King's command, held at the Marlborough House Chapel, St. James
Palace. There was a numerous attendance, despite inclement weather,
the little chapel being almost filled. Lord Kintore attended on
behalf of the King, and Colonel Egerton on behalf of the Duke of
Connaught, and Major-General Sir Arthur Ellis and Lord Farqahar was
also present. Among the relatives and friends present were.......
The Rev. Edgar Sheppard, D.D., Sub-Dean of the Chapels Royal,
conducted the service, being assisted by the Rev. H. G. Daniell
Bainbridge, the Rev. H. D. Macnamara, the Rev. H. A. Sheringham, and
the Rev. R. Tahourdin, Priest in Ordinary. The Marlborough House
Chapel, where the King often attends service when resident in London,
although it appears to intrude upon the grounds of Marlborough House,
was incorporated with St. James's Palace until the beginning of the
last centuary, when the whole south-east angle of St. James's Palace
was destroyed by fire, leaving a vacant space between the Chapel and
the Palace. The interior of the chapel is of a simple chararcter.
Upon the altar, behin which is a picture of the Annunciation which was
presented to the chapel by King William IV., white flowers had been
placed, and two tall tapers lit. Before the service Mr. W. G. Alcock,
organist, and composer of his Majesty's Chapels Royal, played
Beethoven's Funeral March (from the Sonata in A flat), a fitting
prelude to the memorial service of one who had served his country with
devotion, and to whom of late neither ill-health nor bodily weakness
were a bar to the pursuit of duty.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. He appeared on the census in 1861 in Wilton House, The Park, Wilton, Wiltshire.

2. Resided: 30 September 1903, Wilton House, The Park, Wilton, Wiltshire. ¹³

3. He had an estate probated on 2 February 1903 in London. ¹³

Michael married Lelia Belle Wilson, daughter of Richard T. Wilson and Unknown. (Lelia Belle Wilson died on 19 November 1923 in London ¹³.)