DEATH OF BELOVED
LADY.

Miss F. I. Curtois' Work for Washingborough

A FAMILY OF RECTORS

A MEMBER of a well-known Branston family, Miss Florence Isabella Curtois, of The Studio, Washingborough, died at the Bromhead Nursing Home, Lincoln, on Sunday morning. She had been in indifferent health for some months, and on 23 December, just after her 74th birthday it became desirable to remove her to the Nursing Home, but efforts proved unavailing, and she passed quietly away.

The deceased lady was the third daughter of the Rev. Atwill Curtois, of Longhills, Branston, where he was the fifth member of the family to hold the position of rector, the first going there as long ago as 1680. Her mother was the second daughter of the Rev. D. H. Lee Warner, of Walsingham Abbey, Norfolk. After the death of the Rev. A. Curtois in 1868, the widow, with her family of ten, moved to Bedford, and in 1876 the family went to live at Washingborough Manor.

Since then Miss Curtois lived in the village, although on the dispersal of the family at the death of her mother in 1898, she went to live at The Studio, formerly used by her eldest sister, the well-known artist, familiar in the Usher Gallery.

For some years Miss Curtois had been in the habit of spending the winter at St. Leonards where she also had many friends.

Work among villagers.

Miss Curtois is survived by three sisters and two brothers, one of whom is the Rev. A. Curtois, residing in Lincoln since 1898. Her next sister is a noted sculptor, and was responsible for the beautiful statue of a boy playing marbles, exhibited in Lincoln Usher Art Gallery.

During the many years she had been at Washingborough, Miss Curtois had been responsible for much useful work in the interests of village life. She was of a kind and

sympathetic nature, and her willingness at all times to help her less fortunate friends was highly appreciated. It was typical of her thoughtfulness for others that for many years she had made a practice of personally distributing gifts to many of the villagers at Christmas time. She was well known for her long association, extending over forty years, with the G. F. S. local branch, which was started by her eldest sister a few years before. She had also been head of the Women's Institute since its formation.

Miss Curtois has, we understand, bequeathed " The Studio " on trust as a house for the parish nurse at Washingborough and Heighington. She has also made bequests to the Cathedral Restoration Fund and to the County Hospital.

She was greatly endeared to the villagers, and it was her wish that she was interred at Washingborough, where she had given her life-long work.

The funeral.

The funeral took place at Washingborough on Wednesday, when the service was conducted by the rector, the Rev. W. Burland. Practically every household in the village was represented in the crowded congregation.The service was fully choral, and a profusion of wreathes surmounted the coffin.

Most of the deceased's relatives are now advancing in years, and many were unable to attend owing to indifferent health. The mourners were Miss Edith Curtois (sister), the Rev. A. Curtois (brother), Miss Beryl Curtois (cousin), Mr. Charles Legard, formerly of Heighington Hall and a special friend of the family, and Mr. Reynolds Scorer (family solicitor).

The many floral tributes, besides those from here sisters and brothers, included wreathes from : Emily A. and Willoughby Curtois, Mrs. D. Charles Legard, Miss Muriel and Roger A. Legard (Malton), Cousin Edith Curtois and family (Bedford), " Beryl "; the Tenants, Studio-cottages; T. I. and E. Harrison; G. Wells Walker, The Bungalow, Mr. and Mrs. F. Choice (Woodhall Spa), Miss Perrin, her maid, Messrs. Charles and Reynolds Scorer, Mr. and Mrs. Dickinson, Miss R. Curtois, Miss E. Long, " G. F. T. " (Navenby), Charlie and Ray, Bell and Alex, A. R. and G. G. Kirk, " M. M. B. " and " E. M. C.," Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Barker (Washingborough), Washingborough Girls' Friendly Society (Associated members and married helpers), Women's Unionist Association (Washingborough branch), Washingborough Women's Institute.