Robert Willis

Robert Willis, only son of the Rev Robert Francis Willis, born at Netherbury 17 March 1868, and baptised at North Perrott 21 May 1868. Died 13 January 1921 at Bournemouth. Educated at Caius College, and entered the consular service, serving at Canton, Chinaking, Swatow, Mukden, Harbin and Tientsin. Admitted to the Inner Temple 8 November 1906, and retired in 1916.

Willis would have been in China for the Boxer rebellion of 1898-1901. In 1911, they survived an outbreak of pneumonic plague.

The Scholarship at the King's School, Bruton, open to all boys under 15, of the annual value for four years, has been awarded to Robert Willis, only son of the Rev. R. F. Willis, vicar of Chillington. Master Willis holds the Penny Scholarship Crewkerne Grammar School, and has highly distinguished himself in the Cambridge Local Examinations. It must be gratifying o the friends of Mr. Arnett, the able head-master at the Crewkerne School, to hear that this young boy was facile princeps of all the candidates in mathematics. Western Gazette, Friday 04 August 1882, p6

CUDWORTH. The Vicar's Son Among Savages.—The following taken from the North China Mail, supplemented by extracts from a private letter, proves the utility of training young men early in athletic sports. Mr. R. Willis, of H.M.S. Consular Service, at Amoy, son of the Vicar, the Rev. R. F. Willis, and a friend, named Mr. Perkins, student interpreter, were lately captured by a tribe of Aborigines, when shooting wild fowl off the coast of Formosa. The chief, who treated the strangers with great civility, insisted on their accompanying him to his head-quarters, a village some miles in the interior of the island. On their arrival, after consultation with his followers, Mr. Willis and his companion were invited by the chieftains to witness the war dance of the tribe, the savages showing wonderful agility in their movements, climbing trees like cats, throwing javelins with unerring precision, diving, swimming, and chasing imaginary enemies. On the conclusion of the military exhibition, Mr. Willis was requested by the leaders of the dance to show the tribe the prowess of the white man. Running down a slight declivity the future consul, a famous athlete, cleared a stream at a jump, about 20 feet broad, landed safely on the other side, and, subsequently, amidst intense excitement, defeated the eldest son of the ruler, a gigantic young savage, in a hopping match by a foot and a-half. In conclusion Messrs. Willis and Perkin entertained the company by dancing and other specimens of British amusements. In the evening the strangers had the honour of drinking with the King and Queen, the latter aged 17, being fourth wife of the chieftain - a special hut being provided for their sleeping accommodation—close to the royal quarters. In the morning, to their great delight, the leading men of the tribe conducted their captives back to the coast— returned the boat, in which the heroes of this exciting adventure sailed for Amoy, arriving in the evening, heartily welcomed by the European community, and warmly congratulated on their marvellous escape. Mr. Willis, when in England, was the winner of the mile and half-mile races in the University of Cambridge Athletic Sports, 1886-7, and carried off many prizes for jumping, throwing weights, hurdle racing, and other sports. He is also well known in China for his ability as a linguist. Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser, Wednesday 24 October 1894, p6

WILLIS - On the 13th Jan., at Bournemouth, after long illness, ROBERT WILLIS, of Southernwood, Shelford, Cambs. late H.M.'s Consul in China. (China papers, please copy). The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Jan 18, 1921; p 1.

Married at Cudworth, 4 January 1899, to Violet Jeannie Caroline Josephine Rosa Armbruster. She was the daughter of Carl Armbruster, a Wagnerian conductor and composer, born 23 September 1871 at The Grove, Hammersmith, and she died 17 January 1937 at Cambridge. Two of her brothers were in the consular service, which may be how they met.

MISS VIOLET ARMBRUSTER, the daughter of Mr Carl Armbruster, last week became Mrs Robert Willis. The marriage took place at Cudworth, where the bridegroom's father is the vicar. Mr Willis is in the China Consular Service. Miss Armbruster made one of her earliest appearances as Hymen, in Mrs Langtry's production of As You Like It at the St. James's in 1890. She took parts in In Chancery, at Terry's ; in Godpapa, at the Comedy, in 1891; in The Grey Mare in 1892; in The Widow, in The Private Secretary, and in many other productions. The Era, Saturday 14 January 1899, p12

Issue at least two daughters: