Lilian Mary HARPER (née BUTLER) (1878-1952)

Lilian Mary Harper, née Butler (1878-1952), known as Lily, was the niece of Eugénie Sladden, being the daughter of her sister, Fanny Butler.

Lily was born at Gloucester House, Claremont Road, Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, on 28^th March 1878, the fourth of nine children of Charles and Fanny Butler.  The family had just recently moved from Norbiton.

At the time of the 1901 census, Lily was visiting her uncle and aunt, Walter and Mildred Butler, at Tolworth Lodge.

On 20^th October 1903, Lily married Montague John Strachey Harper at Weybridge, Surrey.  Montague was Manager of Motor Detachable Covers for Tyres Company.  They had two children, Gwendoline Monica (1905-1967) and Geoffrey Strachey (1911-1981).  In 1911 they lived at Merlwood, Oatlands Park, Weybridge, Surrey.

A letter written by her aunt, Polly Robinson, on 7^th May 1914, reveals that Lily and Montague let out their house for 16 weeks, so the two children with two nurses went to stay with their grandmother, Fanny Butler; a letter of 8^th June 1914 reveals that Lily was staying at Westgate.  Lily is also mentioned in a letter written by her mother on 22^nd March 1916.

Montague died in 1925.  In 1939, Lily was living in the home of her widowed aunt, Mildred Butler, who lived at Heywood, Esher.

Lily died at 61 Bathurst Mews, Paddington, on 25^th February 1952.