Frederic Evelyn GARDINER (1850-1928)

Evelyn Gardiner (1850-1928) was was the brother of Caroline Florence Mourilyan (née Gardiner), who was the sister-in-law of Eugénie Sladden (née Mourilyan).

Frederic was born in 1850 at Bath, Somerset, the seventh of nine children of the Reverend George Gregory, a Clerk in Holy Oders, and his wife, Frances Mary (née Touchet).  He was baptised at Walcot St Swithin, Somerset, on 22nd March 1850.

When he was a year old, the family moved to Bonn when Reverend Gardiner was appointed the English chaplain.  In 1859 the family moved to Paris, where Reverend Gardiner had accepted a post as Chaplain of the English Protestant Chapel in Avenue Marboeuf.  The Siege of Paris, which lasted from 19th September 1870 to 28th January 1871, put an end to the Gardiners’ time in Paris.  They left Paris in a hurry, shortly before the capture of the city by Prussian forces which led to French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire as well as the Paris Commune. 

Evelyn was ordained as a priest.  In his early days he was curate at St Matthew’s, Westminster.

Evelyn married Jessie Ogle on 11th January 1876 at the Parish Church of St Peter, Pimlico, London.  They had a son born on 19th March 1881, but Jessie died less than three weeks later on 6th April at 26 Ebury Street, Pimlico.  Evelyn was by this time a Vicar in Cornwall, but the baby was born in London.  From 1879 to 1888 he was Vicar of St Paul’s, Truro, and chaplain to the Training College.

Evelyn then became Rector of St John’s, Hackney, staying until 1897.  In August 1897 he returned to Truro as Sub-Dean of Truro Cathedral and Rector of Truro.

On 19th September 1901 at St Giles’ Church, Nether Witton, Morpeth, Northumberland, Evelyn married Maria (Daisy) Frances Orde, daughter of the late Mr C W Orde and niece of Lady de Tabley, widow of the last Baron of the title.  They had one son:  Julian Benedict Orde Gardiner (1903-1982) who was born in London.

In 1906 Evelyn became Vicar of Holy Trinity, Folkestone and in 1918 Rector of Bishopsbourne, near Canterbury.

Evelyn died at 15 Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, on 30th May 1928.  He was buried at Holy Trinity, Folkestone.  His widow died at Saltwood, Hythe, Kent, on 23rd October 1951.