Harrogate Advertiser - 5th July 1879

In the presence of so large an assemblage of persons as is rarely to be seen in Masham, the mortal remains of Mrs Danby Vernon Harcourt were on Thursday laid to rest in the ancient burying place of the Danbys, at the east end of the south aisle of Masham Church, with all those tokens of respectful attention which befitted her great age and the revered position she had so long held amongst her tenantry and neighbours. Every seat in the church was occupied, and a great many people were compelled to stand in the passages and doorways. At eleven o'clock the funeral procession started from Swinton Park in the following order :
The hearse with the body drawn by four horses.
10 labourers from the estate as bearers.
Mrs Danby Harcourt's empty carriage.
1st mourning coach : Lady Lavinia Bertie, Lord Norreys, the Rev the Hon. Alberie Bertie, Sir Harold Johnstone, MP
2nd mourning coach : Rev H M Short, Dr Bridges, Messrs Marwood, Tucker, and Edward George Moore.
3rd mourning coach : Colonel Cathcart, Messrs Fred Cathcart, QC, H Longley, and Peirse.
4th mourning coach : Messrs Sandford and T Topham, Dr M Cockcroft, and Rev T Storrs.
5th mourning coach : Messrs Charles I Burrell and Thomas Fenwick.
Private carriage of Mr Thomas Topham, containing the personal attendants on the deceased lady, Mrs Millington, Mrs Thomas Richmond, and Miss Griffiths.
Privates carriages of Mrs Hutton Mr M Millbank also followed. After these came the servants on the estate, then the children from Mrs Danby Harcourt's Charity School.
As the procession neared the town a large concourse of the tenantry was assembled on Dykes' Hill, nearly every holding on the estate sending its representative, and these joined the funeral cortege. In the churchyard the scholars from the Grammar School, the National Schools, and the Swinton School were draw up in line, and after the clergy had passed down to meet the body, they closed up into processional order, and walking first (after the opening sentences of the burial service had been read by the vicar) sang as a processional some verses from the exquisite hymn of St Bernard, from the one beginning “Brief life is here our portion”.

[Paragraph – Description of funeral service]

The grave, as we have said, was in the south aisle of the church, where the Lords of Mashamshire have been buried for many generations; it was a brick grave by the side of the late Mr William Danby, the first husband of the deceased lady. On the other side of Mr Danby lies the body of his first wife, Caroline Seymour; while Admiral Harcourt and the fore-elders of the Danbys are buried close by. Some difficulty was at first experienced in finding a suitable resting-place not too near the surface – the floor of the burying-place being raised some two feet above the level of the church, but by some reverent rearrangements carefully carried out under the superintendence of Mr T Mallaby, the ground has been brought to the level of the floor of the church, and a deep grave formed for Mrs Danby Harcourt. The body was placed in four coffins, three wooden and one lead.
The outer coffin was of very fine English oak, beautifully polished and mounted with handsome brass furniture, made by Mr Joseph Akers, of Masham, who, with Mr William Carter, of Masham, furnished the funeral. The breastplate was of brass, with the following inscription carved thereon :
Anne Holwell Danby Vernon Harcourt, born January 1st, 1796; married, firstly, to William Danby, Esq., of Swinton Park, 5th January, 1822; and, secondly, to Admiral Octavius Vernon Harcourt, 22nd February, 1838. died 26th June, 1879”

[Paragraph – More about the service and others attending]

It is understood that under the authority given her by the Will of her first husband, Mr Danby, Mrs Danby Harcourt has designated as her successor in the Swinton Park estates, Mr George Affleck, younger brother of Sir Robert Affleck, Bart., of Dalham, in Suffolk. Mr George Affleck, who must eventually taken the name and arms of Danby, is at present out of England, but is expected home shortly.