ARTHUR KITSON-FANNIE ERNESTINA ASCHENBACH

[phillip]

This new thread is part of my continuing research into the children of Barnet Crawcour and Fanny Alexander. The focus of this thread is on Fannie Ernestina Aschenbach 1860-1943 daughter of Rebecca Crawcour and Frederick Aschenbach. Rebecca Crawcour daughter of Barnet Crawcour and Fanny Alexander had settled in Philadelphia where she had married Frederick Aschenbach a druggist. I will post separately on Rebecca and Frederick.

As part of my ongoing research into the relationship between Arthur Kitson 1859-1937 and Fannie Ernestina Aschenbach I read a wide range of articles on Arthur Kitson plus census and other records. The Arthur Kitson who was married to Fannie has often been confused with another Arthur Octavius Kitson son of James Kitson of Leeds Yorkshire. This Arthur was the youngest son of a very wealthy iron master and employer and there is significant data on this line. This Arthur was born in 1849 and died 1915 - he appears in several census with his parents and siblings- 1851 at 18 Blenheim Terrace Leeds Yorkshire age 2 ( HO107 2321 1046 15-Crown Copyrigh,TNA); 1861 Southwood House RG9 3393 11 15 Leeds age 12 (Crown Copyright,TNA).
He later married Linda Elizabeth Douglas Leroy in Queensland 4 August 1881- see online article "Arthur Kitson-Cook's Biographer". He appears in the 191 census RG14 4974 13 (Copyright,TNA)
3 Springfield Villas Groomsbridge Sussex
Arthur Kitson Author married 30 years 2 children both alive b Leeds Yorkshire
+3 servants.
He died Jan qtr 1915 age 67 East Grinstead 2b 256

The Arthur Kitson who married Fannie Aschenbach was a well known inventor and monetarist theorist. His articles appear widely in newspapers.
However, these articles and the accusation of his use of various titles including Sir and Honourable plus his relationships with other women are described in The Times of London between 1932-1933.
As will be described Arthur had separated from Fannie circa 1898-1900 and returned from the USA to the UK.
I will post more data on the line including the various children who Arthur fathered.

Phillip

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The marriage of Arthur Kitson to Fannie Aschenbach was reported in The Times Philadelphia 29 March 1886- Married Kitson-Aschenbach On Thursday 25th inst.at the residence of the bride's parents..Lutheran Church Ceremony..Miss Fannie Ernestina Aschenbach daughter of Frederick Aschenbach Esq to Mr Arthur Kitson son of James Kitson Esq of Melwerby Grange Yorkshire.

My concern with the data on the father of Arthur is related to later UK Census where Arthur is recorded as being born in London and Gravesend Kent. I also suspect that Arthur 'dressed up' his roots and background as The Times articles of 1932-1933 suggest.

Family trees have the children of Arthur and Fannie as- Fanny Cramer 1887-1958; Arthur Jnr 188-1965; Harold 1890-1958;Frederick 1892-1901; Herbert Keith 1894-1941; Kenneth 1896-1977; Ernest 1898-1975

However, as will be shown Arthur had a further 3 children from a bigamist relationship plus another child born in France through another relationship.
FindaGrave shows the tombstone of Fannie Ernestina Kitson b 6 Sept 1860-Philadelphia died 19 Sept 1943 Philadelphia- Ivy Hill Cemetery -she is buried with Fanny C Kitson 1887-1958
The Death Certificate for Fannie records her as divorced b March 25 1861Age 82 Parents Frederick Aschenbach; Rebecca Crawcour- Anglecott Nursing Home Philadelphia Main Cause of death Myocarditis

Arthur Kitson died Sept qtr 1937 age 78 Kensington 1a 130

Fannie appears in the 1920 USA Census (Copyright USA Federal Records) T625 1624 1A 603
W Upsal Street Ward 22 Philadelphia
Fannie E Kitson H 58 Divorced b Pennys-father b Germany mother b England
Fanny dau 32 s b Pennsy
Arthur Jnr son s 31 b Pennsy Lawyer
Harold son 29 s b Pennsy Insurance Agent
Herbert Keith son s 26 Insurance Agent b Pennsy
Kenneth son s 24 Salesman b Pennsy
Ernest son s 22 Musician b Peensy
+1 boarder

1930 USA Federal Census (Copyright USA Federal Records) 2104 27A 0627
Upsal Street Philadelphia Ward 22 House 213
Arthur Kitson H 41 b Pennsylvania Trust Office-Bank
Fannie E Kitson Mother 69 divorced b Penn
Fanny C Sister 43 s b Penn


I will post further.
Phillip

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Arthur Kitson and Fannie E Aschenbach appear in the 1900 US Federal Census with their children:
1900 Census ( Copyright US Federal Records) 1464 13B 0504
Exesal Street Philadelphia Ward 22
Arthur Kitson H M 41 b April 1859 married 14 years 7 children 7 alive year of immigration 1878 22 years in US b England parents b England
Fannie E wife 39 b March 1861 b Pennsylvania parents b England
Fannie C dau13 b Feb 1887 b Penn
Arthur Jnr son 10 b July 1889 b Penn
Harold son 9 b Oct 1890 b Penn
Herbert son 6 b April 1894 b Penn
Kenneth son 4 b May 1896 b Penn
Ernest son 2 Feb 1898 b Penn
+5 servants

The following advertisement shows Arthur Kitson had not relinquished his British citizenship-" Be it known that I, Arthur Kitson, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing in Philadelphia in the County of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Apparatus for the manufacture of gas.." June 3 1897 Times Philadelphia

Arthur Kitson was in the UK by 1901- The Times Thurs 18 July 1901
The Kitson Lighting Company of Great Britain Limited Managing Director Arthur Kitson 7 Cork Street Burlington Gardens W (Engineer)
Much earlier, Arthur Kitson had advertised in The Times Philadelphia 15 July 1888- The Kitson Gas Light Improvement Company Exhibition Room 906 Arch Street Philadelphia Director Arthur Kitson Gas Engineer Philadelphia and in 1900 The Times Philadelphia 21 Feb 1900 he resigned to devote more time to foreign companies.
More to follow.
Phillip

[phillip]

By 1901 British Census Arthur Kitson had left his wife and children ( a family story said he ran away with his secretary). He appears with his 'wife' and 1 child- 1901 Census (Copyright,TNA) RG13 77 35 61
Sloane Court Chelsea
Arthur Kitson H M 40 Engineer Employer b Gravesend Kent
Gertrude wife 20 b New Jersey Orange?American subject
Edith dau 1 month b London Chelsea
+1 nurse +3 servants

The GRO Birth Certificate for another child Mary Helen Bothwell Kitson 5 July 1905 9 St.Mary Abbots Place father Arthur Kitson Engineer;mother Gertrude Bothwell Kitson nee HORGAN.
Another child Eleanor was born in 1906

As will be shown in The Times of London 1932-33 High Court Trial reports Arthur was to admit that Gertrude was placed in a mental institute but gave no further details about her or the children.

I will post in greater detail verbatim extracts from the High Court Trial involving Arthur Kitson and others.

Phillip

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The 1911 British Census records Arthur Kitson with two of his three children born in England.
1911 RG 14 19418 (Copyright,TNA)
George Hotel Stamford Lincolnshire
Arthur Kitson 49 visitor married 10 years 3 children all alive Manufacturer Kitson Empire Lighting Managing Director and owner b London
Eleanor Kitson dau 4 b London
Mary Kitson dau 6 b London

Arthur Kitson had set up his Kitson Empire Lighting Company Stamford Hill Lincolnshire with office at 100 St Martin's Lane London 1902 and by 1914 was manufacturing lamps. However, by 1925 he was a bankrupt- The London Times Sat July 7,1928 " While in America from 1879-1900 he brought out a gas system..he floated a number of other companies in England and Continent and Colonies for certain of his inventions in regard of gas lighting but most companies went into liquidation.."He lost half a million pounds in 1910.

Currently, there are no records regarding Gertrude or his 3 children post 1911.

Arthur Kitson was a prolific writer and speaker on monetary theories which attracted considerable patronage from members of the public and people in positions of power.
He was never knighted and reference this occurred in the later High Court Trial described in The Times 1932-33.
The High Court Trial was Litton E v Litton F a wife's divorce suit The Times Weds July 6 1932 following an earlier petition Feb 27 1930.
Arthur Kitson appeared as a witness in the trial which by 1932 was one of Perjury. The original petition for divorce was instigated by Mrs Eva Alice Litton nee Walsh Thatched Cottage Midford near Bath who accused her husband of adultery. The marriage had taken place at St Paul's Church Fairhaven Lancashire Feb 21 1920.
The King's Proctor in 1931 filed that she had given false evidence in the original petition and had committed adultery with Arthur Kitson between 1926-March 1929. She had also had an earlier relationship with George Constantinesco from Roumania a research and consulting engineer b 1881 Roumania who in 1914 had married Alexandra Coresco. He was was to marry Eva in 1957.

During the Perjury trial Arthur Kitson was described as "Mr Arthur Kitson a white haired elderly man an engineer of Farquar Road Upper Norwood Street said that he had first met Mrs Litton in 1925 and the following year they stayed in a hotel in Sloane Square SW. He agreed that misconduct took place then and at several other places...In cross examination Mr Kitson said he was President of the Economic Freedom League and had lectured and published pamphlets on economic reform... He had lived in America for about 20 years and left a wife there.. How many children.Five if I remember. In 1918 did your wife divorce you-Yes. How many women have you passed off as Mrs Kitson. I don't remember but this lady. Did you say no other women has passed as Mrs Kitson-I don't say that they may have done-Probably one other I don't think anymore..
After you came from America did you live with a lady her, and did she end up in a mental home? Yes. Did you have any children ..3.
Mr Kitson said that when he met Mrs Litton he was 66 or 67 and she was under 30..."

I will post more from the trial because it identifies another child born in France.

Phillip

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The Times Friday Feb 17 1933
In the trial .."Evidence for the prosecution was given by Mr Arthur Kitson aged 73 who first stayed with Mrs Litton at a hotel in 1926.She gave birth to a child in France which was registered in his name"
I have not identified the name of the child or what happened to it.

During the trial Arthur Kitson was asked "Have you ever passed as Sir Arthur Kitson or the Hon Arthur Kitson- I don't know. Because I happen to have relatives who are titled people and suppose they have mixed us up". To date, I have not identified who if any these "titled" relatives are.
The Times Jan 17 1933 reported in further detail about Arthur Kitson's wife in America..." Mr Kitson said he was forced to leave her on account of her extravagance. She told him to go. Before parting he settled half of his property on her, and for 10 years he sent her £2000 a year.The woman with whom he associated after coming to England went to a mental home, but he afterwards learned that her affliction was hereditary. He took her to nearly every specialist in Europe and spent nearly £6000 in two years on doctors and nurses alone. It was not true that he had passed as Sir Arthur Kitson or the Hon.Arthur Kitson.." He also referred to his early association with Edison in a failed nickel mine in Canada.

Phillip

[phillip]

This post is part of my ongoing research into Arthur Kitson. There are a range of snippets on Google Books which refer to the anti-semitic views he held particularly in terms of his publications and speakings on the monetary and banking world wide systems at the time and his association with well known individuals who also held comparable stances against the Jews.

This is an interesting stance given his wife and in-laws were Jews as were his children from his marriage to Fannie.

The Bankers Magazine Vol 60 p930 1900 included a comment about Kitson..." Arthur Kitson,ME was born in London, England thirty eight years ago... educated by private tutors and at Kings College London... won the Whitworth scholarship..being second out of six hundred contestants. He is the fourth son of James Kitson Esq of London and cousin of Sir James Kitson, Baronet, Member of Parliament for Huddersfield and formerly Lord Mayor of Leeds. The Kitson Iron and Locomotive works...."

This relationship with the Kitson line referred to in the Bankers Magazine may partly explain Arthur Kitson's comment in the Perjury Trial referred to in earlier posts on this thread regarding his connection to titled people.
If the comment is accurate then Arthur Kitson and Arthur Octavius Kitson would be related.

The New York Passenger Lists indicate that Arthur Kitson age 20 Civil Engineer -English left Liverpool on the Ship "Gallia" and arrived NY 11 Nov 1879. This date and age suggests that he was unlikely to have completed a degree.

Family trees have the GRO Marriage Record for James Kitson and Sarah Edwards who are the parents of Arthur Kitson.
Maize Hill Chapel Greenwich ( Wesleyan Chapel)
13 June 1853
James Kitson full age bachelor Bricklayer 15 Tyler Street Greenwich-father Benjamin Kitson Bricklayer
Sarah Edwards minor spinster 9 Mount Road Square Greenwich-father Richard Edwards Baker
Wesleyan Ceremony
Witnesses- Joseph Olsorn? Benjamin Kitson

The 1851 Census shows Benjamin Kitson born Yorks Leeds living close to his son James.
1861 Census RG9 403 19 31 (Copyright,TNA)
5 York Place Greenwich Kent
James Kitson H M 28 Local Methodist Preacher-Bricklayer b Yorks Leeds
Sarah wife 25 b Kent Greenwich
James H son 6 b Kent Greenwich
ARTHUR son 2 b Kent Greenwich

1871 RG10 761 20 34 (Copyright,TNA)
5 Van Burgh Road Greenwich Kent
James Kitson H M 38 Local Methodist Preacher-Builder and Contractor Employing 7?men b Yorks Leeds
Sarah wife 35 b Kent Greenwich
ARTHUR son 11 b Kent Greenwich
Alfred son 9 b Kent Greenwich
Louisa H dau 5 b Kent Greenwich
Margaret E dau 2 b Kent Greenwich
Edward son 4mths b Kent Greenwich
Louisa Ann Edwards sister in law u 28 servant b Kent Lewisham

GRO Death Certificate
13 Sept 1937
3 Courtfield Garden Kensington South
Arthur Kitson 78
59 Farquhar Road Camberwell
Writer and Lecturer
Cause of death
Heart failure and coma;carcinoma of the liver ( inoperable)
Informant
Mary HUTT daughter 14 Northwick Terrace St.John's Wood NW8

Phillip

[phillip]

The following data relates to Gertrude Bothwell HORGAN who had a relationship with Arthur Kitson 1859-1937 and their 3 children.
Following further research I located reference to Arthur Kitson, Gertrude and their 3 children in the Harry Ransome Centre records for The Sunwise Turn/Mary Mowbray-Clarke Papers. Mary was Mary Horgan 1874-11962 prior to her marriage. In the records reference was made to Correspondence between Mary's brother Andrew and her niece GERTRUDE KITSON daughter of her brother Stephen Horgan b 1854.
The Manuscripts refer to the following correspondence:
Arthur Kitson 1860-1937 (The Kitson Lighting Co Ltd) 17.5; 18.2
Elinor Kitson 18.2
Gertrude Kitson 18.2
Marjorie Kitson 18.2
Mary Kitson 23.4

The Correspondence is listed as covering the period 1906-1918 and is likely to reveal the circumstances of Gertrude and her children probably including the divorce of Arthur Kitson from Fannie Ernestina Aschenbach circa 1918.

Phillip

I believe that these manuscripts can be accessed via the Centre. Other documents appear to be located at the University of Texas.
The parents of Mary Helena Bothwell-Horgan b 1874 Nyack New York were Timothy and Catherine Bothwell Horgan. Mary was the youngest of 6 children.

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The 3 children (unnamed) that Arthur Kitson identified as his own during the Perjury Trial recorded in The Times London 1933 and also referred to in the family documents of Mary Horgan Mowbray-Clarke as Elinor, Marjorie and Mary Kitson appear to be GRO Records Birth:
Katherine Elinor Kitson Jan qtr 1907 Kensington 1a 86; Marjorie Kitson June qtr 1901 Chelsea 1a 402; I have already cited the full GRO Birth Certificate for Mary Helen Bothwell Kitson b 1905 mother Gertrude Bothwell Kitson nee Horgan

It is difficult to locate the children accurately beyond Mary HUTT daughter of Arthur Kitson who was the informant at her father's death.

The child born to Eva Alice Litton nee Walsh and Arthur Kitson in France I cannot locate due to insufficient data.
Currently, Arthur Kitson is known to have had 7 from his marriage with Fannie Aschenbach; 3 from his relationship with Gertrude Horgan; 1 from his relationship with Eva Alice Litton nee Walsh. There maybe others not recorded because the Perjury trial alluded to Kitson having possible relationships with other women not named.

Eva Alice Walsh from her first marriage to Frederick Litton had a son Richard b 1922. On her death she had married George Constantinesco and when she died her Probate recorded:
Eva Alice Constantinesco Oxen House Torver Coniston Cumbria died 6 Oct 1978. Probate value £118919.

Phillip

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The New York Passenger Lists show:
Marjorie Kitson 22 single no occupation b London English Last Permanent residence Stamford father ARTHUR KITSON 23 Empingham Road Stamford Lincolnshire -Destination Orange New Jersey Arrival NY 4 April 1923 on the "Olympia".

It is very likely that Marjorie was visiting her mother's (Gertrude Bothwell Horgan) father Stephen who was living in Orange Essex County New Jersey.
There is a Orange New Jersey Directory record for an Edward Kitson h 3 Cedar 1a M and a Marjorie Kitson rem to New York City but I don't know if this is a similarity of name with Marjorie Kitson b 1901 daughter of Arthur.
There are also records for a Stephen Henry Horgan 1854-1941 born Norfolk Virginia and died Orange New Jersey but buried Nyack Rockland County New York and a Della van Houten Horgan 1861-1961 died Orange New Jersey buried Nyack Rockland New Jersey. I do not know if this Stephen is Gertrude's father.

Phillip