During January I was given the opportunity to display the exhibition about Randolph Caldecott and Chelsfield, at Bromley Local Studies Library. This had a number of gratifying consequences, some of which I am still pursuing.

As is often the case with Victorian signatures, I had found it impossible to decipher with certainty the names, of the witnesses to the marriage in Chelsfield registers. Mrs Denise Rason of Bromley Local Studies Library mentioned to me that Jonathan Brind of London E1O was engaged a one name study of the Brind family, and I contacted him. He is not in fact connected closely with the side of the family from which Marian Brind sprang, but he kindly put me in touch with Lt Col David Brind of Salisbury, to whom I wrote asking if he had a photograph of her, or any further information.

Lt Col Brind was most helpful, and although he could not provide the much sought-after photograph, he confirmed that Marian Brind's father, Frederick William Brind, was his great grandfather's nephew. I sent him a photocopy of the marriage entry from Chelsfield, and he was able to confirm that two of the signatures were those of his great grandfather, General Sir James Brind, and the latter's fifth wife, Eleanor Elizabeth Lumley née Burne. I had already deduced that the third witness was F B Seaman, Caldecott's great friend and Best Man.

Lt Col Brind also sent me a lengthy entry from the Dictionary of National Biography about Sir James Brind. He had been born in 1808, and died in 1888, having spent most of his distinguished military career in India.

I can now give with certainty the full details of the entry from Chelsfield marriage registers:

1880 March 18: Randolph Caldecott, of age, bachelor, artist, of Kemsing, son of John Caldecott, auditor:

Marian Harriet Brind, of age, spinster, no occupation given, of Chelsfield, daughter of Frederick William Brind, merchant, Married after banns by the Rev Folliott Baugh [Rector of Chelsfield] in the presence of James Brind, General R A: F B Seaman: Eleanor E L Brind.

I have not as yet done much more to fill in Marian's background, but I did obtain a copy of her birth certificate, which shows:

1850 March 28 at Stamford Hill: Marian daughter of Frederick William Brind and Mary Ann his wife formerly Elliott: father's occupation, wine merchant.

It is curious that Marian's second Christian name, Harriet, is not shown on the certificate. I have also obtained a copy of F W Brind's will, and in searching for that I discovered that brother Frank died young and unmarried in 1898. Curiously, when visiting Chelsfield church recently I was shown a beautifully executed plan and elevation of the ancient font. I well recollected this drawing from many years ago, since it used to hang. in the vestry, but only on this visit did I discover that it had been made by Frank Brind, in 1888.

Finally - I have left the transcript of the talk exactly as given, but I feel I should correct one statement which I later found to be incorrect. I mentioned that, so far as I knew, Caldecott's was the only picture of Chelsfield church to show the curious wooden construction via which the bell ringers ascended to the belfry before 1893. I have since found that at least one photograph exists showing this, among Philip Lane's extensive collection.

Sketches of Brind family members
by Randolph Caldecott.

W Brind, The ornithologist. Presumably, W Brind is really Frederick William born 1823 died 1908, a wine merchant.	From left to right: Maggie Brind, W Brind & Frank Brind. The caption for the drawing is watching for the old owls.
Maggie Brind & Frank Brind, playing at circus.	Marion Brind (Caldecott).

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