Chauncy family travels from Lyons to London
This is the final post of three about the travels of the Chauncy family in France.
In 1877 my third great grandfather Philip Lamothe Snell Chauncy (1816 – 1880) wrote an autobiographical memoir, which he dedicated to his oldest son, William Snell Chauncy (1853 – 1903). The State Library of Victoria holds a copy.
In it Philip described the family’s travels in France between 1821 and 1825. Although he was only young the trip made a lasting impression on him. Philip compiled this account from “A few hasty recollections” written by his father William, some letters written by his father and step-mother, and added some of his own recollections.
By 1825 the Chauncy travelling party consisted of William Snell Chauncy (44), William’s mother Eunice Brown (72), William’s wife (Philip’s step mother) Anne (39), children Theresa (18), Martha (12), Philip (9), William (5) Eunice (4 born Montauban), Hugh (2 born Angoulême), and Anna (0 born Mont D’Or near Lyons). There was at least one servant.
I previously transcribed the trip to Montauban in the south-west of France, and then the family’s travel to Angoulême and from there across France to Lyons.
The memoir continues:
1824 Lyons
After a fortnight’s sojourn in Lyons my Father took a house at Le Grand Crecy – on the 22d August we settled there, in the mansion of Madame Million at Mt d’Or about three miles from Lyons and not far from the junction of the Rhone and Soane. It was a beautiful place and commanded an extensive prospect. On a clear day we could see Mont Blanc at a distance, I believe, of 160 miles [actually 100 miles].
(Anna Maria was born at Mt. D’or 6/4/25 Died 1838 in London.)
We soon visited the most remarkable places in and about Lyons. – There are the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre, Roman subterranean baths, a monumental statue of Francis, St John’s Cathedral situated at the junction of the rivers Rhone and Soane – the former clear and rapid and the latter show and of a dull greenish hue.
The wines of Lyons are excellent – Chateauneuf, Simporet [perhaps Saint-Péray] and others, also good ale. Provisions are cheap and abundant. There are six or seven fine bridges over both rivers.
The suburbs are extensive, environs picturesque and beautiful – There is also Rousseau‘s seat in a romantic wood, where he wrote Heloise. Mont d’Or, St Cyr and other hills are also worthy of note.
We were thirteen days in Lyons and lived eleven months at Le Grand Cressy.
Angoulême to Poitiers
I omitted to state that while the family resided at Angoulême, my Father took me with him on a journey, during which we visited Poitiers where we saw the extensive ruins which had remained ever since the great battle at that place, in which Henry V defeated the French. [Philip is probably referring to the Battle of Poitiers in 1356 when the French were defeated by the English. However the English were led by Edward the Black Prince (1330 – 1376) not Henry V (1386 – 1422).] At the present time after an interval of forty four years I remember these ruins, and also that at Poitiers was the first lion I ever saw; I recollect too that on our homeward journey we spent a night at the Village of Vivonne where I jumped on the back of the Cuisinière [kitchen stove] & angered the landlady – so so do trifling incidents fix themselves on the memories of children when more important matters are lost sight of, – at least in this life, or until the faculty of memory shall, in obedience to the will, surrender up all that it has ever known.
Lyons
As this paper is written for the information and amusement of my dear children, I may remind them that we have now in use a clothes brush bought by my grandmother as a portion of my outfit for school at the Rev. Caesar Malan’s at Geneva.
This brush has been in almost constant use for forty three years & it is now a much better brush than I cd hope to buy in Melbourne – thus illustrating the superiority of such articles over those of English manufacture – at least at that time.
On leaving Lyons the family travelled to Paris by way of Rouen while my eldest Sister Theresa and I attended by our servant Francois proceeded to Geneva on a visit to Mons. Malan. We spent three days at his house during which time we had a pleasant excursion on the Lake in a new pleasure Yacht which had just been launched.
On our return journey towards Paris I remember we lost our little dog “Nice” at Tonnerre. Having joined the rest of the Family at Paris and spent six weeks there, we all proceeded to England and landed at Dover on Martha’s birthday (12th anniversary) 18th August 1825, after a residence in France of four years and three months.
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The Chauncy family travelled in France while Philip was aged five to nine years old. They lived for six months at Montauban, seven months at Angoulême, and eleven months at Mont d’Or, about three miles from Lyons.
The Chauncy family was wealthy. Philip’s father did not earn a living of his own but relied on allowances from his father William (Snell) Snell-Chauncy (1756 – 1829) for income. William senior was a merchant and his father, William Snell (1716 – 1779), had been a merchant and slave owner.
Philip’s father was firmly Protestant in his religious convictions and had a considerable interest in theological matters and published several books on religion. During his travels he sought out other Protestants, including Protestant teachers, in what was a predominantly Roman Catholic country.
During their travels in France the Chauncy children did not receive any formal education but were taught by their father.
Philip seems always to have been interested in his surroundings and this may well have started with the stimulation of his travels in France.
Between 1868 and 1877, Philip wrote a memoir for his eldest son, which included his travels in France. The memoir includes vivid recollections of his childhood journeys across the country, including one particularly dramatic event—the abduction of his baby brother Hugh by an innkeeper. Though just a young boy at the time, these adventures in France left a lasting impression on Philip.
Related posts
Philip Chauncy’s memories of his father William Snell Chauncy
Chauncy letter: pedigree back to Charlemagne via the Bigods: written to Philip’s father by his cousin Nathaniel while the family were in Angoulême; Philip included a transcription of this letter in his memoir
This post was first published at https://anneyoungau.wordpress.com/2025/01/17/chauncy-family-travels-from-lyons-to-london/