All Saints Farringdon Burial Memorial Book (Click to take you to the book) - Details over 2,500 burials in Farringdon churchyard 

 

People of the Past

Mrs Massey

Rev Massey, he of Massey’s Folly, is quite well known, but his wife and her family are, I believe far more interesting. Helen Katherine LANDMANN was born on the 8th September 1832, but was not baptised until the 25th July 1835 at St Martin in the Field. She died on the 19th June 1910 aged 75 years and is buried next to the entrance of All Saints, Farringdon. Helen was the youngest daughter of Lieutenant Colonel George Thomas Landmann (and his 1st wife Harriet Elizabeth Dickinson). George (1779-1854), an Army officer, military engineer and author was the son of Helen Katherine and Isaac Landmann. Isaac was a professor of artillery and fortification at The Royal Military Academy. He wrote several books on the subject, including ‘The Principles of Fortification’. Helen’s father George (who spoke Spanish fluently) wrote a 2-volume autobiography of his adventures working as a military engineer, and ‘Historical, Military, and Picturesque Observations on Portugal’ (Some years ago an 1818 1st edition of this book, described as "the most beautiful, illustrated English book on Portugal of the period" was sold  on ‘Abe Books' for £35,850). George served in Canada and fought in the Peninsular Wars and his book details sieges/battles. At a later stage he became a Military Agent. George retired from the Royal Engineers in 1824, becoming a civil engineer. He conceived of the design and construction of the London and Greenwich Railway line. The railway was London's first purpose-built steam powered-commuter railway, and the first railway to be built on viaducts and arches elevated above the ground. 

How Helen Landmann and Thomas Massey met is unknown, but Massey’s father, Thomas Hackett Massey was also involved in the railways, being a Director of the Great Leeds and London, Dudley Madley and Iron Bridge, Hull and Lincoln, Nottingham and Birmingham, and Lincolnshire and Eastern Counties Junction Railways. Helen Katherine Landmann married Rector of Farringdon, Reverend Thomas Hacket Massey by licence on the 26th April 1865 at St Nicholas, Brighton (the connection to Brighton is that, that is where her mother was buried). They had no children.

“Mrs Massey passed away after a very short illness. She was well known and loved for her kind sympathy and ready help in all sickness and troubles. Besides superintending the Sunday school, at which she attended most regularly, she filled the duties of organist of the church, and was a great help to the Rector in all parochial matters.” (Alton Gazette & Herald 1910)