Louise Cortazzi, Thomas Hornby, Alice Hornby, Anne Langton and Hugh Hornby

DOB 14 July 1800 in Bournebat Izmar Turkey

Daughter of Luc François (Tricon) Tricon Cortazzi and Elizabeth (Hayes) Cortazz

Sister of Frederick Cortazzi, Marie Cortazzi, James Ludovic Frederic Charles Octave Luca Cortazzi, Caterina (Cortazzi) Joly, John Cortazzi, Richard Cortazzi, Edward Cortazzi, Roger Tricon Cortazzi and Antoinette Sophie Cortazzi.

Richard Cortazzis parents Hugh and Louise. It seems they were married first in Odessa on November 1 1823 and again at St Andrews in Holbern a little later. I also found Hugh Hornby listed as a merchant at 58 Threadneedle Street sharing premises with Frederick Cortazzi in 1840. In 1838 he was mayor of Liverpool.

I found mention of Louise in "The Story of our Family" by Anne Langton. She is mentioned as an "engaging foreign wife" who spoke little English. Before her marriage she was staying in Holbern. If you can get hold of the memoir of Anne Langton you'll find it interesting as she is some sort of relation and I imagine that the world she lived in was similar to the Hugh Hornbys. I found it on the net one day when I put either Louise's or Hugh's name.

There is mention of Richard in various Indian newspapers as assistant locomotive superintendent of BB&CI railway whatever that might be. Also an ad for a sale of his personal effects.

Anne Langton - Story of our family 1881

Cicely, the only daughter, married Mr. Thomas Hornby, of

Kirkham. She had many children — four sons and five daugh-

ters lived to grow up ; but of these only one, the Rev. Thomas

Hornby, survives.

Thomas, the fifth son, was my father, and the three children

he left (one had died in childhood) still live, and these, with S.

Z. Langton, of Barrow, and T. Hornby, vicar of Walton, near

Liverpool, are the only survivors of the generation ; that is, of

the grand children of Thomas Langton of Kirkham, and of Jane

his wife. This lady was a Miss Leyland, a co-heiress ; her sister

was mother to our Feilden connexions.
 

My father was born at Kirkham in 1770. His mother died

when he was quite young, so that he had scarcely any remem-

brance of her. His sister was ten yeai\s older than himself, so
that she would pai'tiy supply the mother's place. I have not

heard many particulars of his childhood ; he was sent to school

in the neighbourhood of London, and at the age of seventeen

went to Russia to learn business in the house of Thorlcy,

Morison, and Co., at Riga, on the understanding that he was to

b ^oome a partner on attaining his majority. My father relinquished

a portion of the share promised to him for the sake of a clerk in the

house, who was admitted into the partnership at the same time.

Through her my mother was connected with the

Feildens and Hornbys in a degree that had not died out in

those early days, and one of her cousins. Miss Starkie, was

raanicd to my father's brother William, so that my parents

knew a great deal of each other before they were actually

acquainted, and they seem * to have come to an agreement

very soon. The engagement, however, was not a short one, on

account of the declining health of my mother's sister, Mrs.

Briggs; and when the maniage did take place (April 6th,

1802) it kept them a good deal asunder, for my mother was

much with her dying sister.
 

It is time that I should mention my mother's sister, aunt

Alice, as she became altogether one of the family. When she

was left alone my father offered her a home ; he also renounced

in her favour my mother's share of the inheritance, and she

would have had an ample sufficiency for her private wants if

the money had not unfortunately been in her brother's hands.

His business had not been flourishing, and when he died he

was found to be insolvent.* My aunt lost almost all she had ;

the little that remained was sunk to make an income for her —

a very small one, for it was only thirty pounds a year — so she

became in a great measure dependent, a great trial which I

never enough considered or appreciated, until I had reason to

be thankful that I was preserved from a similar fate. My

father made her some yearly allowance in addition, which must

have been sufficient for her necessities, as she had saved a little

matter, which, when my father's misfortunes occurred, she laid

out in rescuing a portion of his books, with the understanding

that they were to be for my brother William, who was her

godson. However, a selection from that selection came with

us to Canada, that we might not be quite without literature.

When my father was thus incapacitated from doing as he had

done, aunt Alice's two nephews Briggs, who were flourishing

bankers at Halifax, came forward and allowed her what made

up her income to a hundred pounds a year. But I am

going on too fast, for these calamitous times were still a great

way off, though a circumstance which eventually led

to them was on the eve of taking place, namely, my father

again entering into business. My uncle William Langton

persuaded him to become his partner in his business in

Liverpool, without either of them having the intention of

living there. There were two junior partners ; one had been

a confidential clerk, the other captain of one of their ships.

These two managed the daily routine, whilst one head resided

at Kirkham, the other at Blythe. No doubt there was plenty

of correspondence, and my father and uncle used to go over to

Liverpool for a day or two every month. It was rather a

singular arrangement, but it appears to have answered at that

time very well, for, during the years we lived at Blytho, there

seemed no decline in prosperity ; household arrangements were

on a most comfortable scale.

There was some land belonging to the estate ; how much I cannot

tell, but a good many fields and some cottages. My father farmed it,

or a portion of it, himself, so that cows and horses, pigs and poultry,

belong to my early recollection. Of horses there used to be four,

besides a pony for the use of the children. Out of doors there used to

be coachman and gardener and farming man, or rather cow^-

man, for he w\as a subordinate, and indooi*s a house servant and

four women. Such was the ordinary establishment.

1813. For one year before we left Blythe my brother William

went as a pupil to the clergyman at Kirkham, the only

part of his education that was carried on away from home.

My father was considerably out of health at the time. My

uncle William Langton had died very suddenly, and the great

shock had a very serious effect on my father. This was in

1813 (I ought to begin to mention dates). My uncle's son

Joseph, better known as Joe, was just of age when his father

died, and he, succeeding to the business, became my father's

partner. He had had a mercantile education in Liverpool, and

he took up his residence there, ai^d after a t'me was joined by

his mother and sisters.

1814. In 1814, when the allied armies had entered Paris and

Buonaparte had been sent to Elba, my father began to revolve

in his mind a favourite project, that of taking his family

abroad for a few years, where education might proceed with-

out the necessity of sending his children to different schools,

as must have been the case had we continued at Blythe, where

there were no facilities within reach. So Blythe was advertised

to bo let. Meanwhile he and my mother availed themselves of

the unlocking of the continent to pay a visit to Paris.

A Scotch journey was undertaken to pass

away the time ; this was again conjointly with other relatives,

and my brother William was of the party, John and I going

under aunt Alice's charge to Lytham for a few weeks. From

what I have heard or seen in old letters I think that Bath

would have been fixed on for our temporary home; but the

hundred days came to an end, and we were free to set out on

our travels.

1821. I shall have now some less pleasant things to say. My

father had all this time continued a partner of the house in

Liverpool, and had regular reports of its proceedings from

his nephew Joe Langton. These had not for some little time

; been as satisfactory as formerly. I think a year before this 

was aware that there was some cause of anxiety connected

with business, and the winding up of 1820 left no doubt of matters

being in a bad train. I think that my father had

I resolved any way to take up his abode in Liverpool, for a time
and then my father went to Liverpool, my brother John to school

again at Midhurst, aunt Alice to visit friends in the south, and

my mother, William, and myself to Kirkham.

We had no intention of settling in Liverpool until April, or we

should have had taxes to pay upon two houses, as Blythe was

still in occupation ; so until then we were my

uncle and aunt Hornby's guests. We had bought in London

a second-hand carriage, to use when wanted with hired horses,

but we never had horses of our own again.

 When April came, my father and mother and my brother

William went to do the packing up at Blytho. I remained at

Kirkham until they got to Liverpool, and joined them there,

just stopping on my way at Blytho to see the old place. The

carriage had been left to come with me, and I had an escort in

my cousin Hugh Hornby, who was going to Liverpool at the

same time.

School in Liverpool, denominated The Institution, so wo wcro

onco moro living all together. Wo did not enter very largely

into Liverpool society, for wo declined all dinner invitations,

the usual way of entertaining there, because wo did not intend

to give such parties ourselves; and excepting occasionally, when

my father had a few gentlemen, or some of oiu: own relations

came to us, wo never did so. My father now went regidarly

to his office, and took up tho drudgery of business after being

a gentleman at large for so many years. Things, however, did

not mend much, and in a year or two, I do not remember

exactly when, my father and Joe Langton dissolved partner-

ship. The latter never engaged in commerce again; he did

some under- writing, then became sub-agent of a branch of tho

Bank of England, and finally head manager of the Bank of

Liverpool. My father continued to follow his old business on

the more contracted scale he was able to do.

1824. In 1824 my brother William went to London to be in the

house of Mr. Mitchell, an old friend of my father's, and a

merchant on a very large scale ; neither with Messrs. Enrle

nor Mr. Mitchell did he receive any salary. My uncle Zachary

kindly received him as a member of his own family, and this

for several years. My mother, being the daughter of a clergy-

man, was very desirous that one of her sons should go into

the church, and that was proposed for my brother John, who

consequently went to Cambridge in the autumn of 1825.

1826. I have paused some time in my writing, partly perhaps

with a little shrinking from all that must now be re-

corded, the painful events of 1826. It opened with a fearful

conmiercial crisis ; there was seldom a day that some im-

portant failure was not reported. My father's business had

]iot been doing great things, but there would have been, no

cause for alarm as to its stability but for this unfortunate

state of affiiirs. It is well known how in the network of com-

merce, when one loop gives way, it loosens many others, and

so it was that in that year my ftither decided to call his credi-

tors together. lie felt he was doing the right thing ; if he had

struggled on perhaps the ship might have righted itself, but if

it had gone down after all, it would have drawn many more

into the vortex. As it was he had every expectation that he

was stopping in time for every farthing to be paid. He was

not made a bankrupt ; it was all done by private agreement,

but it came to the same thing.

An unfortunate law-suit frustrated his hopes of paying

all himself, but his son William did it for him. It was only

accomplished after we came to Canada, and the letter

announcing it was thefirst that reached us after my dear

father had been laid in his grave — but I am anticipating.

I was at Kirkham when the crisis came, and, unfortunately,

could not return home at once as I would have done, because

aunt Alice had just been attacked with scarlet fever, and I

was to be kept away from infection. There was of course a

question whether my brother John could remain at Cambridge in

these altered circumstances ; but my aunt Hornby settled it by

coming forward with her daughters to furnish?

 
They say that misfortune tries friends; it certainly brings

a great deal of kindness to the surface. One friend of ours

(Miss Hastcrley, a governess) volunteered her savings to pre-

vent my brother being removed from college ; happily there

was no need for us to be indebted to any but our nearest

relations. My mother's brother-in-law, Mr. Briggs, sent her

£300 to buy in the plate, and aunt Alice, with her small

savings, rescued a portion of the books. What was allowed

from the estate was £600, and w'ith that we had to begin the

world again, buying in as much of the furniture as was

requisite for the small house we were going into.

We thought ourselves fortunate in finding one to suit us on

the noith shore, about three miles from Liverpool, a semi

detached house, with none other at all near but that of our

landlord.

The place began to fill up veiy much during our residence

there, and it is now one continued street all the way to Liver-

pool, the docks extending fixr beyond where we could then

ramble in solitude.

The situation was especially convenient

because of a canal running close past us, on which there were

passage boats going to and fro several times in the day. Of

course my father was now^ unable to do what he had done for

aunt Alice, and it was at this time that her nephews Briggs,

as I mentioned in a former page, came forward and added to

her small income what gave her £100 a year. Our house,

too, was so small that there was not room for her, and she

went into a lodging in Liverpool.

She had two bedrooms, and it was a great convenience to

us at times to make use of one of them, whilst she was veiy

frequently over with us at Bootle. I feel as if her name had

not appeared as much as it ought to have done in this record,

for she was a very prominent feature in the household,

most devoted to my mother, and ever ready to be of use

in all sorts of ways ; taking care of the children when the

parents were away, or keeping house for any left at home

hen no longer children ; and she only ceased for a time to

be one of the family, for circumstances re-unitcd us
afterwards, as will be seen.

1836. This was the final effort; emigration now became the

project. My brother John was already in Canada ; ten years

had elapsed since my father's misfortunes in 1826. I have

given them quite in outline, but I must now go back to

the careers of his two sons and their influence on his own.

My brother William continued for a time with Mr. Mitchell,

with some salary; he afterward travelled in the employ of the

Messrs. Cortazzi and Hornby, which, though not very lucrative,

was pleasant in some respects, as he visited different parts of

the country, Ireland, Scotland, &c., and so was brought into

contact again with many old friends.

When in 1831 my brother announced to Sir Benjamin

that he was about to be married. Sir Benjamin imme-

diately advanced his salary to £750. My bn)ther had been

living at the bank in St. Ann's Square, but ho now took a

house in George Street, near to the Infirmary. His future

father-in-law, Mr. Hornby, of Ribby, was very kind and liberal,

and made him a present of £1,500 to furnish with. What he

 allowed his daughter I do not know, or do not remember, but

he died soon afterwards, when of course she received her

fortune. My brother William was now pretty well off, and

able to do something to assist his parents, which he did in

many ways, and always continued to do ; he at last indeed

was their only support. By what steps Sir Benjamin raised

him I do not know, but he was liberally renumerated, until ho

left his employ to take the more public post of Managing

Director of the Manchester and Salford Bank.

1829. My brother John left Cambridge in 1829, and as he then

contemplated taking pupils, we secured the house adjoining

our own, which was now vacant, and opened a communi-

cation to make it one house. Having so much additional

room, and also additional expense, aunt Alice joined us again,

and now instead of free quarters paid for her board. My

brother never had but one pupil in the house, though some

other young men cane to read with him ; but he began to find

that the clerical profession would not suit him, and so turned

his thoughts towards emigration, much to my mother's regret.

Whilst my mother and I spent a little time with my

brother at Manchester, and aftei'wards, along with my father,

stayed at my cousin Hugh Hornby's, at Sandown, until our

own house was at liberty again, aunt Alice in the meantime

visiting other relatives. This was in 1834, and when in 183G

my father's engagement at the bank terminated, we had the

opportunity of letting our house for the remainder of our

We did not come to

Liverpool quite as strangers ; to begin with, there were our

relations, the other Langtons, one of whom had already united

that family with the Earles. My cousin Joe Honiby was

settled there and just married ; he and his sweet young bride

were amongst the first w^e saw in England when we returned

from the continent, for they were on their w^edding trip,

paying a visit to his father and mother at Kirkham, when we

were added to the family.

A yeai* or two later, his elder brother Hugh returned from

abroad, bringing with him an engaging foreign wife, and

settled likewise in Liverpool ; and as the lady knew scarcely

any English, and we had not lost our familiarity with the

French language, wc naturally assorted a good deal with our

new cousin, and a very lasting friendship was formed. The

Card wells too were at that time living in Liverpool, and our near

neighbours.

After a time the family moved to a distance from Liverpool, a

nd we lost sight of each other a gcod deal for many years.

Then there were the Roughsedges, relations of the Hornby's.

Mr. Roughsedge had been for a great many years Rector of Liverpool,

and his daughters, w^ho knew everything and everyone in the

place, w^ere a regular chronicle and a very amusing one.

Thoy were living close to us, and another near neighbour on

the other side was Mrs. Neilson. She had been one of several
sisters Miss Biickhouses ; one sister had married into the Hornbys.

CENSUS DATA  

1841 England Census
about Richard Hornby
Name: Richard Hornby
Age: 2
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1839
Gender: Male
Where born: Lancashire, England

Civil parish: Childwall
Hundred: West Derby
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation: View Image

Registration district: West Derby
Sub-registration district: Wavertree
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Margaret Hornby 50
Matilda Hornby 8
Helwhily Hornby 5
Mary Hornby 4
Richard Hornby 2
Hannah Walker 30
Ellen Lewis 20
Jane Knowles 20
Anne Morrison 20
Lucy Roberts 30
James Jackson 55
William Shaw 35

Richard not with the family in 1851...

1851 England Census about Hugh Homby
Name: Hugh Homby
Age: 58
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1793
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Louise
Gender: Male
Where born: Kirkham, Lancashire, England

Civil parish: Wavertree
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street address: Sandown
Occupation: ?? Map*?*ate for Co Lancashire Russia Merchant

Registration district: West Derby
Sub-registration district: West Derby
ED, institution, or vessel: 2b

Household schedule number: 131
Household Members: Name Age
Hugh Homby 58
Louise Homby 50
Hugh Fredk Homby 25 ... Russia Merchant
Edward Wm Homby 21
Helen Cicely Hornby 15 ..scholar at home
Mary Jane Hornby 13 ..scholar at home
Marie Collin 32 .. Governess
James Jackson 71 .. Butler
George Davies 31 .. Coachman
Eaward Martin 20 .. Groom
Elizabeth Jones 30 .. Cook
Maria Brock 32 .. Lady's Maid
Sarah Hignett 27 .. Laundry Maid
Betsy Grady 27 .. House Maid
Mary Askew 21 .. Under House maid
Anne Blackmore 28 .. Dairy Maid

Richard's parents

1861 England Census about Hugh Hornly
Name: Hugh Hornly
Age: 68
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1793
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Louise
Gender: Male
Where born: Kirkham, Lancashire, England

Civil parish: Wavertree
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary
Town: Wavertree
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street address: Sandown
Occupation: Magistrate & Merchant

Registration district: West Derby
Sub-registration district: Wavertree
ED, institution, or vessel: 3e
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 86
Household Members: Name Age
Hugh Hornly 68
Louise Hornly 60
Edward William Hornly 31 .. Barrister
Helen Cicely Hornly 25
Mary Jane Hornly 23
John Carr 35 .. Butler
John Stanton 23 .. Groom
Sarah Royle 35 .. Cook
Hannah Walker 55 .. Nurse
Margaret Evans 24 .. Upper House Maid
Mary Packett 19 .. House Maid
Mary Harper 30 .. Laundry Maid
Esther Kilshan 21 .. Dairy Maid

1871 England Census
about Louise Hornby
Name: Louise Hornby
Age: 70
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1801
Relation: Wife
Spouse's name: Hugh
Gender: Female
Where born: Smyrna, Turkey
Civil parish: Wavertree
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary
Town: Wavertree
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England
Street address

Registration district: West Derby
Sub-registration district: Wavertree
ED, institution, or vessel: 3
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 178
Household Members:
Name Age
Hugh Hornby 78
Louise Hornby 70
Edward W Hornby 41
Matilda Theresa Madden 37
Mary Jane Hornby 33
Helen C Hornby 35
John Carr 45
Robert Wright 17
Mary Jones 47
Elizabeth Peake 35
Elizabeth Grady 45
Mary Bennett 46
Elizabeth A Moran 18
Anne Thomas 17

Louisa Elizabeth Hornby Pedigree
Female

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Event(s):
Birth:
Christening: 26 APR 1825 St George, Everton, Lancashire, England

Death:
Burial: 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parents:
Father: Hugh Hornby Family
Mother: Louisa

1881 England Census
about Helen C. Hornby
Name: Helen C. Hornby
Age: 45
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1836
Relation: Daughter
Mother's Name: Louise
Gender: Female
Where born: Wavertree, Lancashire, England

Civil parish: Wavertree
County/Island: Lancashire
Country: England

Street address: Sandown Hall
Education:

Employment status: View Image

Registration district: West Derby
Sub-registration district: Wavertree
ED, institution, or vessel: 3
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Louise Hornby 80
Helen C. Hornby 45
Mary Hornby 43
Stephen Williams 10
Eliz. O Grady 55
Ann Bamford 53
Emma Walker 30
Margt. Williams 26
Margt.E. Owen 24
Mary Lee 18
Mary Jane Morris 18
Anne Eliz. Moran 16

Have Richard Catazzi(sic) info on death in Wales,Llandudno in 1902 but have searched for years for birth details. When I found G'father's brother was born in India I began to suspect that G'G'father was born overseas as well, but could find nothing. Richard Johnson Hornby 1st born in India, c. 1874; Francis James, 2nd born in Matlock Bath, 9 Oct 1875. If this finds you - Pat

Cortazzi Elizabeth 17/3/1847

 At Odessa, Southern Russia, in her 80th year, Mrs Elizabeth Cortazzi, relict of the late L F Cortazzi Esq. Consul of the Venetian Republic, and daughter of A Hayes Esq. British Concul of Smyrnna

Cortazzi  2/9/1883  Marie

At Montigny, Seine et Marne, France, aged 89, Marie, last survivor of the children of Luc

Francois Cortazzi, of Smyrna, and eldest sister of the late Mrs Hugh Hornby, of Sandown

Hall, near Liverpool

21/02/1881 At 47, Edwardes-squa

Cortazzi  21/2/1888  

At 47, Edwardes-square, Kensington, Frederick Cortazzi, formerly of Smyrna and Odessa

Age 89

Richard Catazzi Hornby

Richard Catazzi Hornby died 26June 1902 in Llandduang, Wales. Married to Eleanor Charlotte Johnston. Two Children Richard Johnston born in India c1874 and Francis James, 9 October 1875, born in Matlock, Bath. Death certificate lists him as civil engineer. No other records found but he obviously lived in India at one time. Family legends say came from Hornby Castle and that he remarried when Francis was ten and the boys were sent off to school in Hemel Hempstead and never returned home before they migrated to Australia. Supposedly both Remttance men. 1881 Census shows two boys and mother living in London, no father mentioned

He was born near Liverpool

Richard Cortazzi Hornby Pedigree
Male

Birth: 03 MAY 1839 Sandown,Nr, Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Parents:
Father: Hugh Hornby Family
Mother: Louise Cortazzi

Hugh Hornby

The 1851 Census recorded Hugh Hornby at Sandown Hall along with his wife, two sons, two daughters, a governess and nine servants. He was a prominent member of the Liverpool Town Council, having been Mayor in 1838-39 and later Chairman of the Finance Committee. In 1866 it was written: 'Whether we hear of him in committees, see him in the Council chamber, or elbow him smoking his fifteenth cigar on the knifeboard of the Wavertree omnibus, we find in him a well-informed man, an excellent linguist speaking several languages, an intelligent merchant, an able financier, a clear-headed debater, and one well fitted to lead in that Council chamber which is adorned and benefited by his presence'.

Hugh Hornby died in 1875, aged 82. Sandown Hall was bequeathed to his widow, though his eldest son Hugh Frederick lived close by at Sandown Lodge in Olive Lane. It was H.F.Hornby who became the most celebrated member of the family, as a result of his bequest to the City of Liverpool of the Hornby Art Library in 1899.

Louise Hornby, Hugh's widow, died in 1881 but Sandown Hall remained the home of the couple's three surviving daughters: the two 'Misses Hornby' (Helen and Mary) and their widowed sister Matilda Madden. The three old ladies were a familiar sight in Wavertree until their deaths in the 1920s; after which the Sandown Hall estate passed into the hands of Messrs Crawfords Biscuits for use as the company's sports and social club.

It was the sale of part of Crawfords' Playing Fields for housebuilding which prompted the formation of the Wavertree Society in 1977. Unfortunately planning permission had been granted before local residents became aware of the sale. Although the campaign to save the fields was unsuccessful, it led to a closer watch being kept on the weekly lists of local planning applications, which has continued to the present day.

Unfortunately the first permission also set a precedent, and planning permission was later granted for housing development on the remainder of the fields (except for the western portion, owned by the City Council, which is now officially designated as Public Open Space) in spite of the Society's protests.

In 1990 the Hall and grounds were sold - following the closure of Crawfords' Binns Road factory - to local businessman George Downey. He later sold the sports field to Wainhomes, who are currently building a housing estate called Sandown Chase. The hall itself - a Listed Building since 1952, with a particularly fine interior - stands empty, but has been proposed for conversion to a private nursing home.

This account of the history of Sandown Hall was written in 1993, before the building was even threatened with demolition. It was originally published in the Wavertree Society's NEWSLETTER 95.