Captain Charles Darnley Stewart Stephens

[lynn cates]

Hello All. I am seeking information about a certain Captain Charles Darnley Stewart Stephens. He was born in Dublin and was a former member of both the Dublin Royal Fusiliers and HM police force in Lagos. Whilst in the latter post, he seems to have hanged an Ashanti tribesman by himself.

In 1884, he was recruited by Sir Edward Jenkinson as a spy and provocateur. His post seems to have been Paris where he rubbed elbows with Patrick Casey and John P. Hayes, two other of Sir Edward’s agents.

He was sacked for drunkenness and some other compromising behavior in 1885.

Later, he set up shop above The Golden Lion in Soho, where he ran an establishment that helped keep tabs on the Fenians.

In September 1886, he met with Lord Salisbury, Lord Randolph Churchill, and Henry Matthews. By December, Lord Randolph is despatching him to America to find something incriminating against Michael Davitt. That brings us up to the story in the “NY Times” (attached) and his seeming paranoiac outburst.

I cannot find records for Captain Stephens nor yet for his putative bride, Christene Marie Kirwan. I did notice that Ms. Kirwan’s late father shares the first two names of Jenkinson—Edward George. Also, the Viscount mentioned as her Great Uncle seems to be the late Lord Mountmorres, murdered in Ireland 1880 in some sort of outrage or other.

Any help locating either Captain Charles Darnley Stewart Stephens or Christene Marie Kirwan would be deeply appreciated.

Cheers.
LC

[Archaic]

Hi Lynn.

My, what a dramatic name! Apparently your man was a journalist c. 1912-1916. There isn't much info available other than that his pen-name was "Charles de Breze Stuart-Stephens". His last name was also rendered "Stuart-Stephanes". Sometimes the "de Breze" part has French accent marks: "de Brézé". Another variation is "Charles de B. Darnley Stewart-Stephens".

The only modern reference I saw is one that refers to "Major C. de Brézé Darnley-Stuart-Stephens" as "the unidentified author of 25 articles" relating to the Easter Rising that were full of "erroneous information." ('Austin Harrison and the English Review' By Martha S. Vogeler)

Cheers,
Archaic

[lynn cates]

thanks

Hello Bunny. Thank you so much.

I found some article about the military, possibly by him. Can't find his birth date.

Cheers.
LC

[Tom_Wescott]

Hi Lynn. I'm intrigued by these powerful men sending spies overseas to gather intel on Michael Davitt, who has an association with the Berner Street Club.

Yours truly,

Tom Wescott

[lynn cates]

network

Hello Tom. You said it. This is the first time that I realised that these chaps had set up a rival network to Sir Edward after he was sacked. I was really shocked to see Henry Matthews listed.

Did I mention Lord Randolph's comment to Stephens before he left for America? "You have the ball at your feet, don't let it stop for want of kicking." (!)

That makes me even more interested in your lad.

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

I've already asked in an email, but could someone explain who that Michael Davitt American anarchist dude was?
Lynn, I assume you have new findings from the Stanford materials? Which would be great!
I'm in Whitechapel right now, and incidentally I might have found a HOT possibility for a possible assistance in the AF translation project. I'm considering financial/logistical assistance, perhaps even a second, not so expensive translator. I'm still researching this and working on it. I'll email you tomorrow, presently I'm about to conk out...

[lynn cates]

Davitt

Hello Maria. Michael Davitt was one of the movers in the Irish Land League. (Not, technically, an Anarchist.)

He and Sir Edward sat down together, just before the Parnell Commission met, and these old enemies did a bit of "horse trading." Afterwards (mid/late October 1888), Davitt lured Sir Edward's trusted old Philadelphia spy, John P. Hayes, to Paris where he met him with a revolver and proceeded to "coax" certain information out that was needed for the hearings.

The timing, which nearly coincides with the Kelly murder, interests me a great deal.

Cheers.
LC

[mariab]

Thank you so much for the information, Lynn.
I'll email you as soon as I've slept a little and when I'm back from the LMA and from a walkabout on Berner Street/Mitre Square/Wenworth building.
I promise I might be able to find assistance in the AF project, possibly even financially.

[lynn cates]

thanks

Hello Maria. Thanks.

Cheers.
LC

[Mayerling]

Hello All. I am seeking information about a

I cannot find records for Captain Stephens nor yet for his putative bride, Christene Marie Kirwan. I did notice that Ms. Kirwan’s late father shares the first two names of Jenkinson—Edward George. Also, the Viscount mentioned as her Great Uncle seems to be the late Lord Mountmorres, murdered in Ireland 1880 in some sort of outrage or other.

Any help locating either Captain Charles Darnley Stewart Stephens or Christene Marie Kirwan would be deeply appreciated.

Cheers.
LC

Hello all,

Starting about 1878 there were a number of midnight or isolated murders of landlords or agents of theirs who were killed by local tenants known as "Moonlighters". In 1878 it was William Stanley, Earl of Leitrim, and his estate manager ambushed in a cart by three men. The case never went to trial, but the killers have a monument to their memory to this day. Lod Mountmorres was the next titled victim in 1880 (by the way these are Irish titled figures, not English ones). In 1882 would occur the murders at Phoenix Park, Dublin, of the new Irish Secretary, Lord Frederick Cavendish, and his chief assistant Thomas Burke. The movement that led to the "Parnellism and Crime" hearings of the House of Commons in 1887-89 tried to link Parnell with the moonlighters and the Phoenix Park assassins ("the Invincibles"). American interest in these matters were at best neutral, but at worst hostile to the British due to the rising importance of the Irish vote in national elections (they swung it for Cleveland in 1884 due to a supposed slur by the Republicans supporters in the Protestant Clerical groups. In 1888 they swung it for the Republican Benjamin Harrison due to an idiotic letter from the British Minister Sackwell-West that said Cleveland favored Britain). It was dangerous in America. There was a major assassination of a Dr. Patrick Cronin by his opponents in the Irish Clan-Na-Gael group in Chicago in 1889.

Jeff

[lynn cates]

thanks

Hello Jeff. Thanks. Your remarks are all on target.

I am currently reading PJP Tynan's book on the Invincibles. As you recall, he was their notorious Number 1. I am also perusing MacDonald's "Diary of the Parnell Commission." All interesting material.

Cheers.
LC

[Debra A]

Hi Lynn,
This looks like your man and his wife in 1891:



1891 census transcription details for: 45, Blenheim Street, Chelsea

National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG12 Piece: 59 Folio: 141 Page: 49


Reg. District: Chelsea Sub District: Chelsea North
Parish: Chelsea Enum. District: 8
Ecclesiastical District: St Luke City/Municipal Borough:
Address: 45, Blenheim Street, Chelsea
County: London

Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth
Year Occupation ,
Disability Where Born
STEPHENS, Charles Stuart Head Married M 33 1858 Retired Captain Colony Constabulary
Ireland Co Galway
STEPHENS, Christine Maria Stuart Wife Married F 30 1861
Kensington
London
STEPHENS, Marguerita M Stuart Daughter Single F 2 1889
Richmond
Surrey
STEPHENS, Chas E G Gordon Stuart Son Single M 0 (11M) 1891
St Luke Chelsea
WARD, Mary Ann Servant Single F 17 1874 General Servant
St Luke Chelsea

[lynn cates]

disability

Hello Debs. Thank you so much! This helps me a good deal.

Did you understand the disability business? I note that the "NY Times" had mentioned something about his mental condition.

Cheers.
LC

[lynn cates]

Sinn Fein

Hello All. Debs Arif has kindly provided the following link to one of Stephens' works on Sinn Fein.

http://www.archive.org/stream/1englishreview23londuoft/1englishreview23londuoft_djvu.txt

Cheers.
LC

[Debra A]

Although he spells it Shinn Fane.