Charles Wellington Furse

The Reverend Charles Wellington Furse, Canon and Archdeacon, is buried in the east cloister of Westminster Abbey. He was a son of Charles William Johnson of Great Torrington and his wife Theresa (Furze) and was educated at Eton college and Oxford. In 1854 he adopted the surname of his maternal uncle John Furze (Furse). From 1873-1883 he was Principal of Cuddesdon college and was also an Honorary Canon of Christ Church Oxford. He was Canon of Westminster from 1883 to his death and rector of St John's Westminster from 1883-1894. His residence was no.1 The Abbey Garden. In 1859 he married his first wife Jane Monsell and in 1880 his second Gertrude Barnet.

Of his sons John Monsell Furse (died 1950) married Ethel Dolignon in the Abbey in 1886 (their son was Sir Ralph Furse) and secondly widow Evelyn Eaton, Lt. General Sir William Furse (died 1953) married Jean Evans-Gordon in the Abbey in 1899, Michael became bishop of Pretoria and of St Albans and Charles (died 1904) was a painter who married Katherine Symonds. He had at least three daughters and Edith married Cecil Lubbock in the Abbey in 1898.

The grave inscription reads:

Charles Wellington Furse of Halsdon, Devon, Canon and Archdeacon of this Abbey Church. Born 16 April 1821, Died 2 Aug 1900. Like as a father pitieth his own children even so is the Lord merciful to them that fear Him.

His papers are at Lambeth Palace Library.

Further reading for son Charles and his wife

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004