Saturday 19th May 1917
The funeral of Rear-Admiral Sir Lambton Loraine took place on Saturday at Bramford. The coffin, which was covered with a flag and bore upon it the deceased’s hat, epaulettes, and sword, was borne from Bramford Hall to the church on a farm waggon, the pall bearers being Mr Philip Palmer (agent), Mr Edgar Fiske, Mr Harry Fiske, Mr W Jolly, Mr R Steward and Mr R Watkins, tenant farmers, whilst a number of the workpeople on the estate followed. The principal mourners were, Sir Percival Loraine (son), Miss Loraine (daughter), Mrs Barrett Lennard (sister), the Hon. Evelyn de Saumarez, the Hon. Marion de Saumarez, the Hon. Gladys de Saumarez and the servants at the hall. Amongst those who were present at the church were Commander Henderson, Mr David Bevan, Col. Sir Richard Temple, Bart. and Mr Francis W Pixley representing the Standing Council of the Baronetage, Mrs A T Cobbold, Miss Jackson, Mrs Edwin Day and a large number of villagers.
The service was choral, the organist being Mr J Job, whilst the village choir was augmented by several of the boys from St Margarets choir Ipswich, in the charge of Mr H P Ward. As the cortege entered the church the organist played the “Dead March” in “Saul”. The hymns were “Eternal Father”, and “Abide with me”, whilst there was also an organ solo, “Blessed are the departed”. At the conclusion of the first part of the service the organist played Chopin’s “Funeral March”. The officiating clergy were the Rev Canon Sydney James C F, assisted by the Rev F C B Butler, vicar of Bramford, and the Rev G F C Dobson, curate.
The coffin was placed in a flower lined brick grave at the north-west corner of the church, next to that of the deceased’s eldest son, Captain Loraine, who was buried there in July 1912. The body had been cremated and the ashes were placed in a shell which was contained in a polished oak coffin with solid brass fittings. On the breastplate was the inscription “Rear-Admiral Sir Lambton Loraine, 11th Baronet of Kirkharle, born Nov 17th 1838, died May 13th 1917”.
Army and Navy Gazette – Saturday 19 May 1917
OBITUARY
Rear-Admiral Sir Lambton Loraine, 11th baronet, of Kirkharle, who died on May 13, in his seventy-ninth year, succeeded to the title on the death of his father in 1852. The same year he entered the Navy and served as Sub-Lieutenant on Queen Victoria’s yacht. In 1858 he became Lieutenant, in 1887 Commander, and in 1874 Captain. He retired in 1885 and was promoted Rear- Admiral in 1889. When Commander of the Niobe he bombarded the fort of Omoa during the Civil War in Honduras in 1873, in consequence of an insult offered to the British Flag. He was specially promoted for his services when sent to St. Jago de Cuba on the occasion of the capture of the Virginius and massacre of her crew. Sir Lambton Loraine was the first chairman of the Standing Council of the Baronetage. He married, in 1878, a daughter of Captain Charles Acton Broke, R.E., and co-heiress of the Brokes of Nacton. He is succeeded by his second son, Percy Lyham Loraine, born in 1880, who served in the South African War 1899-1902.
CUBAN NAVY VISIT TO BRAMFORD
In May 1937 representatives of the Cuban Navy came to Bramford to unveil a plaque on the grave of Sir Lambton Loraine to honour his part in the “Virginius Affair”.