Horatia Augusta Gulston

Born in 1842 at Llansadwrn in Carmarthenshire, Horatia (or Horatio according to some sources) Augusta Stepney Gulston was the daughter of Alan James Gulston and Augusta Catharine née Giveen.

She appears on the 1851 census, aged 8, living with her parents, her five younger siblings and eleven servants at Llandilofawr in Carmarthenshire.

In 1861 she was with one younger sister, a governess and eight servants at Woodland Castle, Oystermouth, Glamorgan.

On 11 September 1872 at Llandilo she married Albert Richard Francis Maximilian de Rutzen of Slebech, Pembrokeshire, who later became the chief magistrate of the Metropolitan Police Courts and was knighted in 1901. Their marriage produced five children.

Her husband had been called to the Bar in 1857 but had given up a lucrative practice in 1872 on his appointment as stipendiary at Merthyr Tydfil. On 19 July 1876 he was appointed to the Thames Court, thence to Marylebone in 1890, Westminster in 1891, and Marlborough Street in 1897. After that he was appointed to Bow Street and in 1901 he became chief magistrate. In all, he completed over 36 years service as a Metropolitan magistrate.

‘Sir Albert de Rutzen was a model magistrate – keen and observant, a sound lawyer, lenient and helpful to first offenders, but showed no mercy to hardened offenders. He was a great authority on extradition law, and was a valued adviser to the Home Office and Scotland Yard. He never joked on the Bench, but his dry, caustic remarks often caused much merriment’ (Aberdeen Press and Journal, 23 September 1913).

In 1911 Sir Albert and Lady de Rutzen were living with one unmarried daughter and five servants at 90 St George’s Square in Pimlico.

Sir Albert died on 22 September 1913 at 18 Cranley Gardens, Muswell Hill, leaving an estate valued at £1528.

Lady de Rutzen died on 23 February 1924 at 1 The Boltons, South Kensington, London.

Photographed by James Andrews of Swansea.

[From an album compiled by Frank Langton (1840-1917), a Roman Catholic who for many years was Private Secretary to a succession of Postmasters General.]