Captain and Mrs Congreve

An inked inscription verso identifies the sitters as 'William and Fanny E. Congreve'.

According to Hart's Army List (1863-1864), Captain William Congreve was an officer in The 4th (The King's Own) Regiment of Foot.

His wife was born Fanny Emma Townshend on 1 February 1837, daughter of Lee Porcher Townshend.

The couple were married in 1862 at Runcorn in Cheshire. They appear on the 1871 census living with their three children at The Hollies in Castle Church, Staffordshire. William gave 'Chief Constable of Staffordshire' as his profession.

William Congreve died at Burton Hall in Cheshire on 4 January 1902, aged 70. Fanny died at West Felton in Shropshire on 23 January 1924, aged 87. She left an estate valued at £28,352.

Their son Walter became a soldier. He was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1899, was invested a KCO and held the office of Governor of Malta.

Photographed in London on 12 April 1862 by Camille Silvy.