DIED AT 99 - a Pangbourne connection? L. V. Pont

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

As temporary gentlemen of the Indian Army Reserve of Officers go, Leon Victor Pont, VD, researched quite well.

With one exception. NO IMAGE!

A Goodie is promised to the GWF member who is clever enough to supply me with an Image, photo, scan, or what-have-you of L. V. Pont...!

He was born on 7 December 1883, India - and died 16 January 1982, at 12 Horseshoe Road, Pangbourne, Berkshire.

A Freemason (1909) L. V. Pont once belonged to the Lahore Lodge in which Rudyard Kipling became a mason, which is described in the opening chapter of "Kim". (The Lodge of Hope and Perseverance, #7820, Lahore.) 

A Railway engineer, Pont joined the IARO and was attd Cavalry: 36th Jacob's Horse, on 10 June 1916. Initially promising, he was deemed unsuitable for Cavalry and was shunted to the Sappers and Miners. Latterly, he was attd to the so-called 'Railway Battalion' (Sappers and Miners), from April 1918 to March 1920, in Mesopotamia. 

Interestingly, his BWM and Victory have CAPT., whereas his GSM clasp IRAQ, is impressed LIEUT.

Post-Great War, he was a Vol. officer with The Eastern Bengal Railway Battalion, and had the crest on his named riding crop

 

.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Mark1959]

https://www.dominicwinter.co.uk/sale/prints-asian-art-photography-april/lot-285

 

Set of prints sold at auction that include 2 small studio portraits of him. Sadly not shown on the site. Perhaps the little boy in the family photo????

 

 

[HolymoleyRE]

Hello Kim, a few things you may be aware of or may give your research a new direction.

 

The house on 12 Horseshoe Road was called Shillong as indicated on his probate record.  Also living in Pangbourne was Myrtle Esther Pont, she died in 1987.  They both appear on the FMP 1939 Register as living in Rickmansworth, as yet I cannot ascertain if they were siblings or married as don't have access.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[Mark1959]

Myrtle was his wife. LVP married Myrtle Esther Hacker in Bombay 18/10/24.

[HolymoleyRE]

There is also record on FMP for LVP becoming the joint benifactor of his father's GWR shares in 1931 along with Lt Aylmer Maurice Rundle, who went onto be Commander AM Rundle DSC OBE Royal Navy.  Rundle is the surname on the MIC card??

Andy

 

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All and Andy,

Many thanks for your kind Input: much appreciated! 

I had already found the Rundle connection, had written to relatives mentioned in his Will, but no success, unfortunately.

The prints auction - note the Estimate - was new to me and highly interesting, and thanks, Mark1959. Yes, the small boy may well have been my erstwhile Leon Victor Pont, which is a huge step in the right direction. Super!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[HolymoleyRE]

My presumption Kim, is you have connected the Rundles to the Ponts via the maiden names of Alymer and Leon's mothers being Stalkartt?

 

Andy

 

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Andy,

I made the Rundle connection via the address on the back of his Medal Index Card and the Shares card.

By the way, Pont was one of these students - but which one!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[HolymoleyRE]

Great find Kim, 

If not already contacted, this Gentleman seems to have a name with a bit of a family connection.

 

MR ARTHUR MICHAEL STALKARTT PONT

 

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/7bjZAMZXr5N509grWUwJJXceEzk/appointments

 

There is also very detailed family tree on Ancestry of the Stalkartt family including Ponts. The member is still active.

 

Andy

Edited 27 June , 2017 by HolymoleyRE

[Mark1959]

This site allows you to double click on the family image (scroll the images)

 

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/dominic-winter-book-auctions/catalogue-id-srdom10060/lot-b79188a5-b16b-4ff7-962b-a5d000b61d1f

 

The girl sat next to our potential LVP may well be his elder sister Aimee Herminie born 1881. The summary also implies the collection was sold by the family.

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Andy, dear Mark1959,

Super!

Thanks, Andy: I will get off a letter to him tonight!

Mark: I was able to make a large screen-shot of the dignified-looking young boy and his sister. Good work!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

 

[seaJane]

Bit of a tangent, but I have a Surgeon (later Surgeon Rear Admiral) Walter Henry Skinner Stalkartt RN (1865-1953) who may be a relation.

 

sJ

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear SeaJane,

Thanks for responding, and I am sorry not to have thanked you for looking. So: many thanks! Yes, with a name like Stalkartt, there must be some connection...

Dear All (especially Mark1959),

This is what the Stalkartt family looked like around 1890, but the gentleman standing at far left was a Pont. 

Perhaps a military photo will follow, in due course?

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[seaJane]

Kim, no worries - the information was to hand, as the collection I curate acquired his thesis on malaria some years back.

sJ

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

Fingers crossed that the letter to Arthur Pont will have the desired results!

Meanwhile, here is more memorabilia regarding Leon Victor Pont.

His Indian Volunteer Officers' Decoration (awarded 5 Oct 1929) is unusual, inasmuch as it is a hallmarked GVR issue.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[HolymoleyRE]

Dear Kim, with his heavily connected surname and what appear to be his Christian leanings...the hope is he responds and has heard of the fellow Sapper!

 

Fingers crossed 

 

REgards

 

Andy

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear Andy,

Please PM your home address to me and I will send you a well-deserved Goodie.

The son and the grandson kindly beamed me a 1916 portrait of the then IARO 2nd Lieut Leon Victor Pont, attd 36th Jacobs Horse.

Voila!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Mark1959]

Eureka! 

[HolymoleyRE]

5 hours ago, Kimberley John Lindsay said:

Dear Andy,

Please PM your home address to me and I will send you a well-deserved Goodie.

The son and the grandson kindly beamed me a 1916 portrait of the then IARO 2nd Lieut Leon Victor Pont, attd 36th Jacobs Horse.

Voila!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Wow what a gem!   Very Gallant!

Oh yes will do....

 

Andy

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

Here is what a gung-ho GWF enthusiast (thanks!) made of the 2Lt Pont Cavy portrait.

Kindest regards,

Kim.