Reverend William Percy Schuster (1850-1914)
William Percy Schuster, known as Percy, was born on 28 March 1850 at Cheetham, Manchester to German-born parents Samuel Schuster (1805-1868), a merchant, and his wife Frederica Schuster nee Speyer (1815-1904). Portraits of Percy’s parents are in the National Portrait Gallery. Percy was aged 18 when his father died.
Percy studied at Hertford College, Oxford University where he obtained his M.A. He was ordained as a deacon in 1877 and as a priest in 1878. He served as Curate at Wareham (1877-1880), Bere Regis (1880-1882) and Corfe Castle (1882-1887) before being appointed as Vicar of West Lulworth in 1887.
Percy married Maria Theresa Cartwright previously Cobb (1845-1934) on 4 May 1881 at Ellingham, Norfolk where her father Reverend Robert Cartwright previously Cobb (1802-1882) was Vicar. Maria was dressed in cream satin with wreath and trimmings of orange blossoms. The bride received over 100 presents “a large number of which are very costly”. Percy and Maria did not have any children.
Percy died in Bournemouth on 6 November 1914 aged 64. He had been Vicar of Holy Trinity, West Lulworth for 27 years until his death. He was buried in the churchyard on 11 November 1914. His estate was valued at £83,532 0s. 3d. He left bequests to servants and for charitable purposes. Percy is remembered on a memorial plaque in the church, on his gravestone in the churchyard and on the original War Memorial in the old churchyard.
His widow Maria moved to Broadstone, Dorset in 1915. In 1925 she increased the endowment to Holy Trinity by £1,000 in her husband’s memory. Maria died on 14 April 1934 aged 89 and was buried at West Lulworth on 18 April 1934. Her estate was valued at £11,345 13s. 3d. One of the north windows in the Nave is dedicated in her memory.
Percy’s siblings
Percy had six siblings, five older and one younger. Four of his older siblings pre-deceased him and he provided stained-glass windows at Holy Trinity in memory of three of them:
- Fanny Emily Schuster (1842-1898) – Fanny did not marry – she was buried at West Lulworth
- Herbert Leonard Schuster (1844-1908) – Herbert did not marry
- Reverend Edmund Vernon Schuster (1848-1898) – Edmund was Rector of Haughton Dale, Lancashire – he was married to Isabel and they had two sons an three daughters
- Frederick Leo Schuster (1839-1928) – Frederick, a merchant, was married to Sophia and they had a son Claud Schuster (1869-1956) and three daughters
Percy Schuster and his family provided Holy Trinity Church with most of its stained-glass windows and many essential adornments. Percy and Maria, his mother, brothers and sister were devoted to the Church and their generosity is recorded in many of the old Parish Magazines.
Sir Claud Schuster (1869-1956)
Claud was Percy’s nephew, son of his eldest brother Frederick Leo Schuster. Claud often read the lessons in the Holy Trinity Church, West Lulworth.
Claud married Mabel Elizabeth Merry (1872-1936), daughter of Reverend William Walter Merry, on 1 July 1896.
Claud and Mabel had two children:
- Christopher John Claud Schuster – born 13 January 1899
- Elizabeth Alice Schuster – born 10 December 1902
Image reproduced courtesy of National Portrait Gallery
under Creative Commons Licence
In 1915 Claud was appointed Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor.
Claud, Mabel Betty were keen skiiers.
In January 1932 Sir Claud broke his thigh while skiing.
Lady Schuster died on 6 August 1936 aged 64 and was buried at West Lulworth on 10 August 1936. In December that year Sir Claud went to see King George V on the first day of his reign to discuss what title should be given to his brother King Edward VIII who had just abdicated.
The following year Claud sold Gatton Cottage.
Sir Claud died on 28 June 1956 aged 86 and was buried at West Lulworth on 2 July 1956.
Christopher John Claud Schuster (1899-1918)
Rifle Brigade
Christopher was born on 13 January 1899 and was educated at Winchester College. He left there in the summer of 1917 and, after training with an Officer Cadet Battalion at Oxford, he was gazetted in November 1917 to the Rifle Brigade. He went to the front in April 1918 to join the 1st Battalion. He was killed at La Boheme, near Robecq, on 10 August 1918, just three months before the end of the war. Christopher, aged nineteen, had led his platoon with great dash through an orchard held by the enemy, and after capturing his objective set the men to digging pits for machine-gun posts. He was shot through the heart whilst supervising them in their work.
Christopher is commemorated on the West Lulworth War Memorial. One of the north windows in the Nave is in his memory. The stained glass is beautiful and portrays St. George slaying the dragon, on the left side, and St. Christopher on the right.
Elizabeth Alice Schuster (1902-1983)
Elizabeth, known as Betty, was born on 10 December 1902. She attended Norland Place School (1911-1917) and St Paul’s Girls School, Brook Green (1917-1922) where she was Head Girl. The High Mistress of St Paul’s observed that her brother’s death in the war affected her quite severely. Betty went on to study at Bedford College, University of London.
Betty married Theodore Francis Turner, known as Theo, on 11 December 1925 at St James’, Spanish Place, London W1 and honeymooned in Switzerland. They had three children but later divorced.
Betty held the office of Justice of the Peace in Dorset.
Betty later lived at North Cadbury, Somerset and died at Yeovil District Hospital on 29 November 1983 aged 80. She was buried at West Lulworth on 2 December 1983.
The north and south windows in the Sanctuary are in memory of Percy’s brother, Herbert Leonard Schuster (1844-1908). The window in the Chancel is in memory of his sister Miss Fanny Emily Schuster (1842-1898) and another brother, the Reverend Edmond Vernon Schuster (1848-1898), Rector of Haughton Dale, Lancashire.
Page last updated: 12 February 2025