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588 S. Grant St.,
Denver, Colo.
Jan 28^th 1912

To the,

                Countess of Tankerville, Of England

Dear Madam,

                I hope you will pardon the liberty of writing you – But am so interested in the Tankerville family, as all of my life my father who is now dead, and my mother also, have told me that sometime I would be heir to the Tankerville estates. My father William Iles, (at one time the name was spelled Isles) was born June 14^th 1824 in Dorking, Surrey Co., England. His mother Anne Bennett whose home was in Ranmore, near Dorking, about twelve miles from Chillingham Castle, the home of the Earl of Tankerville. (Am trying to remember as near as I can what my father told me, before he died about the family but I may be making many mistakes in regards to names of places and their spelling as I know nothing of England, although I was born there, but was three and a half when we came to America, but perhaps if I am in anyway connected with the family, you may recognize some of the places or persons of whom I speak.)

                Anne Bennett’s father Isaac Bennet and the Earl of Tankerville, Jacob Bennet were brothers, a little doubtful to the names Isaac & Jacob, but think they are correct.) Now at the time we left England in 1871, the Earl of Tankerville had no wife or sons that my father never heard of, but a short time before he died, he told me he heard that the Earl of Tankerville had a wife and two sons, one of which was Lord Bennett and the other Lord Ossulston, that the earl was dead and that the eldest son was now Earl of Tankerville which threw out the Lord Bennett title which must descend to my father, he being next in line. The Earl of Tankerville estates consist of Chillingham Castle with all white cattle and about twenty farms in North Thumberland, near Annie. At one time it seems to me I understand my father to say the sons of the Earl of Tankerville were all dead with the exception of one named George titles descendancy with the same Lord Ossulston, Lord Bennett and one son was killed in the South African war. William Iles my father, and the son of Hon Anne Bennett, had three brothers, he being the youngest, all of whom are dead (to all knowledge and belief) but the son of one brother, whose name was Frederick, he being Albert Iles, is a promoter of Iles’ Universal Embrocation Co. whose firm is on Warworth Road, London, England. The other brothers were James & Walter. At one time the Tankerville estate was mortgaged and Anne Bennett my father’s mother, put up the money and took over the mortgage. The Earl of Tankerville had a number of beautiful Arabian horses which my father’s father brought over and by which he was killed. Another estate (a present from King George) belonging to William Iles’ mother, Anne Bennett and that was left to him (lays in the Chancery in the courts of England.) located in Horsham Sussex.

                I don’t understand why father’s affairs were left in such a state, or why he never straightened them out unless through negligence. There were eight children in our family, the youngest son which is Alfred Bennett Iles of Washington D.C. and not knowing whom to write to for information on the subject, thought I would address you as I would like to find out something more of my family history. You may be able to give me considerable information on the subject and possibly not. There is a great deal of course of which I can’t write, but something tells me to try and find out what I can of my family. When we first came to Colorado straight from England being so far in the west and mail service being so poor, we lost all track of our relatives in England and this being the case it is necessary for us to communicate with someone who could be likely to know something of the family record and if you cannot enlighten me, will you kindly refer me to someone in England who is familiar with this estate.

                Thank you in advance for any information you have to offer. I remain your very truly yours, Dr. Gertrude M. De Lano

PS I forgot to add that my mother’s name was Eliza Wilshire before her marriage to my father, she died June the 28^th 1891, my father died June 20^th 1905. There were two coats of arms in our family, the pictures of both were destroyed when our house was struck by lightening and burned to the ground as was everything else. Hoping to receive an early reply. I remain Dear Madam, Very Truly Yours, Dr. Gertrude M. Delano.

PS Will you kindly tell me why the Tankerville estate cannot be sold, is it because a clear title cannot be given and the reason for same.