Florence Winn Yates

    "The coat of arms of the Yates family carries three gates. (Originally the name 'Yates' was identical with 'Gates', the term 'yate' being an old provincialism for 'gate'.) All Yates families' coats of arms bear the three gates, with variations in the crest, motto, and other particulars. The forefathers of Florence Winn Yates were 'county family' and nobility for at least three centuries before her birth. Her father, George Henry Yates, was the last owner of the Yates Collieries. He was wealthy, a gentleman who followed no occupation. He suffered delicate health from surfeit of wine, women and song. He was drowned at age 30 from his own yacht off the coast of Australia.

    "Florence's mother, Louisa Winn, was also of settled, respectable county family. She was delicate and died at the age of 26. Of their two children, the elder Harry squandered his share of the Yates estate, but could not penetrate the legalities which protected that of his sister. 'Handsome Harry Yates' and the present Duke of Manchester, then a younger son without prospects of inheriting the title, were the playboys of London of their day. Harry Yates died in his early forties after years of dissipation. Before dying, he contracted an impossible marriage of which one child, a girl called Florence, was born. At his death, his widow and child were provided for. We do not know their whereabouts today.

    "After her parents' deaths, Florence Winn and Harry, as is the case where all large fortunes are involved, became wards of the Chancery, into which pot went the greater part of the Yates money. Florence Winn married John Arthur Davies over the objection of the Court of Chancery at the age of 21."

From "Assets and Liabilities", Pauline Winifred Davies, 1932