Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 10 October 1931

THIELE.-The funeral of the late Mrs. Louisa Frances Kate Thiele, of 1, Albany-road, St. Leonards, took place Wednesday. The deceased lady was the widow of the late Captain Herman Thiele, R.A.M.C., and will be remembered for her generous gift of stained glass window at St. Mary Magdalen Church in memory of her father, mother, husband and son.  The first portion of the funeral service was held at St. Mary Magdalen Church, at which the Rector, the Rev. P. Gordon Duff, officiated, as he also did at the interment at the Borough Cemetery.   Beautiful floral tributes were Legion funds.

Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 21 November 1931

MOTHER'S TOUCHING LAST REQUEST. TINY SON'S SHOES TO BE BURIED OVER HER HEART.

ST. LEONARDS WOMAN'S TRIBUTE TO VISCOUNT GORT.

A touching request by a mother that she should be buried with her only son, who died at the age of five over forty years ago, and that his worn shoes and gloves should be placed over her heart, was contained in the will of Mrs. Louisa Frances Kate Thiele, of Flat 2, 1, Albanv-road, St. Leonards, who died suddenly a few weeks ago.   Her dying wish was carried out, and she now lies in Hastings Borough Cemetery beside her little son, Basil, whose memory she never ceased to cherish.   She directed that the locket with his miniature, containing a piece his hair, “be put round my neck and buried with me, also the little parcel containing his worn shoes and gloves placed as near over my heart as possible”.   Mrs. Thiele left the whole of her estate £9.517, with the exception of small legacies, to Colonel Viscount Gort, V.C., D.5.0., M.C., in token of her love and gratitude to him, stating:— I wish to express to Lord Gort that the great happiness of my life has been in watching his fine character develop itself, his successful career, and the use he has made of his talents, wealth, and portion in the unselfish service of his country." It is suggested that Mrs, Thiele, deprived her own son,. regarded Lord Gort as the living ideal of the dead child.  Mrs. Thiele, who had been widowed for many years, was formerly the wife of Captain Herman Thiele, R.A.M.C. One who knew her told an Observer reporter "Her son was a very pretty child, and his death from a childish illness was great grief to her at the time.  But it did not overshadow her life, and she lived an active, cheerful existence, travelling abroad a great deal, and writing a great many letters, many of which reflected a romantic and imaginative temperament. She had known Viscount Gort from boyhood and had watched his career with deep interest."

A stained glass window in St. Mary Magdalen Church, St. Leonards, commemorates Mrs. Thiele's husband, Herman Thiele, surgeon, R.A.M.C., and  Basil Whitly (' Sonnie'), his tenderly loved and only son."  The figure of the fair-haired boy of about five years of age appears twice in the window, and the features of. each are identical.

 

Basil’s death, in early 1893, is (FreeBMD) recorded as Von Thiele.  In the 1891 census he is recorded at his Grandfather Dixon’s home.