​

Early Life

 

NOEL MUSCHAMP VICKERS was born on the 22 December 1880 in Croydon, Surrey, the third son and fourth child of James Muschamp and Annie Elizabeth Vickers (née Bainbridge).

 

His parents were married on the 9 December 1874 at Castle Ward, Northumberland. Noel’s father was a student of the Inner Temple in May 1881 and called to the Bar on the 7 May 1884. He was the Justice of the Peace in Hong Kong for several years. Annie was the daughter of Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge, a mining consulting engineer, philanthropist and Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1895 to 1900. Emerson lived at Eshott Hall, Nr Felton, Northumberland and was the founder of the world’s first Department Store, Bainbridges, in Newcastle, which later became part of the John Lewis Partnership.

 

Noel was the fourth of five children, his two elder brothers were Emerson Muschamp, born 5 Feb 1876 in Shanghai, China, where his parents were living at the time, who died 26 July 1889, aged 13 years, in Eastbourne and Hubert James Muschamp, b. 31 Aug 1878 at Dissington Hall, Newcastle who died 25 Dec 1879, aged 3 years, at Mitcham, Surrey. Noel’s eldest and only sister was Maud Muschamp, b.21 Apr 1877 at Penge, Surrey. His younger brother, Hugh Gordon Muschamp was born six years later on the 18 May 1886 at Mitcham in Surrey.

 

At the time of the Census in 1881, Noel aged four months was living with his parents at The Grove, Mitcham, Croydon and in the early 1890’s,  the family moved to Waltham House, Howe Street, Great Waltham and were recorded on the 1901 Census as having four servants.

 

Initially, Noel attended St Paul’s Prep School in London, and then went to Uppingham School in Rutland as a Boarder in September 1894. He boarded in Mr J G Thring’s House at the corner of School Lane – a small boarding house for the first two years. (This house was demolished around 90 years ago). He then moved on to Farleigh in 1896 and left Uppingham in August 1899.

 

He was admitted to Oxford University on the 14 October 1899 and went to Trinity College. He had the degree of BA conferred on him on the 11 July 1903 and the degree of MA, for which no further study or residence at Oxford was required, on the 17 May 1906. He undertook the following examination: Responsions (a kind of entrance examination) in Hilary Term 1899, first Public Examinations in Holy Scripture (In Sacra Scripture) in Michaelmas Term and Greek and Latin (In Graecis et Latinis) in Trinity term 1900 and finally, his Second Public examinations in the final honour school of Jurisprudence for which he attained third class in Trinity term 1903.

 

In the early 1900s Noel, now in his twenties, was living in Ryder Street, St James, The Strand, in London and following in his father’s footsteps training as a Barrister at the Lincoln’s Inn. He became a member of the United Grand Lodge of England Freemasons in 1906 and was on the Register until his death in 1916. He was also a Director of the New Hucknall Colliery Company Ltd.

 

Noel’s father James died on the 4 June 1909 after a serious illness at home in Great Waltham and the funeral and burial took place in the Great Waltham Church on the following Tuesday, the 8 June. The service was well attended by family, friends and the public, including the Parish Council. The flowers alone filled two carriages.

 

On the Census night in 1911 Noel was at Waltham House, Great Waltham.

​

On the 25 May 1911, Noel married Linda Lindemann, (b.19 Jul 1887 in Sidmouth, Devon) at Christchurch, Mayfair, London. Linda was the daughter of Olga, a wealthy heiress and Adolph Friedich Lindeman, a British engineer, businessman and an amateur astronomer of German origin.

Their only son, James Oswald Noel Vickers was born on the 6 April 1916 in London, less than four months before his father’s death in August. The family were living at 11 Queen Street, Mayfair, London.

​