Mary Ann Herrick (1796-1871) at Beaumanor for many years. Mary Ann had inherited money from her mother in her own right and was known to be a great benefactor. An account of her generosity was contained in a book about Leicestershire. It stated: "Many were the gifts made to the church by this benevolent lady ; to give an account of them is impossible. The best known examples of her munificence are the almshouses at Woodhouse, built in 1856 ; a house for the schoolmaster and mistress at Woodhouse Eaves, built in i860 ; the infant school in the same parish, built six years later ; and the dispensary at Loughborough, built in 1862, at a cost of 5000 pounds ; the expense of the last two benefactions being shared by her brother, William Perry Herrick, Esq., of Beaumanor." William also gave generously to the Anglican Church. In 1872 he paid for the construction of St Marks Church in Leicester with some help from his sister. In 1862 William married Sophia Christie (1831-1915) who was 37 years his junior and the daughter of Jonathan Henry Christie, a London barrister. The couple had no children. His sister Mary Ann who continued to live at Beaumanor died in 1871 and William died in 1876. He left all of his property to his wife Sophia and on her death to his relative Montagu Curzon. Sophia managed the Beaumanor estate for the next 40 years and was well regarded by the tenants. She kept a fairly large number of household staff one of whom was Elizabeth Ellerbeck (1843 – 1919) the housekeeper who remained with her for over 30 years. Sophia died in 1915 and Beaumanor was inherited by William's relative William Montagu Curzon who took the additional surname of Herrick in 1915 when he became owner of Beaumanor. William Montagu Curzon Herrick (1891-1945) was born in 1891 in London. His father was Colonel Montagu Curzon who was named by William Herrick as his heir when his wife Sophia died. In 1898 shortly after Sophia built Garatshay which is near Beaumanor, the family moved to this residence. Unfortunately Montagu died in 1907 and did not gain his inheritance. His wife Esme remarried the Reverend King and the family continued to live at Garatshay. Shortly after William inherited Sophia's property he married Maud Kathleen Cairns Plantagenet Hastings (known as Kathleen) who was the daughter of