Agnes's Grave

. . . is not hers alone, although she is still (February 2021) the registered owner.  Agnes lies buried in the same Plot in Kensal Green Cemetery as her parents, her two sisters and some of her brothers, and other relations and connections.

Kensal Green Cemetery opened in 1833 and was the first commercial cemetery in London. The need for large cemeteries in London was stimulated by the increase in population and the inadequate space provided by existing cemeteries and churchyards.The Plot where Agnes lies actually holds twelve people in four graves:-

Grave  8892 – Square 156, Path side
               1.  1850 Thomas Warington,
                             b. Feb 1765, d. 16 May 1850, aged 86
                             (father of the mother of
                             9. Henrietta Smyth Baden-Powell)
               2.  1854 Henrietta Smyth Powell,
                             b: 28 Oct 1851, d: 9 Mar 1854,
                             aged 30 months
                             (recorded as Harriet)
                             sister of 12.  Agnes Baden-Powell
               3.  1855 John Penrose Smyth Powell, 
                             b: 21 Dec 1852; d: 14 Dec 1855,
                             aged 35 months
                             brother of 12.  Agnes Baden-Powell
               4.  1856 Jessie Smyth Powell,
                             b: 25 Nov 1855, d: 24 July 1856, 
                             aged 8 months
                             sister of 12.  Agnes Baden-Powell​
               5.  1860 The Rev. Baden Powell,
                             b. 22 Aug 1796, d.11 June 1860,
                             aged 63
                             father of 12.  Agnes Baden-Powell  

Grave 16026 – Square 156, Road side
               6.  1862 Jane Warington nee Aspinall,  
                             b. Nov 1773, d. Dec 1861, aged 88
                             [step-mother of the mother of
                             9. Henrietta Smyth Baden-Powell]

Grave 37255 - Square 160.
               7.   1898 Sir George Smyth Baden-Powell
                               b. 24 Dec 1847; d. 20 Nov 1898 
                              aged 50; KCMG MP.
                              brother of 12.  Agnes Baden-Powell
               8.    1913 Frances Anne Baden-Powell,
                               b: 1863, d: Q4, 1913, aged 50
                               (wife of 7. Sir George Baden-Powell)

Grave 16027 – Square 156, Road side
               9.   1914 Henrietta Grace Smyth
                              Baden-Powell, b: 3 Sep 1824, 
                              d: 13 Oct 1914, age 90
                             mother of 12.  Agnes Baden-Powell
              10.   1914 Florence Sydney Baden-Powell,
                              b. 1878
                              d. 17 Oct 1914 aged 36
                              [wife of 11. Frank Baden-Powell!
              11.   1933 Francis Smyth
                               "Frank" Baden-Powell,
                               b: 29 Jul 1850, d: 1931,
                               aged 83
                               brother of 12.  Agnes Baden-Powell
               12.   1945 Agnes Baden-Powell,
                               b: 16 Dec 1858, d: 2 June 1945,
                               aged 86
                               daughter of 5. The Rev. Baden Powell

The organisation "The Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery" have a WebSite, and a newsletter, of which Issue No. 67 of October 2012 carried an interesting article about the Plot, and about the people buried there.

Agnes was the most recent to be buried there, and she is (currently, February 2021) the last registred owner. Her name does not appear on the monument.

In her Will, she wrote - "and all my other property not otherwise disposed of to my nephew Donald Baden-Powell"  - the son of her elder brother Sir George B-P, who is also buried in the Plot. 

Donald B-P (1897-1973) was "the Head of the family", being the "eldest surviving son" of the "eldest surviving son" of The Rev. Prof. Baden Powell - the "senior branches" of his male POWELL line having died out - see "The Powell Pedigree".

In Donald's Will, he wrote, " . . . I GIVE DEVISE AND BEQUEATH all my estate both real and personal whatsoever and wheresoever . . .  unto my said Son absolutely . . . " - his son was Francis Baden-Powell (1929-2004).

In Francis's Will, he wrote, " . . . all of my remaining property . . . for my Wife absolutely or . . .  to be divided equally between " [his two sons].

These Wills (available for £1.50 each from here) do not explicitly mention the grave Plot, but the transfer may be inferred.

Neither Donald nor Francis registered themselves as owner - it may be that they were unaware of their right to it, nor of their duty to maintain it.

Alas !  The grave has suffered from the passage of time, and is now in need of quite a lot of work. The photograph above was taken some while ago.

In 2016 the "Agnes Baden-Powell Appreciation Society" commissioned a Report on the state of the Grave.  The Society also raised the many thousands of pounds required to do the work.

Unfortunately, the work cannot be done without the permission of the registered owner of the Plot. The heir to the Plot was informed of this in 2016, and frequently since, but despite expressing pride in the ownership (which is not yet his), he will not register his ownership, nor give permission for the work to be done - that is, his signature on two differnt documents.

Due to this delay, another Report was prepared in 2018, which showed further deterioration.  This photograph is from the Report :-

The Society is currently considering other ways to spend that money, raised as a tribute to a remarkable lady, but spurned by the person whose permission is required.