James and John Fleming

Major General James Fleming was buried in the central aisle of the nave in Westminster Abbey on 30th March 1751. He has a large monument, erected by Sir John Fleming, on the window ledge of the south nave aisle. This is signed by sculptor L.F. Roubiliac, and was finished in 1754. It shows life size figures of Prudence and Hercules (wearing a lion skin), binding the latter's club to a serpent and a mirror, thus forming a trophy composed of the elements of Valour, Wisdom and Prudence. At the sides are military trophies and standards, and the pyramid at the back has branches of cypress and laurel at the sides. Near the top is a profile portrait medallion. The inscription reads:

MAJOR GENERAL JAMES FLEMING Died March 17th MDCCL, aged 68.

The date of 1750 is in Old Style dating, now called 1751.

His actual gravestone, near one to his great friend General Hargrave, was removed in 1834 when the nave floor was re-laid and is now just marked with a small stone with his name and date. The original stone was inscribed "James Fleming Esq. Major General of All His Majesty's Forces and Colonel of His Majesty's Thirty-sixth Regiment of Foot, having served forty-four years a Commissioned Officer, died the 17th of March 1750 aged 68". The stone included his coat of arms "a chevron within a bordure fleury" and crest of a goat's head.

Very little seems to be known of his origins and early life. His brothers were Robert, William, John, Richard, Francis and Archibald, and his sisters were Margaret (Bennett), Dorothy (Knott), Catherine (Guthrey) and Susanna (Phibbs). By 1706 he was a Captain and rose to be a Brigadier General by 1745. He was present at the battles of Culloden and Falkirk. He died unmarried at Bath.

Sir John Fleming and family

James's nephew (son of his brother Robert and his wife Anne) was Sir John Fleming who is also buried in the nave of the Abbey, with a small marker. He died aged 61 on 5th November 1763 and his remains were re-buried in the Abbey on 21st February 1764, having been moved from South Audley Street chapel. He had served as a Lieutenant under General Hargrave in Gibraltar in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. He was created a baronet in 1763 and his wife was Jane, daughter of William Coleman of Devon, whom he married in 1753.

The original gravestone was removed, like that to James, but it read "Underneath this stone, near the remains of his uncle Major General Fleming, and his best of friends Lieutenant General Hargrave (to whose memories he had erected the two monuments in the isle [aisle]), lies the body of Sir John Fleming, of Brompton Park in the county of Middlesex, Baronet; who died Nov. the 5th 1763 aged 61 years. And underneath the said stone lies the body of his son Hargrave William Fleming (by his wife Jane Fleming, daughter of William Coleman Esq.), who died October 7th 1763 aged 7 years; also his daughter Cath. Eliz. Fleming Ob[it] 7th July 1767 aged 10 years".

Their children buried in the Abbey were Hargrave William Fleming (who had also been moved with his father from South Audley Street chapel in 1764), Catherine (both mentioned on the original stone), Margaret died 1769 aged 7, and Jane, Countess of Harrington who was buried on 12th February 1824 aged 69 and was married to Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington on 22nd May 1779. Their other daughter Seymour Dorothy married Sir Richard Worsley. Sir John's titles became extinct on his death.

After Sir John's death his widow Jane married Edwin Lascelles, Baron Harewood in 1770. She was buried in the nave as Baroness Harewood on 19th April 1813. She had no children by this marriage. Her original gravestone was also taken away in 1834 but it read "Under this stone, and near the remains of her first husband Sr. John Fleming Bart., lyes the body of the Right Honble. Jane, Baroness Harewood, who died 11th April 1813, aged 82 years". The site is now just marked by a small stone with her name and date of death.

Further reading

"Roubiliac and the 18th century monument" by D. Bindman and M. Baker 1995