Nancy Christie (nee Neele) 1899-1958
Nancy Christie (nee Neele) - 10 Jun 1899 to 13th Aug 1958
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Nancy Neele c1920s
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The Treasure Island British Empire Exhibition 1925 Nancy and Agatha organised
Nancy Neele was the daughter of Charles Woodward Neele (1866-1936) and his wife Mabel Lillie Fraser(1871-1960). Charles and Mabel were born in Hampstead London and their marriage also took place in Hampstead in 1894. Their first two children were baptised in Belsize Park London, George Brian 1895, Nancy 1900. However their home address was given as Stockport and according to the time of the 1901 census this also showed Stockport, Cheshire as their home address.
Nancy’s father was an Electrical Engineer with the Great Central Railway. Across the country the railway networks were expanding with many of the smaller independent railways amalgamating. This was the case with The Great Central Railway, which had been formed from several smaller railways from Manchester across the Midlands to Grimsby. The main purpose for this merger was to improve the movement of coal and goods across the Pennine moorland. The eventual intention was to connect up with the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) into London. This necessitated creating Watford Junction to be a mainline station en route into Euston. Later a branch line was built from the Watford Junction to Croxley Green through the Cassiobridge area in 1912.
It may well have been a coincidence that Nancy’s grandfather George Potter Neele, also worked for the LNWR and at the age of 35 years old had progressed to Superintendent. During his career he had been responsible for Queen Victoria’s private railway journeys and would accompany her and travel on the same Royal trains. Now retired and an 85 years old widower, he lived at The Lawn, Clarendon Road, Watford as the 1911 census shows. This was once a prosperous road with large private houses close by to Watford Junction, but has since been redeveloped with high rise offices.
This expansion to the railways may have been the reason Charles and Mabel moved the family south to live in Croxley Green. The 1911 census now shows that their family home was ‘Rheola’, Copthorne Road, Croxley Green. The children were George Brian 15 years, Nancy 11 years, Mollie Audrey 7 years, Anthony Woodward 2 years and Charles Kingston 2 years.
George was attending Aldenham School whilst Nancy and Mollie possibly went to the girls school in Yorke Road. After Nancy left school, she completed a course at the Triangle Secretarial College in London and obtained a position as a clerk in the Imperial Continental Gas Association.
After World War One the British Government decided to promote the United Kingdom to stimulate trade, strengthen bonds between the existing countries connected to the Empire with a world tour, followed by a Grand Exhibition planned at Wembley Park. This site was already laid out with pleasure grounds built around the turn of the century. It had also meant to include a huge tower planned by Edward Watkins as a replica to the French Eiffel Tower but due to many problems with the structure this project failed.
Major Ernest Belcher was appointed to lead this exciting world tour, starting in 1922 which lasted ten months. The aim was to encourage participation in the Exhibition. Colonel Archibald Christie was appointed financial advisor and his wife Agatha Christie, a popular crime writer, were among those invited onto the committee. Nancy Neele, a friend of Major Ernest Belcher, was also invited. A Children's Paradise section with Treasure Island as its centrepiece was proposed and the committee on which both Agatha and Nancy sat were asked to design and organise this. The British Empire Exhibition took place between 23rd April 1924 and 31st October 1925.
It was during this time that Colonel Archibald Christie became better acquainted with Nancy Neele who eventually became his mistress. This caused a rift between Agatha and Archibald and he wanted their marriage to end. Having just recently had news of her mother’s death Agatha was so distraught with Archibald’s conduct that she ‘disappeared’ for approximately eleven days under unusual circumstances. She was finally discovered living in an hotel in Harrogate registered under an assumed name coincidently of Mrs Theresa Neele.
Agatha divorced Archibald Christie (CMG DSO) in 1928 and he married Nancy soon after. They had one child and eventually lived quietly in Surrey. Nancy died in 1958 and Archibald in 1962. Agatha Christie went on the marry Max Mallowan, a British archaeologist specialising in ancient Middle Eastern history.
Nancy’s father was an Electrical Engineer with the Great Central Railway. Across the country the railway networks were expanding with many of the smaller independent railways amalgamating. This was the case with The Great Central Railway, which had been formed from several smaller railways from Manchester across the Midlands to Grimsby. The main purpose for this merger was to improve the movement of coal and goods across the Pennine moorland. The eventual intention was to connect up with the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) into London. This necessitated creating Watford Junction to be a mainline station en route into Euston. Later a branch line was built from the Watford Junction to Croxley Green through the Cassiobridge area in 1912.
It may well have been a coincidence that Nancy’s grandfather George Potter Neele, also worked for the LNWR and at the age of 35 years old had progressed to Superintendent. During his career he had been responsible for Queen Victoria’s private railway journeys and would accompany her and travel on the same Royal trains. Now retired and an 85 years old widower, he lived at The Lawn, Clarendon Road, Watford as the 1911 census shows. This was once a prosperous road with large private houses close by to Watford Junction, but has since been redeveloped with high rise offices.
This expansion to the railways may have been the reason Charles and Mabel moved the family south to live in Croxley Green. The 1911 census now shows that their family home was ‘Rheola’, Copthorne Road, Croxley Green. The children were George Brian 15 years, Nancy 11 years, Mollie Audrey 7 years, Anthony Woodward 2 years and Charles Kingston 2 years.
George was attending Aldenham School whilst Nancy and Mollie possibly went to the girls school in Yorke Road. After Nancy left school, she completed a course at the Triangle Secretarial College in London and obtained a position as a clerk in the Imperial Continental Gas Association.
After World War One the British Government decided to promote the United Kingdom to stimulate trade, strengthen bonds between the existing countries connected to the Empire with a world tour, followed by a Grand Exhibition planned at Wembley Park. This site was already laid out with pleasure grounds built around the turn of the century. It had also meant to include a huge tower planned by Edward Watkins as a replica to the French Eiffel Tower but due to many problems with the structure this project failed.
Major Ernest Belcher was appointed to lead this exciting world tour, starting in 1922 which lasted ten months. The aim was to encourage participation in the Exhibition. Colonel Archibald Christie was appointed financial advisor and his wife Agatha Christie, a popular crime writer, were among those invited onto the committee. Nancy Neele, a friend of Major Ernest Belcher, was also invited. A Children's Paradise section with Treasure Island as its centrepiece was proposed and the committee on which both Agatha and Nancy sat were asked to design and organise this. The British Empire Exhibition took place between 23rd April 1924 and 31st October 1925.
It was during this time that Colonel Archibald Christie became better acquainted with Nancy Neele who eventually became his mistress. This caused a rift between Agatha and Archibald and he wanted their marriage to end. Having just recently had news of her mother’s death Agatha was so distraught with Archibald’s conduct that she ‘disappeared’ for approximately eleven days under unusual circumstances. She was finally discovered living in an hotel in Harrogate registered under an assumed name coincidently of Mrs Theresa Neele.
Agatha divorced Archibald Christie (CMG DSO) in 1928 and he married Nancy soon after. They had one child and eventually lived quietly in Surrey. Nancy died in 1958 and Archibald in 1962. Agatha Christie went on the marry Max Mallowan, a British archaeologist specialising in ancient Middle Eastern history.
(© National Archives - IL-1491) In 1911 lived Rheola Copthorne Road, Croxley Green.
The days before the disappearance of Agatha Christie and the connection with Nancy Neele
In the days leading up to her disappearance on Friday 3rd December, Agatha Christie made a shopping trip to London on the Monday, and mentioned she was planning a weekend trip to Yorkshire, hopefully with Archie her husband. She returned to London on the Wednesday, staying overnight in her club whilst her friend, who had accompanied her, returned to Sunningdale. Apparently, Agatha had been unwell for several months. She had set herself a high workload and she discussed this with her agent the following day, Thursday. (The loss of her mother, to whom she was very close, had also affected Agatha at this time.)
She returned home to The Styles that same Thursday, and she and her friend Charlotte Fisher attended their usual dance class in the evening.
The following morning, the day of Agatha’s disappearance, Archie caught the train to work and Agatha and her daughter Rosalind visited Archie’s mother Peg. Returning home, after settling her daughter, Agatha ate alone as Archie had not come back.
It is unsure how Agatha found out that in fact Archie was staying with friends of Nancy Neele, Sam and Madge James, for the weekend at their home, Hurstmore Cottage. Nancy was there too, when Archie was informed his wife had gone missing. On hearing this news Nancy decided to return to her parents’ home in Copthorne Road, Croxley Green, whilst the police were trying to solve the disappearance of Agatha.
It is still a mystery why Agatha used the name Neele at the hotel in Harrogate, but can it be a co-incidence that Archie had a friendship with Nancy whom he married after he and Agatha were divorced?
(Agatha Christie went missing on Friday 3rd December 1926 and was found on Tuesday 14th December 1926)
In the days leading up to her disappearance on Friday 3rd December, Agatha Christie made a shopping trip to London on the Monday, and mentioned she was planning a weekend trip to Yorkshire, hopefully with Archie her husband. She returned to London on the Wednesday, staying overnight in her club whilst her friend, who had accompanied her, returned to Sunningdale. Apparently, Agatha had been unwell for several months. She had set herself a high workload and she discussed this with her agent the following day, Thursday. (The loss of her mother, to whom she was very close, had also affected Agatha at this time.)
She returned home to The Styles that same Thursday, and she and her friend Charlotte Fisher attended their usual dance class in the evening.
The following morning, the day of Agatha’s disappearance, Archie caught the train to work and Agatha and her daughter Rosalind visited Archie’s mother Peg. Returning home, after settling her daughter, Agatha ate alone as Archie had not come back.
It is unsure how Agatha found out that in fact Archie was staying with friends of Nancy Neele, Sam and Madge James, for the weekend at their home, Hurstmore Cottage. Nancy was there too, when Archie was informed his wife had gone missing. On hearing this news Nancy decided to return to her parents’ home in Copthorne Road, Croxley Green, whilst the police were trying to solve the disappearance of Agatha.
It is still a mystery why Agatha used the name Neele at the hotel in Harrogate, but can it be a co-incidence that Archie had a friendship with Nancy whom he married after he and Agatha were divorced?
(Agatha Christie went missing on Friday 3rd December 1926 and was found on Tuesday 14th December 1926)
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(© National Archives - IL-1491) In 1939 Nancy & Archibald Christie lived at 84 Avenue Road, Swiss Cottage, Camden, Hampstead, London, with a cook, butler, children's nurse. They then moved to Juniper Hill on Hydon Heath, near Godalming Surrey
(© Stuff Limited) Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 42, 19 February 1927
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Nancy Neele the niece of Lady Pearson travelled with her aunt and cousin Ms. Avril Stephenson, arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 19th February 1927 aboard the Cunard Liner, Franconia. The newspaper reports, whilst on board the Franconia they were met by Mr. Clutha Mackenzie, director of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind in Auckland. Lady Pearson was continuing the work of her late husband Sir Arthur Pearson, president of St Dunston's, set up to help blinded soldiers from WW1. They attended a morning reception at the Institute before returning aboard the ship in the afternoon, to continue the journey to Rotoura. |
Celia Gregory who portrayed Nancy Neele in the 1979 Film "Agatha" that starred Dustin Hoffman, Vanessa Redgrave and Timothy Dalton
Finding Agatha Christie
(© National Archives - IL-1491) Agatha Christie on the 1891 Census
Census date: 5th April 1891
Name:Agatha M C Miller
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Age: 7y/12m
Birth Year: 1890
Birth Place: Torquay, Devon, England
Civil parish: Tormoham
Ecclesiastical parish: Tormoham
Residence Place: 113 Barton Road, Torquay, Devon, England
Registration district: Newton Abbot, Torquay
Name:Agatha M C Miller
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Age: 7y/12m
Birth Year: 1890
Birth Place: Torquay, Devon, England
Civil parish: Tormoham
Ecclesiastical parish: Tormoham
Residence Place: 113 Barton Road, Torquay, Devon, England
Registration district: Newton Abbot, Torquay
(© National Archives - IL-1491) Agatha Christie on the 1901 Census
 Frederick Miller and Agatha Christie in the garden at Ashfield
Census date: 31st March 1901 Household Number: 214 "Ashfield" Torquay, Devon Name: Agatha Miller Relation to Head: Daughter Age: 10 Estimated Birth Year:1890 Gender: Female Birth Place: Torquay, Devon, England |
(© National Archives - IL-1491) Agatha Christie on the 1911 Census
Census date: 2nd April 1911
Name: Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller
Relation to Head: Daughter
Birth Date: 1891
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Private Means
Birth Place: Torquay, Devon
Address: Ashfield, Barton Road, Torquay, Devon
Name: Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller
Relation to Head: Daughter
Birth Date: 1891
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Private Means
Birth Place: Torquay, Devon
Address: Ashfield, Barton Road, Torquay, Devon
(© National Archives - IL-1491) Agatha Christie on the 1921 Census
Census date: 19 June 1921
First name(s) Agatha M / Last name Christie / Marital status Married / Occupation Novelist / Place of work 8 Addison Mansions, W
Sex Female / Birth year 1891 / Age in years 29 / Age as transcribed 29 y 9 m
Birth place Torquay, Devon, England
Relationship to head Visitor / Other household member's first name(s) Agatha M, Catherine, Diana M, Ernest Albert, Ethel, Harold S, Hutton Jacques, Margaret E, Percy
Full address as transcribed Clewer Mill House, Clewer,Windsor / Parish Clewer Without / Registration district Windsor / Sub-district Windsor / County Berkshire
First name(s) Agatha M / Last name Christie / Marital status Married / Occupation Novelist / Place of work 8 Addison Mansions, W
Sex Female / Birth year 1891 / Age in years 29 / Age as transcribed 29 y 9 m
Birth place Torquay, Devon, England
Relationship to head Visitor / Other household member's first name(s) Agatha M, Catherine, Diana M, Ernest Albert, Ethel, Harold S, Hutton Jacques, Margaret E, Percy
Full address as transcribed Clewer Mill House, Clewer,Windsor / Parish Clewer Without / Registration district Windsor / Sub-district Windsor / County Berkshire
