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The life of Herbert Salt (1840 - 1912) followed a different path to those of his siblings. Born on the 28th birthday of his mother Caroline, Herbert - like several of his brothers - was educated at Mill Hill School, London. Unlike his brothers, he did not join the textile company of his father Titus. Instead he took up farming, an occupation he pursued for many years. The early 1870s found Herbert running a farm on the Beaulieu estate in the New Forest. He subsequently moved to the Yorkshire Dales, living at Carla Beck House, a mansion which still stands outside Carleton, near Skipton.

In the mid 1880s Herbert’s bachelor life changed abruptly. He moved to Brixton, marrying Elizabeth Farrell, a lady more than 20 years his junior, in January 1889. Brixton is only about a mile from Clapham, where at this time Herbert’s mother, the Dowager Lady Caroline, and two of his sisters were living. Herbert embraced the Catholic faith of his wife, attending St Mary’s church, Clapham, just 200 yards from the Congregational church of his mother and sisters. In the mid 1890s, Herbert and family also moved to Clapham.

Herbert’s life with Elizabeth held tragedy. A 13 week old daughter died in 1889.  Eight years later Elizabeth herself died, aged only 35, leaving Herbert (58), with a household of four children. Five months later, Herbert married Elizabeth’s elder sister, the widowed Margaret de Lacey. This second marriage ended with the death of Margaret in 1910. Herbert lived on until 1912, when he died suddenly, aged 72. He lies buried with his two wives in West Norwood Cemetery, London, in a grave now badly damaged.

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