Story: Romulus and Remus were ‘gifted’ when they were around 16 to Lady Rockingham in 1776, two French horn playing footmen. From a still colonised America both the trend for the French horn and Black footman collided in the story of these two boys. One of the Rockingham properties was Wentworth Woodhouse in Rotherham. A solid reminder of what we can’t afford to forget. Stately homes are a complex ecosystem designed for the service of one family. Records of payments to Romulus and Remus, money spent on their clothing, medicine and even horn repair sit in the Sheffield Archive.
The recovery: Romulus and Remus, written as having outstanding musical ability, were boys. Let’s never forget that. And by the touching of the brown stained ledgers we see not only them, their enforced journey from enslavement, to working as footmen, to marriages, deaths, children, and friendship, but community. When one died, he left his horn to the other. Patty’s unique interpretation of the boys speaks to that community.
A deep dive into the archives, we found correspondence between the aristocratic estates regarding Romulus and Remus, listings of house staff memorandums that include Romulus and Remus, and receipts of payment which Romulus and Remus signed with their full names. There are still missing pieces to this story, although what we do know has now become the foundation of this unique legacy.
The inspiration to embark on the story of Romulus and Remus came following a visit to Wentworth Woodhouse. After a long walk around the grand estate that boasts approximately 15,000 acres of land, larger than that of Buckingham palace, I was bewildered by the lack of representation of black people who may have been significant to the estate.
Romulus and Remus, who are listed as footmen in the estate record books, were likely not to have been of much importance to have a portrait of themselves hanging in “The Painted Drawing Room” of Wentworth Woodhouse Estate, however their existence is now undeniable.
So, I created this piece, Title: Black Romulus and Remus. A portrait to commemorate a forgotten chapter of history. I have imagined the two young black men and included the traces of evidence of the story of these two young black men in 18th century South Yorkshire.
Notes from Sheffield City Archives:
In 1776, two Black youths were gifted to Mary Watson-Wentworth, Marchioness of Rockingham (1735 - 1804) by the former British Colonial Governor of New Hampshire, John Wentworth.
A letter written from Isaac Charlton, Butler in the Rockingham’s London house at Grosvenor Square to Benjamin Hall, Steward at Wentworth Woodhouse, 15 March 1777 (Sheffield City Archives: WWM/StwP/1/6i/145) says:
“My Lady has a present made of two Blacks that plays the French Horn, they have had frock Liveries made here. Her Ladyship likes the Cloath [sic] so well that she has given orders for the frock Liveries to be made here immediately for present wear…”
The boys were named Romulus Wimbledon and Remus Stanfield, and they became footmen in the Rockingham’s London household. Their lives can be tracked through various records at Sheffield City Archives including London household accounts which list payments for ‘mending the Blacks Cloaths’ and ‘mending French Horn’, and general account books which list their salaries in London.
In 1786 (four years after her husband’s death) Lady Rockingham moved to Hillingdon House, Middlesex taking Romulus and Remus with her.
Romulus died in October 1792 and was buried at St James Church, Piccadilly, London. In his will (The National Archives: PROB 11/1224/166) Romulus left his musical instruments to Remus, sums of money to other servants and £40 to Cesar Picton, a Black coal merchant in London.
Remus Stanfield married Martha Booth in December 1790. Parish registers indicate they had several children, with the name Remus Stanfield continuing down the generations well into the 20th century suggesting living descendants may still be around. Remus died on 19 November 1828 and was buried on 19th November at St Andrew’s Church, Cobham, Surrey.
Extract from letter written by Isaac Charlton, London to Benjamin Hall at Wentworth Woodhouse, 15 Mar 1777 (Sheffield City Archives: WWM/StwP/1/6i/145)
