Constance Amelia Monica Doyle

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
Constance Amelia Monica Doyle

Constance Amelia Monica Doyle aka Connie (4 march 1868 - 8 june 1924) was the 6th child of Charles Altamont Doyle and Mary Josephine Foley, and the 5th sister of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Her middle name is Amelia on her birth certificate (1868) and Aimée on her marriage certificate (1893).

She married Ernest W. Hornung in 1893, and had a son, Arthur Oscar Hornung in 1895.



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Arthur Conan Doyle about Connie

In his autobiography Memories and Adventures (1923), Arthur Conan Doyle mentioned his sister :

« My noble sister Annette, [...] went out at a very early age as a governess to Portugal and sent all her salary home. My younger sisters, Lottie and Connie, both did the same thing; and I helped as I could. »
« Annette, the eldest sister, had already gone out to Portugal to earn and send home a fair salary, while Lottie and Connie were about to do the same. »
« Connie, the younger sister, had come back from Portugal earlier, and had joined us at Norwood, where she had met and eventually married E. W. Hornung the novelist. »


The press about Connie

The press depicted Constance as follows :

« Miss Doyle, who is a very sweet-mannered, vivacious young lady is exceedingly popular in Norwood. » (The Evening News (Portsmouth), 16 august 1893, p. 2)
« Miss Constance Doyle, Dr. Conan Doyle's pretty young sister, is to be married to Mr. E. W. Hornung, author of the "Bride from the Bush" and other Australian tales. » (The Yorkshire Evening Post, 16 august 1893, p. 4)
« Miss Doyle is pretty, and Mr. Hornung good-looking. » (The Shields Daily Gazette and Shipping Telegraph, 21 august 1893, p. 2)


Chronology

1868

  • 4 march : Birth at 3 Sciennes Hill Place, Edinburgh.

1877

  • August : She spent a holiday on the Isle of Arran with her brother Arthur and her sister Lottie and their father Charles.

1881

1883

  • Late year : She moved to Masongill, North Yorkshire, with her mother and sisters.
  • 31 december : Connie and Arthur spent the New Year with Dr. Hoare and her family at Birmingham.

1885

  • 6 august : She was one of the witnesses at Arthur and Louisa's marriage.

1891

  • Connie and Lottie were governess in Portugal.

1892

  • She returned to England.

1893

1895

1898

  • April : Connie and her husband were based in Rome, Italy.
  • 23 december : She was disguised as Charlotte Corday at the fancy dress ball held by her brother Arthur Conan Doyle at The Hindhead Beacon Hotel.

1901

  • 31 march : Connie, her husband and her son were living at 9 Pitt Street, Kensington, London.

1903

  • 26 november : Connie and her husband were present at the marriage of Israel Zangwill and Miss Edith Ayrton in West End, London.

1907

  • July : Connie and family were living at 7 Hornton Street, Kensington, London.
  • 8 july : They celebrated there the 70th birthday of her mother with her brothers, sisters, nephews and relatives.
  • December : Connie and family were living at West Grinstead Park, Sussex.

1908

  • 28 november : Connie and her husband were present at the marriage of Mr. John Collings Squire and Miss Eileen H. Anstruther Wilkinson in Hintlesham.

1918

1921

1924

  • 8 june : She died, aged 56, in Beckenham, Kent.


Performers