Caroline Wessel

The University of Leicester is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Caroline Wessel, supporter, alumna and member of Court. 

Caroline Mary Wessel (née Gee) was born on 19 May 1942, the second daughter of Harry Ernest Gorham Gee and his wife Phyllis. Her father was a director of the boot and shoe manufacturers Stead & Simpson and a grandson of Harry Simpson Gee, one of the founders of the University of Leicester.

As a great-granddaughter of HS Gee, and great-niece of both Dr Astley Clarke and Percy Gee, Caroline took great pride in her family’s contribution to the University. She followed in their footsteps as a generous supporter and served as a member of the University Court.

Caroline was educated in Hertfordshire and went on to study French at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. She had a lifelong love of France and of European travel, to which she returned throughout her life. At the time of her engagement to Anthony Wessel in 1961, she was working in London for an Italian interior decorator. She returned to the family home and married Anthony the following June at the parish church in Rothley, where both sets of parents lived. Anthony’s father was chairman of the clothing manufacturer N. Corah & Sons, and the marriage—linking two of Leicester’s best-known industrial families—was reported on the front page of the Leicester Evening Mail. The couple had three children. Although Leicestershire was always home, Anthony’s work also took them to Yorkshire for a period.

After raising her family, Caroline devoted increasing time to her passion for history. She became active in the Desford and District Local History Group (later Society), with whom she published Lost Mansions Around Desford and Leicester Forest West in 1986. Her first book, Portrait of Beaumanor, followed two years later, alongside another pamphlet, St Martin’s Church, Desford: An Illustrated Guide. Keen to return to formal study, she enrolled on the part-time BA in Humanities, graduating in 1999, and went on to complete a Masters degree in Victorian Studies in 2003. Her dissertation explored Associational Life in Late-Victorian Leicester: the Making of a New Civil Society.

Caroline continued to research and publish prolifically. She served as a Vice-President of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, on whose committee she sat for over twenty years. Among her most significant contributions was the organisation of the Society’s history fairs, which proved highly popular with both stallholders and the public, attracting visitors in their thousands to learn about local history and archaeology. She also contributed regularly to the Leicestershire Historian, including further studies on Desford, the Leicester Ladies’ Reading Society, and the artist and benefactor Mary Ann Herrick.

During the University’s centenary celebrations, she joined the project board, contributing to the research and communication of the University’s unique founding story. She volunteered on the National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported project 'So that they may have life', researching and writing articles that significantly expanded knowledge of the University’s founders.

Her publications continued to appear, including Beaumanor War and Peace: the Curzon Herrick Years 1915–1939, and most recently, co-authoring A Leicester Saga and Family Stories, which explored aspects of her own family history.

Caroline made a significant contribution to local charities and good causes. She was a lifelong supporter of Charity Link, following in the footsteps of earlier generations of the Gee family, and went on to serve as a trustee for over twenty-eight years. In 1979 she became a trustee of the Leicestershire and Rutland County Nursing Association, serving as Chair of Trustees from 1992 until her retirement in 2025. She also served as a director of LOROS from 2001 to 2006, was a trustee of the children’s charity Connection, and represented Leicestershire for the Order of St John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem and Gaza, visiting the region on several occasions.

Alongside her historical and charity work, Caroline had a lifelong commitment to music. A pianist and music teacher, she was an Associate of the London College of Music, a member of the Leicester Philharmonic Choir, and a patron of Desford Colliery Band. She also shared with her husband, Anthony, a love of gardening and together they created a beautiful garden at their home in Desford. 

Caroline is survived by her husband, Anthony, their three children and grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her and fondly remembered for her warmth, energy, kindness and friendship.  

Rachel Selfridge-Gaten, Head of Alumni and Supporter Relations and Project Manager for the University’s Centenary Celebrations, writes: 

"Caroline’s contribution to the University’s centenary celebrations was invaluable. She brought not only a remarkable depth of knowledge and understanding, but also a generosity of spirit that made her a delight to work with. I always loved seeing Caroline at University events, over the many years I had the privilege to know her. She was always so happy to be in attendance, so pleased to be involved, and so clearly proud of her connection to Leicester. Her dedication to the University, and her love for its history, people and values, were unmistakable. She gave so much of herself to ensuring that our past was remembered properly and meaningfully, and her contribution will remain part of the University’s story for many years to come."

Simon Dixon, Associate Director for Community and Heritage, writes:   

"Caroline was an enthusiastic supporter of the University’s library and archives, which she enriched through generous donations of her books and research material, as well as by sharing her extensive knowledge of the University’s history. Her outstanding contribution to our centenary celebrations was greatly appreciated by me and my team. Above all, Caroline was deeply interested in—and cared profoundly about—people. Her compassion and humanitarian spirit shine through both in her historical writing and in her extensive charitable work."

Sue McEniff, CEO of Charity Link, writes:

"Caroline’s connection to Charity Link began at just 19 years old, when she first volunteered with the organisation, an early indication of the lifelong commitment to helping others that would define her. She went on to serve as a trustee for over 28 years, continuing a remarkable family legacy of support spanning four generations. Throughout her time with us, Caroline brought not only deep empathy and insight, but also a profound understanding of the charity’s purpose, shaped by her longstanding connection to its work and the experiences of those it supports.

"Alongside her governance role, Caroline made an invaluable contribution as a historian of Charity Link. She played a central role in capturing and preserving the organisation’s rich heritage, authoring the 125th anniversary history booklet and later contributing to work marking our 150th year. Her meticulous research and writing extended beyond Charity Link itself to the histories of several of the trusts we manage, including Rachel Daphne Plunket and the Mansion Trust, ensuring that their stories, and the impact they have had over generations, are properly recorded and remembered. 

"Caroline’s work in documenting our past reflected not only her academic expertise, but her deep belief in the importance of understanding history to inform and strengthen our future. Her contribution means that Charity Link’s story, and that of the wider network of historic charitable trusts in Leicester, will endure for many years to come.

"On a personal note, it was a huge privilege to have known Caroline for many years. She was a constant source of encouragement and inspiration, thoughtful, kind, generous, and deeply committed to the people and causes she cared about. She will be greatly missed by myself and by everyone at Charity Link."