A RECORD OF THE FAMILY OF DEBENHAM

A RECORD OF THE

FAMILY OF DEBENHAM OF SUFFOLK

COMPILED BY

WALTER DEBENHAM SWEETING M,A.

PRINTED

FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION BY

THE ST. CATHERINE PRESS LTD,

8, YORK BUILDINGS

ADELPHI

THE FAMILY OF

DEBENHAM OF SUFFOLK

ILLUSTRATIONS

Bookplate of Frank Debenham, J.P. See p. 91. Frontispiece Arms of Debenham of Wenham . I

Alpheton Church . 6 Many Tombstones of Debenhams remain south-east of the Porch.

Alpheton Church and Hall . 8 Robert Debenham, 1789-1866 18 William Debenham, 1794-1863 23 Ernest Ridley Debenham, M.A. 24 Walter Debenham Sweeting, M.A. 30

Compiler of this Record. Arms of Brewse impaling Debenham . 40 Arms of Brewse and Debenham, quarterly, impaling Scrope

and Tiptoft, quarterly . 44 Monument to Gilbert Debenham . 62 Shield with six quarterings, Brewse, Debenham, and others. 6 5 Wenham Hall . 66

Ancient seat of the Debenhams. See pp. 37, 38. Robert Debenham, 1755-1818 . 78

See p. 18. West Door of Copdock Church. 8 7

Arms of Debenham above the Door to the north. The second shield cannot be distinguished. The third seems to be Scrope.

Frank Debenham, J.P. 91

ADDENDA

p. 12. Francis Stanhope Hanson, Alderman and Sherift of the City of London, was created Knight, 22 July, 1909.

pp. 30-31. Henry Ravenhill Sweeting m. 21 Aug., 1909, Louise Eleanor Matterson, eldest dau. of the late Thomas Henry Matterson.

p. 31. Herbert Waller Sweeting m. 7 Aug., 1909, Mabel Heath Robinson, 3rd dau. of Rev. Francis Watson Robinson, M.A., Rector of Paston, co. Northants.

p. 31. Jesse and Mary Monk have a second son, Eric William Waller Monk, b. 16 June, 1909.

p. 32. Douglas Habgood Barnes was born 3 1 Mar. (not. 30 Mar.) 1909.

p. 8 7. The view of the West Door of Copdock Church is given at p. 87, not as the frontispiece.

THE

DEBENHAM FAMILY

OF SUFFOLK

The Debenham family has been settled in Suffolk for centuries. The name is derived from the town of Debenham, a small place with a diminishing population, in the Hundred of Threadling, about 8 3 miles from London. It used to be a market-town, and the market-house is a quaint and

THE ARMS oF DEBENHAM, interesting structure ; but oF WENHAM, the market itself is little

more than a name. In r 8 3 I the inhabitants numbered r 5 3 5 : at the census in r 90 r the number was 1219. The town is built upon the side of a hill near the source of the river Dehen ; so that its name explains itself, the Home, or Settlement, on the Deben. This river flows on to Woodbridge, where it widens into an estuary of considerable breadth, extending for eight or nine miles, ultimately falling into the sea a little north of Felixstowe.

Although very far from being a celebrated stream, the Deben has many charms of its own. The follow-

I

2 THE DEBENHAM FAMILY

ing extract from J. J. Hissey's "Tour in a Phaeton through the Eastern Counties," published in 1889, will shew that it has many attractions for the visitor.

" A very picturesque and pleasant river in truth is the Deben, though it cannot boast upon its side of any ruined abbey, or crumbling castle, or stately home, or any famous town ; and though the very name of it, I make bold to say, is known but to few Englishmen living out of Suffolk, still it is a charming stream. Perhaps it is even the more charming for the absence of these things ; its gentle windings and quiet fl.ow are best suited to the home-like scenery through which it runs its uneventful course. "

A little more appreciative notice of the houses on its banks is to be found in Dr. Raven's " History of Suffolk," 1907, in these words:-

" The Deben claims a higher importance" [than the Alde] " giving its name to the little town which stands near its source, as we find elsewhere. It flows by stately homes and pretty houses, Brandeston and Hoo, Letherington~ once the seat of the Wingfields, the ducal hall at Easton, Glevering and Ufford, past Woodbridge town. On the right bank enter two small tributaries joined in one, from Clopton and Ashbocking respectively. Then in a wider channel it splits the heath-covered shingly soil, and forms a little haven between Bawdsey and Felixstowe. "

Its merits have also been proclaimed in verse. The sonnet, " To the Deben, " from the poems of a local poet now long forgotten, Bernard Barton, printed in 1820, is given here,. not because of its intrinsic merit, but as evidence that the quiet beauties of the river appeal strongly to the genuine lover of Nature.

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 3

SONNET TO THE DEBEN, 1

Thou windest not through scenery which enchants The gazer's eye with much of grand or fair ; Yet on thy margin many a wandering pair

Have found that peaceful pleasure nature grants To those who seek her in her humbler haunts,

And love and prize them, because she is there : May I then, now the setting sunbeam slants

Upon thy bosom, in those pleasures share ? Thanks unto Nature, she hath left me yet

Some of those better feelings which were born In childhood : may their influence never set ;

But may it be as gradually withdrawn, As yon sun's beams from thee; chidingregret

By the bright promise of a cloudless morn.

The origin of surnames is a very large subject. Many are derived from personal characteristics, or even deformities ; many are patronymics ; many from the occupation of the man who first lifted his head above the crowd ; many ( as Debenham) from the place of birth or residence ; many from the situation of their dwellings ; many are tribal names of foreign settlers ; not a few come from some distinguished and notable exploit; some are, as it were, mere nicknames that have become permanent. Surnames, as we now understand them, are of comparatively recent introduction. Any person who has had occasion to study original documents of the fourteenth century or earlier is well aware of this. It is true that soon after the Norman Conquest a beginning was made in the practice of appropriating a fixed surname to particular families, but the practice was by no means universally prevalent in England till

1 Poems, by Bernard Barton, London : 18zo.


centuries later. And it was later still before the modern rule of precise spelling of the surname became general. Oftentimes we find, in the same document, a variation in the spelling of a name ; and not seldom a man spelt his own name in different ways at different times. Instances of this variation, in the case of Debenham, will be found hereafter.

It should be noted that in the case of surnames derived from places the earliest form expressed this by the prefix "de;" Lucas de Debenham, etc. In course of time this prefix was dropped. Also it is worth mentioning that in the place from which such a name is derived, the surnarp_e itself but seldom appears among the inhabitants. To the casual observer this seems very strange. In looking through the old registers at Debenham I never found the surname of Debenham, so spelt. It occurred more than once in a shortened form, as Debnam. The same thing was observable in my Northamptonshire parish of Maxey, where for twenty years I studied as exhaustively as I could the history and antiquities of the place. I found many instances in the neighbourhood, and indeed all over England, of the surname Maxey, but never once did it occur in the place itself. The explanation of this, when once pointed out, carries conviction with it. As long as a man lived at Debenham he was known, not as Peter Debenham, but as Peter the Miller, or Peter Longshanks, or Peter son of Roger, or Peter at the Green, or Peter by the Stile, or Peter the Bachelor, or the like. When he moved elsewhere he became designated as the Peter from Debenham, de Debenham, and at last Debenham only.

The family of Debenham spread into very many parishes of Suffolk, and indeed over the borders into

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 5 Norfolk and Essex. They were a prolific race. As is usual, and indeed inevitable, in large families with many branches, the social position of the members is of a most varied character. In this case, we find men of knightly position, lords ot manors, considerable landowners, substantial yeomen, as well as tenant farmers, small tradesmen, and labourers. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries the family can claim Patrons of livings and many Rectors, a High Sheriff, a Member for the County, a Chancellor of Ireland, and others of distinction and celebrity.

The notes that follow do not profess in any sense to supply a history _of the family. They are little more than a collection of facts and dates, with some record of occurrences in which some of its members took part. They have been gathered together from a large number of different sources, manuscript authorities as well as printed books : but, while it is assumed that all persons of the name belong to a common stock, it is absolutely hopeless to attempt to assign to each person his definite place in the genealogical tree. There are instances, too, in which the authorities are at variance ; and some in which there is found a confusion between two persons of the same Christian name ; and there are not a few other difficulties that beset the path of the conscientious genealogical student.

It should be noted that in this narrative pedigree of the Debenhams of Long Melford and Alpheton, the sons of a family are always given before the daughters, irrespective of their position in the family : also that, as a rule, the dates of birth are not given of ladies still alive.

Those of the family described as " of Melford " resided at Melford Park ; those described as " of


Alpheton " at Alpheton Hall. In the accompanying view of the church are seen many small eighteenth century tombstones in memory of Debenhams, situated to the west and southwest of the porch.

I. William Debenham, of Melford, Yeoman; will 27 Jan., 1687, pr. 2 May, 1688 ; m. Ann ..... , sole exec. of husband's will, her will 5 Nov., 1722, pr. 2 1 Feb., 172 3 : they had issue, II. i. Thomas Debenham, in father's will called

of Wickhambrook, and said to hold property of manor of Wickham; in mother's will left Lavenham property.

n. William Debenham, of Melford, bu. at Alpheton, 23 Oct., 1719.

m. Henry Debenham ; in mother's will it is said that certain property had been given to him by his father.

1v. Robert Debenham, of whom hereafter. v. Ann Debenham, m. after her father's

death, ...... -Spark. v1. Rose Debenham, d. unm., bu. at Alphe

ton, 27 Nov., 1714.

vu. Elizabeth Debenham, m. at Alpheton, 17 Feb., 171 2, John Strange of Hadleigh.

The will of Ann Debenham, mother of this family, mentions two granddaughters, Ann, wife of Zephaniah Lungley, and Elizabeth, wife of Ambrose Death ; but of which of her children they were daughters does not appear.

II. iv. Robert Debenham, of Melford, Yeoman, son of William and Ann, bu. at Alpheton, 16 Sep.,

ALPHETON CHURCH.


1737, (in register called of "Melford Parke," which is a farm in Melford parish; but the house is a couple of miles at least nearer to Alpheton church than to Long Melford), aged 68 ; will 8 Sep., pr. 20 Sep., 1737; m. Margaret .... , bu. at Alpheton, 29 Apr., 1754 : they had issue, III. i. Robert Debenham, of whom hereafter.

11. Thomas Debenham, of Thorpe Morieux, bu. at Alpheton (" from Melford "), 1 8 June, 1762 ; m. Grace .... , bu. at Alpheton, 2 May, 1744: they had issue,

IV. 1. William Debenham, contingent reversion of property at Shimpling in his uncle William's will.

11. Thomas Debenham, bp. at Alpheton, I 3 July, 1737.

m. Robert Debenham, bp. at Alpheton, 29 Dec., 1739.

1v. Ann Debenham, bp. at Alpheton, 26 Oct., 1742.

III. iii. William Debenham, ofMelford,Yeoman; d. 30 Jan., bu. at Alpheton, 3 Feb., 1743; will 29 Dec., 1742, pr. 13 Apr., 17 43 ; m. Ann .... : their only child was

IV. 1. William Debenham, to whom his father left his property at Shimpling after his mother's death, with reversion to his cousin William (as above), and subject to payment of £ 1 50 " out of the Shimpling estate " in accordance with the will of the testator's father.

III. iv. Ann Debenham, m. Thomas Mills.


III. i. Robert Debenham, of Alpheton, died there, v. p., 1 6 July, and bu. (" gentleman "), 1 8 July, 1733, aged 36; m. Susan (or Susanna) .. , who d. 17 May, and was bu. at Alpheton, 24 May, 1771 ; they had issue, IV. i. Thomas Debenham, of whom hereafter.

11. Robert Debenham, hp. at Alpheton, six days before his father's death, 1 o July, 1733, bu. 16 Mar., 1734.

m. Susanna Debenham, bp. at Alpheton, 22 Sep., 1731.

IV. i. Thomas Debenham, of Alpheton, Farmer; hp. at Alpheton, 11 Nov., 1728, bu. there 29 May, 1778 ; wm (all to his three sons) 25 Apr., 1777, pr. 3June, 1778; m. Mary .... , bu. at Alpheton, 3 Nov., 1762: they had issue, V. i. Thomas Meaking (or Makin) Deben

ham, of whom hereafter. 11. Robert Debenham, of whom hereafter.

m. 1v. William and Samuel Debenham, twins, bp. · at Alpheton, 2 2 Sep., 1756 ; Samuel was bu. there, 5 Dec., 17 5 6, and William, 14 Dec., 17 56.

v. William Debenham, hp. at Alpheton, 3 Dec., 1757, d. unm. at sea.

V. i. Thomas Meaking (or Makin) Debenham, son of Thomas and Mary, hp. at Alpheton, 11 July, 1754; d. c. 1810, bu. at Hendon, co. Midd.; m. Ann, eldest dau. of Robert Bigsby, of Hawstead (bp. 24 Dec., I 728, d. 9 Apr. 1798, bu. at Hawstead, son of Robert Bigsby, 1681-1770, by his wife Elizabeth Wiffen, who m. 20 Apr., 1729, and d. 10 Mar., 1779, aged 76, both bu. at Hawstead), by his wife Ann Talbott (bp. 1 8 May, I 7 3 2, at Stanningfield, m. there 20

ALPHETON CHURCH AND HALL.


Feb., 1752, d. 4June, 1825, bu. at Hawstead, said then to be aged 98, but if so she must have been 5 years old at baptism ; dau. of Thomas Talbott, I 694-1 777, of Stanningfield, by his wife Mary .... , who d. 1749, both bu. at Stanningfield) ; Ann (Bigsby) Debenham, d. c. I 8 3 1, aged c. 8 I : they had issue, VI. i. Robert Debenham, Auctioneer~ of firm

of Machin and Debenham, afterwards Debenham, Storr and Sons, of King Street, Covent Garden, m., but d. s. p., found dead in his bed Dec. I 8 5 4, aged c. 69, bu. at Peckham, co. Surr.

11. Thomas Debenham, of Pimlico, b. 27 Sep., bp. at Alpheton, 28 Oct., I 796, d. unm. c. 1861, bu. at Brighton(?), co. Suss. He was the youngest of his father's family.

m. Ann Debenham, bp. at Alpheton, I 7 Feb., I 780, d. at age of 7 or 8.

1v. Susan Debenham, m.,2ndwife, Nathaniel Smith Machin (his I st wife had been her younger sister Mary, see below), who d. c. I 840, aged c. 63, bu. at Holloway : she had issue,

VII. i. Charlotte Machin, d. unm. 28 Apr., 1887.

ii. William Frederick Machin, m. Emily .... , (a German lady); d. 4 Apr., 1899, at Bournemouth, and bu. there, described as late of S. Petersburg ; d. s. p.

111. Kate Machin, d. unm. 1834, aged c. 20. 1v, v. Two others who d. inf.

VI. v. Mary Debenham, m., 1st wife, the above

2


Nathaniel Smith Machin, d. and bu. at Bishop Stortford, co. Ess., I 809, aged 2 7. They had issue, VII. i. Nathaniel Machin (twin with

another who d. inf.). d. 1 o Jan., I 864, aged 5 5, bu. at Highgate ; m. Frances Mary Dix, who d. I 7 Apr., I 876, aged 69, bu. at Upton Park, Slough, co. Bucks. ; they had issue, VIII. i. Frank Machin, d.

in Greece, 2 2,

Aug., I 867, aged c. 25 ; after a long interval his body was brought to England and interred at Highgate beside . his father.

ii. Fanny Chambaud Machin.

iii. Katherine Machin, b. I 8 39, d. unm. 1887.

iv. Mary Isabella Machin.

11. Eliza Machin, d. I 87 I, bu. at Saintfield, co. Down, m. Rev. George Edmundson, B.A., Incumbent of Saintfield : no issue.

m. Mary Chopping Machin, d. 20 Jan., 1867, aged 62, bu.


at Ashtead, co. Surr. ; m. Samuel Hanson ( of the firm of Samuel Hanson and Son, Eastcheap), of Trinity Square, Tower, afterwards of Harley Street, and Epsom, whod. 11 Feb., 1882, aged 77, at Zurich, and was bu. there (he m., 2nd wife. Margaret Daubeny, who d. I 889, by whom no issue); they had issue,

VIII. i. Rev. Hesketh Hanson, M.A., of Trinity College, Camb., sometime Rector of Marworth, co. Bucks., m. Jane Anna Johnston, dau. of James Johnston, of Hampstead ; she d. at Wheatley, co. Oxf., 18 Oct., I 906, aged 68 : they had issue,

IX. i. Wilfrid Julius Hanson, b. 1864, M.A., Trin. Coll. Camb.

n. Reginald John Edward Hanson, b. I 870, M.A., Trin. Coll. Camb., M.B., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P.

111. Oswald Hesketh Hanson, b. 1873, B.A., Trin. Coll. Camb., Solicitor, (Hanson and Airy).

1v. Herbert James Hanson, b. I 87 5, B.A., Trin. Coll. Camb.

v. Mary Beatrice Hanson, m. 14 Sep., 1898, Rev. Albert Edward Negus, M.A., of Lincoln Coll. Oxf., sometime Rector of Tubney, co. Berks., since 1904 Vicar of Forest Hill with Shotover, co. Oxf. : they have issue,


X. i. A son, b. 4 Jan., 1901. ii. A dau., b. 7 July, 1899.

v1. Anna Rosalind Hanson. vu. Mary Machin Hanson.

vm. Gertrude Mary Hanson. ix. Mary Frances Anna Hanson.

VIII. ii. Sir Reginald Hanson, Kt., and Bart., b., 31 May, I 840, M.A., and Hon. LL.D., of Trinity College, Camb. ,Alderman of Billingsgate Ward, Sheriff, 1881-2, Lord Mayor, 1886-7, d. at Florence, 19 Apr., 1905, bu. at Highgate; he m., 1866, Constance Hallett Bingley, dau. of Charles Bentley Bingley, of Stanhope Park, co. Midd. : they had issue, IX. i. Sir Gerald Stanhope Hanson, Bart., b.

23 Apr., 1867, ofMagd. Coll. Camb.; m. 22 Apr. 1899, Sylvia Dutton Cook, only child of late E. Dutton Cook, and of Mrs. Charles Yates : they have issue, X. i. Richard Leslie Reginald Han

son, b. 21 Nov., 1905. u. Francis Stanhope Hanson, b. 3 Oct.,

1868, ofTrin. Coll. Camb., Alderman of Billingsgate Ward, 1905, in succession to his father, Sheriff of London, 1908; hem., Jan., 1897, Pearl Norcott Winter, 3rd dau. of C.A. Winter, of Airlie Gardens, Kensington, and of Wadenhoe Manor, co. N orthants. : they have issue, X. i. Charles Reginald Francis

Hanson, b. 21 Jan., 1904. 11. Violet Gwendoline Pearl Han

son, b. 31 Mar., 1899.

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 1 3

111. Cyril Stanhope Hanson, b. I 9 May, d. 20 Aug., 187 I.

1v. Maude Constance Hanson, m., 27 Oct., 1 8 94, James Ibotson Ward, of the Stock Exchange : they have issue, X. i. Reginald Ibotson Ward, b.

8 Oct., 1 896. v. Violet Mabel Hanson, m. 7 Feb., I 899,

Frederic Henry Keeling Durlacher, of the Stock Exchange, and of Thorpe Satchville, co. Leic. : they have issue, X. i. Richard Frederic Durlacher,

b. 14 Apr., 1900. u. Esmond Otto Durlacher, b.

Oct., 1901. 111. Laurence George Durlacher,

b. 24 July, 1904. VIII. iii. Oswald Hanson, b. 1841, d. 1843.

1v. Mary Hanson, b. June, 18 3 3, d. 28 Apr., r 8 59 ; m., 11 Apr., 18 56, Rev. Charles James Bird, B.A., son of Rev. Charles Smith Bird, M.A., afterwards Chancellor of Lincoln; he was sometime P.C. of West F ordington, co. Dors. : they had ISsue, IX. i. Ashley Bird.

ii. Oswald Bird. v. Kate Hanson.

vi. Bertha Hesketh Hanson, b. 1837, d. 1854, bu. at Ashtead, co. Surr.

vii. Gertrude Hanson, b. 30 Jan., I 847, d. unm., 7 July, 1902.

viii. Edith Hanson, m., 3 July, 1 863, William Bellingham Cheales, 3rd son of Rev. John Cheales, Vicar of Skendleby, co.


Linc. : he was burnt to death in a fire at the house of his uncle, Rev. Henry Cheales, at Enham House, Andover, 29 Mar., 188 3 : they had issue, IX. i. Eric Bellingham Cheales.

11. Harold Francis Cheales, dee. 111. Arthur William Reginald Cheales

of Trin. Coll. Oxf., M.A., m. 1908, Leonora, dau. of late Rev. F.W. Parker.

iv. Bertha Mary Cheales, m., 1 5 Aug., 1889, F.C. Kinkead, M.A.

v. Ethel Gertrude Cheales. VI. Ellen Hilda Cheales.

vu. Nora Frances Cheales, dee. v111. Ida Marion Frances Cheales.

IX. Mary Edith Cheales. x. Irene Cheales, dee.

x1. One other child. VII. IV. Frances Garrett Machin, d. 2 I Apr., 18 58,

aged 5 4, .bu. at Bishop Stortford, co. Herts.; she m. Frederick Scott Archer, Inventor of the Collodion Process in Photography, who d. 1 8 5 6 : they had issue, VIII. i. Alice Archer, d. unm. 1863,

aged 1 9, bu. at Saintfield, co. Down.

11. Constance Archer, d. unm. in Paris, 1874, aged c. 30.

111. Janet Archer. VI. vi .. Sarah Debenham, m. ( 1) Timothy Dock

wray, who d. in Soho, c. 1820, (2) William Busigny, who was killed by a train, c. 1847 : she d. at Bury S. Edmunds, 1858, aged 7 4. No issue.


vu. Elizabeth Debenham, d. 1860, aged 7 4 ; she m. Thomas King, of Basingstoke, who d. c. I 8 34 : they had issue, VII. i. Frederick King, d. unm. c. 18 37,

aged c. 23. u. William King, d. unm.

111. Harold King, d. unm. IV. Edward King, m. and had issue. v. Edwin King, m. and had issue.

VI. Selina Letts King, m. Rev. Maurice William Pitman, M.A., of Queen's Coll. Oxf. ; she d. suddenly, July or August, I 897, at 1 oo, Shaftesbury Road, Homsey Rise, aged c. 70 : no issue.

vu. Charlotte Scott King, dee. She m . . . . . . Young, and had issue, VIII. i. William George Young.

ii. Eliza Jane Young. v111. Eliza King, d. unm.

IX. Louisa King, d. unm. x. xi. xii. Three other children.

vm. Lucy Debenham, d. at age c. 12. IX. Fanny Debenham, d. 1848, aged c. 60, bu.

at Finsbury ; m. (2nd wife) John Letts, of the Royal Exchange (Letts's Diaries), who d. c. 1 8 5 5 : they had issue, VII. i. Edwin Letts, d. c. 1 870 ; went to

Valparaiso, where he m. and had lSSUe.

11. Emma Letts, twin with Edwin, m. Henry Roberts.

111. Fanny Letts, d. inf. IV. Mary Anne Letts, d. 1892 ; m.

Rev. Charles Coleby Roberts,


M.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge, Assistant Master of S. Paul's School ; he d. 26 Aug., I 8 5 4, and is bu. at Brading, I. W.: they had issue, VIII. i. Charles Edwin Roberts,

b. 1842, B.A.,ofTrin. Coll. Camb., many years Assistant Master of Aldenham School, co. Herts.

ii. Rev. Henry Eugene Roberts, M.A., of Pembroke College, Cambridge (B.A., 1876), since 1898 Rector of Cosbeck, co. Suff.; m., 1 8 8 6, Beatrice Louisa Tomkins: they have lSSUe,

- IX. i. Basil Coleby Roberts, b. 1887.

ii. Ethel Coleby Roberts.

iii. Frances Marion Coleby Roberts.

111. Fanny Roberts. VI. x. Charlotte Debenham, d. at Worcester,

1869, aged c. 78 ; she m. Charles William Evors, who d. at Worcester, 1 870 : they had issue, VII. i. Rev. Charles Robert Evors,

sometime Rector of Kington, co. Wore., Vicar of Lilbourne, co. Northants., 1872-75: m.

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 1 7

( 1) Elizabeth Lowndes, who d. c. Jan. 1869. They had issue, VIII. i. Charles Alexander

Evors, M.A., of Jesus College, Cambridge: m., I 897, Esme Theodora Stephen, dau. of late James Stephen, LL. D., Judge of County Courts : they had issue, IX. i. a dau. b. I 1

Nov., 1898. ii. a dau. b. 27

Jan., 1900. ii. Charlotte Evors.

iii. Edith Evors. Rev. C. R. Evors m. (2) Eliza Griffiths,

abroad, by whom he had 1 3 children, 3 of them deceased.

VII. 11. Eliza Evors, d. at Worcester, bu. there, 22 Jan., I 894 ; m. Christopher Charles Whitney Griffiths, who d. 1879 : they had issue, with others, VIII. i. Whitney Griffiths, d. 1864.

ii. Christopher Griffiths, Solicitor, d. 1898.

iii. Eustatius Griffiths, Engineer, at Sydney.

iv. Charles Griffiths, dee. v. Eliza Griffiths, m. abroad Rev.

C. R. Evors. vi. Mary Griffiths, m. twice.

3


vii. Bessie Griffiths, m. and dee. viii. Margaret Griffiths, m., with one

child. VII. m. Charlotte Evors. VI. x1. Ann Debenham, d. 1 Jan., I 879, aged 87,

bu. at Ombersley, co. Wore. ; m. (I) James Dee, who d. c. 1827, by whom no family; (2) Charles Edward Busigny, of Ombersley, Surgeon, who d. 29 Aug., 1 860, aged c. 49 : they had issue, VII. i. Charles Edward Busigny, b.

Mar., 1831, M.R.C.S., L. M., L.S.A., d. unm., I 1

June, 1880, bu. at Ombersley.

xu. Louisa Debenham d. c. I 8 2 8, aged 3 3 ; m. James Dale, a Music Master in London.

Resuming the family of Thomas and Mary Debenham : their second son was

V. 11. Robert Debenham, bp. at Alpheton, 3 Aug., 17 5 5 ; d. at Depden, and there bu., 7 Mar., 1818; had land of his own at Chedburgh, and held a farm at Depden: he m. Elizabeth, 3rd. dau. of Robert Bigsby, of Hawstead, sister of his brother Thomas's wife; she d. at Wickhambrook, and was bu. at Depden, 29 Jan., I 846, aged 84: they had issue, VI. i. Robert Debenham, b. 14 Jan.,

1789, of Poslingford, then of Barwell Court and Byhurst, co. Surr., and ultimately of Illinois and S. Louis, U.S.A.; d. in America, March, I 866,

ROBERT DEBENHAM, 1789-1866 .


aged 77; m. Anna Dennis, b. 21 Dec., I 79 3, who d. in America, 23 June, 1859, aged 6 5 : they had issue,

VII. i. William Debenham, d. inf. ii. William Debenham, b. 1 5 Oct., 1 8 I 7 ; d.

in America, Oct., I 878., aged 61 ; m. Christiana Kopetzky : they had issue, VIII. i. Robert Dennis Debenham in

Nebraska; d. 17 Feb., 1907, aged 57, leaving 3 sons.

ii. William Debenham, in Iowa ; m. twice : had issue, IX. i. William Debenham.

ii. Charles Hunting Debenham.

VII. iii. Thomas Debenham, b. 2 June, 1820; d. in America, 13July, 1907,aged 87;m.(1) Janet Clive, who d. 1861, by whom no issue ; (2) Mary Anne Greenfield, by whom he had, VIII. i. Robert Debenham, d. inf.

ii. Louisa Debenham, m. John St. Clair, and had issue,

IX. i. a daughter. ii. Robert St. Clair.

iv. Robert Debenham, b. 23 Apr., 1825 ; d. in America, 4 Oct., 185 3, aged 28 ; m. Emma Cave, by whom he had one son, who d. inf.

v. Samuel Debenham,b. 25June, 1827,d. 21 Apr., I 909, bu. at Brampton Cemetery, of 9, Tregunter Road, South Kensington ; for more than 50 years in the Union Bank of London ; m., 1 o


Nov., 1858, Mary Washington, who d. 1 Jan. 1885, aged 5 2 : they had issue,

VIII. i. Henry Debenham, b. 23 July, 1865;m.,6Apr., 1889, Elizabeth Mary, eld. dau. of Benjamin Snowden, of Preston, co. Lane.: they have issue, IX. i. Sam Snowden Deben-

ham. ii. Leonard Snowden De

benham. ii. Robert Debenham, b. 3 1 Aug.,

1867,m. in Australia, 1892, Grace Hutton Palmer : they have issue,

IX. i. Keith Debenham, b. 3 Nov. 1893.

ii. Arthur Debenham, b. 5 Jan. 1898.

iii. Laura Debenham. iv. Mary Debenham, m., 8 Sep.,

188 5, George William James Butcher : they had issue,

IX. i. William Ernest Norman Butcher, b. 10

Mar., 1888. ii. HerbertCecilButcher,

b. 3 May, 1890. iii. Charles Geoffrey But

cher, b. 22 Oct., l 891.

iv. Sidney Vernon Butcher, b. 22 Feb., I 895.


v. Evelyn Mary Butcher, b. 29 Aug. 1886, d. 6 Oct. 1906.

VII. vi. George Debenham, b. 24 Sep., I 829 ; a sailor ; nothing heard of him since about I 8 50.

vii. Charles Debenham, b. I I June, I 8 3 I ; d. in America, Io Oct., I 90 3 ; m. Emma (Cave) Debenham, widow of his brother Robert : they had issue, VIII. i. John Charles Debenham.

ii. George Augustus Debenham, m., with family.

iii. Ernest Quincey Debenham, m. with one child in I 906.

iv. Mary Elizabeth Debenham, m. c. 1894; died, leaving 6 children, before 1906.

viii. Sarah Debenham, b. 24 Feb., I 8 19 ; d. unm. at Stamford, co. Linc., 2 I Nov., I 8 5 3, and there buried, aged 34.

ix. Anna Mary Debenham, b. 4 Sep., 1 8 2 1,

d. in America, I 864, aged 43. x. Fanny Debenham, b. 8 Nov., 1823; d. in

America, I 8 5 6, aged 3 3. xi. Mary Debenham, b. 7 July, I 8 33 ; m. Wil

liam Hamilton Gloss, who d. 1882: they had issue, VIII. i. David Hamilton Gloss.

ii. Samuel Debenham Gloss, of Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A., electrical engineer.

iii. Caroline Gloss, dee. iv. Mary Frances Gloss, dee. v. Sarah Electa Gloss, m. Frank


Henderson Drury, and has a daughter, IX. i. Mary Henderson Drury.

vi. Anna Dennis Gloss, M.D., in Medical Mission, China.

vii. Janet Clive Gloss, m. Edward Carlton Page.

viii. Mary Gloss. VII. xn. Sophia Debenham, b. 8 Jan., 18 36, m.

James Crain McGinnis, a Senator: they had issue, VIII. 1. Robert William McGinnis, a

Doctor ; dee. leaving issue. u. Thomas Debenham McGinnis,

dee. m. Harold Frank McGinnis, m.

his brother Robert's widow. 1v. Arthur McGinnis, dee. v. George McGinnis, dee.

v1. Debenham McGinnis, dee. vu. Charles Quincey McGinnis, a

Physician in S. Louis ; married.

vm. Clive McGinnis, farmer m Missouri.

1x. Emma McGinnis, dee. x. Jessie McGinnis, m. Charles

Frederick Batham (now dee.), and has issue, in California.

xi. Ethel McGinnis, dee. xm. Kate Debenham, b. 1 5 June, 1838 ; d. at

Arapahoe, Nebrasca, U.S.A., 23 Aug., I 90 5 ; m. James Newfield Crain, who was drowned Dec., 187 3: they had issue,

WILLIAM DEBENHAM, 1794-1863.


VIII. i. William Debenham Crain. 11. Horace Newfield Crain.

m. Thomas Dennis Crain. 1v. Herbert George Crain. v. Mary Eleanor Crain, dee.

vi. Harriet Anna Crain, m .... Kahlert, in S. Illinois : large family.

vu. l\.lary Edith Crain, m ..... Elliott, in Iowa : large family.

vm. Cora Elsie Crain, m. ix. Myrtle Sophia Crain.

VI. ii. Thomas Debenham, Quartermaster in 5 6th Regiment; d. at Depden, bu. there Io Mar., 1856, aged 66; m. Sarah \Vright, who d. at Bridlington Quay, co. York, 19 Jan., 1 878, aged 7 4: they had one daughter, VII. i. Georgiana Sarah Debenham, d. inf.

in West Indies, 18 30. 111. William Debenham, b. 1 8 Apr., 1794, d. 24

Sept., 1 8 6 3, of 1 2 W el beck Street, and afterwards of 1 1, Marlborough Place, S. John's Wood ; he m. Caroline Freebody, b. 1799, d. 19 Aug., 188 5 ; both bu. at Kensal Green : they had issue,

VII. i. William Debenham, b. Nov., 1824, d. at The Priory, Tunbridge Wells, 26 Apr., 1896 ; he m. Eliza Mary Daniell> who d. 24 Feb., 1899 ; both bu. at Rusthall, co. Kent : no issue.

u. Henry Debenham, b. 5 Mar., 1827, d. at Worthing, 14 June, 1898, bu. at Kensal Green; hem., Feb., 186 5,Charlotte Caroline Ridley ( elder sister of his brother Frank's wife), who d. 10 Oct., 1876; no issue.


m. John Debenham, b. 30 Apr., 1829. Engineer in Australia; m. Emily Applethwaite ; both perished in the foundering of " The London" in the Bay of Biscay, I I Jan., 1866 ; her body (believed to be the only one recovered from the wreck) was washed ashore at Brest, brought to England, and interred at Abney Park Cemetery: no issue.

1v. Frederick Debenham, b. 12 June, d. 26 June, 1830.

v. Frank Debenham, b. 3 Nov., 1837, of 1, Fitzjohns Avenue, Hampstead, Chairman of Debenhams Limited, J. P. ; he m., 8 Apr., 1863, Emma Folkhard Ridley : they have issue, VIII. i. Ernest Ridley Debenham, M. A.,

of Trin. Coll., Camb., b. 186 5, m. Cecily Kenrick: they have issue, IX. i. Piers Kenrick Debenham,

b. I 904. 11. Gilbert Ridley Deben

ham, b. 29June, 1906. m. Marjorie Cecily Deben

ham. 1v. Hester Mary Debenham. v. Joan Millicent Deben

ham. vi. Alison Edith Debenham.

vii.. Cecil Audrey Debenham, twin with Gilbert.

11. Francis John Debenham, B.A., of Trin. Coll. Camb., b. I 870, m., 1904, Erna Millikoff.

111. Alice Debenham.

E T. NEST RIDLEY DEBENH A M, M .A.

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 25 iv. Edith Caroline Debenham, v. Agnes Elizabeth Debenham.

v1. Edward Debenham, b. 5 Dec. 1 844, d. 1 2 Apr., 1846.

vii. Elizabeth Debenham, b. 22 Dec., 1822, d. unm. at Worthing, 24Aug., I 898,and there buried.

vm. Caroline Debenham, b. 17 Oct., 1835, d. 19 June, I 8 36.

1x. Caroline Debenham, b. 20 June, 18 39, of Holme Lodge, Lansdowne Road, Bedford, m., 8 Feb., 1871 (2nd wife) Rev. William Airy, M.A., of Trinity College, Cambridge, Rector of Swynshed, co. Hunts., Vicar of Keysoe, co. Beds., R.D. ; he died 19 Aug., 1874 : they had issue, VIII. i. Bernard John Airy, b. 1872, of

Trinity College, Cambridge, M.A., Solicitor; m., I 3 Sep., I 898, Dorothy Mary Aubertin, dau. of John Aubertin, of Frilford, co. Berks.: they have issue, IX. i. Eustace Airy, b. Io

July, 1902. ii. Dorothy Joyce Airy,

b. 18 Oct., 1899. ii. Eustace William Airy, b. (post

humous) 1875, B.A. of S. John's College, Cambridge ; Accountant; m. 9 Sep., I 908, Elsie Catherine Grant.

iii. Winifred Airy, b., and d. a few hours old, 1873.

x. Mary Debenham, b. 20 Mar., I 842, d. 1 Feb., I 846.

4


VI. iv. Henry Debenham, d. inf. c. I 799. v. Bigsby Debenham, d. inf. c. 1802.

vi. Mary Ann Debenham, eldest child of Robert and Elizabeth (Bigsby) Debenham, d. 18 5 1,

aged 67, bu. at Poslingford ; she m. (I) (2nd wife) Thomas Coleman, of Poslingford, where he d. and was bu. c. 1827 : she m. (2) George Everard, of Wickhambrook, who d. I 876. By her first husband she had issue, VII. i. Samuel Coleman, d. inf. c. I 8 19,

bu. at Poslingford. ii. Arthur Coleman, went to Australia,

m. there and had large family. iii. Thomas Coleman, last heard of in

Bahama Islands. iv. Charlotte Colman ( eldest of family),

b. 13 Feb., 1817, d. unm. 1859, at Hallow, co. Wore., and there buried.

v. Elizabeth Mary Coleman, b. I 819, twin with Samuel; m. William George Taylor, of Mortimer Street and Baker Street, Outfitter, afterwards Artist in Stained Glass, Berners Street, who d. 20 Jan., 1901: shed. 20 Jan., 1898; both bu. at Kensal Green : they had issue,

VIII. i. Frank Taylor, b. 28 Dec., 1 8 5 3, d. in Brisbane, Dec. 1 8 9 3 ; he m. Rosa Roberts, and had issue, IX. i. Frank Taylor.

ii. Arthur Taylor. iii. May Taylor.


ii. Arthur Taylor, b. I 7 Mar., I 8 56, m., I 2 Aug., 1896, Harriet Louisa Napier Ford: they have issue, IX. i. Barbara Jordan Taylor.

ii. Beryl Audrey Taylor. iii. Herbert Taylor, b. and d. I 8 58. iv. Kate Taylor, b. I 5 Nov., I 849, a

Nun. v. Jessie Taylor, b. 31 May, 18 5 I, m.

1 Oct., 1873, Joseph Henry Cooke, Solicitor, afterwards of Ashbourne, co. Derby, who d. at Battersea, I 2 Jan., I 908, aged 7 5, bu. at Kensal Green : they had issue,

IX. i. Joseph Reginald Greaves Cooke, b. 28 June, 1874: d. 7 Oct., 1907, at Ashbourne, and there buried; hem., 1901, Ethel Kenway, and had one daughter, X. i. Irene Kenway Cooke, b.

Aug., 1902. ii. Hubert Walter Cooke, b. 2 Oct.,

1875. iii. Stanley Charles Cooke, m., Apr.,

1902, Alice Louisa Crackness : they have issue, X. i. Douglas Cooke, b. July,

1903. ii. Richard Stanley Cooke,

b. Nov., 1905. iv. William Harry Coleman Cooke. v. Arthur Cooke. vi. Philip Cooke.


vii. Marguerite Jessie Cooke, b. 31 Jan., 1 878, d. 27 Sep., I 878, bu. at Ashbourne.

VIII. vi. May Taylor, b. 27 Julyr 1860; m. 20Apr., I 887, William Henry Kelly, and had two children, IX. i. William Evelyn Henry

Kelly, b. 29 Mar., I 888.

ii. Millicent Frances Victoria Kelly, b. c. Oct., 1897.

VII. vi. Helen Mary Coleman, d. inf. vii. Caroline Coleman, d. unm., both

bu. at Poslingford. VI. vii. Elizabeth Debenham, b. 22 Nov., 1787,

d. 1 2 July, 1 876; m. John Fowler Dove, an eminent printer and publisher (Dove's English Classics), of S. John's Square, Clerkenwell? and afterwards of the Hopleys, Horringer, b. 21 Oct., 1787, d. 18 Oct., 1866 ; both bu. at Horringer, co. Su:ff.: no issue.

viii. Mary Debenham, b. 6 Aug., 1792, d. Oct., I 848 ; m. Alexander Shirer (who married twice after her death), of Cheltenham, co. Glouc.; he d. 4 Mar., 1866, aged 64 ; both bu. at Leckhampton, co. Glouc.: they had issue, VIL i. Alexander Shirer, b. Feb., 1829,

d. 25 June, 1900; m. Jane Marshall : they had issue, VIII. i. Alex Marshall Shirer,

who d. c. 1 879, aged c. 20.


ii. Arny Shirer. iii. Nora Shirer.

ii. John Frederick Shirer, b. Oct., I 8 30, d. at Cheltenham, 19 Aug., 1902 ; rn. Sarah Jane Allen : they had issue, VIII. i. John Alexander Shi

rer, of Trinity College, Cambridge, a Solicitor ; rn., 1 8 Feb., 1897, Clara, dau. of the late J.D. Thorp, of Headingley, co. York.

u. Mary Elizabeth Shirer. m. Frances Edith Shirer,

rn., I 2 Oct., 1898, Rev. James Glass, since 1 904 Vicar of N orrnanton, co. Derby. All her children died young.

m. Mary Shirer, b. 2 5 June, 1833. VI. ix. Susan Debenham, d. unrn. at Norwich, bu.

at Depden, 25 Apr., 1826. x. Sarah Debenham, b. 2 5 June, 1797, d. at

Lewisham, 29 Mar., 1878 ; rn. Alfred Sweeting, of I 5, Bartlett's Buildings, London, who was b. 19 Dec., 1797, and d. suddenly at Highgate, 27 June, 1867 : both buried at Kensal Green : they had issue, VII. i. Alfred Sweeting, b. 26 Dec., 18 30,

M.A.of Pembroke College, Cambridge, sometime Vice-Principal


of the Training College, Durham, Rector of Amcotts, co. Linc., from 1 8 6 1 till his death, I 7 Oct., 1884. He d. and was buried at Amcotts. He m., 4 Aug., I 863, Ellen Alethea Airy, eld. dau. of Rev. William Airy, Rector of Swynshed, co. Hunts., and Vicar of Keysoe, co. Beds. No issue.

u. Henry Dove Sweeting, b. 2 3 June, 18 3 3, B.A. of S. John's College, Cambridge ; in the Hon. East India Company's Service, Assistant Magistrate at Rungpore, Bengal, where he d. unm., 3 I Aug., I 8 58, and where he was buried.

m. Walter Debenham Sweeting, b. 1 1

Jan., I 8 39, M.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge, sometime Second Master and then Head Master of King's School, Peterborough, Vicar of Maxey, co. N orthants., I 8 8 1-1 90 I, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Rotherhithe, co. Surr., 1901-1905; he m., 13 Aug., 1874, Maria Georgiana Waller, eld. dau. of Rev. Robert Plume Waller, M.A., Vicar of S. Michael and All Angels, Bromley-by-Bow, co. Midd. ; she was b. 29 Oct., 18 50, d. 1

Nov., I 900, and is buried at Maxey. They had issue, VIII. i. Henry Ravenhill Sweet-

WALTER DEBENHAM SWEETING, M.A.,

ANNO JETATIS LXVII.


ing, b. 6 June, 1875, M.A. of Jesus College, Cambridge, Bell University Scholar, Mathematical Master at Liverpool College.

ii. Alfred Debenham Sweeting, b. 27 July, 1876; m., 20 May, 1905, Margaret D'Oyley Robinson, 2nd dau. of Rev. Francis Watson Robinson, M.A. of Worcester College, Oxford, Rector of Paston, co. N orthants.

iii. Herbert Waller Sweeting, b. 1 o Feb., I 879.

iv. Walter Bigsby Sweeting, b. 16 May, 1880.

v. Gerard Talbot Sweeting, b. 15 May, I 884.

vi. Mary Sweeting, b. 9 Oct., 1877, m., 10 Nov., 1897, Jesse Monk, of Maxey : they have issue, IX. i. Bernard Jesse

Sweeting Monk, b. 4 Mar., 1904.

11. Phyllis Mary Monk,b.20 Mar., 1899.


vii. Margaret Sweeting,b. 19 Feb., I 882,m. at Wallington, co. Surr., 2 I Apr., 1906, Arthur Habgood Barnes, of Wakefield, co. York, Solicitor, 2nd son of the late Charles Boom Barnes, of Brackley, co. N orthants : they have issue, IX i. Douglas Hab

good Barnes, b. 30 Mar., 1909.

VII. iv. Fanny Sweeting, b. I 3 Dec., 1835, d. 3 Jan., 18 38, bu. at Kensal Green.

v. Sarah Elizabeth Sweeting, of Eastbourne, b.- 14 Jan., 1841.

VI. xi. Jemima Debenham, b. 15 Aug., 1800, d. at Worcester, 2 Jan., 1882; she m. Joseph Bennett, of 33, High Street, Worcester, ~ho d. 26 Nov., 1862, aged 62 : they had issue, VII. i. William Bennett, b. 19 Apr., 1828,

of Banavie, Green Hill, W orcester ; m., 2 3 Sep., 1856, Elizabeth Arundel Griffiths : they had issue, VIII. i. Arundel Bennett, b. 26

Mar., 1858 ; m. at Worcester, I 5 July, I 908, Lavinia Ann Hollister Short.


ii. Henry Martyn Bennett, b. 14. Aug., 18 59.

iii. Charles Bennett, b. 1 3 Dec., 1860, accidentally killed at school, 12 Nov., 1875.

iv. William George Bennett, LL.B., Lond., b. 2 July, 1868 ; m. Jessie Maude Lucy Deakin.

v. Mary Bennett, m., 16 Aug., 188 3, Samuel Wellesley Coombs, of Worcester, F.R.C.S. : they had issue, IX. i. William Gordon

Coombs, b. 1 8 May, 1884.

ii. Debenham Stuart Coombs, b; 14Feb., 1891.

iii. Muriel Mary Coombs, d. 28 Oct., 1900, aged 14.

iv. Evelyn Hilda Coombs.

v. Kathleen Mar-garet Ellen Coombs.

vi. Marion Elspeth Coombs,b. and d. 189 5·

vii. Helen Arundel Coombs.

5


VII. ii. Montague Bennett, d. inf. iii. John Hodges Bennett, b. 30 Nov.,

18 32, d. at Manchester, June, 1873; m. Ellen Woolnough, who d. 1861 : they had one daughter who d. inf.

iv. Charles Debenham Bennett, b.July, 1 8 3 5, sometime in Indian Army, d. in New Zealand, March, 1 904; he married Jessie Dunlop : they had issue, VIII. i. Charles Bennett, m.

ii. Hugh Bennett. iii. Bruce Bennett. iv. Ruby Bennett, dee. v. Violet Bennett, m., with

family. vi. Madeline Bennet, m.,

1905, John Murphy; ,she has two children.

vii. Daisy Bennett. v. Thomas Joseph Bennett, b. March,

18 39 ; m. Mary Edwards : they had issue, VIII. i. Charles Bennett,

ii. Mary Bennett, m., 3 Sep., 1907,E. Oswell Williams.

iii. Ethel Bennett, m., has one son and one dee.

iv. Lilian Bennett, b. 26 Oct., 1882,d. 11 Mar., I 908.

vi. Brownlow Dove Bennett, d. at Christ's Hospital, Hertford, 12

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 35 Nov., I 8 5 r, aged 9; bu. at Worcester.

vii. Elizabeth Bennett, d. inf. viii. Mary Ellen Bennett, b. March,

I 8 37, m. George White, who d. suddenly at Worcester, 3 1 Dec., 1907 ; he had married again and had one daughter : Mary Ellen White, d. at Plymouth, 1

Dec., 1890 : no issue.

The earliest instance of the surname that has been noted occurs in the twelfth century, in 12 Hen. II., i. e., 1 I 6 5-6. \Ve find at that date Lucas de Debenham mentioned. He also appears, a few years later, as a man of some importance, for he "neither went to Ireland nor sent money." In a passage dealing with the Arrears of Scutage answered by Knights of Norfolk and Suffolk, Madox, in his " History of the Exchequer", p. 438, quoting from "Mag. Rot. 20

H. 2 ", gives these words :-" De Scutagio Militum qui nee abierunt in H yberniam nee denarios illuc miserunt ... Lucas de Debeham [sic] r[ eddit] c[ ompotum] de xl" de Scutagio. " More than a century elapses before we come across the name again.

Vol. xxxiv of Davy's Suffolk Collections (Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 1911 o) has some 1 50 folio pages descriptive of the town of Debenham. There is a full account of the Church, with copies of inscriptions and sketches of coats of arms, but the surname Debenham never appears there. Only two instances of the surname occur in the whole account. One is in a deed, undated, in which Jocelinus de Debenham, Clericus, makes a grant to John de Ulvestone ; and the other, dated 1 5 Jan. 4 Edw. I. (i.e. A. D. 1276),


in which Walter, son of Gilbert de Debenham, makes a grant to John de Ulveston, probably the same. This is the earliest instance that has been discovered of the Christian name Gilbert, which occurs so constantly in later years.

In the Calendar of Patent Rolls, in I 279, is a note of a Commission granted " to Robert de Bosco, Henry de Ringehale, William de Tirington, and Bartholomew de Atingham, to deliver the gaol of Norwich of Gilbert de Debeham taken and imprisoned there for the death of William Woolecok and other trespasses." In 1297, in a list of Protections to Clergy in the same Calendar, William de Debenham is named as Vicar of the church of Westhanneye: this place is in Berkshire, a few miles from Wantage. At the head of the pedigree given hereafter is the name of Peter de Debenham, of Acton, co. Suffolk, who was living in 33 Edw. I., i.e., 1304-5. The authority for this date is found in the Patent Rolls; 1 3 o 5, I 4 May, where we find recorded a licence, in consideration of a fine made before the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, Treasurer, and the Barons of the Exchequer, by John, son of John de Hodebovik, for him to enfeoff Peter de Debenham and Roger de Hodebovik of two parts of the manor of Aketon, and, after the death of Agnes, late the wife of John de Hodebovik, who holds the other third in dower, of that third, for them to re-enfeoff the said John and Hilaria his wife of the whole. The Inquisition post mortem of this Peter occurs in I 309-1 o, 3 Edw. II.

Another homicide occurs in 1307 in the case of Robert Debenham, to whom a pardon was granted in that year, dated at Carlisle, for the death of Michel de Carleel, " he having been pardoned the same,


I 8 March, 32 Edward I., in consideration of his service in Scotland. "

In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries we find several beneficed clergy of the name. I 3 o 3 Stephen de Debenham, Rector of Brisley. I 3 1 7 Edmund de Debenham, Rector of Kilver-

stone. 1 349 John de Debenham, Rector of S. Etheldred,

Thetford. I 3 87 Robert Debenham, Rector of Antingham. I 39 I John de Debenham, Rector of Feltwell. 1473 John Debenham, Rector of North Creak.

All these places are in Norfolk. In these centuries there were also many members

of the family who rose to some eminence ; and not only took their share in various public offices, but also held appointments at the King's Court, and were entrusted with important military duties : some were also involved in the political troubles of the Wars of the Roses. The branch of the family that supplied most persons of note to the public service had its headquarters at Little Wenham, a village about six miles from Ipswich.

Little Wenham Hall, now sometimes called The Castle, to distinguish it from a modern adjacent farm-house, is still a building of great interest. It is fully described, with engravings, in Turner's " Domestic Architecture of the Middle Ages. " There are several notices of it in the " Glossary of Architecture," from which the following passages are taken. " Little Wenham Hall, Suffolk, about A.O. 1 260, is a very early instance of the use of brick, the main walls of the House being of that material, except the lower part, where flint and stone are intermixed. The building has at one time been


larger, but it seems highly probable that what now remains formed the whole of the original house. It consists of four rooms and a chapel, thus arranged : two long rooms, one over the other, the lower one vaulted, the upper one having the only fire-place in the building : at the east side of these, and ranging with the north end, is a small vaulted room ; over that the chapel, also vaulted, and another small room over that, rising higher than the upper large room, in the form of a tower : there is a very narrow turn pike stair communicating with these two small rooms and the chapel, but it seems probable that the prin.,. cipal access to the upper large room was by an external flight of stairs at the south-west angle. " (p. I 68.)

"The earliest building known to exist in this country, built with bricks resembling the modern or Flemish brick, is Little Wenham Hall in Suffolk, which is of about the date 1260 : these are about nine and three quarter inches long, four and three quarter inches wide, and two and a quarter inches thick ; in colour they are palerthan ordinary red bricks, but are redder than the common white brick of Suffolk : part of the chancel of the parish church is also built with bricks of the same kind, and corresponds in style with the hall. " (p. 94.). Engravings are given of the mouldings of one of the windows ; of a narrow aperture through which cross-bowmen discharged their arrows; and of a fenestral, one of the little two-light windows between the large upper room and the chapel, both of which retain the original wooden shutters, with their hinges. The date assigned, 1 2 60, is possibly a few years too early, as we may take it for granted that the Hall was erected by Peter de Debenham, originally of Acton, the first named in the annexed pedigree, who was dead in 3 Edw. III, A.D. 1 309-1 o


The Manor of Wenham was one only of several, six or eight at least, of which the Debenhams were the lords. In the British Museum Library are many manuscripts that testify to the importance of the family in the county of Suffolk. One of them (Add. MSS. 19126) contains genealogical and other particulars of most of the old Suffolk families. The Debenham family is discussed at considerable length. In addition to a large number of quotations about different persons of the name, there is given a pedigree of the Wenham branch, extending over 200 years. It gives, however, only the heads of the family, and does not name any of the cadets. With one or two slight corrections of manifest errors, and with a few additional facts, this pedigree is as on p. 40.

It will be observed that this pedigree only professes to give in each generation the name of the one member of the family who was a direct ancestor of the last Sir Gilbert Debenham. The numerous persons of the name in Suffolk are in all probability descended from younger sons of this same line. Also it is to be noted that, with the single exception of the reference to the Probate Court at Norwich, no authorities are given. This, of course, renders it very difficult to verify the facts. It seems now almost impossible, for instance, to distinguish with accuracy the several Gilberts. A great effort has been made to do this, but with only partial success. There are five of this Christian name in succession, of whom all but the first are called Knights.

Now there does not exist any authorised Register of Knights. The best printed book on the subject is "The Knights of England" by Dr. W. A. Shaw. But he points out that the non-existence of any official register creates an enormous difficulty in

40 THE DEBENHAM FAMILY Peter de Debenham, of Acton, co.= Suff. Living 33 Edw. I. 1305. Inq. p.m. 3 Edw. II. _______ _.

Thomas de Debenham, of Wenham

1 co. Suff.

I Gilbert de Debenham, of Wenham=Mary, executrix of her husband's Parva. Will, 35 Edw. III. 1361; will. proved at Norwich 7 June 1374,

Haydone, 44a.

Sir Gilbert de Debenham, of Wen-= Jane, dau. of Sir John Jernegan, ham, Kt., High Sheriff of Suffolk of Somerleyton, Kt. 18 Ric. II. 1395.

Sir Gilbert de Deb.enham, of Wen-=I Margaret, dau. of Sir Edward ham, Kt., d. 148 r. Hastings, of Gressenhall, co.

Norf. Kt.

I Sir Gilbert Debenham, of Wen-=Elizabeth, dau. and heir of Sir ham, Kt., of full age in 1481. Thomas Holbrook, Kt.

Sir Gilbert Debenham of Wen- ==Katherine, dau. of Sir William ham, Kt., son and heir. Attainted Plumpton, of Plumpton, co. 3 Hen. VII, 1487; d.s.p. 1500. York;d. 10. Edw. IV. 1470.

She was widow of William, Lord Zouche of Harringworth, who d. 14 Jan. 1468.

I Sir Thomas Brewse, of Whitting-=Elizabeth Debenham, heir to her tonHall,Fressingfield,Kt.,d.17 June brother Sir Gilbert Debenham. 1482. Buried at Woodbridge Pri- Buried at Woodbridge Priory. ory. Will dated 1479. 2nd wife.

John Brewse

Edward Brewse

William Brewse of Fressingfield; d. and buried there 1489.

(These three by first wife, Elizabeth, dau. of Sir Nicholas Stapleton, of Weybred, co. Suff.)

Robert = Katherine, dau. of Brewse Sir John Wingfield, of Wen- of Letheringham, ham co. Sufi.

FROM A BRASS IN LITTLE WENHAM CHURCH.

BREWSE IMPALING DEBENHAM.


compiling a list in any degree trustworthy. He has attempted to produce one, derived from an immense number of manuscript authorities, and from notices in the public records. The practice of creating knights by " dubbing " was only introduced in England about the middle of the thirteenth century. About 1 50 years later knighthoods were sometimes more of the nature of a burden than an honour. It was probably found that the fees payable, or the fines for refusing, would form a source of revenue. So we find, in February 1 392, that King Richard II. issued a proclamation calling upon every inhabitant of the City of London, whose property for the last three years was worth £40 in land or rent, to take upon himself the honour of knighthood (Sharpe's ,c London and the Kingdom," i. 240). A similar order, not confined to London, was made in 1626, which was notoriously occasioned by the pecuniary straits of the King and his party. Documents in the Exchequer shew that by Michaelmas Term, 163 1, no less a sum than £128,728. 6s. 6d. had been received as fines from persons who declined to be knighted.

Of the four members of the family named in the foregoing pedigree as Sir Gilbert Debenham one only occurs in Shaw's list. There is, indeed, a second, but as he is expressly stated to have been knighted in r 5 o 3, and as in the pedigree the last Sir Gilbert is said to have died in I 500, there is here something that needs explanation.

In Shaw's book we read that in 1426, on 19 May, Gilbert Debenham was created K.B. ·" After the battle of Verneuil (Aug., r 424), the duke of Bedford came over into England, and on Whitsuntide in 1426 at Leicester [ at a Pa_rliament he]d there] he dubbed King Henry VI. Knight, and forthwith the said King

6


dubbed the following 44 knights. Prior to this ceremony writs had been issued dated from Leicester, I 426, May 4, to 24 out of the following 44 knights commanding them to present themselves at Leicester at the coming feast of Pentecost to receive the dignity of knighthood along with the King. "

That Gilbert Debenham was one of the 24 to whom writs had been issued appears from Rymer, X. 357, where we read:-" De ordine Militari una cum Rege suscipiendo. Man[ datum] est Gilberto Debenham, quod veniat ad praesentiam Regis ad Villam Leycestrire in festo Pentec. pro ibidem una secum suspiciendo in se Ordinem Militarem. "

In Shaw's book we are further told that in I 503, between Easter and Whitsuntide, in the King's chamber at Baynard's Castle, six gentlemen were made knights, one of them being Gilbert Debenham.

From what has been said above the absence of the name of a gentleman believed to have been a knight from these lists is no proof that he might not, in fact, have been rightly so c.alled. . Before attempting to distinguish precisely the various Gilbert Debenhams, it may be well to give some of the authorities which bear upon the question.

In the Parliamentary Papers, published 1 878, etc., of Members returned to serve in Parliament, the following occur among the Members for the County of Suffolk :-

1432

Radulph us Ramsey } Gilbertus Debenham Robertus Wyngfeld', miles et chivaler } Gilbertus Debenham', armiger Robertus Wyngefeld', miles } Gilbertus Debenham, armiger


Robertus Wyngefeld, miles } Gilbertus Debenham, armiger Johannes Harleston', armiger } Gilbertus Debenham

1448_9

Philippus Wentworth\ armiger } Gilbertus Debenham, armiger Philippus Wentworth', miles }

145 2 -3 Gilbertus Debynham, armiger

And these among the Members for Ipswich Borough:-

1 397 Johannes Bernard' } Willielmus Debenham Willielmus Debenham } 1414 Johannes Rous Willielmus Debenham } 1417 Jacobus Andrewe Willielmus Debenham } 1419 Jacobus Andrewe

1421 Jacobus Andrewe } Willielmus Debenham

1436-7 Willielmus Debenham } Johannes Smith

1450 Gilbertus Debenham, armiger } Johannes Smyth'

1455 Johannes Tym pyrlee } Gilbertus Debenham, junior

In no instance is Gilbert Debenham called " miles." There are very numerous references in the Paston

Letters to three Gilbert Debenhams. The edition used for the extracts that follow is Gairdner's 6-vol. edition, 1 904. The three are indexed as :-

44 THE DEBENHAM FAMILY Debenham, Gilbert. Debenham, Gilbert, the younger, knighted before

I 46 5, father of Elizabeth Brews. Debenham, Sir Gilbert, son of the preceding, and

uncle of Margery Paston. A footnote to a letter from lvlargery Paston to Sir

John Paston, 10 Feb., 1489, in which she speaks of " myn unkyll Syr Gylberd Debnam, " says, " Sir Thomas Brews, Margery Paston's father, took for his second wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Giles, and sister of Sir Gilbert Debenham. " This mention of Sir Giles agrees with notices in the Norfolk historian, Blome-field, but not with the entries in the index, as above. Whether the name Giles is a mistake or not will be considered hereafter. Meanwhile it may be noted that those letters give undoubted proof of the existence of a knight, Sir Gilbert Debenham, not entered in Shaw's lists. It may be mentioned that after the first publication of the Paston Letters some little doubt was thrown upon their authenticity, on various grounds; and accordingly the Society of Antiquaries set itself to enquire minutely into all the evidence, with the result that the genuineness of the Letters was most conclusively established.

In Gairdner's Introduction, pp. 209, etc., we have the following :-

" John Paston's enemies, acting in several ways, had done their worst. While the news of his dispute with Howard [Sir John Howard, Sheriff of Norfolk] was reported to the King [Edward IV.] in the most unfavourable terms, Judge Yelverton (he had been made Sir William Yelverton at the coronation) and William Jenney entered Sir John Fastolf's manor of Cotton in Suffolk, and distrained upon the tenants for rent. John Paston's faithful servant, Richard

FROM A BRASS IN LITTLE WENHAM CHURCH.

BREWSE AND DEBENHAM, QUARTERLY, IMPALING SCROPE AND

TIPTOFT, QUARTERLY.


Calle, at first interrupted their proceedings, and when Jenney went to hold a court at Cotton, entered the place before he came, along with Paston's eldest son. By Calle's activity and watchfulness the court was holden in Paston's name, although it had been summoned in Jenney's ; and young John Paston next day, to requite the enemy for the trouble they had occasioned, took with him thirty men, and rode to Jenney's place, where he carried off thirty-six head of neat, and brought them into Norfolk. This was a bold exploit, for the enemy had threatened to drag him and Calle out of the place by violence ; but Calle still remained, and twelve men with him, and kept possession for five whole days, during which time he visited the farmers and tenants of the manor, and ascertained that they were all well disposed towards Paston, and would pay no money to any one else. But, unfortunately, just at this point came the summons to Paston, which he did not dare to disobey ; and his opponents knew how to profit by his absence and imprisonment in London. Yelverton and Jenney did not reenter the manor themselves ; but Jenney sold his interest in it to one Gilbert Debenham, who intended to give it to his son, Sir Gilbert, for a dwellinghouse. Accordingly, by the encouragement of Jenney and Debenham, a body of unknown men took possession of the place, and garrisoned it against all comers as strongly as they could. They broke the drawbridge over the moat, so that no one could enter the place except by means of a ladder. They melted lead, and damaged the property in various ways, while John Paston was a prisoner in the Fleet. At the same time Yelverton and Jenney took proceedings against Richard Calle. They succeeded in getting him imprisoned upon an indictment for felony in


Norfolk ; and, fearing lest he should be acquitted on that charge, they ' certified instructions ' against him in the King's Bench, and sent the sheriff a writ to bring him up to London in the beginning ofN ovember.

"But before the day that Richard Calle was to appear in the King's Bench John Paston was delivered from the Fleet, and his adversary Howard was sent to prison in his place. "

In further pursuing the account the writer says that the king was much interested in the dispute, and was anxious for justice and fair dealing. It appears that Sir Gilbert Debenham was in possession of the manor of Cotton in April, 1 467 ; and occupied it for some years undisturbed.

It is perhaps impossible now to ascertain the rights of the dispute. It is clear that several members of the Debenham family were involved in the political unrest of the period, and took part in the Wars of the Roses. They were all Y orkists.

Other notices in the Paston Letters are these :-14 5 I Letter from Debenham, Tymperley, and

White to John Paston. Date conjectured. In index the first-named is called Gilbert. John Tympyrlee, apparently the second of these three, was Member for Ipswich Borough, in 14 5 5, together with Gilbert Debenham, junior, who must have been the man afterwards knighted.

145 2 Draft of ' Parties in Norfolk ' has :-" Item that Debenham, Lee, Tymperle, and his old counseyl and attendans, as well as the good ladijs servawntys, be avoydyd, and Tymperle of malys apelyd for treason. "

1454 Gilbert Debenham one of the persons who informed the Justices of the King's Bench

1455


last term of such riots as had been done by Robert Ledham.

11 June. Abstract ofletter from Sir John Fastolf to John Paston. "Wentworth has got Debenham, Radclyff, and others in my Lord's house against us. "

Account of the quarrel at Cotton manor described in the introduction. The holders of the premises against Paston made them as strong as they could by the " supportacion of Jeney and Debenham, and hys sone ; for they seye that Jeney hath sold the lyflod [livelihood] on to Debynham, and that bys son the knyth [knight] shall dwell there."

3 July. J. Daubeney to John Paston. About the victualling of a ship. One Edmonds understood " old Debnam " had I oo bullocks to sell, which he wanted to buy towards provisioning the Mary Talbot. But " young Debnam " objected, saying that he wanted some of them for victualling the Barge of Yarmouth. (In the Patent Rolls, 146 1,

Gilbert Debenham, the younger, is one of six persons in a Commission to take a ship called le Barge of Y ernemuth, otherwise le George .... for service in the King's fleet.)

Feb. or Mar. Margaret Paston to John Paston. More about the dispute. An editorial note says that it appears, from a letter of John Paston in this year to John Pampymg and others, " that a writ was issued, evidently at the suit of Debenham, against John Paston, junior, and the other agents of his father in Suffolk. From the present paper it would seem that John Paston also instituted a pros-


ecution on behalf of his tenants against Debenham. We shall find by later letters that these suits were going on in I 46 3, and were not terminated in the beginning of the following year. "

I46 5 2 7 Sep. Long letter from Margaret Paston to John Paston. Mentions " Sir Thomas Brews, Debunham the fadre, and the knyt his sonne. "

Undated, but between r 487 and I 502, is a letter from the Earl of Oxford to Sir John Past on. Sir John Howard, Kt., and Sir Gilbert Debenham, Kt., were gathering great fellowship of men, intending to " take stresses of the Lady Roos, " and with probable designs of setting in Coton, " and to gete it if they may ; " urging Sir John to send certain men to guard it. (This seems to shew that Howard and Debenham had become reconciled, and that Debenham had been ousted from Cotton Hall.)

In the Calendar of Patent_ Rolls are numerous references to the family. In addition to a few already quoted are the following, which are given according to date. I 337 Incomplete commission on a "complaint

by Thomas de Debenham, merchant of I pswich, touching a ship of his lately arrested for the King's service. "

I 349 Gilbert de Debenham rn Commission of Peace for Suffolk.

r 350 I 2 Feb. Commission of Oyer and Ter-miner issued to four justices, of whom Gilbert de Depenham (sic) is one, touching a complaint of breaking into a house, etc., at Aspale, co. Suff.

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 49 135 o 1 2 Sep. A like commission to five justices,

Gilbert de Debenham being one, touching a similar complaint at Gaysele, Rysby, and Barowe, co. Suff. (Gazeley, Risby, Barrow.)

1350 I 8 Nov. Commission to six persons, Gilbert de Debenham being one, concerning an ordinance relating to the dearth of servants by reason " of the deadly pestilence " (i.e., the Black Death).

1350 22 Nov. Gilbert de Debenham a party to an alienation in mortgage of four messuages to the Prior and Austin Friars of Oxford.

1350 6 Dec. Gilbert de Depenham (sic) on a commission of five persons to enquire as to the shipping of wool " not cocketed or customed " in .counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. There are more commissions of like character in 1351 and 1353.

135 I I 8 Nov. Robert de Ufford, Earl of Suf-folk, going beyond seas, nominated John de Wyngfeld," chivaler, "and Gilbert de Debenham, as his attorneys for one year.

1 378 1 o May. Inspeximus and confirmation, in favour of John Parker, whom the King has retained to stay with him, of letters patent dated 20 Oct., 50 Edw. III., being a grant to him, for life, of the custody of the fair of Redewynd across the water of Thames by Certeseye (Chertsey), in the room of William Debenham deceased. By the Great Council.

1394 14 Oct. Writ of aid for William Deben-ham appointed as deputy by the King's chief butler in the ports of Ipswich and Colchester.

1401 27 May. Thomas Debenham was one of a

7

50

1431

1433

1 439

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY

large number of men complained of by Matilda de Veer, Countess of Oxford (two of whom were monks and one a chaplain), because they " and other evildoers went armed to her mansion at Earl's Colne, co. Essex, tooke her close, park, and certain chests there, entered her free warren, hunted in her park and warren, besieged her in her mansion, and threatened her with arson and other evils, so that for a long time she dared not leave it, fished in her stews and several fishery there, carried off fish, deer, hares, rabbits, pheasants and partridges, and charters, writings and other muniments concerning her right and inheritance and the right of the King after her death, assaulted, bound and ill-treated her men and servants, threw some of them in ditches and detained them until they delivered up six horses of hers worth 20/. and goods and chattels. "

William Debenham; of London, brings action against John Skay, of Gloucester, for debt of 40s.

I 2 Nov. Licence to enfeoff Gilbert Debenham, esq., John Tumour, clerk, Thomas Granger, cler~, Robert Deye and William Cosyn, and their heirs, in the manor of Benteley, co. Suff.

William Debenham in Commission of Peace for Ipswich. Again in 1438.

A John Debenham at Witham, co. Essex. 143 9, 1440. Gilbert Debenham in five Commissions of Peace for Suffolk.

1 o July. Sheen Manor. General pardon to Gilbert Debenham of Pildewenham or

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 51 Lytelwenham, co. Suffolk, esquire or "gentilman, " indicted of felonies, whereof he is innocent, in the county of Lancaster, where he has never been, and in divers other counties of England, so numerous that, while labouring for his acquittance in one, he might easily be outlawed in another. By privy seal.

I 440 2 Sep. Dogmersfield. Commision to Wil-liam Drury, Kt., and eight others to arrest Gilbert Debenham, esquire, and to bring him before the King in Chancery, to answer certain charges brought against him.

I 461 Gilbert Debenham named ( once Debynham) in four commissions issued this year.

1461 Gilbert Debenham the elder in a commission to urge the King's subjects in Suffolk, Essex, and Hertford, to raise a :fleet of six ships fully equipped with men at arms and archers to the number of seven hundred.

1461 I 3 Mar. Gilbert Debenham the younger has grant for life of the office of clerk of the muster of the household with the accustomed fees.

1 46 I 1 2 Oct. He is concerned in a grant of a messuage in Mendelsham.

1461 18 Nov. John Debbenham, late of Eye, co. Suffolk, draper, sued for debt of£ 11. r 5s. od. owing to John Senycle alias Senekyll, citizen and haberdasher of London.

r 46 1 Gilbert Debenham the elder in Commis-sions of Peace for Suffolk in 1461 (twice), 1462, 1463, 1464, and 1465.

1469 24 Mar. Dogmersfield. Pardon to Gil-bert Debenham, Kt., and Katharine late wife of William Zouche, Kt., tenant in chief


(Lord Zouche of Harringworth), of their trespass in intermarrying without licence. By privy seal.

1470 1 5 May. Pardon of outlawry to Thomas Young, late of Ipswich, for not appearing, etc., touching debts, one of£ 3 2 being owed to Gilbert Debenham, esq.

1470 28 Nov. Pardon of outlawry to Stephen Debenham of Hoxen, co. Suff., yeoman, for not appearing, etc., in the matter of a debt of 4 marks due to the Bishop of Norwich. An exactly similar pardon 29 Nov. 1473.

1472 7 Mar. Westminster. "Commission of array to George, duke of Clarence, Richard, duke of Gloucester, John, duke of Norfolk, John, duke of Suffolk, Henry, earl of Essex, Robert Wyngfeld, knight, John Wyngfeld, knight, Gilbert Debenham, knight, John Heveningham, knight, Thomas Brews, knight, William Brandon, knight, Gilbert Debenham, esquire, John Saliard, James Hobert and the sheriff, in the county of Suffolk. "

1472 10 May. A similar Commission includes the names of Gilbert Debenham, knight, and Gilbert Debenham, esquire, in the county of Suffolk, for defence against the King's enemies, French, Easterling, and others.

On same date a similar Commission for the county of Norfolk includes Gilbert Debenham, esquire, but not Gilbert Debenham, knight.

1472 28 April. Grant to Gilbert Debenham, knight, one of the King's coroners, and Gilbert Debenham, esquire, of the custody of certain manors in Gloucestershire and Wilt-

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 53 shire, and of land in Dorset, " which Katharine late the wife of the said Gilbert and sometime the wife of William Zouche, knight, late lord of Zouche and Seymor, to her and the said William her husband and his heirs;" also custody of a manor in Dorset, manor and advowson of nunnery of Cornworthy, co. Devon, and manor in Somerset, which she had in dower.

1473 12 Feb. Pardon of outlawry to Gilbert Debenham, late of Little Wenham, co. Suff., Kt., for not appearing, etc., as to two debts owing to William Woodward, citizen and goldsmith of London, £29. 16s. 3d., and to William Bentele, citizen and grocer of London, £21.

1473 I 8 Aug. Commission as to moneys due to the King from lands, etc., unpaid through neglect for a long time. That for Suffolk includes name of Gilbert Debenham, not described as knight or esquire.

147 4 5 Aug. Grant for life to Gilbert Deben-ham, knight, of the office of chancellor of Ireland, " receiving the accustomed fees with all other profits pertaining to the office in the same manner as every one else had in the office. "

147 4 15 Aug. Commission to certain men" to take ships and vessels for the conduct of certain men at arms and archers whom the King had ordered to be sent to Ireland in the employ of Gilbert Debenham, King's knight, to resist the King's enemies and rebels there, and masters and mariners for the same. "

1474 22 Aug. Office of steward of the Liberty


of the county of Meath granted to Gilbert Debenham, Kt.

1474 20 Oct. Commission to certain persons " to take muster of the King's knight Gilbert Debenham and 400 archers in his company whom the King has ordered to be sent to Ireland in any place near the city of Chester " on 9 Sep. or in three days and to certify accordingly.

1475 23 Apr. Commission to arrest certain persons "who have received the King's wages from Gilbert Debenham to come for the King in Ireland in his company, but have not yet come to the King's service. "

1476 8 Feb. Pardon to Gilbert Debenham, late of London, knight, for his outlawry in the county of Middlesex for not appearing before the King to answer for certain trespasses and rescues of which he was charged by the return of Robert Morley, one of the servants of William Brandon, knight, marshal of the Marshalsea, he having - surrendered to the Marshalsea prison, as Thomas Billyng, knight, chief justice of the King's Bench, has certified.

A few other notices are to be found in the Patent Rolls between 1 30 I and 1 500 ; but they are either repetitions of what has already been given, or of no special interest.

An early fourteenth-century instance of the name occurs in the Close Rolls in I 3 Io, 3 Edw. II. It places a Debenham at Sawtry, in Huntingdonshire, a district with which the family is not known to have been in any way connected. In that year John de Debenham, of Sautre, co., Hunt., with several

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 55 others came into the King's chancery, and "mainperned [became security J for William Sundy, in the King's prison of N eugate for divers felonies and trespasses, whom the King has pardoned the suit of his peace for the same, that damage or peril should not accrue to William de Bereford, knight, of his body or his houses or other things from the said William Sundy. "

In the Close Rolls also, between 135 o and 1360, Gilbert de Debenham occurs many times. As Justice of the Peace he received an honorarium when he discharged his duties, and this was called by the good old English name " wages. " In 135 1 a writ was issued for " payment to Gilbert de Debenham, one of the justices in Suffolk, for his wages of 5s. a day." In I 356 the Sheriff of Suffolk was authorised to pay him £Io. And in the following year also £ 1 o was to be paid him " for the wages of himself and his clerk. " In 135 9, 2 I Oct., at Sandwich, Gilbert de Debenham acknowledges that he owes to John de Grey, clerk, and John de Cavendysshe, £500; to be levied in default of payment, of his lands and chattels in Suffolk.

We find also, 28 Aug., 1483, a Commission of Oyer and Terminer in the city and suburbs of London, included Gilbert Debenham, knight.

In 1484, on 20 Oct., a Commission was issued to Gilbert Debenham, knight, John Wyngfeld, knight, Ralph Willughby, esquire, Robert Brews, the younger, William Brews, the younger, and John Brews, to arrest Thomas Hansard, esquire, and bring him before the King and council" in the quinzaine of St. Hilary next." Similar Commissions were issued in May, 148 5, and in February, 148 5-6; and there were the like directed to the mayor and sheriff of Norwich.


The information to be obtained from the Feet of Fines, Pedes Finium, is mostly of a topographical nature, relating to the situation of the estates conveyed; but occasionally the name of the wife of the freeholder is given, and that of his eldest child. A Calendar of the Feet of Fines for Suffolk has been published by Mr. Walter Rye. The frequency with which the name of Debenham occurs, about twenty-four times between I Edw. II. and 34 Hen. VI., 1 307 to 145 5, shews what considerable landed property the family possessed in the county. It is not proposed here to transcribe the particulars of the various properties and manors dealt with, as no attempt has been made to trace all the possessions of the family, a task that would involve an immense amount of tedious labour. Nor indeed can the places named or the lands described in many cases be now identified. But a few notes may be given.

It has been pointed out previously that the first instance of the occurrence of the name that has been discovered is Lucas de Debenham; in I I 6 5-6. It is curious that this is also the name of the earliest person of the name in the Feet of Fines: Lucas de Debenham, chaplain, appearing in I 307 and 1311. Stephen de Debenham (already noticed) occurs as parson of the church of Briseley, in 131 o. We find William Debenham, of Ipswich, and Margaret his wife, in 1434. In every other instance the person concerned is named Gilbert. At first it is Gilbert de Debenham, till about 1390; then without " de. " Once, I 3 8 9, we find Gilbert Debynham. Once only is any description added, " esquire " in 1 464- " Knight " or " Chevalier " is added to the names of some persons, but never

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 57 to a Debenham. Mary occurs as wife to Gilbert in 1350 and in 1360; and Margaret in 1432. Some of the Fines here noted are from other sources than Rye's Calendar.

In Hardy and Page's Calendar of Feet of Fines for London and Middlesex, i. 201, is one dealing with some premises at Fulham, in 1458-9; in which the parties are Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury, Sir Thomas Charleton, Kt., William Venour, esq., Thomas Frowyk, gentleman, Henry Waver, citizen and draper of London, Gilbert Debenham, Esq. and Agnes, his wife, who had been wife of Sir Thomas Baseley, Kt. No other mention of this lady has been found.

A few extracts from printed books bearing upon this period of the family history may now be given.

Early in the fourteenth century Debenhams appear among the citizens of London. But it is hopeless to try and give any of them a de.finite place in the Suffolk line. In the Calendars of Letter Books of the City of London, under date I I Nov., 1336, is an entry of the " Delivery of Infangenthef made before John de Pulteneye, Mayor, " and others. "John, son of Robert Peny, and Richard Ford de Tauntone taken at the suit of Thomas de Debenham, ' skynnere, ' with the mainour of a fur of ' Bevre ' and two furs of budge (bugeto) worth 20-\ which they had feloniously taken in the parish of St. Pancras in the Ward of Cheap on Tuesday after the Feast of All Saints, Io Edward III., whereof he appeals them. " They plead not guilty : tried by a jury of twelve, whose names are given, " who say on oath that the said John and Richard are guilty : Therefore [let them be] hanged. Chattels none. "

8


Again, on 20 July, 1 340, the Mayor and Aldermen allowed a Charter of Liberties to the Tailors and Linen Armourers of the City of date Io Mar. 1327. " Also it was ordained that no one of the crafts should be admitted to the freedom of the City unless certified by six " out of twenty-four persons named, one of the persons so named being John de Debenham.

1426. In the will of Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter (printed in Nichols' " Royal Wills, " p. 250), dated 29 Dec. 1426, at Greenwich, among the witnesses is

Gilberto Debenham.

And in the document is this passage : " Item volo quod Gilbertus Debenham, armiger

meus, ab omni jure et clarneo que ego aut executores mei in ipso exigere poterimus, liber existat et quietus."

1462. From Victoria History of Suffolk, ii. 176, 1 77 :-

There was a rapid change in domestic politics after the landing of York in 1462. Lancastrians were arrested, and some executed. "Sir John Clopton of Long Melford had a general pardon, turned his coat, and set about, along with Sir Thomas Waldegrave and Sir Gilbert Debenham, the raising of men and ships to defend the coasts against Margaret's Scots and French allies........ The sheriff too and his officers indicted men for their own profit, and Sir Gilbert Debenham and the under sheriff fell out over this at the Bury assizes........ The Falstof inheritance was coveted by both [the Dukes of Norfolk and of Suffolk]. The Duke of Norfolk called his adherents out of Suffolk to besiege the manor house of Caister which John Paston had

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 59 inherited from Sir John Fastolf, and Sir John Heveningham, Sir Thomas Wingfield, Sir Gilbert Debenham, and Sir William Brandon were all captains at the siege. "

The Duke of Norfolk had his court at Framlingham; the Duke of Suffolk had his at Wingfield Castle. The date of the latter part of the above extract, about the siege of Caister, is 1469. In Drury's " Notices of Great Yarmouth, " p. 1 1 2,

there are enumerated (among the chief persons present when John, Duke of Norfolk, besieged Caister Castle) :-Sir Gilbert Debenham; William Debenham, Jun'., Esq.; Robert Debenham, Esq.; and Gilbert Debenham, Sen\ Esq.

1471. From Loder's Framlingham, p. 394:" Gilbert Debenham, Esq', 1 Ed. IV, was Steward

of the Manor of Framlingham, to Thomas Mowbray, first Duke of Norfolk. He fled with K. Edw. 4 (who knighted him) to the Duke of Burgundy, when K. Henry 6. was restored to the Crown, by the Earl of Warwick (Holinsh. fo. 679.) And upon K. Edward's return, this Sir Gilbert Debenham and Sir Richard Chamberlain landed at Cromer in Norfolk, to gain intelligence how the people stood affected towards K. Edward; where they were informed, that the Duke of Norfolk, and other Gentlemen, of whom the Earl of Warwick had any suspicion to be favourers of K. Edward, were by letters of privy seal sent for, and either committed to safe Custody about London, or else forced to find sureties for their loyalty towards K. Henry. Yet these Knights were well received and entertained by their friends in that County. But the report of these circumstances caused King Edward to steer his course towards the Northern parts. And


he was after that, Steward also to John Mowbray, the last of that name, Duke of Norfolk. "

I 4 7 I. This account is derived from Blomefield, iii, 167, where a few other points are mentioned:" In this year King Edward IV. set sail for England, and went directly for the Norfolk coast, and on Tuesday, the 12th of March, towards evening, they came before Cromer, where the King sent to land, Sir Robert Chamberlain, and Sir Gilbert Debenham, Knts. the first being a Norfolk, and the second a Suffolk man born, and divers others with them, to the end they might discover how the people of those parts were affected to him : but at their return he found there was no surety for him to land there; and he then turned off to the North Parts, and landed at Ravenspurg on the Humber."

Here are two entries from Materials for a History of the reign of Henry VII. published in the Rolls Series.

148 5. 1 Dec. " Grant, for life, to Randolph Sandford, of the office of stewa_rd of the lordship. of Donyngton, co. York, · with wages such as Sir Gilbert Debenham had in the same office. 29 Nov. P.S. [Privy Seal.] No. 523."

I 486. 9 March. " General pardon to Gilbert Debenham, of the county of Su:tf. Knt. (alias Debnam, alias Debynham), and of suit of the King's peace for treasons, etc. 8 March. P.S. No. 798."

The Inquisitio post mortem, I 481-2, of Gilbert Debenham, armiger, shews that he died possessed of these manors in Norfolk; Alberowthe and Ertham; and of these manors, etc., in Suffolk :- Tatyngston, with demesne and advowson; Holbroke, advowson of chapel; Codenham, alias Briggeplace; Flixton, with advowson; Germaynes; Vaux; Gosbacke; Bury


Fee (entered again later as Burys Fee); Gipwich (Ipswich), advowson of church of S. Stephen; Mounceux; Reyden, ten' voe' Wardes; Wenham Parva, pastur' voe' Straunge; Brentwenham, ten' voe' Pokels; Bertholt, ten' voe' Shawes Fen; Gippewic (Ipswich), ten' voe' Crowland.

148 3. In the Letters and Papers of the Reigns of Richard III. and Henry VII. (Rolls Series) it is stated that the body of King Edward IV., who died at Westminster, 9 April 1483, was taken into the Abbey on I 6 April (or perhaps 17 April), beneath a rich canopy of cloth imperial fringed with gold and blue silk, which canopy was carrjed by four Knights : " and at every corner a baner [ a banner], the first of the Trenete, the which was borne by Sir Henry Ferris, the seconde of Our Lady, borne by Sir J amys Radcliff, the third of Saint George, borne by Sir George Browne, the iiij of Saint Edward borne by Sir Gilbert Debynham." After many divine offices the corpse was taken to Charing and Syon, and the next day to Windsor. " And there was a great wache that nyght by great lordys, knyghtes, esquiers for the body, gentilmen usshers, and other whose names ensue," etc. Among these names is Sir Gilbert Debeham (sic), who was one of the watchers " without the herse."

It is well known that one of the chief sources of genealogical information is to be found in old wills. Very unfortunately, for the present purpose. the books in the Probate Court of the Archdeaconry of Sudbury, which reach back to the year I 3 50, have no indexes till I 520. And only one or two of the books have lists of testators. It would be certain that in them would be found much information about the family. A very few instances


only, up to the end of the :fifteenth century, have been noted. The mention of Gilbert Debenham in the will of Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, 1426, has already been given (p. 58.) The will of Gilbert Debenham, of Wenham Parva, · was dated there on Friday next after the Feast of Beheading of S. John the Baptist, 3 5 Edw. III. This Feast was 29 Aug. 1361. The will was proved twice. A quotation from its commencement is given in Add. MSS. 19126. The executors were his wife Mary, Sir Ralph de Hemenhale, and others. " In Dei N omine Amen. Ego Gilbertus de Debenham condo testamentum meum in hunc modum. Imprimis lego Deo, etc., animam etc., et corpus meum sepeliendum in ecclesia Omni um Sanctorum de Wenham Parva, et hoc in pariete in parte australi dicte Ecclesie, etc. Probatum 1° !2 Oct. 1371. Iterum probatum 7 June 1374."

In the south wall of the nave of Little Wenham Church, there is a handsome canopy over a plain uninscribed tomb. This is commonly spoken of · as the Founder's Tomb : but from the passage just quoted it seems almost certain that it was erected in memory of Gilbert de Debenham, father of Sir Gilbert, the High Sheriff. The Church itself is of late 13th century date : but the character of this tomb marks it as belonging to the late Decorated period : and this corresponds exactly with the date of the will, while its situation, in the south wall, agrees with the directions as to the place of interment.

In the Court of the Archdeaconry of Suffolk, between 1444 and 1455, is the will of Margaret Debenham (fo. 28); and between 1458 and 1477 are those of William Debnam, of Rushmer (fo. 147),

MONUMENT IN LITTLE WENHAM CHURCH,

TO GILBERT DEBENHAM, A.D. 1371.


and Robert Debnam, of Copdoke (fo. 226). But these have not been examined.

In P. C. C., 290 Milles, is the will of Isabel Edwards, c. 1489, in which the testatrix speaks of Sir Gylbert Debenham, Kt., my son-in-law. This, according to the usage of the time, may mean either son-in-law, or step-son. No other reference to the name Edwards as associated with the Debenhams has been discovered.

In the Record office is a will thus described in the Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Deeds. "Essex. A 6522. Will of Anne Debnam, leaving her body to be buried where the lady Alice Davy, the prioress of Wekys [Wykes] shall please; also bequeaths 6s. 8d. to each of the sisters of the said priory, and the same amount to Sir Henry Fytton, the rest of her estate to be disposed of by the said prioress for the soul of the testatrix, and specially for the support of a chaplain to celebrate for her in the said priory, etc., the said prioress to be her executrix. " Dated 2 r Feb. r 48 o : proved 1 3 March.

In the same Catalogue, temp. Edw. II., John Debynham the elder occurs in the enfeoffment of some land at Boreham. Gilbert de Debenham occurs in r 356 and 1 359. In 1401 is a grant by John Arnold, of Ipswich, to Thomas Brounflet, knight, John Staverton, Robert Bukton, and William Debenham, of Ipswich, of two pieces of land, one called Collescroft, and one called Depedale. In the same year is a release by Thomas Spaldyng, of Ipswich, of all right in the same land, to the same. In 1415 William Debenham and Hugh Hoo were Bailiffs of Ipswich. In a deed undated (part only being in existence) but temp. Hen. VI., William Debenham, of Ipswich, is mentioned as deceased.


In 1459 and in 1461 Gilbert Debenham, the elder, is named. And in 148 I is a grant of land in Stradzell, co. Suff,, to which Robert Debynham is to deliver seisin.

Among the Stowe MSS. are two charters connected with the family. One, 1 9 May, 1407, is a lease from William dil Fen, of Ipswich, to Gilbert de Debenham and others, of three tenements in the parish of S. Laurence, Ipswich. The other, 8 May, 1431, is a feoffment from Sir William Phelypp, and others, to William Debenham, and others, of land in Stoke by Ipswich.

Here follow a few miscellaneous notes. 1414 Gilbert Debenham occurs in a grant of

the manor of Stanefield Hall, among the charters of the Rookwood family.

John Debenham, M.P. for Dunwich. Katharine, daughter of Sir William Plump

ton, Kt., was first wife to William, Lord Zouche of Harringworth, 1st Baron St. Maur. He died in 1463. His widow had Weston, co. W arw., and Can worth, co. Herts., for dower, of which she died seised Io Oct., 1470, then wife of Sir Gilbert Debenham.

Commission to Sir Gilbert Debenham, Kt. to seize into the King's hands all Manors, etc., lately belonging to John Waller, of Spelhurst, co. Kent. (Harl. MSS. 433.)

Commission to the same to seize for the King a Place (i.e. a Palace or Mansionhouse) lately belonging to Sir William Brandone, Kt., in the parish of S. George Southwark. (lb.)

Commission to the Bailiffs, etc., of Harwich, co. Essex, " to ayde Sir Gilbert

FROM A MONUMENT IN LITTLE WENHAM CHURCH.

I. BREWSE 2. DEBENHAM 3• HOLBROOK

4. SHARDELOW 5. PHILDEBERT 6. UNIDENTIFIED

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 65 Debenham and Philip Bothe in the keeping of the sd towne, and to resist Rebells if they arrive there. " (lb.)

I 492 Io Feb. Sir Gilbert Debenham, Kt., at-tainted.

1496 Gilbertus Debenham, Miles, et Johannes Radclyff de Fitzwater [Lord Fitzwalter] fuerunt de alta proditione attincti. [Harl. MSS. 7 572.] (Lord Fitzwalter was executed. The date is elsewhere given as 1494.)

1500 17 July. The King (Henry VII.) granted to Elizabeth Brewes, widow, all such lands as were Gilbert Debenham's, Kt., and " do and ought to come to his handes at any time by reason of the outlawry or attainder of the sd Gilbt. " the said Elizabeth having already paid the King £ 500 for the same.

I 500 11 Sep. In the· Privy Purse expenses of King Henry VII at this date is this : " To Sir Wm. Tyler for burying of Sir Gilbert Debenham £ 1. "

There is no date to these notes :John Debenham, Esq., buried in the Black

Friars' Church, Norwich. Gilbert Debenham, Esq., and Margaret his

wife, buried at Ipswich.

It has been already pointed out that it is almost impossible to distinguish with anything like accuracy the different Gilbert Debenhams of the family history. Dates of birth are not to be found; dates of death rarely. It is nowhere stated or implied that there were ever two Sir Gilberts living at the same time; yet, if the pedigree given above is reliable, it must have been so. In studying the

9

11,, . ·, ........ .

WENHAM HALL

·.,

/

·/'"


materials given above, and in endeavouring to arrange them with respect to this particular point, much assistance has been given by Mr. W. D. Pink, an eminent antiquary who has given especial attention to the careers of Members of Parliament. In the following attempt the five Gilberts of the pedigree are distinguished by the letters, A.B.C. D.E; and a sixth, F, is added, as will be explained later. It must be clearly understood that the assigning particular acts to particular persons is in many cases founded upon conjecture only, and is not always capable of actual proof. But the result on the whole is not unreasonable, and is believed to be not very inexact. Gilbert Debenham (A) was the second of the Lords

of the Manor of Wenham Parva. He died not long before 1 2 Oct., 1371, when his will was first proved at Norwich. His wife, Mary, survived him; her maiden name is not known.

Sir Gilbert Debenham (B), his son was High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1394-5, not then being knighted. He was M.P. for Suffolk in 1402. Created K.B. at Leicester in 1426. His wife was Jane, daughter of Sir John Jernegan, of Somerleyton, Kt.

Gilbert Debenham (C), his son, was High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1427-8. M.P. for Suffolk in 1427, 1432, 1437, 1442, 1449, 1453· He was the " Old Debnam " of the Paston Letters. Though called Sir Gilbert in the pedigree he seems never to have been knighted : in the Parliamentary Returns he is always Esquire only : and in the list of his possessions in the lnq. post mortem {prev-


iously given) he is called Armiger. He died in 148 1, at which time he must have been aged. He married Margaret, daughter of Sir Edward Hastings, of Gressenhall, Kt.

In Rymer I 1.440, A.D. 1460, is a passage relating to Suffolk, in which Gilbert Debenham occurs. It does not appear whether this is (C), or (D) before he became a knight. The heading is " De Advocando et Debellando; " and the document is directed to John, Duke of Norfolk, Philip Wentworth, Kt., and " Dilectis sibi " Robert Willoughby, John Hopton, William Tyrell, Thomas Brewse, Gilbert Debenham, John Clopton, William Jessy, and Reginald Rous, against the rebels, adherents of Richard, late Earl of Warwick, " Proditori et inimico nostro."

Sir Gilbert Debenham (D), his son, was M.P. for Ipswich in 1450 and 1455. He was the " Young Debnam " of the Paston Letters, and was knighted (his father being Esquire only) c. 1465. He was Steward to Thomas and John Mowbray, Dukes of Norfolk. He accompanied King Edward IV., when Henry VI. was restored, abroad, and returned with him to England in 1471. In 1474 he was Chancellor of Ireland, and Steward of the Liberty of the County of Meath. In 1472 he is called " one of the King's carvers." He carried a banner at the funeral of Edward IV. in 148 3. He was possibly attainted at the beginning of the reign of Henry VII., but was soon restored to favour, for he had, as Gilbert Debenham, of the County of Suffolk, Kt., a general pardon " for treasons," etc., in 1486; and we find him present at


the coronation of Queen Elizabeth of York in 1487. No record of the date of his death has been discovered. He married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Holbrook, Kt.

Sir Gilbert Debenham (E), his son. Until the date of his father's death can be discovered, it is more than probable that some of the statements above made as to the father may really belong to the son. In any case it appears that the two must have been knights contemporaneously for some years. It is unlikely that the same Sir Gilbert was twice attainted, and therefore we conclude that the Gilbertus Debenham, Miles, who was attainted of High treason, circa I 49 5-6, for complicity in the Perkin Warbeck insurrection, was this son (E), and that his father (D) was then dead. We know that a Sir Gilbert died in 1 500, and that his sister, Lady Brewse, in that year purchased back the lands which had come into the King's hands through his attainder. And he must almost certainly have been the one (E) now under consideration. He died sine pro!e, an"d his sister was his heiress. He had married, so it is said, Katherine, Lady Zouche, widow of the fifth Baron (who died in 146 3); he was already knighted before 1469, for in the pardon granted to them for " their trespass in intermarrying without licence, " he is called a knight, 24 Mar. 1469; she was daughter of Sir William Plumpton, Kt., and died in I 470. We know also that the Debenham lands


thus secured by Lady Brewse remained in the Brewse family for many years ; and that her descendants quartered the Debenham arms, which they would not have been entitled to do if her brother had left any son. Most, if not all, of these five Gilberts, were at different times on the Commissions of Peace.

All this is written upon the assumption that the main facts given in the pedigree printed at p. 40 are reliable. It is however known that there are some errors in it. Gilbert (C), for instance, was not a knight. William, Lord Zouche of Harringworth, whose widow married Sir Gilbert (E), was not the 6th Baron, who died in 1468, but the fifth Baron, who died in 146 3. This appears from Cokayne's " Complete Peerage." And it has been suggested, not without probability, that the two last named Sir Gilberts (D, E,) are really one and the same man. There would be nothing improbable in a man surviving the date · of his knighthood for 3 5 years. · And in the Paston Letters, where we might expect the last three to be plainly distinguished, there does not seem to be any clear evidence that there were three. No doubt the Editor makes this out in the index (see p. 44): but the letter in which the third Gilbert is thought to be mentioned is undated, and only known to have been written some time between 1487 and I 502 (p. 48). If this view is correct some of the difficulties in the question would certainly be removed. Elizabeth Debenham, the heiress, who carried the property to the Brewse family, would then be heiress to her father, not to her brother ; and Katherine, Lady Zouche, would be the second wife of Sir Gilbert Debenham. A few alterations in

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 71 the wording of the former portion of this account of Sir Gilbert (E) would be necessary : but they need not be specified, being sufficiently obvious.

There remains, as seems likely, a sixth Sir Gilbert Debenham (F), of whom nothing whatever is known, except that he occurs in Shaw's list as having been knighted in I 503. On the suppositions advanced above, the main line of the Debenhams of Wenham came to an end in 1 500. But there is evidence that in other parts of Suffolk there were members of the family in good positions (Members of Parliament, Justices of the Peace, etc.;) especially was this the case at Ipswich, where we find William Debenham, who may possibly have been a cousin of the last knight (E); and it is quite reasonable to imagine that a son of his might have become qualified for knighthood in 1503. But of this we have no proof; and mere conjectures are unsatisfying.

It has been pointed out that Blomefield calls Sir Gilbert Debenham (D), the father of Lady Brewse, Sir Giles. Except in this author, and in passages manifestly derived from him (as in one footnote in Gairdner's Paston Letters), this name nowhere occurs. We can hardly believe that in the many notices' of him that appear in the State Papers and other authentic records, wherein he is never called other than Gilbert, there can have been a constant mistake in the name: and it is more reasonable to suppose that in transcribing some old and perhaps almost illegible document, Blomefield himself may have


made a slip; and that no such person as Sir Giles Debenham ever existed.

Many good old English families became extinct, and many more became impoverished, by reason of the quarrel between the Red and the White Roses. It was hardly possible for men in a good position to avoid throwing in their lot on one side or the other. And when the sides were alternately victorious, and such variations in fortune were many times repeated, the partisans were in turn exposed to heavy costs, fines, and exactions; not a few lost their lives on the field or on the scaffold ; others whose lives were spared, especially those who had landed property, were ruined by attainders. And so it came to pass that the old knightly family of Debenham passed from the rank of county magnates into the position of respectable yeomen and tenant farmers. It would seem, further, that the Debenhams have been a prolific race; and, apart from political troubles, large families in generation after generation soon manage to dissipate what might have been once a very considerable property. It is a satisfaction to modern descendants of the family to reflect that the influence of their ancestors was exerted on the right side, as the House of York had the undoubted legitimate right to the throne, while the Kings of the House of Lancaster were mere usurpers.

While, therefore, we find very numerous members of the Debenham family flourishing in Suffolk after the times of the Civil War in the fifteenth century, we do not come across any that attained any special eminence, or who distinguished themselves sufficiently to obtain a place in the Dictionary of National Biography.


The following is a list of Wills in the Court of the Archdeaconry of Sudbury to the name of Debenham. It has been previously stated that the earlier books in this Court, from I 3 5 o to I 5 2 o, have no indexes.

1 5 64 William Debenham of W estowe r 563-7 William Redgrave 1570 Robert Redgrave 1570-1 John, Sen. Waldingfield Magna I 572-3 John Hawkeden 1574-8 William Cockfield r 579-82 John Bury S. Edmunds 1586 Geoffrey Stowmarket 1 606-8 Edward Knottishall 1 609- 1 1 Thomas Cockfield

William Preston Gilbert Stoke

161 8-9 William Stanfield

I 627-9 1631-5 I 636-8 166,1 1663 1664 1670 I 686-7 1688 1694 1696

Katherine Stoke Edmund Cockfield Edward Sap piston ;_\i1ary Sappiston Robert Redgrave Alice, widow Boxford Edmund Sap piston William Cockfield James (? John) Cockfield William * Melford Thomas Rickingall John Rickingall Robert Finningham John Gislingham Henry Finningham Ann* Melford

IO


1723 1733 1735 1737 1743 1744 1746 1772 1778 1796 1802 1819

Thomas John Thomas Robert * William* John John William Thomas* James William Robert*

Acton Barrow Bury S. Edmunds Melford Melford Rickingall Superior Sudbury Wickhambrook Alpheton Rickingall Superior Bury S. Edmunds Depden

The Testators marked * appear in the Narrative Pedigree previously given. Others very probably do so, but proof is wanting. A few genealogical abstracts from these Wills are given, from which later research may discover new relationships. The first date given is that of the will, the second that of probate. Thomas Debnam, of Sapiston, maltster: 1 Feb. 1611;

17 Feb. 161 1. To be buried in Sa piston churchyard. Anne, wife, sole executrix, to have my Sapiston estate. Sons, Thomas, Edward. Daughter Anne, wife of Nicholas Homes. Anne, dau. of said son Edward. John, son of Nicholas Homes. Anne, dau. of William Knight and of my dau. Elizabeth. John, son of my dau. Anne Homes. Agnes, my sister. Children of my brother Andrew by his last wife. Poor of Sapiston.

Gilbard Debnam, of Stoke : 9 May, I 61 2 ; 7 Oct. 161 2. To be buried in churchyard of Stoke. Katherine, wife, sole executrix. Thomas Finche, son-in-law. Margery, dau.-in-law.


Dennys and Anne Ingelsby, daus.-in-law. William Ingelsby, son-in-law. Mary Ingelsby (relationship not given). Anna Ingelsby, sonin-law's dau. William, son of William Finch, dee. Mary Stowers.

William Debnam, of Preston, singleman: 26 Aug. 161 2 ; 3 1 Aug. 1 6 I 2. Thomas and Robert, sons of my brother Robert, of Little Wheltham, exors. Thomas Debnam, of N oughton, brother, and his two daus. Elizabeth Debnam, sister. Cicely, sister, wife of William Walter, of Ratlesden, labourer; her dau., Mary, and two other children. Amy, sister. Poor of Bradfield S. George, where I was born. "My fellowes" Samuel Branston and Henry Goshawk. " My fellow-servants " Anne Dobbes and Mar.y Death. Property named in Hessett.

Katherine Debenham, of Stoke, widow : 1 5 Oct. 1616; 16 Mar. 1618. To be buried in churchyard of Stoke. My seven grandchildren, Marie, William, Thomas, and Ann, children of my dau. Ingelle ; Edward and Peter, sons of Christopher Gaysett ; Marie, dau. of my dau. Dorothy. My son ( = sonin-law) Ingelle. Thomas Finch. Wife of William Ingelle. Margerie wife of (blank). Thomas Wortham, my kinsman. Thomas Edward, Junr.

William Debnam, of Stanfield, labourer: Feb. 1617; 1 July, I 61 8. William, Susan, Katherine, and John Debenham, children of my brother Francis Debnam.

John Debenham, of Cockfield, yeoman : 20 Aug. 1686 ; 22 Sep. 1686. My wife, Mary, sole


executrix. My dau. Mary, when 2 1. My money to be invested in land.

William Debenham, Senr., of Melford, yeoman : 27 Jan. 1687; 2 May, 1688. To my son Thomas, of Wickhambrook, property held of manor of Wickham. My sons William, Henry, and Robert. My daus. Anne, Rose, and Elizabeth Debenham. My wife, Anne, sole executrix. StephenHumphrey,ofThorpe Morieux. Philip Humphrey, of Lavenham.

Ann Debenham, of Melford, widow [ oflast]: 5 Nov. 1722; 21 Feb. 1723. To Thomas, my eldest' son, Lavenham property. My son, Robert. My dau., Ann Spark. My two grand-daughters, Ann, wife of Zephaniah Lungley, and Elizabeth, wife of Ambrose Death. My dau. Elizabeth Strange. My grand-daughter Mary Debenham. William, my deceased husband; gave certain property to our son Henry. Robert Debenham, my grandson, exor. My friend, Ambrose Biggs, supervisor.

Thomas Debenham, of S. Mary's Bury S. Edmunds, maltster: 25 Aug. 1735 ; 18 Sep. 1735. My wife, Margaret, executrix, to have all my property.

Henry Debenham, of Finningham, yeoman: 18 Mar. 1720; 2 Oct. 1721. My wife, Susan, executrix. Mentions children, but not by name.

Robert Debenham, of Melford, yeoman: 8 Sep. I 7 3 7; 20 Sep. 1737. My son, William, to have property at Shimpling, Suffolk. My wife, Margaret. My dau. Ann, wife of Thomas Mills. My son, Thomas of Thorpe Morieux, to have certain property. Such children of


the late Robert, my son, as are alive at my decease.

William Debenham, of Melford, yeoman: 29 Dec. 1742; 13 Apr. 1743. My wife, Ann, and brother, Thomas, exors. My wife to have my property in Shimpling occupied by John Poole for her life, then it is to go to my son, William, and if he die then to William, son of Thomas Debenham, of Alpheton, subject to payment to my brothers Thomas and Robert. £ 1 50 to be paid out of Shimpling in accordance with my father's will. All my nephews and nieces.

John Debenham, of Rickinghall Superior, carrier : 3 Feb. 1743-4; 24 June, 1744. My wife, Ann, sole executrix. To Thomas Debenham, my grandson, messuage called Bishop's House, in Ricking hall. My grandson, Clement Debenham. My son-in-law, John Gedge. My grandson, Thomas Debenham, apprenticed to Mr. Scarles. My four grandsons, children of my deceased son, Edward, viz., Edmund, Charles, James, and Edward, of whom Edmund was apprenticed to George King. My two daus., Martha, wife of John Gedge, and Kezia Warren, widow. "As entitled under the will of Mrs. Elizabeth Barnes, widow," property named in Burgate, Wortham, Botesdale, and both Rickinghalls.

Edward Debnam, of Sapiston, linen weaver : 29 Jan. 1633; 17 Feb. 1633. My wife, Marie, sole executrix. My eldest son, Thomas. My sons Edmund, Roger, and youngest son, John. Afterwards speaks of sons as Edmund, Edward, Roger, and John. Frances Winter, dau. of


my dau. Anne Winter. My friend, Robert Casye, supervisor.

John Debenham, of Sudbury, carpenter : 22 Apr. 1726 ; 2 Oct. 1746. My wife, Mary, and kinsman, John Debenham, son of my late brother, Richard, exors. My kinsman, Henry Debenham, son of my late brother, Richard. My brother, Stephen Debenham. My kinswomen, Elizabeth, Mary, Martha, and Catherine, daus. of said brother, Stephen. Thomas, son of said brother. Elizabeth, wife of said brother. Properties at Sudbury, Stanstead, and Cavendish, named.

Thomas Debenham, of Alpheton, farmer : 25 Apr. 1 777 ; 3 June, I 77 8. All to my three sons, Thomas Makin Debenham, Robert Debenham, and William Debenham. Samuel Death, of Melford, and Thomas Makin Debenham, exors.

Robert Debenham, of Depden, farmer: 12 Jan. 1818; 3 Feb. 181 9. All to my wife Elizabeth, sole executrix. No one else named.

Among the Wills in the P. C. C. at Somerset House are the following. The last of all seems to be the only one in which the testator is given three syllables to his name.

1 5 3 7-9 Thomas Debnam, of Hadleigh 3 o Dingeley cloth maker

1601 Thomas 12 Woodhall 1625 Joseph June 70 Clark 1637 Thomas Essex 3 Seager 1648 Anthony Essex Dec. 188 Essex 1674 George London Feb. 18 Bunce 1689 John, oflpswich, mariner Mar. 29 Ent

THE DEBENHAM FAMILY 79 1697 Solomon Som. Apr. 72 Pyne 1711 John Midd. Apr. 79 Young 1715 John Midd. Sept. 17 3 Fagg 1716 Eliza Midd. Oct. 189 Fox 1724 Maria Surr. Jan. 5 Bolton 1730 Thomas Aug. 2 34 Arber 1743 Thomas Midd. Aug. 260 Boycott 1759 John. Som. Aug. 263 Arran 1788 William London Apr. 184 Calvert

Debenham

Among the Wills at Norwich Consistory Court are these:-

John Debenham, of North Buckenham. John, Junr., of Debenham. Judith, of Gorleston.

We find also on 22 May, 1555, Administration of the goods of Andrew Debenham, of East Bergholt, was granted to Joan, the relict, and to John Debenham. Also that on 3 June, 155 I, Cecily Debenham, of Yarmouth, married woman, appointed William Debenham her executor, but administration was granted to her daughter Matilda Debenham.

Among the Wills in the Court of the Archdeaconry of Suffolk these occur :-

Margaret Debenham William Debnam, of Rushmer Robert Debnam, of Cobdoke

fo. 28 fo. 147 fo. 226

Very numerous instances have been found of the surname Debenham during the last 400 years in Parish Registers, Records of Marriage Licences, and elsewhere. All of these which it was possible to identify, and to which a definite place in the family


history could be assigned, have been duly entered in the pedigree already given. A mere list of such instances would be of but little value, in the absence of any information that would establish their identity. A very few cases of the occurrence of the name since A.D. I 500 may however be of interest.

In 2 1 Hen. VIII. William Debenham was appointed Scrutator of the Port of Ipswich during the King's pleasure.

In 1 5 5 2 Robert Debnam " was hanged at Cattesway Causeway, for taking down, and destroying the Holy Rood, at Dovercourt, now part of and adjoining Harwich." This is told in Foxe's Acts and Monuments, IV, 707.

In the Record Office, Calendar Rot. Fin., dated 27 Junij 25° H. 8, i.e. A.D. 15 33, is this :-

Debenham, Willelmus habet Custodiam vizt-Essex Colchester trium Acrarum terre libere ex oppost.

Strate vocata N orthstrete in dicta villa. Billerica-U nius Cotagij cum Curtilagio et quinque Acrarum terre cum pertinentiis. Febbyng-quatuor Acrarum terre cum pertinentiis vocat' Patescroft alias vocat' Bakers Croft.

There is no place in Essex now called Febbing. The nearest approach to it is Feering, near Coggeshall.

Among the Foreign and Domestic Series of the State Papers, XVIII, pt. 1, is a letter, A.D. 1544, from John Wentworth, Sheriff of Essex, to Thomas Jostlyn, Esq., in which is mention of John Debnam, the King's pursuivant. In the index he is called the King's messenger.

In 1575, among Marriage Licences in Consistory Court at Norwich is one between John Grome and Joan Debnam, of Burgat.


In 35 Eliz. (1592-3) the Inquisitio post mortem of Richard King, of Stansfield, refers to a marriage indenture, 29 Eliz., between himself and Mary Debenham. In his will, 3 3 Eliz. (P. C. C. 8 5 Drury), are mentioned his wives, brethren, etc.

In the Will of Margery Whitman, of Ipswich, widow, dated 1 596, is mention of her daughter, Margery, wife of Stephen Debenham. She was not a Whitman, but a Wentworth, being her mother's daughter by her first husband, Thomas Wentworth, of Ipswich, joiner and turner. He is identical, probably, with the father of John Wentworth, of Darsham, who appears in Camden's Suffolk Visitation. The W entworths of Darsham and Somerleyton were originally of humble origin. The Will of this Thomas Wentworth, I 5 58, names his wife, Margery, and young children, J efferye, Valentine, John, etc. And the Will of Valentine Wentworth, of Ipswich, blacksmith, I 6 I 9, speaks of my sister Debnam, her husband Stephen Debnam, her son Leonard Debnam.

A seventeenth-century token is found issued at Harwich (The East Anglian, iii, I 9 3, I 94). It is a farthing token, and has this inscription :-

Obverse. Andrew Debnam At Reverse. Harwich In Essex A.M.D.

In the centre of the obverse it has the Fishmongers' Arms.

The Will of Edmund Baker, of Brassingham, co. Norfolk, clerk, 1 6 I 2 (P. C. C. 2 H ene) mentions his daughter Elizabeth Debenham.

In 1682 John Debnam, and Samuel Smyth were churchwardens of Braintree, co. Essex. A letter from them to Dr. Duck (State Papers, Dom. Ser. 120, 42) dated 18 Jan., says that since the Bishop of London's last court their minister Samuel Collins,

II


had conformed himself to the orders of the Church of England.

In 1639 the State Papers (Dom. Ser. 426,July 19) note that Informations and Examinations were given and taken before the Deputy-Lieutenants of Norfolk of (Io persons, one being) William Debnam ... inhabitants within the hundred of Tunstead, co. Norfolk, against Capt. Thomas Parker, of the trained band, to implicate him in corrupt practices.

In the Will of Thomas Blomefielde, of Norwich, Gent. (proved 16 5 3, P .C.C. 14 Brent) is mention of Susan, my daughter, wife of Benjamin Debenham, of Beccles.

In 16 54, Susan Debenham, my sister, occurs in the Will of William Bartoft, of Brettenham, co. Suffolk (P.C.C. 391 Berkeley).

In the Suffolk Poll Book for 1702 are these voters :

Beckles Isaac Debenham Finningham H:enry ])ebenham Gt. Ricking hall John Debenham W esthorpe Thomas Debenham

In 16 55, under the Council Day's Proceedings (State Papers, Dom. Ser. 24 Jan.), it appears that on information that the Stork, laden with pipe-staves, was cast away near Beechy, Sussex, on her way from Jersey, to London, all persons concerned were directed to assist. And. Bolt and And. Debenham to secure the pipe-staves for the use of the navy, and to return to them any that have been taken away.

On 2 3 June, 1 669 (lb.), the King sends to the Governors of the Charterhouse :-" We recommend Edmund, son of John Debenham of St. Clement Danes', to be admitted to a foundation scholarship on the next vacancy. "


In the eighteenth century, Debenham, of Sudbury, co. Suffolk, was a maker of " Grandfather " clocks. Britten (" Old Clocks and Watches") gives Debenham, of Melford, possibly the same, as a maker of a lantern clock, c. 1 690.

In 1 7 5 o we find in Vol. 4 7 of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (Vol. X of Abridged edition, p. 15 3), a description of a remarkable surgical operation performed by Mr. Thomas Debenham, surgeon, of Debenham, co. Suffolk.

In Land Tax Assessment in Babergh Hundred, co. Suffolk, for 1799, we read :-

Proprietor Occupier Assessment

In Alpheton N ath1 Barnardiston,Esq. Tho" Debenham R. 1 o. 1 o. o

In Melford Moore, Miss Debenham, Wm

Debenham, Robt Himself

o. 2.0 o. 1.0

One very recent mention of the name may be given. It is told us in " Christian Victor, the Story of a Young Soldier," by T. H. Warren, M.A., President of Magdalen College, Oxford, 1903, p. 103. Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein was grandson of Queen Victoria, being the eldest son of Princess Helena, and died in South Africa, 29 Oct. 1900. Among his special college friends of " the cricketing and football set " was F. B. Debenham. It is not known if he was connected with the Suffolk family.

Great numbers of so prolific a family as the Debenhams must have from time to time left the country, and carved out careers for themselves in America or in the Colonies. One such instance we have recorded in the case of Robert Debenham, eldest son of Robert Debenham, of Depden, who left England in 1 8 5 1 for


Illinois, U. S. A. About the same time (not all with their father) four of his sons, and five of his daughters, also went to America. Of all these only two of the daughters are now ( 1 909) surviving. That others also of the name had taken the same course is shewn from a letter received in 189 5 by Messrs. Debenham and Freebody, in these words :-

" June 2nd, 9 5. " Hillside, Mich.

" Messrs. Debenham and Freebody, London, Eng. " Dear Sirs,

"As I have always been anxious to learn something of my Father's people I have taken this opportunity.

" I came across an English lady that gave me your address.

" As my Father was born in London, England, I thought perhaps you was (sic) a relative of his. His name was Thomas Debenham, born somewhere I think about 1802.

" Please answer and oblige,

" Sarah E. Debenham. " Address

" Sarah E. Sage " Hillside

" Hillside Co. " Michigan. "

A reply was sent giving some particulars ot the Suffolk family : but no acknowledgment or further communication from Mrs. Sage was ever received.

In the nineteenth century several members of the family became greatly distinguished in commercial enterprises in London. Robert Debenham, eldest son of Thomas Makin Debenham, and grandson of


Thomas Debenham, of Alpheton, was one of the founders of the eminent firm of Auctioneers now known as Debenham, Storr, and Sons. Originally trading as Machin and Debenham, the title in course of time became changed; but it still remains as above stated, although there are now no members of the names connected with the firm, all having long since died, except the younger of the sons of J. B. Storr, and he has long ago retired from the business.

Another firm of Auctioneers and Estate Agents, having a large connection, Debenham and Tewson, had nothing to do with this last-named Robert Debenham ; and any relationship that may have existed is undetermined. But the head of this firm, writing to the compiler of this record about thirty years ago, said that he was a Suffolk man, and that his ancestors for many generations had resided in Suffolk.

A great-grandson of Thomas Makin Debenham, just mentioned, was Sir Reginald Hanson, Bart. He was son of Mary Chopping Machin, who married Samuel Hanson ; and she was daughter of Mary Debenham, wife of Nathaniel Smith Machin. Sir Reginald was Lord Mayor of London in 1886-7, being then head of the great firm of Fruit Merchants, etc., in Eastcheap and Botolph Lane. The business was built up by his father Samuel Hanson. He had a very distinguished civic career, and was for some years Member of Parliament for the City.

Another grandson of Thomas Debenham, of Alpheton, William Debenham, son of Robert Debenham, of Depden, was one of the founders of the very extensive drapery business which has recently been converted into a private limited company under the title of "Debenhams, Limited." On the occasion of


this change an account was given in the Drapers' Record (4 Feb. 190 5) of the origin and progress of the firm. At its institution, in 1 8 I 3, Mr. Thomas Clark and Mr. William Debenham were the only partners. One house, 44, Wigmore Street, was sufficient at first for the transactions of the firm. On one side of the doorway of Cavendish House, as the place of business was named, the partnership was styled Clark and Debenham, on the other Debenham and Clark. This continued till 18 37, when Mr. Clark retired. Other partners became associated with the firm for definite periods, and in 1 8 5 1 the title became Debenham, Son, and Freebody ; the son being Mr. William Debenham, eldest son of the Principal, and Mr. Freebody being his brother-inlaw. After the death of the principal partner in 186 3 the title of the firm became Debenham and Freebody, and so remained until the Company was formed. Mr. Frank Debenham, another son of the founder, is the Chairman of the present Company, Debenhams, Ltd., and his· elder - son, Mr. Ernest Ridley Debenham, is one of the two Managing Directors. The Wholesale side of the business has been very largely developed in recent years. Today there are various branches, or subsidiary companies, in the City, on the Continent, and in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

This record would be manifestly incomplete without some notice of the armorial bearings of the family. Notwithstanding the sneer of a late eminent statesman, who opened one of his speeches with words to this effect, " Every study (except Heraldry) has some sort of use, " it is very generally held that Heraldry is a true handmaid to History. It is now regarded both as a science and an art ; and a proper knowledge

WEST DOOR OF COPDOCK CHURCH.


of it is of infinite service in the investigation of all genealogical questions.

Sir Richard Gibbs (or Gipps), who died in I 708, gives this account:-" Debnam or Debenham. This ancient family was of Knight's degree and seated at Little Wenham in Sanford hundred and there continued till Sir Gilbert Debenham left Elizabeth his sole dau. and heir married [ to J Sir Thomas Brewse about I Henry V., A.D. I 413. They were Lords of Wenham and Debnam and had half a Knight's fee in Wenham I Edward III. They bore sable a bend between two crescents or." Sir Richard's heraldry is correct, but his date is wrong. Elizabeth, Lady Brewse lived many years later than as given, for she was alive in I 5 o I. It is a mistake, also, to say that the Debenhams were Lords of Debenham.

This coat is practically the same as given in all ordinaries and books on heraldry. Papworth, indeed, gives instances of variations in the tinctures, in one case giving the field as azure, and in another case the bend and crescents argent. But no attention need be paid to these variations. Burke gives for crest, " In a maunch or, cuffed gules, a dexter hand, apaumee, proper." . No representation of this crest has been discovered. Once (Add. MSS., I 248 I)

the bend is figured ermine. In some Suffolk Churches this shield is still to be

seen, but in only two instances by itself. Once it is carved in stone, over the west doorway 0f Copdock church. A view of this doorway is given in the frontispiece. The tower here is of Perpendicular date, and was apparently erected in the middle of the fifteenth century. It is only a very few miles from Little Wenham, the family seat. The other instance is in the roof of the chancel of the church of Capel


S. Mary. The coat is carved in oak; and the bend is represented as narrow, and not reaching to the extremities of the shield, like what Gwillim calls a riband. In every other case the Debenham coat of arms is found in heraldic combination with other shields. In Little Wenham church is a brass in the chancel to Thomas Brewse of date r 5 I 3. This has a shield with Brewse impaling Debenham ; and also one with Brewse quartering Debenham, impaling Scrape and Tiptoft quarterly. This Thomas was grandson of Sir Thomas Brewse, who married Elizabeth Debenham mentioned above. His wife, also commemorated on the brass, was Jane, daughter and heiress of Scrape, of Bentley. There is also in the church a painted Elizabethan monument to another Brewse, who died in I 5 8 5. On this is a shield with six quarterings, all of which are described in "Notes for the County of Suffolk" (Brit. Mus. Add. MSS., r 5 5 20), and assigned (with the exception of one coat, not identified) as follows :-

I. Brewse : Argent, a lion rampant gules crowned or, the field semi cross crosslets gules, " the Lion hath two tayles. "

2. Debenham: Sable, a bend between two crescents or.

3. Holbrook : Or, a chevron between ten cross crosslets gules.

4. Shardelow : Argent, a chevron between three cross crosslets fitche azure.

5. Phildebert of Savoy : Gules, a plain cross argent. 6. . .... Azure, a chevron between six cross crosslets

fitche argent, 3, I, 2.

This same shield of six quarterings also appears in other manuscripts, as in Harl. MSS. 1820. The


Holbrook shield belongs to the Debenhams, as Elizabeth, Lady Brewse's mother, was co-heiress, daughter of Sir Thomas Holbrook, Kt. The others belong to the Brewses.

In many other places observers of bygone days have reported the occurrence of the Debenham arms. In two instances special examination has been made and they are not now to be found. This is the case at Playford church, where Debenham only was once to be seen, as sketched in Harvey's Collections (B.M.L. Add. MSS. 4969) ; and also at Fressingfield church, where Debenham impaling Hastings was in stained glass, and Brewse quartering Debenham was on a memorial stone. The shield in the window would be that of Gilbert Debenham (sometimes called Sir Gilbert, but in his Inq. p.m. described as Armiger) who died 148 r, having married Margaret, daughter of Sir Edward Hastings, of Gressenhall, co. Norfolk. Blomefield notes (iv. 5.) that the arms of Brewse impaling Debenham were " in the inside of the steeple of Norwich Cathedral over the quire : ,, also (vi. 492) that the arms of Brewse and Debenham were " among the escutcheons in hall-windows at Paston : " also (ix. 1 19) that in the window on the south side of S. Andrew's, Walpole, is this coat :" sable, a bend between three (sic) crescents, or. Debenham." In Harvey's Collections is a plain sketch of the arms of Debenham, only," from Mr. Jernegan's House at Somerleyton. "

In "A Tudor Book of Arms being Harleian Manuscript No.6163 blasoned by Joseph Foster, Hon. M.A., Oxon," the date of which manuscript is unknown, are these passages :-

"S. GILBERT DEBENHAM. Sable, a bend


between two crescents or, impaling Beauchamp, gules, crusily and a fess or.

" S. GYLBERD DEBNAM. (Suff., added). Sable, a bend between three (sic) crescents or ; quarterly with, or, crusily and a chevron gules. "

The impalement given in the former extract must be an error, and the coat meant must be as given in the latter, which is the coat-armour of Holbrook, as above.

A wooden representation of a quartered coat of arms, in which Debenham appeared in the second and third quarters, was once to be seen at Ipswich on a carved door-post. Nothing is known of this now ; and the only notice of it is in Add. MSS., 19126, where we read that "A daughter and heir of Debenham (it may be of William) was married to-who did bear a chevron-as appears in timber in Ipswich at the entrance of the Friars. "

Another impaled shield, Debenham impaling-, is figured in Add. MSS., 4969. The sinister shield is . at first called Broughton, but that name is erased. This family has not been identified : the heraldic description of the arms is, Argent, a fess engrailed sable between three mullets gules. The sketch is said to be taken from Capell church, Suffolk. This church is now united with the adjoining parish, and the living is called Capel S. Mary with Little Wenham.

An early dated example of the Debenham coat appears as a seal to a charter in the British Museum. It is thus described in W. de Gray Birch's" Catalogue of Seals in the British Museum " :-

" Gilbert Depenham or Debenham, of cos. Essex and Suffolk.

"9261. [A.D. 1413.] Red: fine, fragmentary. About¾ }n. when perfect. [Harl., ch. 49. D. 37.J

FRANK DEBENHAM, J.P.


" A shield of arms : a bend between two crescents, Debenham. Suspended by a strap from a forked tree ; and within a carved gothic panel.

"Legend broken away." Some of the above information, particularly what

relates to the Suffolk Wills, was obtained as the result of searches instituted by Heralds' College at the instance of Mr. Frank Debenham. It was hoped to establish the fact that the Melford and Alpheton branch of the family, known to have been settled in Suffolk for 200 years, as yeomen, were descended from the old knightly family of Little Wenham, and that consequently the present members of that branch would be entitled to use the anc,ient armorial bearings. But it was found impossible to prove this to demonstration. A new grant of arms was therefore taken out. A full description of these is found in A. C. Fox-Davies's "Armorial Families," 1902, in this entry:-

" FRANK DEBENHAM, Gentleman, born Nov. 3, 1837, being the fifth son of William Debenham and Caroline, dau. bf Thomas Freebody of Hurley, co. Berks. Armorial bearings-Per bend gules and sable, two bendlets indented between as many crescents each within an annulet all or. Mantling gules and or. Crest-On a wreath of the colours, a demi-lion per pale indented sable and gules, holding in the dexter paw a key in bend wards upwards and an arrow in bend sinister point downwards, and resting the sinister paw on a decrescent all or. Motto-" Laboranti bona debentur." Married, April 8, I 8 6 3, Emma Folkard, dau. of Frederick Henry Ridley ; and has Issue (I) Ernest Ridley Debenham, Gentleman, b. May 26, I 86 5; (2) Francis John Debenham, b. March 1870 ; Alice; Edith

92 THE DEBENHAM FAMILY Caroline; and Agnes Elizabeth. Residence-Fitzjohns Avenue, Hampstead, London, N.W. Clubs-Reform, Devonshire, National Liberal. "

One or two trifling clerical errors in the above are here corrected.

It will be noticed that in the general character of these armorial bearings there is an intentional resemblance to the ancient coat.

PEDIGREE OF DEBENHAM, OF MELFORD AND ALPHETON' SUFFOLK

from about A.D. r 6 50 to A.D. r 909.

\Villi:m Debenham of Melford, co.=Ann ; ,vii] proved 1723; mcntioM in it two grand-danghters, Ann, wife of Zeplrnniah Lungley, an<l F:lizabcih, ·wife of Suff., yeoman; will proved 1688. Ambrose Dcal11; bul of ·which of her chiklren they were daughters does nol appear.

Thotua.'i Debenlnam, of \Vickhambrook. \Villiam Debenham, of Melford, rl. 1719. Henry Debenham. Roberl Delicnh;un, of Melford, yeoman, d. 1737.=tfr1.rgarct, d. 1754. Ann Debenba1n.=Spark. RtJsc Debenham, d. nnm. 17r+ Elizab,elh Debe11h;un, m. 1712.=Jolm Slrange, of Hadleigh,

Robert Debenham, of Alphelon (in regisler "gentleman''), d. 11itd pd-ris, 1733.=Susan (or Susanu:,,_), d. 1771, Thomas Debenham, of Thorpe Morieux, d. r76:2.=Gra<.;c, d. 1744. \Villiam Debeul1am, of }fclford, yeoman, d. Ann Dcbcnham,=Thoma,; Mills,

Rohert Dchicnham," bp, 1733, six day~ before his father',; death, d. 1734- Sust:ma Debenham, bp. r7:_u. \Villiam Debenham. Thomas Debenham, bp. 1737. Robert Debenham, b_p. J73rj. A11u Debenham, hp. 1743, V..1illiam Dd,cnham. Thoma~ Debe11han1 1 of Alphcton, farmer, bp. r7:28, d. 1778.,,l\fary, d, 176z.

1----,--------------------------------r-------------------------------.----------~--.-------------, Thomas Makin Dcbenhar.n, bp. 1754, cl. at Hendon, co. Middx,, c. r810,=An11, eld. dau, of Ro1ert Rigo.by, of Hawstead, d. c. 1R3r, aged c. 8I. Robert Debenham, bp. 1755, d. at Dcpden, 18r8.=Elizabeth, 3rd dau. of Robert Digsby, of Hawstcc1d, cl. al Vlickhambrook, 1846, aged 84, \Villiarn Debenham (.-i h\.'itt), hp. anrl rl. r75fi. Samnd Dchen~am Ca twin), bp. and d. 1756, \\:illiam Dd1cnliam, bp. 17_::;7, cl. unm. at sea.

I I r. Robert Dehrnh;i.111,

auctioneer, rl. ~.p. 1854, age-d c 69

+ Sman Dr.hcnbam.=Katlianicl Smith Machin, (2nd wife). I cl. c. 18.~o. aged c. 63.

I 1 I I

.S, L\Iary Dehenham,=i"Jathaniel d. 1809, aged 27 1 Smitl1 (1st wife). Machin.

z. TJ10masDc..:hen:1am, hp. r7ry\ d. uurn. r. 1~61.

·william Frederick Machin, sometime of St. Petershmg, m. Emily ......... (?crman), d. s.p. r8,;is1,

Charlotte .1'fachi11, d. unm. r8.S7.

Kate 1\fach-in,. d. unm. 1834, ageCT c 20.

Natlunicl = Frauci~ :Machin,d. :MaryDix, 18(J4,agyl d. 1876, 55. aged 69.

I

Eli;,;:1 Machin, d, 1.87 1, m. Rev. George Edmundson, B.A. 1110 is~ue.

Mary Cbopping=Samllcl D.-facliin, d. 1 867, Hanson, aged 62. cl. 1882 at

Zurich, :i.ged 77.

T'rnnk Machin, d. in Gre-ece, 1867, aged,:. 25.

Fanny Chamba:1d Machin.

Ifatherine 1fachin, b. 18y;i, d. mun, 1887.

Mary Isahellcr 1Iclchiu,

Frances CaneH=Frederick Scott

Machin, d, ,~58, I A<chn, d, ,856. aged 5+

I Alice Archer, d. m1m. 1863, aged 19.

Const:mce Archer, d. in Pa1 is, ll!JUJ., 1874, aged c. 30.

Janel Archer.

7. Elizaheth Debenham, d. 1860, aged 74, 111. Thomas King of Basingstoke, co. I-lanb., who d. c. 1834. ·

I 111111111111

Frederick King, d. nmn. c. l837, aged c, 23,.

\Villiam King, d. unm.

Harold King, d. nnm.

Edward ffing, m. had issue.

Edwiu King, m. had issue.

Selina Letts King, m. Rev. Maurice \.Villiam Pitman, ::\LA., s11e d. s.-p, 1897, aged c. 70.

Ch2rlotte Scott= Young. mng, cl. I

I I \Villiam George Young.

Eliza Jane Young.

Eliza King, d. unm.

Louisa King, d. unm.

Three other children.

9. Fanny Debenham, cl. r848, aged G.

60, rn. (2nd wife) John Letts, who d. c. 1855.

Edwin Lells, d. c. 1870 : lived in Valparaiso, m, and left issue.

Emma Letts, twin with Edwin, m. Henry Roberts.

Fanny Letts, d. inf.

Rev. Charles Colchy=1farY Anne Roberts, },lf~A., cl. · Letls, cl. 1854, 1892.

I Charles Edwin Robert~, R.A. b. 1842.

Rev. Henry Eugene Roberts, M.A., m. 1886, Bealrice Louisa Tomkins ; issue,

Ilasil Coleby. Roberts.

Ethel Coleby Rubert:;;,

Frances Marion Coleby Roberts.

Fanny Roberb.

I 10. Charlolle Deben

ham, d. 1869, aged c. 78 ; m, Charles \Villi am Evor~, who d. 1870.

II. Ann f•elienham, d. 1879. aged 57 : m. ( 1 ;. J tu~es Dee, who d. c. 1827; l2) Charlts Edward Busigny, of Ombcrsley, co. \Vore., \vho d. 1 860,<Lg;cd c. 49. By her :md husband she hac\ one• son, Charles Edward Bu~igny, iW.R.C.S., b. 1831, d. unm. 1880.

3. Ann Debenham, bp. 1780, d. at age of 7 or 8.

Rev. Charles Robert Evors, m. (1) Elizabeth Lowndes, who d. r. r869 : they had is,-ue

Charles Alexander Evors, M.A., m. Esme Theodora Stcph<::us issue two daughters :

Charlotte Evors.

Edith E\·ors,

Rev. C.R. Evors m. (2) abroad, his niece Eliza Griffiths, by whom he had 13 children.

6. S;i.rah Oebenf1am, d. s.p. r858, aged 74: she m. (1) Timothy Dockwray, who d. c. 1l"l20;(2) William Rusigny, who d. c. 1847,

8. Lucy Debenham, d. al age of i:v

12. Lo:1isa Debenhnm, cl. c. 1828, aged 33; ~hem. J:nnes Dale.

F:liza Ew1rc.. d. 189,1 : m. Christopher Cbarlcs \Vhilney Griffith~, who d. 1879: they had issnc, vdth others,

I I I I I l I l I

\Vhirney Griffiths, d. 1864.

Christopher r,riffith~. cl. 1898.

Eusblius Griffiths.

Charles Griffiths, d.

Eliza Griffiths, m. her uncle c1.broad.

:'l'lal'y Griffith~, m. h•,1icc.

Bessie Griffiths, rn. and d.

Margaret Griffith~, m. with one child.

Charlotte Evors.

1. l{obert Debcn-=Amrn Dennis, b. ham, of Il:1rwcll 1793, d. in AmeCourt. co. Sm- rica, I859. rey, b. 1789, cl.in Amcri.ca, r866,

I I I I I I 1. \Villiam Di:bcuham, d. inf.

4. Robert Debeuham, b. 1fh5, ,l, in America, 1853, m. Emma Cave, by whom one :;on, wl10 CT. inf.

6. George Dclwnha111, h. 182!), a s:{ilor, nothing heard of him s:nce 1850.

8. Sarn!1 Debenham, b. 1?,191 d. unm. at Stamford, co. Lincoln, 1853.

9. Anna Mary Debenham, b. 1821, ·a. 111m1. in America, 186,i.

10. Fanny Debenham, b. 1823, d.unq1. in America, 1856.

Rn,. Hesketh '.\{_i\.., h. 1839,

H:,11,011,=Jane Anna, tla11. of Jnmes John<:,ton, of H:ampstcaii, d. r906, aged 68.

Sir Reginald Ha.rnou, Kt.=Consfa.ncc Hallett, dan.of and Bart. 1 ).'[.A:, LL.D., Ch:ulcs Beuth:yBlnglcy, Lord !\fayor ot Lom~o11 of Stanhope Park, co. 1886-7; b, 1840, d. at Middx,

Oswald Hanson, b 1841, d. 1843.

Mary Hanson, b.-Rrev.CharlcsJames 1R33, m. 1856, d. Biird, B.A.

Kate H,mson,

Bertha Heskdh Hanson, b. 1837, d. r854,

Gertrude Hanson, b. 1847, d. unm. 1902.

Edith Hanson, 1l--63.

m.= \V1lham llcllrngham I Chcales, d ,883.

\•Vilfod Jl1lius Hanson, 1.f.A., b. 186+

Rcgiuald John Edward Hanson, M.A., M.B., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., h. 1870.

O:it\'ald lleskdh Hanson, R.A., b. 1873.

Hcrberl James Danson, TI.A., b. 1875.

Mary Bcalr~ce 111. 189F.

Hanson,=Rev. Albert Erlward NeI gus, ~LA.

r7 A son, b, r901. A <lau., b. 1899.

Anna Rosalind Hanson.

Mary .:.'Llch'.n Hanson.

Gertrnrle 1hry Hanson.

l\faty ¥ranees Ann;; Hanson.

Flortncc, r905.

Sir Geralcl=Sihia Dutton, Stanhope, dau. of E. Hanson, Dutton Cook, Bart., m.1899. h. T867.

Richard Leslie Reginald IIanson, b, 1905.

Sir Francis Stanhope=Peari Norcott. 3rd Hanson, Kt. h. 1868, cl.au. of C.A. \Ii/inter Sheriff of Lonrlon, of Ken~inglo11, m. 1908. 1897.

Ch:ll'les Reginald Francis Hanson, b. 1904,

Violet Gwendoline Pearl Hanson.

1859,

Ashley Ifad.

Cyril Stanhope Hanson, b, a11d d. 1871.

IOS\vald Bird,

hfaude Con-=James Ibotstance Han-1·son \Vard. son, m.1894-

Reginald Ibotson \Varel, b. 1896.

Violet Mabd Han- =Frederic Henry son, m. 1 899. Kcdin~ Durlacher

of Th◊rpe Satchville, co. Lcic.

Richard Frederic Durlacher, h. 1900.

Esmond Otto Durlacher, b. 1901.

Laurence George Dnrlacher, b. 1904.

i I I i I I I I I Eric Belling'.1am C'.rteal.cs.

Harold Franci~ Cheak~, d.

Arthur William Reginald Cbt!ale~, M.A .. m, r908, Lcor..ora, dau. of Rtv. F. \\'. Parker,

Bertha Mary Chealcs, m. 1889, F. C .. Kinkead, }I.A.

Ethel Gertrude Chca.lcs.

Ellen Hilda Cl1eales.

Norn Frances Chcalcs, cl.

Ida Marion Frances Cheaks.

Mary Edith Ch.ea.Jes,

Irene Cheales, d.

One other child.

Helll'y Del1enham, b, l865,= Eliz.i,beth Mary Snowden, I m. 1889.

I I Sam Snowden Debenham. Leonard Snov.:clen Debenham,

Ro~ed Debenham, inAus--TGrace Hutton P,i_inwr, m. tr,iha, b. 1867. ,--~---. 1892.

I I Keith Debenham, b. 181;3. Arthur Debenham, b, 1898.

Laura Debenham.

.\iary Debenham, m. =George \Villi am James Butcher. ,sss. I

'"I ...,..I -,-1 ""'i.---,1 \Villiam Ernest Norman Bntchcr, b. 1888, Herbert Cecil Dutcher, b, 1890. Charles Geoffrey Butcher, b. 1891. Sidney Vernon Butcher, b. 1895. Evelyn Mary Butcher, b. 1886, d. 1906.

I I I I I I I I I I I Rohcrt William t-.IcGinni~, d. leaving issue.

Thomas Debenham tkGinnis, d.

Hamid Frank McGinnis, m. his hrothcr Robc!"l'swidow

Arthur ri-IcGinni~, d.

George MeGiuuis, d.

Debenham McGiunis, cl.

Ch.arles Quin-ccy McGinais, m.

Clive McGinnis.

Emma McGinnis, d.

Jessie McGinnis, now a widow, m. Charles Frederick Baih<>m, and has issue in Caiilornia.

Ethe.I McGinnis, d.

2. Thoma,; Dt.benham, Quarier=Saxa·1 \Vright, d. 11ia.~!c:r in .)6th Regiment, d. I 18781 aged 74-1856, age<l 66.

Georgiana Sarah Oebenbam. d. inf. in \Vbt Indies, 1830.

I I l I I I I 2. William Debenham, b. 1817,=Cbrisiiana Kopctzky

d. in America, 1878. I I I

Robert Dcunio- Dcbcn!iam, of Nebraska, d. r907, ngecl 57, ldl 3 ;.,mi~.

\Vi.liam Dchc11ham,of Iowa, m. twice, had issue, I

I \\'illialll Debenham. Charles H1inti11g Dcbcn:1am.

3. Timm~;; Debe11ham=(1) Janel Clive, d, 1861 no b,1820,d. iu A1'nerica, I issue.(2!~fary Anne Greenfield. 1907.

I I Robert Debenham, d. inf.

Louise Deheuham.,John

I I Robert St. Clair. A daug'.iler.

St. Clair.

5. S,1.mncl Debenham, of Tregnnter= MaryVlashington, Road, South Kensington ; b. , m. 1858, d. d8.5, 1827, d. 1909. aged 52.

7. Charles D::benhmn, b.=Emnrn (Ca\·e) ])~bcnham, 1831, rl. iu Arnc,·ica, widow of \ii::, brother Ro-1903. bert.

I John C11arlcs Debenham,

George Augu~tns Dcl:cnharn, m. ,,.,ith family.

Ernest i;Jniucey Debenham, rn. with one child in 1906.

Mary Elizahcth Debenham, m. c. r894 ; d. before 1906, kaving 6 cl1ik:rcn.

IL Mar\" Deh~~nhalll, b.=\Villiam Hamilton Gloss, d.

I 3. \Vilfoun Dehcubam. b.=Caroline Free body,

1794, cl. 1863. I h. 1799, d, r885. ·

1 I I I I I I I I I \Villiarn Debenham, b, 18::14-, d. s.p. 1896; m. ElizaThfary D;1c1iell, who cl. r899.

6. )fory Anne Dehcnhar:1, <l. 1851, aged 67; m. ( 1) i,~ 2ml wife, Thomas Coleman, of Poslingford who cl. c. 1827, (2) George Everard of \Vickhambrc,o),, ,,:ho (\. l 876. No i~sue by 2nd :1u~b,rnrl.

7. Elizabdh Deber.ham, b. 1787, d. 1876; 111. John Fowkr Dc,\·e of Honiuger, b, 1787, ti. 1866; uo is,;ue,

Henry DebenLctm, h. r827, rl. s.p. 1898: m, 1865, Charlotte Caroline Riclley, who d. 1876.

I l I I Samuel Coleman, d. i:Jf. c. 18r9.

John Debenham, b. 1829, m. Emily Appldhwaite; both d, s.p. II Jan. 1866 in the wrt!ck of t!1e "London.''

Frederick Debenham. b. and d. 1830.

Adlwr Coleman, m. in Austr.i,lia, large family.

Tl1omas C0leman, last heard of in B.i,hamas.

Ch:ulotte Coleman 1 b.1817,rl.at Ilallow, co. \:Vore., unm, 1839.

Frank Debenham, J.P., b. 1837.=Emma folkhard I Ridley, 111, T863. 'I -,-I ~,,.....,1,......,1-""'

Ernc~t Ridley Debenbam1 M.A. =Cecilv

--~~~--~' Kcurrck. I r i I I I I Pier>, RcnrlcA:: Debenham, b. 1904. Gilbert Ridley Debenham, h. 1906. ~farjoric Cecily Debenham. Hester Marv Dl:benham. Joan Millicc:nt Debenham. Alison Edith Debenha:n. Cecil Audrey Debenham, twin with Gilbert

Francis John Debenham, B.A., 111. Erna 1\Iillikoff. Alice Debenham. Edi~h Carniine Debenham. },gnc, Elizabeth D1obenha111.

Elizabeth Debenham, b. 1822, d. unm. at \Vorthing, 1898.

Caroline Debtnh;;.m, b. 1833, d. r836.

Caroline Debenham, m. T87 I= Rev. V..'illiam Airy, M.A.,

(2r:d \Vifo).~--~---'I d. 1874-

1 I I Bernard John Airy, M.A,=Dorothy ti.Iary A1.:.

~-~-~I bcrli11, 111. 1898. I I

Eustace Airy, b. 1902.

Doroby Joyce Airy. Eustce\VilliamAiry,H.A., b. (po~th11mou:-.) 1 87 5,

Jtl. 1908, Elsie Callteri11e Grdul. Wini'red Airr, b. and cl. 1873.

Eli7.ahdh 1'fary Coleman,= \Vdliam George f\'liin withSamncl, b.18r9, I T:-Lylor, cl. H:)Ol,

cl. 1898.

I I I I I I Frank Taylor, h. 1853, d. in Brishmc, r 893 ; m. Rosa Roberts.

rh Frank Taylor. Artl1ur Taylor. May Taylor.

Arlhnr Taylo'.·, b. r856, m. 1896, Ilarrict Louisa Napier Ford.

r1-, Barbara Jordan Taylor. 13-t:ryl Andrey Taylor.

Herbert Tayler, b. and <l. 1tl5.5l.

Kate Taylor.

Jes~ie Taylor, m. 1873, Joseph\Va!iam Cooke, who d. at l.3a1tersea 1908, aged ,s I

... , ""1-+1 "'1 ...... 1 -.I ""I Joseph Rcgin. Greaves Cooke, b. 1874, d. at Ashbourne, co. Derb., 1907 ; m. 1 901. Elbe I K:;nway, and left one cLau.

Irene Kenway Cooke. H11be1t \Valter Cooke, b, r875. Stanley Cb.rles Co0ke, m. 190:2, Alice Louisa Crackness.

I I~

1833-. I 1882.

1----------,-;-.-,rr,-r; Douglas Cooke, h. 1903. Richard Stanley Cooke, b. 1905.

\Villiam Harry Coleman Cooke. Ai-tbur Cooke. 12. Sophia Debrnliam, b.=James Cra:n lWcGinnis, a

r836. I Senator.

13. Kale Debenham, b, 1838,=J.1mes Newfield Crain, d. inNt:l,rnska, 1905, drowned d73.

I I I I \\'illia111 Debe11ham Crain.

Horace Newfield Crain.

Thomas Dennis Cr::1.i11,

Herbert George C::a1n.

Mary Eleanor Crain, d.

Harrie~ Ann;,. Crain, m. 1\ahlert; large family.

Mary Edith Crain, m, Elliott; large family.

Cora 1~h;ie Crain, m.

_:\-[yrtll:l Sophia Cr.ain.

David Ham,lton Gloss.

Samuel Del"cnl,am Gloss.

Caroline GltYS'>, d,

:Mary Frances Gloss. d.

Sarah Elccli Gloos, m. Fnmk Henderson Drury, and has a r.au.

Mary Henderson Drury.

Anna Denn s Gloss, :'vLD.

Janet Clive Li-kiss, rn. E<hvard C:ffHon Page.

tfary Gloss,

Philip Conke. tfargncriteJessicCnokc, b.and d. 1878.

May Taylor, m, 1887, \Villiam Henry Kelly. I

r-1 \Villiam Evelvn Henry Kelly, b. 1888. .

Millicent Frances Victoria Kelly.

Helen tfary Coleman, d. iuf.

Caroline Colem.-in, cl. unm.

8, l\farf Deben- LO. Sarah De hell- "' Jemima Dcbcn- 4, Henry Debenham, d. inf. ,. l /()!), hanl, h. 1792, Lam, b. 1797,d. d. 1848 ; Ill. 1878; Ill.Alfred Alexander Swcding, b. Shire1·, of 1797, d. 1867. Cl1cltenl1am,

I co. Glos., ,1. t 866,agcd fr1

I I I c\iexendc,· SJ:;,;,, ihT]sae r829, rl. 1900. l\farshall.

Alex l\farshall Shirer, d. r. 1879, aged c. 20. Amy Shirer. Nora Shirer.

John Frederick Sliirer,=Sarct'.1 b. 1~30, d. r902. I JaneAllcu.

I I I Joha Alexander Shire,, m. 1897, Clara Thorp. Mary Elizabeth Shirer. Frances Edith Shirer. m 1898, Rev. Jame\ Glas:i.

:Mary Shirer, b. 1833.

\\'illia□ Hennett,=Eli:zahc/h Anmclcl h. 1828. I Griffiths, 111. 185(),

I I I I I Aru:1dclBennelt, b.1858

1 m, 1908,

Lavinia Ann Hollister Short.

Henry 1fartyn Bennett, b. 18,19.

Chcirks Bennctl, b. 1860, killed accidentally at school, 1875.

'\7•/illiam George Bennett1 LL.B., b. 1868, m. Jessie Ma11de Lucy Deakin,

M.arv Rr.;nnctt, m, 1883, Samuel "\Vellcsley Vlombs, F.R.C.S.

I I I I I I I I

\\!illiam Coombs, h. 1884.

ham, b. 1800, d. c8R2 ; m. Joseph 5, Bigsby Debcnh;nn, d. iuf. ,. r802. Be1mtlt of V.lorc-esteL·, b. 1800, d. 0, Susan Debcnharn, ,1 ll!IIIl. at Nor-186:2. wicb, 1826, aged 30.

I Rev, A.Urecl Sweeting:, t.I.A., b, 1830, cl. s.p. al Amcolts, co. Linc,, 1884 : m, 1863, Ellen Alethea, eld. dau. of Rev. \Vilfom1 Airy, M.A.

Henry Dove Sweeting, B.A., b. r833, d. unm. at H1mgpore, Ilcngal, 1858,

Rev. V,laltcr Debc11ham-Maria Georgia11a, el<'I. dc1.u. of Sweding, M.A., b. 183(). Rev. Robertf'lurne\Val\er, M.A.,

· h. 1850, 111. 1874, cl. at Maxey, co. Northa:11.s, 1900.

I Henry Ravcnhill Sweeting, flI.A., b. 187.5, m. 1909,

Louise F.leanor ;\.fatter~ou. Alfred Dchenham Sweeting, b. 1876, m. H.)05, J.far~aret D'Oylcy, 2nd lfa.u. of Rev. Francis \Vats.on Robinwn, tLA., of Paston, co. Nortlmnts.

Herbert 'Nailer Sweeting. h. 1879, 111. 1909, l\fabel Heath Robinson, sist1cr of his brot11cr .Alfred's wife, \\.'alter Bigshy Sweeting, b. 1880.

Gerard Talbot S\veeting, b. 188+

l\fary Sweeting, b. 1877, m. 1897, Je~se Monk, of Maxcy. __L..

I I I Hernan! Jesse Sweeting ~Ionk, b. I904. Eric Vilil!iam Waller Monk, h, r90<J, Phyllis :'.\fary Monk,

Ma.rgc1ret Sweeting, b. 1882, tn. 1906, Artlmr 1-Iabgood Barnes, of \Vakefrdd.

I Dong!~ Habgood Barnes, b. 1 lJO().

F:.mny ~weeting, b. 1835, d. 1838.

Sar;ih Elizabeth S\vce:ing, b. r841.

Montague Benoeti d. inf.

J ohri Hoclg~·~ Bennett, b, 1832, d. 1873.:m. Ellen \\~oolnough, who d. 1S6r: they had o-ue dau. \11·ho d. inf.

Charles Debenham BennetL, h. 1835, d, in New Zcal,md, 1904, m. Jessie Dunlop.

Thomas Joseph Bennett, b. 1839. m. Mary Edwards .

~ Charles Rcnndt.

Mary Bennett, m. 1907, E. Oswell Williams.

Ethel Bennett, 111., has one son and one dau.

Brownlc,w Dove Bennett, d. 1851 at Hertford aged 9.

Elizabeth Bennett, d. i11f.

Mary J<:llen Bennett, b. 1837, d.s.p. 1890, m. Geoq~e \Vlcite, \~·110

d. 1907.

Debenham Stnart Coombs, b. 1891.

~furiel Mary Coomhs, d. 1900, aged 14.

Lilian Bennett, b. 1882, cl. 1908.

Evelyn Hilda Coombs.

Kathleen Margaret Ellen Coomhs.

).[arion Elspeth Coombs, h. and d. 1895.

Ellen Arundel Coomb~.

I I Charles Bennett, m,

Hugh Dennett.

Drnce Bennett.

Ruby Bemict(., d.

Vi-olet Bennet!, m. wilh family.

Madeline Bennett, m. 1905, John :Murphy; two chi k1ren.

Daisy Bennett.