Haddon Hall
Peter is asked to explain the connection to Haddon Hall
Have a seat. This is complicated and my tree is a mess of contradictions here which I need to clear up. However, here is how I think it goes….
You and I share great grandparents — William Hayward and Elizabeth (nee) Alexander. Elizabeth’s father was Samuel Alexander (1818-1907). Samuel married Isabella Fisher (1821-1901). The Fishers and the Alexanders seemed to hit it off for Samuel Alexander’s father also married a Fisher. But that’s another story.
We’re interested in the Fisher line here because they lead us to Haddon Hall. Isabella Fisher’s father was Benjamin Fisher (1781-1863). He married Mary Unthank (1783-1855). Now here is an interesting kink: Mary Unthank’s mother was Deborah Richardson (1756-1848). Deborah is our fourth great grandmother and is no doubt related to your father’s Richardsons.
Anyway, we back up to Benjamin Fisher (Deborah’s son), then follow the Fishers back to 1500 when William Fisher (1479-1519) married Mary Vernon (1488-1536). And that’s the connection to Haddon Hall which was owned by the Vernons. William and Mary were our 13th great grand-parents.
As an aside, their son Thomas Fisher (1510-1556) married Elizabeth Brocket (1522-?). The Brockets were a wealthy and influential family in the day and entertained blue bloods including the Queen routinely and the hall was infamous for its racy affairs (Google ‘Brocket Hall. It’s a bed and breakfast for the rich. You’re welcome to spend the night if you don’t mind dropping a grand).
Well, there you have it. A snippet anyway. There are stories galore tucked away in this tree (in every tree!).
Love, Peter
May 14, 2019
Hi again Peter,
Thanks for the note.
Regarding the Richardson connection. It is reasonably common name and they could well be connected. My problem is how does one get from Deborah’s Grandfather, William Richardson, who married Sarah Weston in Limerick in 1719 to the large clan of Richardson’s in the Newcastle area?
Regarding Benjamin Clarke Fisher, I have traced him back to Reuben Fisher, of Southwark and his wife Joan Howe in the mid 1600s and no further. The Kinsalebeg history(Google) mentions that the London area Fisher’s extended family included Sir Edward Of Mickleton & London, Sir Thomas of Islington and Sir Clement MP(1661-1669) and a 2nd Baronet. Clement married (1662) royalist heroine Jane Lane who helped Charles II escape to France.
Now the connection to Haddon Hall?
All grist for the Ancestry mill.
Regards to all and especially Lucy and James. Hope you are all well
John
Hey John,
Re. “how does one get from Deborah’s Grandfather, William Richardson, who married Sarah Weston in Limerick in 1719 to the large clan of Richardson’s in the Newcastle area?” Well I expect they took a boat. Horse-drawn coach across the breadth of England would not be for the faint of heart. Just kidding. I have no idea, I just put it out there as a possibility. As for the Fishers, I go as follows:
Reuben F — Joan Howe
Thomas F (1617) — Mary Price (1621)
Sir Edward Fisher (1587-1654) — Lady Mary Maria Challoner (1590-1642)
Edward Fisher (1562-1628) — Avice Thornhill (1560-1604)
Thomas Richard Fisher (1533-1584) — Anne Brand 1537-)
Thomas Fisher (1510-1556) — Elizabeth Brocket (1522-)
William Fisher (1479-1519) — Mary Vernon (1488-1536) Married 1500
Randall Fisher (1455-) — Elizabeth (here the Fisher trail stops)
Mary Vernon was a co-heiress of Haddon Hall along with her sisters Anne and Dorothy. Dorothy Vernon was the subject of romantic legend (google Dorothy Vernon Haddon Hall). She eloped with a handsome John Manners after her father refused to allow the marriage. Why is unclear. John’s prospects were reasonable. His family had their own castle up the road. His descendent, the current Earl of Rutland, still owns Haddon Hall and his brother lives there. While at Haddon, my concerted attempts to “knock him up” came to naught. Thought we might have a little cousin to cousin chit-chat, but no. Probably busy in the village collecting rents from destitute widows. Or perhaps he was down at the Purple Pear quaffing a pint while the Ferrari got an oil change. In any case, the poor chap missed the chance to make the Canadian Connection. He’ll never know how close he came. Probably best.
Sir Edward Fisher of Mickleton is our man (9th great grandfather). Can’t find the others. Sir Edward and Avice Thornhill had a daughter Francesse. Francesse married Rev Thomas Rose (1619-1692). The Roses, Fishers and Thornhills all lived in Mickleton, a tiny village on the north edge of the Cotswolds and importantly, within striking distance of London. Thomas and Francesse had 11 children, nine of them boys. Oh my. Four of the boys as adults went into business together, capitalizing on their respective skills. Fulke Rose was a medical doctor, John was a merchant sea captain, William was an apothecary and astute money manager, and one or two of the other brothers pitched in where needed. What played out was a lucrative arrangement. In the 1670s Fulke ran a very profitable medical practice in Jamaica catering to wealthy plantation owners. He also bought a plantation and called on two of his brothers to help manage it. Captain John Rose transported criminals and political prisoners to Jamaica to work off their ten year sentences on the plantations, notably his brother’s. And of course, John got paid for his efforts by the British government. Fulke and Co. got free labour and on the return trip to England, John filled the holds of his two ships with Rose sugar. William managed the proceeds. All in all, it was a shrewd variation of the triangular slave trade.
William has his own claim to fame. Apothecaries in those days routinely treated the ill and injured who lacked the funds to visit a surgeon. He was unable, however, to cure one of his patients of what was likely a sexually transmitted disease. He billed the man steeply for his efforts and the man complained to the College of Surgeons. They took William to court on the grounds that apothecaries were not licensed to practice as medical doctors. He lost but won on appeal, arguing that the poor had no option but to seek the help of apothecaries, as they could not afford a doctor’s fee. Apothecaries, therefore, were carrying out a service essential to the well-being of the community. Apothecaries, as a result of that court case, became the general practitioners of today. The William Rose Prize is given annually to a student who contributes significantly to the history of medicine. William is our 1st cousin 9x removed.
Very interesting to hear about Sir Clement, Jane Lane and the connection to Charles II. I’ll explore that. Thanks for the info John. What fun this is. Hope I didn’t beat you to death with all this. Big hugs, Peter
