Thomas Shirley
Husband Thomas Shirley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: John Shirley ( -1486) 1
Mother: Eleanor Willoughby ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
General Notes (Husband)
1 UPDA 2 PLAC of Enfield Chase, Middlesex
Thomas Shirley
Husband Thomas Shirley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Richard Shirley ( -1540) 1
Mother: Alma Shelley ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Thomas Shirley
Husband Thomas Shirley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: John Shirley (1535-1570) 1
Mother: Jane Lovett ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
General Notes (Husband)
Entered Oxford in 1587. In 1602 he was of Grays Inn. He released his interest in Brailesford, Warwick Co. to his brother George.
Thomas Shirley
Husband Thomas Shirley (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Thomas Shirley Sir (1590-1654) 1 2
Mother: Mary Harper ( - ) 1 2
Marriage:
Wife (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Thomas Shirley
Husband Thomas Shirley 1
Born: 20 Aug 1635
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Thomas Shirley (1599-1654) 1
Mother: Elizabeth Stapley ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Noted events in his life were:
• Baptism, Preston, 27 Aug 1635
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
General Notes (Husband)
(Stemmata says, "Suppose to have died without issue"
Thomas Shirley and Grace Stapley
Husband Thomas Shirley 1
Born: 1577
Christened:
Died: 1636
Buried:
Father: Anthony Shirley Sir ( -1624) 1
Mother: Barbara Walsingham ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Other Spouse: Jane Essex ( - ) 1
Other Spouse: Elizabeth Stoner ( - ) 1 - 2 Feb 1614 - 15 St. Anne, Blackfriars, London
Noted events in his life were:
• Baptism, Preston, 14 Mar 1577
Wife Grace Stapley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Anthony Stapley ( - ) 1
Mother:
Children
1 M Anthony Shirley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died: 1632
Buried:
General Notes (Husband)
He attended Queens College at Oxford in 1591.
Thomas Shirley and Elizabeth Stoner
Husband Thomas Shirley 1
Born: 1577
Christened:
Died: 1636
Buried:
Father: Anthony Shirley Sir ( -1624) 1
Mother: Barbara Walsingham ( - ) 1
Marriage: 2 Feb 1614 - 15 St. Anne, Blackfriars, London
Other Spouse: Jane Essex ( - ) 1
Other Spouse: Grace Stapley ( - ) 1
Noted events in his life were:
• Baptism, Preston, 14 Mar 1577
Wife Elizabeth Stoner 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Other Spouse: Thomas Stephens ( - ) 1
Children
1 F Abigail Shirley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died: 1638
Buried:
General Notes (Husband)
He attended Queens College at Oxford in 1591.
Thomas Shirley
Husband Thomas Shirley 1
Born: 1717
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Thomas Shirley (1683-1718) 1
Mother: Elizabeth ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
General Notes (Husband)
Stemmata thinks he is the same Thomas Shirley, gent. who was buried at Chiddingly, Sussex Co in 1737.
Thomas Shirley
Husband Thomas Shirley 1
Born: 1660
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Thomas Shirley Md ( - ) 1
Mother: Elizabeth Baskett ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Thomas Shirley Sir and Frances Vavasour
Husband Thomas Shirley Sir 1
Born: 1565
Christened:
Died: 1633 - Isle Of Wight
Buried:
Father: Thomas Sherley The Elder Sir ( -1612) 1
Mother: Anne Kemp ( -1622) 1
Marriage: 1591
Other Spouse: Judith Bennet ( - ) 1
Wife Frances Vavasour 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Children
1 M Cheyney Shirley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died: - Young
Buried: 5 Mar 1605 - Foot's Cray, Kent
2 M Henry Shirley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died: 1627 - Murdered
Buried:
3 M Thomas Shirley Sir 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Ann Blendell ( - ) 1
General Notes (Husband)
1 NAME the /younger/
General Notes for Child Henry Shirley
He was a playwright and was of St. Botolph, Aldergate
General Notes for Child Thomas Shirley Sir
He was brought up in a military capacity and was referred to as Captain. His name appears among Sussex delinquents about 1643. He was with Charles I at Oxford (residing in Magdalen College) when he was knighted by His Majesty, February 25, 1645 by the name of Sir Thomas Sherley of Sussex. a colonel in the garrison at Oxford. He was living in 1664 as his name appears on a receipt for payment of taxes in the State paper Office.
Thomas Shirley
Husband Thomas Shirley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died: 1657 - Surrey
Buried:
Father: Thomas Shirley Sir (1565-1633) 1
Mother: Judith Bennet ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Thomas Shirley and Elizabeth Stapley
Husband Thomas Shirley 1
Born: 31 Mar 1599
Christened:
Died: 1654
Buried: 20 May 1654 - Preston
Father: Thomas Shirley (1577-1636) 1
Mother: Jane Essex ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Noted events in his life were:
• Baptism, Preston, 31 Mar 1599
Wife Elizabeth Stapley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Drew Stapley ( - ) 1
Mother:
Children
1 F Elizabeth Shirley 1
Born: 1622
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Walter West ( - ) 1
Spouse: John Lee ( - ) 1
2 M Anthony Shirley Sir 1
Born: 5 Jul 1624
Christened:
Died: 1683
Buried: 22 Jun 1683 - Preston
Spouse: Anne Onslow ( - ) 1
3 F Mary Shirley 1
Born: 1626
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Charles Fox ( - ) 1
4 F Abigail Shirley 1
Born: 1629 - Preston, Sussex
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: William Lane ( - ) 1
Marr: 1647
5 F Jane Shirley 1
Born: 1631
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Samuel Fowle ( - ) 1
6 F Frances Shirley 1
Born: 1633
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
7 M Thomas Shirley 1
Born: 20 Aug 1635
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
8 M Drew Shirley 1
Born: 20 Jul 1637
Christened:
Died: 1707
Buried: 16 May 1707 - Chiddingly
Spouse: Mary Martin ( - ) 1
9 M William Shirley 1
Born: 1638
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Miss Oglander ( - ) 1
10 F Charity Shirley 1
Born: 1640
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
11 M Benjamin Shirley 1
Born: 1641
Christened:
Died: 1641
Buried: 25 Dec 1641 - Preston
12 M John Shirley 1
Born: 17 Nov 1644
Christened:
Died: Dec 1644
Buried: 30 Dec 1644 - Preston
General Notes (Husband)
attended Queens College at Oxford
General Notes for Child Anthony Shirley Sir
Succeeded on his father's death as the representative of the house of Preston. In 1654 he represented Arundel and in 1656 he was one of the members for the county of Sussex in Cromwell's Parliament. In 1660 he was an esq. and was elected Burgess for Steyning. 1664 he was honored with the dignity of a Baronet.
General Notes for Child Thomas Shirley
(Stemmata says, "Suppose to have died without issue"
General Notes for Child Drew Shirley
1 NAME Drue // 1 UPDA 2 PLAC SHIRLEYS OF CHIDDINGLY
In a copy of verses which contains the autograph of Drew Shirley, he writes about his recovery from the small pox in 1659., entitles, "A Hymn to God my God, upon my recovery from the Small Pox. My sickness began on New Year's Day 1659.
General Notes for Child William Shirley
There is a tradition in the family that William died in an earthquake in Jamaica.
General Notes for Child Charity Shirley
1 NAME Charytye //
Thomas Shirley Sir
Husband Thomas Shirley Sir 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: William Bollan Shirley ( -1771) 1
Mother: Frances Shirley (1720-1744) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
General Notes (Husband)
1 UPDA 2 PLAC Agent New Egland before US independence
Thomas Shirley Sir Knt
Husband Thomas Shirley Sir Knt 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Children
1 F Cicely Shirley 1 2
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Thomas West ( -1618) 1 2
Marr: 25 Nov 1596 - Wiston
General Notes for Child Cicely Shirley
1 NAME Caecelia //
Thomas (His Excellency) Shirley Sir/Baronet and Anna Maria Western
Husband Thomas (His Excellency) Shirley Sir/Baronet 1
Born: 30 Dec 1727
Christened:
Died: 18 Feb 1800 - Abbey Church Bath
Buried: 1800 - At Bath
Father: William Shirley (1694-1771) 1
Mother:
Marriage: 4 Jun 1768 - Rivenhall Church
Wife Anna Maria Western 1
Born: 21 Mar 1737 - St George Hanover Square
Christened:
Died: 1777 - Dominica W.I.
Buried:
Father: Thomas Western (1713-1766) 1
Mother: Anne Callis (1716-1777) 1
Noted events in her life were:
• Baptism, St George Hanover Square, 21 Mar 1737
Children
1 M William Warden Shirley Sir 1
Born: 4 Aug 1772
Christened:
Died: 26 Feb 1815 - Rivenhall 3
Buried: - Rivenhall Church
2 M Thomas Western Shirley Baronet 1
Born: 1770 - Bahama Isles.
Christened:
Died: 1794 - Weymouth
Buried: 1794 - At Weymouth
3 F Frances Shirley (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
4 F Judith Shirley (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
General Notes (Husband)
Was Govenor of the Bahamas .He was later Govenor of Dominica, where Anna Maria died in 1777 aged about 40. and then Govenor of the Leeward Islands. When he died at Bath, he was both Baronet and General.
Notes (Marriage)
2 PLAC 1st cousin
General Notes for Child William Warden Shirley Sir
ONLY SURVIVING CHILD OF THOMAS SHIRLEY. Lived at Rivenhall (Place) where he died early March 1815 aged 43. ( This was the year of the Battle of Waterloo) With him the Baronetcy ended. {Extract from THE SUSSEX REVIEW (QUARTERLY), NO 37 Jan 1901:- "The Western Family of Rivenhall" by Charlotte Fell Smith(Lady dislikes the Stuarts)}
General Notes for Child Thomas Western Shirley Baronet
1 UPDA 2 PLAC He was a Captain in the Navy
Dorset County England
Bagbee, Parish of Sturminster Newton, The Shirleys have long been seated here. (36th Henry VIII),
The descendants of William Shirley of Bagbee acquired a fairly considerable estate now possessed by Mr. Shirley, Esq. No pedigree appears for this family in the visitation book.
William Shirley died Sept 14, 1545 possessed of Backbere" and of this family was no doubt, William Shirley of Oxford, minister who died Aug 31, 1658 buried at Shapwick.
There are no sepulchral inscriptions for Shirleys at Bagbee nor are they noticed in the registers before 1690.
In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Kent Co. is a will preserved of Thomas Shirley of Clements Inn, gent. proved 1564/5. He was of this family as he mentions a lease of lands he held in Dorset County, kept in Castle of Sturminister Newton. His children were: Thomas, William, Nicholas and Joan.
Thomas Western Shirley Baronet
Husband Thomas Western Shirley Baronet 1
Born: 1770 - Bahama Isles.
Christened:
Died: 1794 - Weymouth
Buried: 1794 - At Weymouth
Father: Thomas (His Excellency) Shirley Sir/Baronet (1727-1800) 1
Mother: Anna Maria Western (1737-1777) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
General Notes (Husband)
1 UPDA 2 PLAC He was a Captain in the Navy
Dorset County England
Bagbee, Parish of Sturminster Newton, The Shirleys have long been seated here. (36th Henry VIII),
The descendants of William Shirley of Bagbee acquired a fairly considerable estate now possessed by Mr. Shirley, Esq. No pedigree appears for this family in the visitation book.
William Shirley died Sept 14, 1545 possessed of Backbere" and of this family was no doubt, William Shirley of Oxford, minister who died Aug 31, 1658 buried at Shapwick.
There are no sepulchral inscriptions for Shirleys at Bagbee nor are they noticed in the registers before 1690.
In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Kent Co. is a will preserved of Thomas Shirley of Clements Inn, gent. proved 1564/5. He was of this family as he mentions a lease of lands he held in Dorset County, kept in Castle of Sturminister Newton. His children were: Thomas, William, Nicholas and Joan.
Walter Shirley
Husband Walter Shirley 1 2
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Walter Shirley (1690-1755) 1 2
Mother: Dorcas Avis ( - ) 1 2
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Children
1 F Elizabeth Shirley (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
2 F Elizabeth Shirley (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Walter Shirley
Husband Walter Shirley 1
Born: 1582
Christened:
Died: 7 Oct 1584
Buried:
Father: Anthony Shirley Sir ( -1624) 1
Mother: Barbara Walsingham ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Noted events in his life were:
• Baptism, Preston, 4 Feb 1583
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Washington Shirley
Husband Washington Shirley 1 2
Born: 22 Jun 1677
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Robert Shirley Sir Bart (1651-1717) 1 2
Mother: Elizabeth Washington (1655-1693) 1 2
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Children
1 F Selina Shirley 1 2
Born: 13 Aug 1707 - Astwell House
Christened:
Died: 17 Jun 1791 - Spitalfields, London
Buried:
Spouse: Theophilus Earl Of Huntingdon ( -1741) 1 2
Marr: 3 Jun 1728 - Staunton Harold Church
General Notes for Child Selina Shirley
Lady Selina Shirley Huntingdon
First cousin of William Tryon, Governor of North Carolina (1765-1771)
Lady Selina Shirley was chr. Aug 13, 1707, died June 17, 1791. She was the daughter of Washington Shirley, second First Earl Ferrers. Selina married the Earl of Huntingdon. After his death in 1741, Selina devoted her remaining forty give years to the establishment of the Methodist Church. Appointing Rev. George Whitefield as one of her chaplains, she established sixty-four meeting houses in England and provided seminaries for the education of ministers to supply them.
In Lady Huntingdon's day, there was a spiritual barreness in England which vigorous itinerant preachers began to correct by preaching to large crowds the indifferent clergy had failed to reach. One Benjamin Ingram, of powerful pursuation, had influenced and married Margaret, Lady Huntingdon's sister-in-law. Because of Margaret, she found the way to Salvation through complete trust in the Lord and dedicated her life to His work.
Expressing her deep interst to the Wesley brothers, then in England, she went often to hear them preach.
While the Wesleys, Whitefield and other powerful preachers were reaching the proleteriat, Selina worked valiantly to save the souls of the nobility. Sometimes her letters received indignant replies. The Duchess of Buckingham wrote: "I thank your Ladyship for information on the Methodist preaching. Their doctrines are stongly tinctured with impertinence toward their superiors... It is monstrous to be told you have a heart as sinful as the common wretches who crawl the earth."
The Duchess of Marlborough replied: "Your concern for my improvement and religious knowledge is very obliging and I hope I shall be the better for your excellent advice...women of wit, beauty and quality connot bear too many home truths... I am forced to the society of those I detest and abhor. There is Lady Sanderson's great rout tomorrow night-I do hate the woman as much as I hate a physician, but I must go if only to mortify and spite her...I confess my little peccadillos to you; your goodness will lead you to mild and forgiving."
Lady Huntindon was forgiving but her religious wrath matched her moral indignation and courage when she remonstrated with the Archbishop of Canterbury for the worldly behavior unbecoming to his position as church leader. When he laughed her to scorn, Selina arranged an audience with Queen Charlotte and King George II who sharply rebuked the Bishop.
George Whitefield founded Bethesda in Georgia about 1740. It is the countries oldest home for boys. Selina inherited Bethesda and upon receivpt of it, se aside a day of prayer and fasting, then began long range plans for making Bethesda the launching base for a great missionary movement among the settlers and Indians, using missionaries from Trevecka College in Wales which she had already established for educating ministers.
Selina wrote Washing of her plans and appointed William Piercy of St. Pauls Charleston, Bethesda's president, and sent over her own housekeeper. Before the missionaries set sail, she laid down strict rules for prayers and services during the crossing to America. Upon arrival, the missionaries dispersed and began preaching.
Wishing to prove faithful to Whitefield, she obtained advice from Governor Jams Wright of Georgia, who told her to give full power to the law firm of Tattnall and Hall, and to call the resident at Bethesda to account, which she did. Lady Huntingdon never received a penny from her Georgia estates; instead she spent thousands of pounds of her own paying bills rendered by Mr. Habersham, Mr. Piercy and the law firm. She rejoiced that no lives wer lost in a Bethesda fire caused by lightning, and sold her jewelry for funds to help restore the buildings. Then the American Revolution interrupted her good works; also the sad discovery that Mr. Piercy had been dishones, cheating her and Bethesda out of a large sum.
When this noble English Lady died, the orphanage was reclaimed by the State legislature and the management committed to a board of trustees.
FROM THE SAVANNAH NEWSPRESS JUNE 1975
Sent by Sue Henderson years ago.
============================================================================================
from Stemmata Shirleiana
Selina, second daughter of Washington second Earl Ferrers, was born August 13, 1707 at Astwell House. In the bloom of youth she married Theophilus ninth Earl of Huntingdon, June 3, 1728 at Staunton Harold Church. He was a nobleman of retired and amiable disposition, from whom she was separated by death in 1746. She survived him by 45 years, devoting the remainder of her life to the Methodist movement.
She appointed the celebrated George Whitfield her chaplin; She established sixty-four meeting houses in various parts of the kingdom; for the maintenance of which, and of seminaries for education of ministers, she devoted the bulk of her fortune to trustees.
She died at her house in Spa-fields, London, the 17th of June, 1791, at the advanced age of 84 years, and by her will directed her remains, dressed in the suit of white silk which she wore at the opening of the chapel in Goodman's Field's, to be deposited in as plain a manner as possible in her husband's vault at Ashby-de-la-Zouche, in Leicestershire, where she had erected a monument with her own bust by Rysbrach, with a long inscription, from the pen of Lord Bolingbroke.
ASTWELL MANOR HOUSE
In 1453 Arthur Brook, of a Warwickshire family, was in possession, and in 1471 his son William exchanged the manors of Astwell and Falcutt with one Thomas Lovett for the manors of Rushton and Great Oakley near Kettering. Thomas Lovett's daughter, Margaret, married John, son of William Brooke.
Soon after Thomas Lovett came to Astwell - this was Edward IV's reign - he set to work to build the manor house anew, and the surviving gate-house is part of his work. The rest of the house was built round a courtyard; there was a moat, and, said the Ministry of Works in 1958, "it must have been an imposing place." Four generations of Lovetts lived here and the family was of some standing in the County, for three different Thomas Lovetts served as High Sheriff in the reigns respectively of Edward IV, Henry VII, and Elizabeth I.
The last Thomas Lovett of Astwell, who died in 1586, married Elizabeth Fermor of Easton Neston, and their only child, Jane, by her marriage with John, younger of Francis Shirley of Ragsdale and Staunton Harold in Leicestershire, carried Astwell into the Shirley family.
The Shirleys
John Shirley, the husband of Jane Lovett, died in 1570 leaving a son, George, who, born in 1559, inherited Stanton Harold in 1571, and Astwell (on the death of his Lovett grandfather) in 1586.
The Shirleys were by far the most interesting of the owners of Astwell, and, in fact, managed to produce contemporaneously a murderer and founder of a religious sect.
With George Shirley the light at last begins to shine brightly on Astwell. He was a man highly typical of his age. Educated at Hart Hall, Oxford, he received some training at one of the Inns of Court and later served for a while with the Earl of Leicester in Holland. On succeeding to Astwell, with which he immediately feel in love, he became henceforth a Northamptonshire rather than a Leicestershire man and was sheriff of the County in the year that Queen Elizabeth died.
Early in the next reign he demolished the greater part of the manor house, and, smitten with building fever then raging among Northamptonshire squires, built himself a large and beautiful mansion alongside the old Thomas Lovett's tower. The new house, which had gables and mullioned windows in the prevailing style, was completed in about 1606. There were over forty rooms, including a hall, a chapel, a great and a little parlour, and a gallery hung with twenty-four pictures, as we know from an inventory of 1622 which gives the names of all the rooms. These and also the tower were luxuriously furnished with court cupboards, four-poster beds, chairs and stools covered with velvet, needle-work or leather, green and red rugs, hangings and "carpets" of arras, velvet cushions, coloured window curtains, chests, cabinets, long oak tables with benches and joint stools, tow pair of virginals, a "harpiscall", a bell to ring to prayers, etc., etc., etc. With a small army of servants inside and out, a stable full of horses, at least three coaches, those were surely the greatest days of Astwell, when for beauty and importance it must have ranked with such places as Gawsley, Deene, or Great Oakley Hall. George signed the work of his period with his initials and coat of arms in several rooms, the example on the stone mantel-piece in the sitting room of the present house being the only one now surviving.
George Shirley "with many gallant gentlemen" conducted James I across Northamptonshire on his way south at his accession, and was one of the first batch of baronets created by that monarch. An open-handed man, "relieving during the great dearth 500 a day at his gates", he reminds us of his contemporary the first Lord Montagu of Boughton on the other side of the County. The year of the "great dearth" was 1608.
Shirley's religious position was ambiguous, unless, which we doubt, he was an arrant hypocrite. He was an avowed Roman Catholic, and therefore placed on the list of suspected Papists in Northamptonshire. All his armour and weapons were removed from Astwell House in his absence over-seas in 1618 on the plea that his servants were recusants. Lord Exeter, then Lord Lieutenant, thereupon wrote to the Privy Council on his behalf that "he had always been loyal and forward in service and declared himself no recusant". Three years later his arms were restored to him. He was certainly an outward conformer to the Church of England, and the following letter to Dr. Lambe, Chancellor of the Diocese of Peterborourgh, from four of the local clergy, suggests very strongly that his attendance at their services was more than a mere formality. He was perhaps one of those who had "true unity, which is most glorious."
"May it please you, Sir, Whereas we whose names are hereunder written are intreated by Sir George Shirley of Astwell in your Countie of Northampton Baronet, to certifie our knowledge to your worship of his conformities in coming to the church and hearing devine service and sermons there, upon Sundays and Holldayes, according to the lawe in that case; we do hereby certifie you that the said Sir George Shirley (being an old gent. and his house farr from the parish churche) and having an auntient privileged chappell in his house, hathe, according to the booke of Common prayer, service red in the same chappell by Mr. Jones. a Batchelor in Divinitie and Chaplen in his house, who hathe of him a yearely stipend for reading prayer and preaching there, to which service and sermons himselfe, his Ladie and his familie doe come verie orderly, and we doe further certifie your worship that we ourselves doe verifie often every yeare in the absence of his said chaplen, or when we are thereunto entreated by the said Sir George Shirley, come thither and read service and preache in his his said chappell to him, his Ladie and his familie; and this with remembrance of our humble dutie we committ you to God, and rest.
Your worhip's always to command, Richard Lewis (S.T.P.) (Vicar of Brakley). William Jonnes (Clerk) [Rector of Syreham]. Chr. Middleton (Clerk) [Rector of Aston-le-Walls]. Edward Wade (Clerk) [Rector of Holdenby and Church Brampton]. Dated the 23 of January 1618 [1619].
Sir George Shirley, in the words of his son, Thomas, died on 27th of April 1622, aged 63, "in the bosom of his mother, the Roman Catholick Church".
On the death of Sir George, his descendants did not entirely desert Astwell. Sir Robert, the 4th baronet, lived there as a boy during the early years of the Civil War, and his widow make it her home for many years. The house was kept up and the family probably came for a part of each year, buy they took little or no part in the affairs of the County and inclined more and more to Staunton Harold and their other residences.
Sir Robert Shirley the 7th baronet, became Lord Ferrers of Chartley when this ancient barony was called out of abeyance by Charles II in 1677. In 1711 he was created Earl Ferrers by Queen Anne. His chief claim to distinction, however was the number of his children. By his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Lawrence Washington of Garsden (Wiltshire Co.) he had 17 children and by his second wife 10, "besides some 30 natural children".
During the life-time of his son Washing, the second Earl Ferrers, John Bridges was at work on his history of Northamptonshire, and has preserved for us a glimpse of what "Astwell, an old seat of Earl Ferrers" as he called it, looked like 240 years ago.
"Behind the gate-house is a little court and entry into the hall. The hall windows project n ronde and have battlements over them. The wainscot and chimney pieces in several rooms are adorned with the arms of the family with other carved work: and the window, which are of chrystal, are stained with flowers, birds, horses and other ornaments. At the east end of the great parlour was formerly a chapel, where Dr. Sheldon, afterwards, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Dr. Dolben, afterwards Archbishop of York, are said to have successively officiated as chaplains of the family".
Of this Lord Ferrers a contemporary wrote: "He keeps as hospitable an house and entertains as nobly as any peer of the realm", buy on the whole the second and third earls were quite unremarkable people. Not so the fourth, -- Laurence Shirley (1720-1760) -- who succeeded his uncle, the third earl, in 1745. Of him Burke writes in his Peerage:--
"Although not bereaved of intellect, this nobleman frequently evinced strong symptoms of a constitutional violence of temper; and in one of the paroxisms of rage habitual with his lordship put to his own confidential land-steward, and aged gentleman of the name of Johnson".
Lord Ferrers wished to evict Johnson from his farm, and failing to do so, got him into his room at Staunton Harold, locked the door, pulled a pistol out of his pocket and shot him. He was tried by his peers in Westminster hall, found guilty of murder, and sentenced to death. During his imprisonment in the Tower of London before his execution, he was several times visited by his cousin Selina, Countess of Huntingdon.
Ferres decided to die in the grand manner even though it was the death of a felon. When the fatal day arrived he put on a suit embroidered with silver and was driven from the Tower to Tyburn in his own landau drawn by six horses, and, according to tradition, was hanged with the silken cord which was the privilege of a peer instead of the hempen rope used for common murderers. A vast multitude of people assembled to watch the execution for which the "new drop" (just introduced instead of the cart, ladder and medieval gibbet) was used for the first time. Tyburn gallows stood close to the site of the marble Arch on the boundary of the parishes of St. Marylebone and Westminster.
Washington Shirley 8th Earl and Frances Ward
Husband Washington Shirley 8th Earl 1 2 4
Born: 1760 4
Christened:
Died: 1842
Buried:
Father: Robert Shirley 6th Earl ( -1787) 1 2
Mother: Catherine Cotton ( - ) 1 2
Marriage:
Wife Frances Ward 1 2
Born:
Christened:
Died: 1812
Buried:
Father: William Ward Rev ( -1758) 1 2
Mother: Elizabeth Hawkes ( - ) 1 2
Children
1 M Robert William Shirley Viscount 1 2
Born:
Christened:
Died: 3 Feb 1830 4
Buried:
Spouse: Anne Weston ( -1839) 1 2
General Notes (Husband)
Great-grandson of Robert 1st Earl Ferrers whose Royal descent through the Devereux's is given in vol. i. ped. Cxxxiii
General Notes (Wife)
Only daughter. Aunt of Lord Ward.
General Notes for Child Robert William Shirley Viscount
Only son.
William Shirley
Husband William Shirley (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Thomas Shirley ( -1545) 1
Mother: Elizabeth Gorges ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Wife (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
William Shirley
Husband William Shirley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried: 12 Apr 1568 - West Grinstead
Father: Francis Shirley ( -1577) 1
Mother: Barbara Blount ( -1563) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
William Shirley
Husband William Shirley 1
Born: 1721
Christened:
Died: 1755 - In Battle With The French And Indians.
Buried:
Father: William Shirley (1694-1771) 1
Mother:
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
William Shirley
Husband William Shirley 1
Born: 1694 - Preston
Christened:
Died: 1771
Buried:
Father: William Shirley ( -1701) 1
Mother: Elizabeth Godman ( - ) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Children
1 M William Shirley 1
Born: 1721
Christened:
Died: 1755 - In Battle With The French And Indians.
Buried:
2 F Frances Shirley 1
Born: 1720
Christened:
Died: 1744
Buried:
Spouse: William Bollan Shirley ( -1771) 1
3 M John Shirley 1
Born: 8 Nov 1725
Christened:
Died: 1755 - Of Camp Fever At Oswego In America
Buried:
4 M Thomas (His Excellency) Shirley Sir/Baronet 1
Born: 30 Dec 1727
Christened:
Died: 18 Feb 1800 - Abbey Church Bath
Buried: 1800 - At Bath
Spouse: Anna Maria Western (1737-1777) 1
Marr: 4 Jun 1768 - Rivenhall Church
5 M Robert Shirley Sir 1
Born: 1745
Christened:
Died: 15 Oct 1815 - Rivenhall
Buried: 20 Oct 1815 - Rivenhall Church
6 M Ralph Shirley 1
Born: - Died As Infant
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
7 F Elizabeth Shirley 1
Born:
Christened:
Died: 1790
Buried:
Spouse: Eliakim Hutchison ( - ) 1
8 F Judith Shirley 1
Born: 1723
Christened:
Died: 1754
Buried:
9 F Harriet Shirley 1
Born: 1724
Christened:
Died: 1802
Buried:
Spouse: Robert Temple ( - ) 1
10 F Maria Catherine Shirley 1
Born: 1729
Christened:
Died: 1816
Buried:
Spouse: John Erving ( - ) 1
General Notes (Husband)
1 UPDA 2 DATE 1741 2 PLAC BECAME GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS
Succeeded to his mother's estate
General Notes for Child Thomas (His Excellency) Shirley Sir/Baronet
Was Govenor of the Bahamas .He was later Govenor of Dominica, where Anna Maria died in 1777 aged about 40. and then Govenor of the Leeward Islands. When he died at Bath, he was both Baronet and General.
William C Shirley Jr
Husband William C Shirley Jr 5
Born: 14 Dec 1916
Christened:
Died: 3 Jan 1945
Buried: - Coneross Baptist Church, Oconee Co., SC
Father: William C Shirley (1882-1954) 5
Mother: Lavaca Randall (1885-1969) 5
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
William D. Shirley
Husband William D. Shirley 5
Born: 1863
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: Benjamin Hershel Shirley (1823- ) 5
Mother: Lucinda C. Brock (1824- ) 5
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
William Ernest Shirley
Husband William Ernest Shirley 5
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Father: William Fletcher Shirley (1861-1946) 5
Mother: Susan Flaura Langford (1869-1949) 5
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Children
1 M James Shirley (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
2 M Albert Shirley (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
3 M Norman Shirley (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
William Harold Shirley and Nellie Ruth Wright
Husband William Harold Shirley 5
Born: - Newry, Oconee Co., SC
Christened:
Died: 6 Oct 1966 - Easley, Pickens Co., SC
Buried: 9 Oct 1966 - New Silver Brook Cemetery, Anderson Co., SC
Marriage:
Wife Nellie Ruth Wright (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Children
1 M Bobby Wayne Shirley (details suppressed for this person)
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Wanda Elaine Harper (living)
William Warden Shirley Sir
Husband William Warden Shirley Sir 1
Born: 4 Aug 1772
Christened:
Died: 26 Feb 1815 - Rivenhall 3
Buried: - Rivenhall Church
Father: Thomas (His Excellency) Shirley Sir/Baronet (1727-1800) 1
Mother: Anna Maria Western (1737-1777) 1
Marriage:
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
General Notes (Husband)
ONLY SURVIVING CHILD OF THOMAS SHIRLEY. Lived at Rivenhall (Place) where he died early March 1815 aged 43. ( This was the year of the Battle of Waterloo) With him the Baronetcy ended. {Extract from THE SUSSEX REVIEW (QUARTERLY), NO 37 Jan 1901:- "The Western Family of Rivenhall" by Charlotte Fell Smith(Lady dislikes the Stuarts)}
Willie Mae Shirley
Husband
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Marriage:
Wife Willie Mae Shirley 5
Born: 9 Apr 1896 - Bowersville, GA
Christened:
Died: 26 Nov 1911
Buried:
Father: Gustavius Adolphus Shirley (1858-1939) 5
Mother: Rosa Lee Adams (1870- ) 5
