{76} Edward III Descents for Judith Noel, Lady Milbanke (1751-1822)

Judith Noel, Lady Milbanke (1751-1822)

Lord Byron's mother-in-law was a formidable woman, one of the most ambitious of the Regency period. The eldest daughter of the 1st Viscount Wentworth, Hon. Judith Noel made up for in intelligence what she lacked in beauty. At age 25, she was courted by Ralph Milbanke, a handsome, good-natured young man four years her senior, the heir to a baronetcy and several estates in Yorkshire and co. Durham. Judith brought a marriage portion of £8,000 to the Milbankes, and also brought an intolerant temperament that quickly alienated her husband's younger brother and his sister, the celebrated Whig hostess Lady Melbourne. Having suffered two miscarriages early in her marriage, as well as bouts of ill health from a blood disorder, Judith resolved that she would be childless. She focused her attentions on her husband's Parliamentary career, campaigning tirelessly for him, and on obtaining custody of her 3-year-old niece Sophia Curzon after the death of the girl's mother.

By 1791, the Noels of Kirkby Mallory were facing a succession crisis. The 2nd Viscount Wentworth, blessed with good looks and a large inheritance, had led a decadent life, taking a mistress while on the continent with whom he fathered two children. In 1780, Lady Anne Lindsay (1750-1825), a poet and the 30-year-old eldest daughter of the Earl of Balcarres, had fallen in love with the Viscount, and had even gone so far as to meet with the Viscount's one-time mistress to assess the situation. Judith Milbanke worked hard to prevent her brother's marriage, and ended up successful. She claimed it was to spare Lady Anne a life with the decadent Viscount, but others observed that it also delayed her brother, who was age 35 in 1780, from fathering a legitimate heir.

Kirkby Hall, Kirkby Mallory, Leicestershire

It wasn't until 1788 that the Viscount took a wife: Mary, the dowager Countess Ligonier, a childless widow in her late 30s. She had her own health issues, and it was certainly her fortune, not the prospect of fathering an heir, that had been the main reason for the heavily debt-burdened Viscount to walk down the aisle. By 1791, the Viscount and his surviving sister Judith were resigned to their 10-year-old nephew Nathaniel Curzon as the Viscount's heir, though Judith looked with disapproval on his being raised by his father Lord Scarsdale, whom she judged to be too decadent. Only their dear old spinster aunt Mary Noel (1725-1802), who had raised them and their sisters after their mother's early death, had any hope that the succession could change. She noticed the improved health of both Judith and the Countess Ligonier in the past year, and insisted that there was still hope of fertility, despite both women having just turned 40. And, the elderly lady was proven right, for in the fall of 1791, Judith conceived. At first believing she had entered menopause, Judith was shocked and delighted to discover it was instead the long-awaited heir to the Milbankes and the Noels. There was some disappointment when Judith gave birth to a girl in the spring, but the baby was healthy, and the middle-aged mother was delighted. All of her energy would now be focused on this miraculous heiress, and Judith was a lioness when it came to her daughter, as Lord Byron would come to experience firsthand. Judith used all her considerable influence to obtain the couple's legal separation after their troubled first year of marriage.

Details of Judith, her parents, her siblings, and their children, are followed by the four lines of descent from Edward III which Judith has, all through her father the 1st Viscount Wentworth.

1st Viscount Wentworth (1715-1774)

EDWARD NOEL, 1st Viscount Wentworth of Wellesborough, b. 30 Aug. 1715 Kirkby Hall, Kirkby Mallory, Leicestershire, bap. 11 Sept. 1715 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; d. 31 Oct. 1774 Kirkby Hall, bur. 8 Nov. 1774 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory, son of Sir Clobery Noel, 5th Baronet of Kirkby Mallory (1694-1733, descended from Edward III - see A15 below) and Elizabeth Rowney (c.1695-1743); m. 20 July 1744 St Mary Church, Wilby, Northamptonshire, JUDITH LAMB, b. 10 Jan. 1725; d. 3 Dec. 1761 Kirkby Hall, bur. 10 Dec. 1761 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory, dau. of William Lamb of Wilby (d. 1747) and Martha --- (1685-1758), and had issue, one son and three daughters.

Issue of 1st Viscount Wentworth and Judith (Lamb) Noel:

1) THOMAS NOEL, 2nd Viscount Wentworth of Wellesborough, b. 18 Nov. 1745 Kirkby Hall, bap. 21 Dec. 1745 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; d. 17 Apr. 1815 Portman Square, London, bur. 28 Apr. 1815 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; m. 2 Feb. 1788 South Audley Street, London, MARY (HENLEY), Countess Ligonier of Clonmell, b. 1753; d.s.p. 29 June 1814 Kirkby Hall, bur. All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory, widow of Edward, 1st Earl Ligonier of Clonmell (1740-1782), and dau. of Robert Henley, 1st Earl of Northington (c.1708-1772, descended from Edward III) and Jane Huband (1716-1787, descended from Edward III); by ANNA CATERINA VAN LOO, b. c.1750 Ghent, Flanders [Belgium]; d. 11 Sept. 1781 Wootton, England, had illegitimate issue, one son and one daughter.

Issue (illegitimate) of 2nd Viscount Wentworth and Anna Caterina van Loo:

1A) ANNA CATHERINE NOEL, b. 4 Nov. 1769 Noirefontaine, Bouillon, Belgium; d. Apr. 1840 Hookwood House, Limpsfield, Surrey, bur. 25 Apr. 1840 St Peter Church, Limpsfield; m. 14 June 1790 St Marylebone, London, VINCENT HILTON BISCOE of Hookwood House, b. Bedford Row, Holborn, London, bap. 22 Jan. 1767 St Andrew Holborn; d. 26 Nov. 1846 Great Malvern Priory, Worcestershire, son of Vincent John Biscoe of Bedford Row (1721-1770) and Benigna Gottlieb Shiffner (c.1722-1796), and had issue, five sons and seven daughters.

All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory

1B) Rev. THOMAS NOEL, Rector of Kirkby Mallory 1798-1853, b. 28 Dec. 1774 England, bap. 25 Apr. 1792 St Marylebone, London; d. 22 Aug. 1853 Plymouth, Devon, bur. 29 Aug. 1853 Ford Park Cemetery, Plymouth; m. 1st 7 May 1796 St Mary Church, Bucklebury, Berkshire, CATHERINE SMITH, b. Claybrooke, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, bap. 21 Aug. 1773 St Mary Church, Lutterworth; d. 11 Mar. 1832 Norris Hill, Leicestershire, dau. of Holled Smith of Normanton Turville Hall (1732-1795, descended from Edward III) and Elizabeth Grace (1738-1786), and had issue, five sons and five daughters; m. 2nd 1 Mar. 1838 Town Hall, Calais, France, HENRIETTA ELIZABETH FISHER, b. 27 July 1808 Gravesend, Kent, bap. 28 Jan. 1812 St George Church, Gravesend; d. 27 Aug. 1878 St Stephen-By-Saltish, Cornwall, bur. 30 Aug. 1878 Ford Park Cemetery, Plymouth, dau. of Thomas Fisher of Gravesend (d. 1814) and Mary (?)Milgate, and had further issue, two sons.

2) Hon. JUDITH NOEL, b. 3 Nov. 1751 Kirkby Hall, bap. 4 Nov. 1751 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; d. 28 Jan. 1822 Kirkby Hall, bur. 5 Feb. 1822 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; m. 9 Jan. 1777 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory, Sir RALPH MILBANKE [later NOEL], 6th Baronet of Halnaby, b. 28 July 1747 Chester Deanery, Chester-le-Street, co. Durham, bap. 20 Aug. 1747 St Mary & St Cuthbert Church, Chester-le-Street; d. 19 Mar. 1825 Hampstead, Middlesex, bur. 27 Mar. 1825 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory, er son of Sir Ralph Milbanke, 5th Baronet of Halnaby (c.1722-1798, descended from Edward IV) and Elizabeth Hedworth (1731-1767, descended from Edward IV), and had issue, one daughter.

Issue of Hon. Judith (Noel) and Sir Ralph Milbanke, 6th Baronet:

11th Baroness Wentworth
(1792-1860)

2A) ANNE ISABELLA MILBANKE [later, in 1822, NOEL], 11th Baroness Wentworth of Nettlestead, b. 17 May 1792 Elemore Hall, Pittington, co. Durham, bap. 10 Aug. 1792 St Mary Church, Seaham, co. Durham; d. 16 May 1860 Primrose Hill, London, bur. 21 May 1860 Kensal Green Cemetery, London; m. 2 Jan. 1815 Seaham Hall, co. Durham (separated 15 Apr. 1816), GEORGE GORDON BYRON, 6th Baron Byron of Rochdale, b. 22 Jan. 1788 Marylebone, London, bap. 1 Mar. 1788 St Marylebone Parish Church; d. 19 Apr. 1824 Missolonghi, Greece, bur. 16 July 1824 St Mary Magdalene Church, Hucknall Torkard, Nottinghamshire, only son of Capt. John Byron of Marylebone (1757-1791, descended from Edward III) and his 2nd wife Katharine Gordon (1764-1811, descended from James IV), and had issue, one daughter.

3) Hon. ELIZABETH NOEL, b. 10 July 1755 Kirkby Hall, bap. 12 July 1755 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; d.s.p. 25 Jan. 1779, bur. 31 Jan. 1779 St Botolph Church, Bradenham, Buckinghamshire; m. 19 June 1777 St Marylebone, London, as his 1st wife, Sir JAMES BLAND BURGES [later LAMB], 1st Baronet of Burghfield, b. 8 June 1752 Gibraltar; d. 13 Oct. 1824, bur. 20 Oct. 1824 St George Hanover Square, London, only son of Capt. George Burges of Edinburgh (1725-1786) and Hon. Anne Whichnor Somerville (1725-1778, descended from James II of Scotland).

Hon. Sophia (née Noel) Curzon
(1758-1782)

4) Hon. SOPHIA SUSANNA NOEL, b. 24 Mar. 1758 Kirkby Hall, bap. 12 Apr. 1758 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; d. 28 June 1782 Brompton, London, bur. 8 July 1782 All Saints Church, Kedleston, Derbyshire;  m. 11 Aug. 1777 St Marylebone, London, NATHANIEL CURZON, 2nd Baron Scarsdale, b. 16 Sept. 1751 Westminster, London, bap. 19 Sept. 1751 St George Hanover Square; d. 27 Jan. 1837 Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire, bur. 4 Feb. 1837 All Saints Church, Kedleston, est son of Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Baron Scarsdale (1726-1804, descended from Henry IV) and Lady Caroline Colyear (1733-1812, descended from James IV), and had issue, one son and one daughter.

Issue of Hon. Sophia (Noel) and  2nd Baron Scarsdale:

4A) Hon. SOPHIA CAROLINE CURZON, b. 13 Jan. 1779 Marylebone, London, bap. 11 Feb. 1779 St Marylebone; d.s.p. 3 Feb. 1849 Coton Hill, Staffordshire, bur. 13 Feb. 1849 St Mary & St Hartulph Church, Breedon-on-the-Hill, Leicestershire; m. 5 Sept. 1800 St George Hanover Square, ROBERT SEWALLIS SHIRLEY, Viscount Tamworth, b. 9 Nov. 1778 London, bap. 18 Nov. 1778 St Andrew Holborn; d.s.p. 6 June 1824, bur. 18 June 1824 St Mary & St Hartulph Church, Breedon-on-the-Hill, only son of Robert Shirley, 7th Earl Ferrers (1756-1827, descended from Edward III) and his 1st wife Elizabeth Prentise (d. 1799).

4B) NATHANIEL CURZON, 3rd Baron Scarsdale, b. 3 Jan. 1781 Marylebone, London, bap. 15 Jan. 1781 St Marylebone; d. unm. 12 Nov. 1856 Farnah Hall, Duffield, Derbyshire, bur. 19 Nov. 1856 All Saints Church, Kedleston.

Edward III had two sons A1 and D1 (see below):

John of Gaunt - see
Generation A1

A1) John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (1340-1399) m. 3) Katherine Roet (c.1350-1403), and had
A2) Lady Joan Beaufort (c.1377-1440) m. twice, and had a dau A3 and a son B3 (see below)
A3) Elizabeth Ferrers, by 1st husband (1393-1434) m. John, 4th Lord Greystoke (c.1390-1436), and had
A4) Joan Greystoke (c.1409-by 1487) m. 1) John Darcy of Temple Hurst (1404-1458, descended from Edward I), and had
A5) Joan Darcy (b. c.1430) m. John Beaumont of Coleorton Hall (1428-1461), and had
A6) George Beaumont of Overton Quartermarsh (c.1453-1530) m. Joan Pauncefoot, and had
A7) William Beaumont, Heir of Coleorton Hall (c.1475-1529) m. Mary Basset (d. 1539), and had
A8) Richard Beaumont of Coleorton Hall (c.1500-1537) m. Coletta Clerke, and had
A9) Nicholas Beaumont of Coleorton Hall (c.1525-1585) m. Anne Saunders (d. 1582), and had
A10) Sir Thomas Beaumont of Stoughton Grange (c.1555-1614) m. Katherine Farnham (d. 1621), and had
A11) Frances Beaumont (1580-1654) m. Sir Wolstan Dixie of Market Bosworth Hall (c.1576-1650), and had

Dixie of Market Bosworth
Coat of Arms

A12) ELIZABETH DIXIE, b. c.1601[*1]; d. 1672, bur. All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; m. 13 Apr. 1635 St Peter Church, Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, Sir VERNEY NOEL, 1st Baronet of Kirkby Mallory, b. Longdon Hall, Solihull, Warwickshire, bap. 23 Sept. 1604 St Alphege Church, Solihull; d. 1670 (will dat. 7 Apr. 1670, will pr. 4 Mar. 1671), bur. All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory, 2nd son of William Noel of Kirkby Hall (d. 1642) and Frances Fulwood (1576-1632), and had
A13) Sir WILLIAM NOEL, 2nd Baronet of Kirkby Mallory, b. c.1640; d. 13 Apr. 1675, bur. All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; m. 1st 30 Oct. 1660 St Mary Church, Hurley, Berkshire, Hon. MARGARET LOVELACE, b. Ladye Place, Hurley, bap. 18 Oct. 1642 St Mary Church, Hurley; d. 14 Apr. 1671, bur. Westminster Abbey (see B12 below), and had

Arms of the Viscounts Wentworth
[1st and 4th, Noel;
2nd, Wentworth; 3rd, Lovelace]
[Image from European Heraldry]

A14) Sir JOHN NOEL, 4th Baronet of Kirkby Mallory, bap. 14 Feb. 1667 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; d. 1 July 1697 Hampstead, Middlesex, bur. 8 July 1697 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; m. 4 Aug. 1692 Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire, MARY CLOBERY, b. c.1672; bur. 14 June 1751 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory, dau. of Sir John Clobery of Winchester (c.1620-1688) and Anne Cranmer (1633-1707), and had
A15) Sir CLOBERY NOEL, 5th Baronet of Kirkby Mallory, b. 28 Apr. 1694 Kirkby Hall, bap. 16 May 1694 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; d. 30 July 1733, bur. 3 Aug. 1733 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory; m. 24 Aug. 1714 St John College Chapel, Oxford, ELIZABETH ROWNEY, b. c.1695; d. 25 June 1743 Oxford, bur. 1 July 1743 All Saints Church, Kirkby Mallory, dau. of Thomas Rowney of Oxford (1667-1727) and Elizabeth Noel (d. 1730), and had
A16) Edward Noel, 1st Viscount Wentworth of Wellesborough (1715-1774 - see details above) m. Judith Lamb (1725-1761), and had
A17) Hon. Judith Noel, Lady Milbanke (1751-1822 - see details above), mother-in-law of Lord Byron

1st Earl of Salisbury -
see Generation B3

[*1] Elizabeth Dixie was the second child of parents who were married in 1598, and whose third child was born in 1602. Elizabeth was a party to the November 1663 marriage settlement of her son. She didn't marry until she was in her mid-30s, and her son William Noel is her only recorded child.

B3) Richard Neville, 1st Earl of Salisbury, by 2nd husband (c.1398-1460) m. Lady Alice Montagu (1406-1462, descended from Edward I), and had
B4) John Neville, Marquess Montagu (c.1431-1471) m. Isabel Ingaldesthorpe (1441-1476, descended from Edward I), and had
B5) Lady Anne Neville (c.1460-1486) m. Sir William Stonor of Stonor Park (c.1449-1494, descended from Edward I), and had
B6) Anne Stonor (c.1484-1518) m. Sir Adrian Fortescue of Stonor Park (c.1481-1539), and had
B7) Margaret Fortescue (b. 1504) m. Thomas, 1st Baron Wentworth of Nettlestead (see D8 below), and had a son B8 and a dau C8 (see below)

2nd Baron Wentworth -
see Generation B8

B8) Thomas, 2nd Baron Wentworth of Nettlestead (1525-1584) m. 2) Anne Wentworth (d. 1571, descended from Edward I), and had
B9) Henry, 3rd Baron Wentworth of Nettlestead (1558-1593) m. Anne Hopton (d. 1625, descended from Edward I), and had
B10) Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Cleveland (1591-1667) m. 1) Anne Crofts (see C11 below), and had
B11) Anne, 7th Baroness Wentworth of Nettlestead (1623-1697) m. John, 2nd Baron Lovelace of Hurley (1634-1670), and had
B12) Hon. Margaret Lovelace (1642-1671) m. Sir William Noel, 2nd Baronet of Kirkby Mallory (see A13 above)

C8) Anne Wentworth (c.1523-1575) m. John Poley of Badley Hall (d. 1589), and had
C9) Susan Poley (c.1545-1604) m. Thomas Crofts of West Stow Hall (c.1540-1612, descended from Edward I), and had
C10) Sir John Crofts of Little Saxham Hall (c.1565-1628) m. Mary Shirley (d. 1649, descended from Edward I), and had
C11) Anne Crofts (c.1593-1638) m. Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Cleveland (see B10 above)

Philippa, Countess of March -
see Generation D2

D1) Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence (1338-1368) m. 1) Lady Elizabeth de Burgh (1332-1363, descended from Edward I), and had
D2) Lady Philippa Plantagenet of Clarence (1355-1377) m. Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March (1352-1381), and had
D3) Lady Elizabeth Mortimer (1371-1417) m. 1) Sir Henry 'Hotspur' Percy (1364-1403), and had
D4) Lady Elizabeth Percy (c.1395-1437) m. 1) John, 7th Lord Clifford (1388-1422, descended from Edward I), and had
D5) Mary Clifford (c.1420-by1458) m. Sir Philip Wentworth of Nettlestead (1424-1464), and had
D6) Sir Henry Wentworth of Nettlestead (1448-1499) m. 1) Anne Say (c.1448-aft.1489), and had
D7) Sir Richard Wentworth of Nettlestead (by 1480-1528) m. Anne Tyrell (descended from Edward I), and had
D8) Thomas, 1st Baron Wentworth of Nettlestead (1501-1551) m. Margaret Fortescue (see B7 above)

The next blogpost will look at the children of Rev. Thomas Noel, the illegitimate son of the 2nd Viscount Wentworth, as well as the Edward III descent for his first wife Catherine Smith.

Cheers,                                             -------Brad