{85} Ruvigny Addition: Exeter Descent for Ellen (née Thresher), Lady Wrey (1733-1813)

Ellen (née Thresher), Lady Wrey (1733-1813)

Continuing with the royal ancestry of Hon. Annette (née Palk) Baird, mother of Muriel Jane (née Baird) Noel, we have Ellen Thresher, the second wife of Sir Bourchier Wrey, 6th Baronet. The couple are found in Table V (p. 8) of Ruvigny's 1907 Anne of Exeter volume, with their descendants (or at least those known to the marquis) enumerated on pp. 128-136. Ruvigny, however, was unaware that Ellen, Lady Wrey, was, like her husband, also a descendant of Anne, Duchess of Exeter, sister of Edward IV and Richard III. Her ancestress Anne (née Strangways) appears in Table LXIX (pp. 74-75) of the Exeter volume, with her husband George Norton of Abbots Leigh, and a question as to whether or not the couple had issue. They did indeed have one surviving daughter, Grace Norton, the first wife of Arthur Norton, eldest son of Bonham Norton (1565-1635), a London printer and bookseller, who was the official printer to King James I, and in that capacity was one of the original publishers of the King James version of the Holy Bible. Arthur Norton continued his father's printing business for a short while only, for he died in October 1635, six months after his father., leaving two sons, George and Hugh Norton, by his first wife Grace (née Norton).

Norton of Abbots Leigh Coat of Arms
[Argent on a bend, cotised between
two lions rampant, sable three
escallop shells, or]

The Norton publishing dynasty of London were of Shropshire origin, seated at Church Stretton in that county, and were unrelated (as far as can be determined) to the Nortons seated at Leigh Court, in the Somersetshire parish of Abbots Leigh. The identical surnames seem to have confused subsequent heralds and genealogists, including Peter Le Neve (1661-1729), Norroy King of Arms, whose 1696 pedigree of Sir George Norton of Abbots Leigh (1622-1668), has that knight as the son, rather than the grandson, of George and Anne (née Strangways) Norton. Starting with this Sir George, the 17th-century Nortons of Abbots Leigh bore the Norton of London & Stretton coat of arms, which had been issued to Bonham Norton in 1611, quartered with the arms of the 16th-century Nortons of Abbots Leigh.

Ellen, Lady Wrey, did not leave much of a mark on history, though she survived to the age of 80, dying in 1813 in Regency-era Bath, and two of her daughters were acquaintances of novelist Jane Austen. The inscription on the monument she shares with her husband in St Peter Church, Tawstock, Devon, gives a glimpse into her character: "affectionately regretted by her surviving family, and closing on the 2d of December 1813, a Life of habitual piety, active Benevolence & every christian Virtue."

Norton of London Coat of Arms
[Or, two bars gules on a chief azure
an inescutcheon ermine]

ELLEN THRESHER, bap. 20 Aug. 1733 Holy Trinity Church, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire; d. 3 Dec. 1813 Bath, Somersetshire, bur. 13 Dec. 1813 St Peter Church, Tawstock, Devon, est dau. of John Tresher of Bradford on Avon (1689-1741) and Ellen Long (1711-1753, descended from Edward III - see Generation 16 below); m. 1 May 1755 St Bartholomew Church, Corsham, Wiltshire, as his 2nd wife, Sir BOURCHIER WREY, 6th Baronet of Trebeigh, b. 7 Jan. 1715 London, bap. 13 Jan. 1715 St James Church, Westminster; d. 13 Apr. 1784, bur. 22 Apr. 1784 St Peter Church, Tawstock, est son of Sir Bourchier Wrey, 5th Baronet of Trebeigh (1683-1726, descended from Edward III) and Diana Rolle (c.1685-aft.1725, descended from Edward III), and had issue, two sons and four daughters.

Issue of Ellen (Thresher) and Sir Bourchier Wrey, 6th Baronet:

1) ELLEN WREY, b. Bloomsbury, London, bap. 14 Mar. 1756 St George the Martyr, Holborn, London; d. 10 Sept. 1827, bur. 21 Sept. 1827 St Peter Church, Battlesden, Berkshire; m. 13 May 1790 St Swithin Church, Walcot, Bath, Rev. EDWARD HENRY WHINFIELD, Rector of Battlesden 1784-1821, bap. 30 July 1756 Windsor, Berkshire; d. 6 July 1821, bur. 12 July 1821 St Peter Church, Battlesden, est son of Rev Dr. Henry Whinfield of Windsor (d. 1793) and Bridget Pennington (d. 1812), and had issue, two sons.

Sir Bourchier Wrey, 7th Baronet
(1757-1826)

2) Sir BOURCHIER WREY, 7th Baronet of Trebeigh, b. 22 Feb. 1757 Tawstock Court, Devon, bap. 23 Feb. 1757 St Peter Church, Tawstock; d. 20 Nov. 1826 Holne Chase House, Ashburton, Devon, bur. 2 Dec. 1826 St Peter Church, Tawstock; m. 1st 14 Mar. 1786 St John the Baptist Church, Shottesbrooke, Berkshire, ANNE PALK, bap. 3 Aug. 1764 Fort St George, Madras, India; d. 5 Sept. 1791 Tawstock Court, Devon, bur. 16 Sept. 1791 St Peter Church, Tawstock, dau. of Sir Robert Palk, 1st Baronet of Haldon House (1717-1798) and Anne Vansittart (1738-1788, descended from Henry IV), and had issue, two sons and one daughter; m. 2nd Jan. 1793 St Mary Church, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, ANNE OSBORNE, b. c.1758 (age 54 at death, per burial entry); d. 26 Jan. 1813, bur. 11 Feb. 1813 St Peter Church, Tawstock, dau. of John Osborne of Monks Mill, Wotton-under-Edge, clothier (d. 1771) and Elizabeth White, and had further issue, one son and one daughter.

3) DYONISIA WREY, bap. 6 July 1758 St Peter Church, Tawstock; d. 29 Dec. 1835 Upcott House, Pilton, Devon, bur. 6 Jan. 1836 St Mary Church, Pilton; m. 9 May 1780 St Peter Church, Tawstock, ROBERT HARDING of Upcott House, b. 4 Aug. 1750 South Molton, Devon, bap. 5 Aug. 1750 St Mary Magdalene Church, South Molton; d. 4 Sept. 1804 Upcott House, bur. 8 Sept. 1804 St Mary Church, Pilton, est son of Thomas Harding of Upcott House (d. 1772) and Mary Bryant, and had issue, four sons and two daughters.

St Peter Church, Tawstock, Devon

4) FLORENTINA WREY, b. Oct. 1759 Tawstock Court, bap. 2 Nov. 1759 St Peter Church, Tawstock; d. 16 May 1835, bur. St John Church, Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire; m. 28 Mar. 1786 St Peter Church, Tawstock, RICHARD GODOLPHIN LONG of Rood Ashton House, Steeple Ashton, M.P. Wiltshire 1806-18, b. 2 Oct. 1761, bap. 12 Nov. 1761 All Saints Church, West Lavington, Wiltshire; d. 1 July 1835 Rood Ashton House, bur. 8 July 1835 St John Church, Steeple Ashton, est son of Richard Long of Rood Ashton House (1718-1787, descended from Edward III) and Meliora Lambe, and had issue, two sons and four daughters.

5) Rev. BOURCHIER WILLIAM WREY, Rector of Tawstock 1801-39, b. 6 May 1761 Tawstock Court, bap. 11 May 1761 St Peter Church, Tawstock; d. 19 Aug. 1839 Corffe House, Tawstock, bur. 27 Aug. 1839 St Peter Church, Tawstock; m. 26 Nov. 1789 Holy Trinity Church, Bradford on Avon, SOPHIA BETHELL, bap. there 7 Aug. 1767; d. 1 Dec. 1848 Pennsylvania, Exeter, Devon, bur. 9 Dec. 1848 St Peter Church, Tawstock, dau. of George Bethell of Bradford on Avon, clothier (d. 1795) and Sarah Singer (d. 1777), and had issue, three sons and three daughters.

6) ANNA MARIA WREY, b. 18 July 1764 Tawstock Court, bap. 20 July 1764 St Peter Church, Tawstock; bur. 5 Mar. 1834 St Mary Church, Great Chart, Kent; m. 30 Apr. 1791 St Mary Church, Walcot, Bath, NICHOLAS ROUNDELL TOKE of Godinton House, Great Chart, b. 19 May 1764; d. 19 Feb. 1837, bur. 27 Feb. 1837 St Mary Church, Great Chart, son of John Toke of Godinton House (1738-1819) and Margaret Roundell (1744-1780), and had issue, one daughter.

Following is the 17-generation descent of Ellen, Lady Wrey, from Edward III through Anne, Duchess of Exeter.

Edward III had a 2nd surviving son:

Anne, Duchess of Exeter -
see Generation 6

1) Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence (1338-1368) m. 1) Lady Elizabeth de Burgh (1332-1363, descended from Edward I), and had
2) Lady Philippa Plantagenet of Clarence (1355-1377) m. Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March (1352-1381), and had
3) Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March (1374-1398) m. Lady Alianore Holland (1370-1405, descended from Edward I), and had
4) Lady Anne Mortimer (1388-1411) m. Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Earl of Cambridge (1385-1415, descended from Edward III), and had
5) Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York (1411-1460) m. Lady Cecily Neville (1415-1495, descended from Edward III), and had
6) Anne Plantagenet, Duchess of Exeter (1439-1476) m. 2) Sir Thomas St Leger (by 1438-1483), and had
7) Lady Anne St Leger (1475-1526) m. George Manners, 11th Lord Ros (1470-1513, descended from Edward I), and had

Strangways of Melbury Coat of Arms

8) Margaret Manners m. 1) Henry Strangways, Heir of Melbury Hall (c.1506-1544), and had
9) Sir Giles Strangways of Melbury Hall (1528-1562) m. Joan Wadham (d. 1603, descended from Edward I), and had
10) John Strangways of Melbury Hall (c.1548-1593) m. Dorothy Thynne (d. 1592), and had
11) Anne Strangways (c.1580-aft.1635) m. George Norton of Leigh Court, Abbots Leigh (c.1575-bef.1635?, descended from Edward III)[*1], and had
12) GRACE NORTON, b. c.1600; d. by 1627[*2]; m. by 1621, as his 1st wife, ARTHUR NORTON of London, printer, b. c.1595; d. by 15 Nov. 1635 (when will was proved), bur. St Faith under St Pauls, London, er son of Bonham Norton of London, king's printer (1565-1635) and Jane Owen (c.1575-1640), and had
13) Sir GEORGE NORTON of Leigh Court, Abbots Leigh, Somersetshire, b. 1622; d. 29 Feb. 1668 Leigh Court, bur. 4 Mar. 1668 Holy Trinity Church, Abbots Leigh; m. c.1645, as her 1st husband, his first cousin once removed, ELLEN OWEN, b. 21 May 1622 Shrewsbury, Shropshire, bap. 6 June 1622 St Mary Church, Shrewsbury; bur. 10 May 1677 Holy Trinity Church, Abbots Leigh, yst dau. of Sir William Owen of Condover Hall (1581-1662) and his 1st wife Ellen Needham (c.1590-1623, descended from Edward I), and had

From Table LXIX in Ruvigny's 1907 Exeter volume

14) ELLEN NORTON, b. c.1648 (age 19 in her marriage licence); bur. 16 Aug. 1710 St Nicholas Church, North Bradley, Wiltshire; m. (lic. 4 May) 1668, WILLIAM TRENCHARD of Cutteridge House, North Bradley, b. c.1643 (age 70 at death, per his HOP bio); d. 22 Aug. 1713, bur. 4 Sept. 1713 St Nicholas Church, North Bradley, son of John Trenchard of Saltford (d. 1651) and Anne Neville (descended from Edward III), and had
15) ELLEN TRENCHARD, b. 1687; d. 9 July 1752, bur. 18 July 1752 St Nicholas Church, North Bradley; m. by 1709, HENRY LONG of Melksham House, Wiltshire, bap. 20 Oct. 1687 St James Church, South Wraxall, Wiltshire; d. 23 Oct. 1727, bur. 31 Oct. 1727 St Nicholas Church, North Bradley, son of Henry Long of Melksham House (1659-1687, descended from Edward III) and Anne Long (1657-1705, descended from Edward III), and had
16) ELLEN LONG, b. Melksham House, bap. 27 Feb. 1711 St Michael Church, Melksham; d. 17 Apr. 1753, bur. Holy Trinity Church, Bradford on Avon; m. 1731 St Michael Church, Melksham, her first cousin once removed, JOHN THRESHER of Chantry House, Bradford on Avon, b. there, bap. 22 May 1689 Holy Trinity Church, Bradford on Avon; d. 17 Aug. 1741, bur. there, son of Edward Thresher of Chantry House (c.1660-1725) and Dyonisia Long (1662-1692, descended from Edward III), and had
17) ELLEN THRESHER (1733-1813 - see details above), 2nd wife of Sir Bourchier Wrey, 6th Baronet

Peter Le Neve's 1696 pedigree of Norton of Abbots Leigh,
published in 1873 by the Harleian Society

[*1] Anne (née Strangways) Norton was mentioned in the 25 Oct. 1635 will of her son-in-law Arthur Norton "I wille unto my lovinge Mother Mrs. Anne Norton," and she was one of the three individuals who proved the will on 15 Nov. 1635. The fact that no mention is made of his father-in-law George Norton, Anne's husband, suggests that he had predeceased Arthur.

[*2] Arthur Norton m. 2nd 6 June 1627 St Mary Aldermanbury, London, Rebecca, widow of David Briggs of London, merchant. She m. 3rd Nicholas Francklin of Lincolns Inn, and was living 1642.

The next blogpost will explore some of the remaining Edward III descents for Ellen (née Thresher), Lady Wrey.

Cheers,                                         -------Brad