Author Topic: Westbury families  (Read 21881 times)

Offline nwestbury

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Westbury families
« on: Tuesday 26 May 09 00:28 BST (UK) »
Hello,

Do you have a Westbury (+ variants) surnamed individual in your family tree? If so I would be really interested in hearing from you. I am researching and compiling a complete family tree of the Westbury surname as it occurs around the world. Any donations of documents / photographs / stories are welcome for individuals belonging to this group. The intention is to create a common resource for all with links to the surname. If you wish to contribute to or benefit from this research then please get in contact.

I have already finished building a baseline from which to test and confirm for all immediately traceable Westburys across the UK (Approx 2700 individuals from 1841-1901 census plus UK Indices). There are approaximately 400 records unassigned from the UK census, however the bulk 6000-7000 census have been assigned to likely candidates pending confirmation. 15-20% of the tree is currently confirmed.

Variations include: Westberry, Westbery, Westbury, Westburry, Westberie, Westborough, Wesbury, Wes(t)prey (not stable surnames).

Regards,

Nick Westbury

Offline Newberrychaser

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Re: Westbury families
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 27 February 10 04:12 GMT (UK) »
Hello:  I don't have anything to really add to your research, but you mention that you have a baseline built.  I am looking for medieval Westbury's in Somerset.  Do you have any information? I have one John Westbury who married Alice Carent, circa 1420?

Thanks so much for your kind response.

Sue
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Offline nwestbury

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Re: Westbury families
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 27 February 10 17:31 GMT (UK) »
Hello,

I'm still working my way through the 1700s for all the different family lines.  However there are two John (De) Westburys that spring to mind in the 1400s.   Both are on Wikipedia and one is referred to in the National Archives as John the elder and other John the younger. John the younger was an MP for Wiltshire and was not surprisingly the son of John the Elder. This family has connections to the Somerset area also. But I'm not sure either of these are the one's you are looking for.

You want this book, as it outlines some of the family history and might cover details you want (I haven't read it myself yet so can't confirm):

The History of Parliament: House of Commons, 1386-1421 By J. S. Roskell

Also:

A History of Wiltshire, R B Pugh; Elizabeth Crittall; D A Crowley; University of London. Institute of Historical Research.

Also in the 1400s it was common for the surname 'De Westbury' - as a place name, it is also possible that it changes if the family moves to a new manor.

Sorry I can't be of definitive help to you at the moment.  I will continue to work my way through the history and hopefully in a few years might be able to answer that question!

Regards,

Nick Westbury

Offline Newberrychaser

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Re: Westbury families
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 27 February 10 18:09 GMT (UK) »
Hi Nick:

Thanks so much for your kind reply.  I only just started working on this family, so the sources that you have suggested are new to me.  I shall order them straight away.  I will also send you anything that I find on it when I get it worked out.

From what I have been able to gather the Westbury's were fairly prominent in the 1400's. in Somerset and Wiltshire.  This prominence seems to follow the general vein that I have been seeing in the family groups who surrounded them.

I will get back to you  . . .

Sue  ;D
medieval research


Offline nwestbury

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Re: Westbury families
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 28 February 10 18:10 GMT (UK) »
Sue,

Thank you and happy to help!  ;D

That Westbury family is linked to the Hungerfords somehow and to Salisbury Cathedral and Castle Coomb.

The Demesne Lessees of Fifteenth-Century Wiltshire: By j N HARE

Mentions:

"But below this small group of lessees was a
group of men who, although they were not
described as gentlemen, cannot usefully be
called peasants. They were men of substance
and standing beyond the boundaries of the
village where they leased the demesne. The
steward of the manor, for example, was a
freeman of more than parochial standing who
was capable of maintaining the lord's judicial
rights. But they were also to be found acting
as lessees, as with John Westbury at Kingston
Deverill 45 and Thomas Terrante at Enford. 46
In addition, members of the baronial households
also acted as lessees, so that on the
Hungefford estate the lessees included the
receiver-general (Gregory Westeby at
Winterbome Stoke) and the stockman (John
Clayden at Sutton Veny).47

Footnote 45 WRO: 192/32. The Westburys were an important local
gentry family. J L Kirby, The Hungerford Family in the later
Middle Ages, (unpublished MA thesis, University of
London, 1939) appendix D; Victoria County History of
Wihshire (hereafter VCH), V, 1957, p 34; J S Davies (ed)
Tile Tropenell Cartulary, Devizes, 1908, passim.


A William Westbury was also the first head master and saviour of Eton collage. There is a lot attached to the surname in the 1400s and 1500s.  But we have to be very careful as it is most definitely a place name based surname, we have to be careful when interpreting documents.

Regards,

Nick

Offline Newberrychaser

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Re: Westbury families
« Reply #5 on: Monday 08 March 10 23:08 GMT (UK) »
HI Nick:

I am running across so many  names in my study who seem to be related on some level to the Wesburys. The Hungerford's seem to have been important to during the Lancastrian period, and I am finding more than one line of the family who seem to be coalescing together during that period.  If I am reading things right, they were against Richard III.  I am still trying to get a handle on all of this history.

Many thanks for sending me this information.  I will send you what I have found very soon, after I spend some time digesting it. . . As you said, we have to be careful.  I found quite a bit of information on the British History web site.
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Offline Newberrychaser

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Re: Westbury families
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 09 March 10 06:00 GMT (UK) »
Hi Nick:

Here's some information I'd like to share.  It comes from British History Online.

What was later called the manor of WEST ASHTON consisted in 1340 of two properties. Thomas Langford held of the abbess a house and 2 carucates which later passed to William Don. (fn. 19) They were settled on Don and Katharine his wife in 1388, (fn. 20) but a few years later Don's brother John complained of the breach of an agreement that he should have the reversion of the estate, for William and Katharine had sold it to William Stourton. (fn. 21) Stourton was summoned to do fealty for the lands in 1411. (fn. 22) The other part of the later manor was held in 1340 by John Oysel, and consisted of a house and 2 virgates. (fn. 23) They passed to John Westbury the elder, who held lands in West Ashton in 1412. (fn. 24) In 1449 William Westbury, grandson of John, died holding them. (fn. 25) Soon after this the property must have passed to John, Lord Stourton, son of the William Stourton who had bought the Don property.

Cheers,
Sue
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Offline nwestbury

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Re: Westbury families
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 09 March 10 21:00 GMT (UK) »
Sue,

Many thanks for that.  William Westbury is the same one as the Judge (died circa 1448/49) and was buried at Westbury church.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_de_Westbury

William was a Bishops Bailiff of New Sarum (of which the Hungerfords and the Longs also held this post) and a judge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bailiff_of_Sarum

People, including myself, are trying to build a biography of the Westburys on the first link above. Please share all you find with me and we'll edit and expand those biographies.

Regards,

Nick

Offline Newberrychaser

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Re: Westbury families
« Reply #8 on: Friday 12 March 10 04:45 GMT (UK) »
Nick:

I have been going at the Westbury research through the back door via my Carent family.  I found some amazing books that might be helpful to you and the group who are researching them.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66492&strquery=carent

 This page has Gouvis, Strangeway, Carent and others Cary

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/25000/25000-h/25000-h.htm


http://www.archive.org/stream/historyofnobleho01mowb#page/154/mode/2up/search/carent

 Carent, Stourton, wadham Gillingham, and more  GREAT BOOK.

It seems that William Westbury turned over some of his property to my William Carent.  His daughter Alice Carent, married John Westbury, who was either his son or his brother.  Still unsure at this point.

Cheers,
Sue
medieval research