Richard Dowdeswell of Bushley

[Carole in Dallas]

I was reading "Visitation of England and Wales", Notes Volume 7 Edited by Frederick Arthur Crisp and privately printed in 1907 researching one of my lines, Dowdeswell.  On page 64, it states that Martha Blomer of Richared Blomer of Eastleach Martin, co. Gloucester, gent was bapt at Eastleach Martin 6 Oct 1575 and that she married there 17 April 1600 to Roger Dowdeswell of Pull Court in Bushley.  I was inputting this info into my family tree when I was alerted that her son, Richard Dowdeswell, which I had input as having been bapt at Eastleach Martin 24 Feb 1600/1601, had been bapt after the marriage.  Can someone help me with correcting this information that was provided in this visitation.  Another question....what is the difference between visitation and heraldry? 

Thanks EVER so much for all of your help over there in the UK.  You are wonderful!!!

[Stephen J F Plowman]

A Visitation is an "inspection" of those using Armorial Bearings (Coats of Arms etc).  The Visitation in the 16th & 17th centuries were official "inspections" by the Heralds of the College of Arms to check that those using Arms did so validly.  The "visitation" by Mr Crisp has no such status.

In the case of the Dowdeswells, it appears that they were not "visited" and their use of Arms was not recorded.  In heraldic terms their use over the following two hundred years was "unlawful".  Thus in 1906 the Rev'd Edmund Richard Dowdeswell rectified that oversight by seeking a Grant of Arms.  The Heralds, in these cases, tend not to grant the Arms as used "unlawfully" but something similar.

[Stephen J F Plowman]

Having delved a bit more, the Rev'd Dowdeswell died unmarried in 1915.  The text of his Grant recorded in the Notes Volume 7 does not specify that the Arms should descend to anyone but his own descendants.  On that basis he was the first & last bearer of (lawful) Arms. 

Incidentally, his Estate was worth over £42,000 in 1916.

oOo

I have now added Dowdeswell to my online armorial:

Dowdeswell Arms

[Carole in Dallas]

Thanks ever so much.  You are incredible....an entire book of information are you Stephen.  Thanks ever so much!  I have other names such as the Barrows of Wemore Manor and the Wyldes of the Commandery that also had a coat of arms.  Wonder what has happened to all of those.  And how does one reinstate 'legally' a coat of arms if a descendant dies with no issue?

[Stephen J F Plowman]

And how does one reinstate 'legally' a coat of arms if a descendant dies with no issue?

The short answer is you cannot.  The Arms first follow the name and if that fails it then follows the wider bloodline (subject to the Laws of Heraldry).  When there is neither, it generally ends*.  However, if someone were to petition for new Arms they could commemorate a connection by incorporating some of the components from the ancestors Arms into their new Arms.  In England that would have to be part of the negotiations/discussions with the Herald working on the Grant. 

In the US you are not actually subject to the College of Arms or the Lyon Court - the possible exception being is if there is a claim to English or Scottish Arms.

* The subject of "Name & Arms" clauses in an armiger's will and/or Royal Licences are a major topic in themselves but are not relevant in the case of Dowdeswell.

[Conan-the-Barbadian]

Dear Carole

Unless I've not read carefully, it seems that nobody has answered your original question.

Richard Dowdeswell was baptised in the church of St Michael and St Martin at Eastleach Martin, the home village of his mother, on what we would now call 24 February 1601. Under the calendar used in England at the time however, where the start of the year was on 25 March not 1 January, it was still 1600. So he arrived in the same calendar year as his parents' marriage, but a decent ten months later.

I'm descended from his younger brother William, a parson, but so far have found almost nothing on the ancestry of either of their parents, JOHN DOWDESWELL and MARTHA BLOMER. Is there anything you can share, perhaps?

Yours

Conan

[Carole in Dallas]

Cheery Hello Conan!

Thanks EVER so much for that information.  My line descends from Richard.  It was good to revisit this line following your note.

I have been volunteering helping others with their trees using ancestry.com.  Also have been inputting burial information on findagrave. 

Many times we help others when we our lines need some attention. Thanks for calling me back to the family tree!

You will have to let me know how you descend from William. 

Lovely hearing from you!

[Capetown]

Assume you have used the records

Men in Armour for Gloucestershire 1608

http://www.coaley.net

'An on-line database containing information on occupation stature and age for nearly 20,000 men in Gloucestershire UK in 1608

which inc.

Eastleach Turville (Lechlade)

Where of William BLOOMER Esquire & Thomas CLOTERBROOKE Gentlemen are Lords

--
Eastleach Martin (Lechlade)

Richard BLOMER Gentleman has one corset and one musket furnished


---


Forest of Dean Family History

http://www.forest-of-dean.net/

(free to join, just register)

Searching : Gloucestershire Marriage Allegations 1637-1837 and Marriage Bonds 1730-1823

Quite a number of DOWDESWELL's inc

Record ID: 20466
14 November 1669

John DOWDESWELL aged 24, Bachelor, Gentleman, residence: BUSHLY, Worcestershire

Mary GRYMES aged 22, Spinster, residence: Norton  ***

Marriage by: Licence

He signs

Event type: Marriage Allegation


---


*** If you Google, Grymes of Norton, Gloucestershire

'Inventory of Anne COLLINS of Norton Gloucestershire 1665'

A true and perfect inventory of the goods and chattles of Anne COLLINS late of Norton in the County  and Diocese of Gloucester Deceased.

Taken and prized by John GRYMES Richard HUSON the 6th day of Aprill in the year of our Lord 1665

Imprimis

Money upon bond and without spredally £46
Item her wearing apparrell, 1 gold ring, 1 trunk, & 1 little coffer £3

Sum: £39.


There is another Mary GRIMES aged 25 of Norton marrying William WINDOW a Gentleman and Batchelor of Gloucester City - around the same time i.e. 9 August 1669

[Conan-the-Barbadian]

To Carole:

Lovely to hear from you!

Briefly, my Dowdeswell descent runs from Roger Dowdeswell (abt1570-1633) who in 1600 married Martha Blomer (1575-aft 1649). Their son the Reverend Dr William Dowdeswell (1609-1671) held various church posts and married Anne Coles (abt 1620-1680). Their son the Reverend William Dowdeswell (1654-1711) was rector of Kingham in Oxfordshire and in 1682 married Elizabeth Gibbard (1663-1734). Their son Richard Dowdeswell (1692-1730) went into business in London and in 1724 married Elizabeth Manship (1701-1733). Their daughter Anne Dowdeswell (1727-1777) in 1748 married John Manship (1726-1816), a wealthy businessman and landowner. Their daughter Anne Manship (1755-1779) eloped with and in 1772 married Simon Goodman Ewart (abt 1752-1812), a rich man's playboy son. And so down to me.

If you want to know more about any of these people and their families, do ask.

Conan