The Northey Family of Box
1726-1919
Alan Payne
March 2014
Left: Sir Edward Northey, the founder of the dynasty (photo Martin Northey)
The Northey family records of their life in Box have not been published but they are available at the Swindon & Wiltshire History Centre in Chippenham. There is a huge amount of information available.[1] At present this does not seem to have been researched but it would greatly increase our understanding of Georgian and Victorian Box. It is more than a single person's task; is there anyone out there who could offer some help?
As a start, this is an outline of the great Northey military family who were local lords of the manor of Box for two centuries. It is indebted to the marvellous website: www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk
As a start, this is an outline of the great Northey military family who were local lords of the manor of Box for two centuries. It is indebted to the marvellous website: www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk
The Early Years
Sir Edward Northey (1652-1723) was the real founder of the Northey dynasty. He was the younger son of a London lawyer who practised his trade in the reign of James II before the Glorious Revolution. He became Attorney-General to King William III and kept his head down sufficiently to also serve in the government of Queen Ann.
Sir Edward married Anne Jolliffe of Woodcote Green, Surrey and invested his wealth in substantial properties in Surrey and in Wiltshire. In our county he acquired property at Chippenham and Compton Bassett as well as in Box: at Cheney Court, Manor Farm and Ashley Manor.[2] It was the start of a two hundred year connection between the Northey family and Box. On Sir Edward's death much of the estate passed to Lady Northey who inherited a life interest from her husband in the Surrey property (which she held until she died in 1743) but the Wiltshire estate appears to have passed directly to the next generation.
William I (c1689-1738) was the elder son of Sir Edward and Anne. He was educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge and was also a lawyer.[3] In 1721 he married Abigail, daughter of Sir Thomas Webster of Battle Abbey, Sussex and they had five children, including William II (1722-70). The property which William I inherited included his father's estates in Box and Ditteridge. In 1726 he increased these by buying Hazelbury Manor from the widow of Thomas Speke.[4]
This William was an Examiner in Court of Chancery (who took witness statements); he was MP for Calne from 1713-15 and then for Wootton Bassett and he died in November 1738. By then he had disowned his wife that most wicked and ungrateful of women, and accused his youngest son, Thomas, of being begot in adultery upon his wife by Sir Edmund Thomas, whom his wife later married.
Sir Edward Northey (1652-1723) was the real founder of the Northey dynasty. He was the younger son of a London lawyer who practised his trade in the reign of James II before the Glorious Revolution. He became Attorney-General to King William III and kept his head down sufficiently to also serve in the government of Queen Ann.
Sir Edward married Anne Jolliffe of Woodcote Green, Surrey and invested his wealth in substantial properties in Surrey and in Wiltshire. In our county he acquired property at Chippenham and Compton Bassett as well as in Box: at Cheney Court, Manor Farm and Ashley Manor.[2] It was the start of a two hundred year connection between the Northey family and Box. On Sir Edward's death much of the estate passed to Lady Northey who inherited a life interest from her husband in the Surrey property (which she held until she died in 1743) but the Wiltshire estate appears to have passed directly to the next generation.
William I (c1689-1738) was the elder son of Sir Edward and Anne. He was educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge and was also a lawyer.[3] In 1721 he married Abigail, daughter of Sir Thomas Webster of Battle Abbey, Sussex and they had five children, including William II (1722-70). The property which William I inherited included his father's estates in Box and Ditteridge. In 1726 he increased these by buying Hazelbury Manor from the widow of Thomas Speke.[4]
This William was an Examiner in Court of Chancery (who took witness statements); he was MP for Calne from 1713-15 and then for Wootton Bassett and he died in November 1738. By then he had disowned his wife that most wicked and ungrateful of women, and accused his youngest son, Thomas, of being begot in adultery upon his wife by Sir Edmund Thomas, whom his wife later married.
Northey memorial to Harriet in Box Church
William II (1722-1770) was the eldest son of William I and Abigail. William lived on the family estate at Compton Bassett and at Ivy House, Chippenham, a prebend manor (occupied as a church allowance), which he purchased in 1747. This property carried one of two Calne Parliamentary seats and William was MP for the town from 1747-61, for Maidstone from 1761-8 (at which point he sold the estate at Compton Bassett) and for Great Bedwyn from 1768-70. He was also a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Wiltshire County Militia, a groom of the royal bedchamber, a Commissioner for Trade and a Fellow of the Royal Society - in short, a most distinguished man; but one who over-reached himself financially.
On hearing that William II was unwell, a resident of Calne said, 'Tis generally thought in town that Mr. Northey cannot recover. If his death should happen I can't but think, as his affairs seem to be circumstanced, that this prebend manor must be sold. The manor was sold, but William's personal health rallied and he continued his parliamentary career, although his attendances were apparently sporadic. He died on 24 December 1770, aged 48.
William II was married twice. His first wife, whom he married in 1742, was Harriet Vyner, daughter of Robert, a Lincolnshire MP; who died in 1750. The Northey family vault at St Thomas à Becket has a tablet which appears to commemorate Harriet. In 1751 he married again (Anne Hopkins), by whom he had three sons and four daughters including William III.
On hearing that William II was unwell, a resident of Calne said, 'Tis generally thought in town that Mr. Northey cannot recover. If his death should happen I can't but think, as his affairs seem to be circumstanced, that this prebend manor must be sold. The manor was sold, but William's personal health rallied and he continued his parliamentary career, although his attendances were apparently sporadic. He died on 24 December 1770, aged 48.
William II was married twice. His first wife, whom he married in 1742, was Harriet Vyner, daughter of Robert, a Lincolnshire MP; who died in 1750. The Northey family vault at St Thomas à Becket has a tablet which appears to commemorate Harriet. In 1751 he married again (Anne Hopkins), by whom he had three sons and four daughters including William III.
Wicked Billy of Box
William III was born at Compton Bassett in 1752 and died in 1826. He spent most of his life at Cheney Court in Box.[5] He was educated at Eton and Queen's College, Cambridge and entered the Middle Temple Court of Law in 1771. He was MP for Newport, Monmouthshire for many years, through the patronage of the Duke of Northumberland.
William III was a very colourful character, called Wicked Billy by the family. He rarely attended parliament, preferring instead to entertain the Prince Regent, the future King George IV, and friends in a manner more lively than respectable (full of debauchery) at Hazelbury, which he used as a shooting-box.[6] He produced no legitimate heirs. The estate should have descended to William's younger brother, Rev Edward Northey, MA, (1754-1828), Canon of Windsor, but the history of the Northey family says that this did not happen.[7] Instead the Canon's son, Edward Richard Northey inherited.
Edward Richard Northey (1795-1878) was born in Kinlet, Shropshire. In 1812 he enlisted in the 52nd Regiment Light Infantry and he set off for battle against Napoleon's troops in the Spanish Peninsular War. He was wounded by a shell at the Battle of Vittoria, but recovered and fought in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Later he served in the Scots Fusiliers. In March 1828, just three weeks before his father died, he married Charlotte Isabella Anson at the parish church of St Nicholas, Brighton where his father was resident.
This was the start of the Anson name in the Northey family. Charlotte came from a military family: father General Sir George Anson; and brother Major The Hon Octavius Henry St George Anson (1818-59) of the 9th Lancers. Charlotte and Edward had seven children including the fourth child, George Wilbraham Northey, who was born in 1835 and lived in Box, where he was buried in 1906.
Edward Richard lived in Surrey after his retirement from the army until his death in 1878. The local newspaper described him as: Sometimes austere and almost harsh, he was generally just. He was distinguished by his urbanity, and a very kindly disposition often showed itself through his bluff manner.
George Wilbraham Northey
George Wilbraham Northey, (1835-1906) was born in Epsom, but his main residence was Ashley Manor. He entered the army as a boy cadet at Sandhurst and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Shortly after his marriage to Louisa Barrow in 1859 he changed his surname by deed poll to Wilbraham-Northey (the name Wilbraham constantly recurs in the Northey family, possibly it carried an inheritance with the name). In army service, they travelled widely: Dublin, Belfast, Colchester, Chatham and Chichester before returning to Wiltshire.
The couple had thirteen children, the first of whom was George Edward Wilbraham Northey. George Edward Wilbraham Northey (1860-1932) was born in Dublin but mostly lived at Cheney Court, Ditteridge. He was a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire, and governor of two prisons: Kingston Prison, Portsmouth and Strangeways, Manchester. In 1885 he married Mabel Hunter, daughter of an Indian Army officer who had retired to Bath. They had two sons, George Evelyn Anson Northey and Armand Hunter Kennedy Northey, and a daughter, Vere Wilbraham Northey.
William III was born at Compton Bassett in 1752 and died in 1826. He spent most of his life at Cheney Court in Box.[5] He was educated at Eton and Queen's College, Cambridge and entered the Middle Temple Court of Law in 1771. He was MP for Newport, Monmouthshire for many years, through the patronage of the Duke of Northumberland.
William III was a very colourful character, called Wicked Billy by the family. He rarely attended parliament, preferring instead to entertain the Prince Regent, the future King George IV, and friends in a manner more lively than respectable (full of debauchery) at Hazelbury, which he used as a shooting-box.[6] He produced no legitimate heirs. The estate should have descended to William's younger brother, Rev Edward Northey, MA, (1754-1828), Canon of Windsor, but the history of the Northey family says that this did not happen.[7] Instead the Canon's son, Edward Richard Northey inherited.
Edward Richard Northey (1795-1878) was born in Kinlet, Shropshire. In 1812 he enlisted in the 52nd Regiment Light Infantry and he set off for battle against Napoleon's troops in the Spanish Peninsular War. He was wounded by a shell at the Battle of Vittoria, but recovered and fought in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Later he served in the Scots Fusiliers. In March 1828, just three weeks before his father died, he married Charlotte Isabella Anson at the parish church of St Nicholas, Brighton where his father was resident.
This was the start of the Anson name in the Northey family. Charlotte came from a military family: father General Sir George Anson; and brother Major The Hon Octavius Henry St George Anson (1818-59) of the 9th Lancers. Charlotte and Edward had seven children including the fourth child, George Wilbraham Northey, who was born in 1835 and lived in Box, where he was buried in 1906.
Edward Richard lived in Surrey after his retirement from the army until his death in 1878. The local newspaper described him as: Sometimes austere and almost harsh, he was generally just. He was distinguished by his urbanity, and a very kindly disposition often showed itself through his bluff manner.
George Wilbraham Northey
George Wilbraham Northey, (1835-1906) was born in Epsom, but his main residence was Ashley Manor. He entered the army as a boy cadet at Sandhurst and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Shortly after his marriage to Louisa Barrow in 1859 he changed his surname by deed poll to Wilbraham-Northey (the name Wilbraham constantly recurs in the Northey family, possibly it carried an inheritance with the name). In army service, they travelled widely: Dublin, Belfast, Colchester, Chatham and Chichester before returning to Wiltshire.
The couple had thirteen children, the first of whom was George Edward Wilbraham Northey. George Edward Wilbraham Northey (1860-1932) was born in Dublin but mostly lived at Cheney Court, Ditteridge. He was a magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire, and governor of two prisons: Kingston Prison, Portsmouth and Strangeways, Manchester. In 1885 he married Mabel Hunter, daughter of an Indian Army officer who had retired to Bath. They had two sons, George Evelyn Anson Northey and Armand Hunter Kennedy Northey, and a daughter, Vere Wilbraham Northey.
PG Wodehouse in 1906
This is a very interesting period at Cheney Court because, by a curious circumstance, the author, PG Wodehouse (of Jeeves and Wooster fame), lived there as a child.
The young Wodehouse rarely saw his parents who were resident in Hong Kong and he boarded at school from the age of three, living with his aunts in the holidays. One of these was Mary Deane (author of a novel Mr. Zinzan of Bath; or, Seen in an Old Mirror) who lived with the Northeys, probably as a personal friend of Mabel.
Perhaps we get an insight into PG Wodehouse's life at Cheney Court from the descriptions he gave in his novels.
One authority speculates that this gave PG Wodehouse a healthy horror of the "gaggle of aunts", reflected in Bertie Wooster's formidable aunts Agatha and Dahlia, as well as Lady Constance Keeble's tyranny over her many nieces and nephews in the Blandings Castle series.[8]
The young Wodehouse rarely saw his parents who were resident in Hong Kong and he boarded at school from the age of three, living with his aunts in the holidays. One of these was Mary Deane (author of a novel Mr. Zinzan of Bath; or, Seen in an Old Mirror) who lived with the Northeys, probably as a personal friend of Mabel.
Perhaps we get an insight into PG Wodehouse's life at Cheney Court from the descriptions he gave in his novels.
One authority speculates that this gave PG Wodehouse a healthy horror of the "gaggle of aunts", reflected in Bertie Wooster's formidable aunts Agatha and Dahlia, as well as Lady Constance Keeble's tyranny over her many nieces and nephews in the Blandings Castle series.[8]
George Evelyn Anson Northey was born in 1886 in Sydney, Australia. He was serving as an officer in the Essex Regiment when he was killed in action in the first few days of the Great War on 26 August 1914. He is commemorated at the La-Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial, Seine et Marne.
Vere Wilbraham Northey was born in 1888 in Box and in 1910 she married Captain Austin Gardner MC of the Essex Regiment, who may have been an army colleague of her brother, Anson. Her husband was honoured with the Military Cross for leading a bayonet charge under heavy enemy fire in the First World War. Vere and Austin had three children. Because the female Northey line did not inherit, a reflection of the legal status of women at that time, she was by-passed in the ownership of Box, in favour of the younger son, Sir Armand.
Sir Armand Hunter Kennedy Wilbraham Northey was born in 1897 in London and he inherited Cheney Court on the death of his elder brother. He was a barrister and was knighted for political and public services in Wiltshire in 1958. In 1929 he married Mollie Katherine Helyar. He died in 1964 and Mollie in 1983. There were two children, Christopher and Mavis.
Vere Wilbraham Northey was born in 1888 in Box and in 1910 she married Captain Austin Gardner MC of the Essex Regiment, who may have been an army colleague of her brother, Anson. Her husband was honoured with the Military Cross for leading a bayonet charge under heavy enemy fire in the First World War. Vere and Austin had three children. Because the female Northey line did not inherit, a reflection of the legal status of women at that time, she was by-passed in the ownership of Box, in favour of the younger son, Sir Armand.
Sir Armand Hunter Kennedy Wilbraham Northey was born in 1897 in London and he inherited Cheney Court on the death of his elder brother. He was a barrister and was knighted for political and public services in Wiltshire in 1958. In 1929 he married Mollie Katherine Helyar. He died in 1964 and Mollie in 1983. There were two children, Christopher and Mavis.
References
[1] www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=190-1265&cid=-1#-1
[2] www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1690-1715/member/northey-sir-edward-1652-1723
[3] www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/Northeys0.html
[4] GF Laurence, Ashley Manor, Box, 1994, Wiltshire History Centre
[5] GJ Kidston, History of the Manor of Hazelbury, 1936, p.245
[6] www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/WoodcoteHouse.html
[7] Lt Col EGV Northey, History of the Northey Family
[8] Wikipedia
[1] www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=190-1265&cid=-1#-1
[2] www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1690-1715/member/northey-sir-edward-1652-1723
[3] www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/Northeys0.html
[4] GF Laurence, Ashley Manor, Box, 1994, Wiltshire History Centre
[5] GJ Kidston, History of the Manor of Hazelbury, 1936, p.245
[6] www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/WoodcoteHouse.html
[7] Lt Col EGV Northey, History of the Northey Family
[8] Wikipedia