Pheasant Percy

I like the festive tale of Percy the Pheasant, as originally revealed by BBC Northern Ireland.

Pupils at a County Down primary school took a beady-eyed friend under their wing - but the creature appears to have ruffled a few feathers.

Percy the pheasant took up residence in the grounds of Towerview Primary School in Bangor.

He lived there for two months and was particularly fond of the playground.

Percy followed the children around all day, sat in the front porch when it was raining, loitered around the dinner ladies looking for snacks, and peered through the assembly windows to listen to the songs.

As Christmas Day approached, however, the school principal, Alan Brown, suggested that Percy could soon be on a dinner plate.

Why?

Well, it seemed Percy had taken a dislike to the headmaster.

When he saw Mr Brown he attacked his shoes which became full of holes.

"The reason I dared to suggest to pupils that he would be on my Christmas dinner list was that he suddenly became a little aggressive towards my black shoes." 

"He arrived about four or five weeks ago as a small animal and he loves to walk behind me as I go to greet parents in the morning and walks out with me in the afternoon as well."

The headmaster said Percy has started to rule the roost, deliveries were having to be taken via another door and even the caretaker had taken to wearing hobnailed boots.

All the children were horrified at the headmaster's proposal and wrote letters begging for mercy for Percy.

They also made placards in protest.

Primary Seven pupil Amber McGimpsey said,

"He is great, he's very colourful. He mainly goes into the key stage one playground and we feed him at lunchtime. He likes most people except Mr Brown".

Luckily for the pupils, the principal said he had 'grown to love' Percy, so the bird remained safe for another year.

First published in December, 2012.

Norwood Tower Painting

I visited Mrs Primrose Henderson in 2011.

Her late husband was Captain Oscar William James (Bill) Henderson OBE DL.

The Hendersons once owned the Belfast Newsletter newspaper.

Brum Henderson, CBE, ran Ulster Television for many years.

Mrs Henderson generously gave me permission to photograph the family's 1864 oil-painting of the old family home, Norwood Tower, Strandtown, Belfast.

Norwood Tower, which stood between Circular Road and Sydenham Avenue in east Belfast, was their home until 1934.

West Lodge ca 1845 (Drawing by the Rev J McC Auld)

The grounds extended to about fifty acres.

On the large, ten-acre field to the east of the former mansion, Norwood Park and Norwood Gardens were built.

Mrs Henderson recalled, as a girl, riding her pony across a track through the grounds to the stables and house itself (presumably in the 1930s).

Primrose Henderson's mother was Gundreda Forrest (née Ewart), daughter of Sir William Quartus Ewart Bt.

Miss Florence Henderson bequeathed Norwood Tower to a distant cousin and baronet, Sir Christopher Musgrave, rather than her nephew Oscar Henderson.

The Musgraves resided at Norwood for 20 years.

(Image: Timothy Ferres, 2011) Click to enlarge

The painting is dated March, 1864, and entitled NORWOOD TOWER, Seat of J A Henderson, Esq; painted by Hugh Fraser, ex-Professor of Painting of the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin.

(Image: Timothy Ferres, 2011) Click to enlarge

This painting, together with another one of Norwood Tower, was discovered by the Rt Hon Terence O'Neill DL MP [the Lord O'Neill of the Maine] in the auction rooms of Messrs Robert Stirling, Antrim, in the autumn of 1957. 

They were given as a present by him to Captain OWJ Henderson MP, with the instructions that he was to keep one of them and the other was to be given to his brother, Mr RB Henderson.

It would seem likely that these paintings were sold by Musgrave when he came into possession of Norwood Tower on the death of Miss Florence Henderson, great-aunt of Bill and Brum Henderson. 

At the time when Sir Christopher inherited Norwood Tower, it was known that he sold as many of the Henderson family's possessions as possible; and it is indeed surprising that, over twenty years later, these two paintings should be discovered in Antrim by Captain O'Neill and returned to the Henderson family.

Norwood Tower was sold and demolished in ... 1955 and the site is now part of suburbia; and, at the present time, August 1958, only the gate lodge remains standing; and this will, itself, be shortly demolished.

First published in May, 2011.

Conway House

EDWARD CHARLEY OWNED 35 ACRES OF LAND AT CONWAY HOUSE, COUNTY ANTRIM

The family of CHARLEY, or CHORLEY, passing over from the north of England, settled in Ulster during the 17th century, at first in Belfast, where they were owners of house property for two hundred years; and afterwards at Finaghy, County Antrim, where

JOHN CHARLEY (c1659-1743), of Belfast, left a son,

RALPH CHARLEY (1674-1756), of Finaghy House, County Antrim, who wedded Elizabeth Hill, and had an only child,

JOHN CHARLEY (1711-93), of Finaghy House, who married Mary, daughter of John Ussher, and had issue,

Matthew, died unmarried;
JOHN, of whom hereafter;
Hill, died unmarried;
Jane, died unmarried.

The eldest surviving son,

JOHN CHARLEY (1744-1812), of Finaghy House, married, in 1783, Anne Jane, daughter of Richard Wolfenden, of Harmony Hill, County Down, and had issue,

John, of Finaghy House (1784-1844), dsp;
Matthew, of Finaghy House and Woodbourne;
WILLIAM, of whom we treat.

The third son,

WILLIAM CHARLEY (1790-1838), of Seymour Hill, Dunmurry, married, in 1817, Isabella, eldest daughter of William Hunter JP, of Dunmurry, and had issue,

John, his heir;
William, succeeded his brother;
EDWARD, of whom we treat;
Mary; Anne Jane; Eliza; Isabella; Emily.

The third son,

EDWARD CHARLEY (1827-68), of Conway House, Dunmurry, County Antrim, wedded firstly, Mary, daughter of A Caldecott, of Woodford Hall, Essex, and had a daughter,

Mary Caldecott, m Captain George Leslie Poë JP DL RN.

He espoused secondly, Catherine Jane, daughter of Jonathan Richardson, and had issue,

Edward (Rev), dsp;
Ernest William Ralph (1864-9);
Edith Margaret; Kathleen Isabel Airth.

CONWAY HOUSE, Dunmurry, Belfast, was a two-storey Victorian mansion with a symmetrical front of two shallow, curved bows and a central projection.

A pillared and balustraded veranda ran on either side, joining to a single wing.

At the other end there was a pilastered conservatory.

An Italianate tower rose from the roof above a bracket cornice.

In 1852, William Charley, who had succeeded to Seymour Hill, gave land to his younger brother, Edward, to build a house for his first wife Mary.

Edward named it Conway after the local landowner, Lord Hertford (also Baron Conway).

The house was then occupied, until his death in 1892, by the Lord Bishop of Down, Connor and Dromore, the Rt Rev William Reeves.

Thereafter it was sold by the executors of Edward Charley's brother, William, to John D Barbour, of Hilden, father of Sir Milne Barbour Bt. 

Sir Milne lived at Conway for many years until his death in 1951.

At one time the Charley crest stood over the front door.

The Conway Hotel

Conway House operated for many years as a hotel operated by Trusthouse Forte.

First published in February, 2011.

Craigdarragh House

THE GORDONS OWNED 4,768 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY DOWN

This family, a branch of the ancient and ennobled line of the same name in Scotland, is stated to have gone from Berwickshire to Ulster during the period of the civil wars in Scotland. Following the destruction of the family papers, the lineage cannot be traced accurately. Nevertheless, it is known that many years after the period of the Scottish settlement, General Lord Adam Gordon, fourth son of Alexander, 2nd Duke of Gordon, during a visit to Ulster, resided with his cousin, John Gordon, of Florida Manor, in County Down.

At a subsequent epoch, in 1783, the intercourse was renewed upon the occasion of some members of the Gordon family visiting Scotland, when they were received with much kindness by Alexander, 4th Duke of Gordon, who fully recognized the relationship.

The representative of the Ulster branch, at the close of the 17th century,

ROBERT GORDON, of Ballintaggart, County Down, married, in 1689, a daughter of George Ross, of Portavo, and sister of Robert Ross, of Rostrevor, in the same county, ancestor of General Ross, who fell at the battle of Bladensburg, and had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
Robert (Rev).

Mr Gordon died in 1720, and was succeeded by his elder son,

JOHN GORDON (1690-1771), of Ballintaggart, who wedded, in 1720, his cousin Jane, daughter of Hugh Hamilton, of Ballytrenagh, and by her had issue,

ROBERT, his heir;
Jane, m David Johnston.

Mr Gordon espoused secondly, Grace, daughter of Thomas Knox, of Dungannon, County Tyrone, and had by her,

Thomas Knox;
John;
Margery; Elizabeth.

Mr Gordon left his estate at Ballintaggart to Thomas Knox Gordon, his eldest son by his second marriage.

His eldest son by his first wife,

ROBERT GORDON (1722-93), of Florida Manor, married, in 1755, Alice, widow of Thomas Whyte, and only daughter of James Arbuckle and his wife Anne, daughter of John Crawford, and niece and heir-at-law of David Crawford, of Florida Manor, and had issue,

JOHN CRAWFORD, his heir;
David, of Delamont, successor to his brother;
Robert;
Alexander, of Castle Place, Belfast; father of ROBERT FRANCIS GORDON;
Alice; Anne.

Mr Gordon was succeeded by his eldest son,

JOHN CRAWFORD GORDON JP (1757-97), of Florida Manor, Captain, 50th Regiment, who died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother, 

DAVID GORDON JP DL (1759-1837), of Florida Manor and Delamont, High Sheriff of County Down, 1812, who married, in 1789, Mary, youngest daughter of James Crawford, of Crawfordsburn, and sister of Anne, 1st Countess of Caledon, and had issue,

ROBERT, his heir to Florida Manor;
JAMES CRAWFORD, succeeded to Delamont;
Jane Maria.

Mr Gordon was succeeded by his son,

ROBERT GORDON JP DL (1791-1864), of Florida Manor, High Sheriff of County Down, 1833, Tyrone, 1843, who wedded, in 1825, Mary, daughter of William Crawford, of Lakelands, County Cork.

This gentleman dsp in 1864, and was succeeded by his brother,

THE REV JAMES CRAWFORD GORDON (1796-1867), of Florida Manor and Delamont House, Precentor of Down Cathedral, 1828-41, who espoused Geraldine, daughter of James Penrose, of Woodhill, County Cork.

He dsp 1867, and was succeeded by his cousin, 

ROBERT FRANCIS GORDON JP DL (1802-83), of Florida Manor and Delamont House, High Sheriff of County Down, 1873, who dsp.

CRAIGDARRAGH HOUSE, Helen's Bay, County Down, was built ca 1850 for Robert Francis Gordon, to a design by Charles Lanyon.

The family monogram, in fact, still adorns the dining-room plasterwork.

It is reported that Gordon ran out of funds during construction & never occupied the house & it was tenanted for many years.

It was Gordon's residence in 1852 & John Downie in 1855 & leased by George Hamilton in 1863 from Gordon.

He was succeeded by Joseph Jaffe in 1864 and then John Patterson in 1874.

Lord Dufferin reoccupied the house until 1879 when the house and demesne were advertised “to be let unfurnished” at £325 per annum with applications directed to the Dufferin Estate Office, Clandeboye.

Thomas Workman bought the freehold of Craigdarragh from the Durrerin estate in 1883.

The late Sir Charles Brett noted that it was built in Lanyon’s most ornate style, though some of the window ornamentation may owe its origin to Thomas Turner, who was Lanyon’s senior assistant until he set up on his own in 1852.

The two storey house stands at the top of a grassy slope running down to a sandy bay, with the drawing-room and the dining-room (which remains intact) having a fine prospect of Belfast Lough.

The square, front hall has six elaborate doorcases and a series of niches.

There was an associated courtyard and stable block.

The parkland surrounding the house, of about 26 acres, includes an attractive wooded glen, stretches across to Seahill and down to the shore.

The glen contains many different species of trees, some of which are over 100 years old, and is clearly now enjoyed by many badgers and other wildlife.

Thomas Workman bought the freehold of Craigdarragh House from the Dufferin Estate in 1883.

Margaret Garner recorded that on one occasion Mr Workman, her grandfather, fell out with Lord Dufferin, whose agent claimed that one of his men had encroached on Dufferin land when he was ploughing. The correspondence ended with Dufferin writing from Rome where he was then the British Ambassador. He did, however, write later to Thomas’s widow offering her any help when Thomas died.

Sir Charles Brett, in his book The Buildings of North County Down, recalled from his youth, living on the Craigdarragh Road, that Major Robert Workman, Thomas's son, was "a kindly old boy, good to his neighbours".

Following Major Workman's death in 1949, and following that of his sister, the house was sold to the Sisters of Mercy, and converted into a nursing home.

In 2003, Craigdarragh House was again sold.

The house & grounds were for sale in February, 2012, for £2,000,000.

It is hoped that the new owner will restore it to its former glory.

Its future remained in doubt while the planning process was underway; the proposed development is located within Green Belt.

First published in November, 2012.

St George of Wood Park

This family deduces its pedigree from BALDWIN ST GEORGE, one of the companions-in-arms of WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR, whose descendants flourished in England for several centuries, and frequently represented Cambridgeshire in Parliament.

Sir Baldwin St George (1362-1426), of Hatley, Cambridgeshire, was MP for Cambridgeshire between 1394 and 1414.

SIR RICHARD ST GEORGE (c1550-1635), Clarenceux King of Arms (19th in lineal descent from Baldwin), married, in 1575, Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas St John, of Lidiard Tregoze, Wiltshire, by whom he left at his decease three sons,

Henry, Garter King of Arms;
George (Sir), of Carrickdrumrusk (Carrick-on-Shannon);
RICHARD, of whom we treat.

The third son,

CAPTAIN RICHARD ST GEORGE (1590-1667), went over to Ireland in the beginning of the 17th century, in the Royal Army, and was appointed Governor of the town and castle of Athlone.

He was born at Hatley St George, Cambridgeshire, and wedded, in 1625, Anne, daughter of Michael Pinnock, of Turrock, County Roscommon, by which lady he had issue,

HENRY, his heir;
Mary; Anne.

The only surviving son,

HENRY ST GEORGE (1638-1723), of Athlone, and of Woodsgift, County Kilkenny, MP for Athlone, 1715-23, was an officer in the Irish army of CHARLES II.

He espoused, in 1669, Anne, daughter of Alderman Ridgeley Hatfield, of the city of Dublin, and had issue,

Richard, of Kilrush;
Henry;
ARTHUR, of whom hereafter;
George, of Woodsgift, MP.

The third son,

THE VERY REV DR ARTHUR ST GEORGE (1681-1772), Dean of Ross, married Jane, daughter of Sir Thomas Molyneux Bt, of Castle Dillon, County Armagh, and had issue,

Richard, of Kilrush;

THOMAS, of whom hereafter;

Capel;

Arthur;

Howard, ancestor of ST GEORGE of Kilrush;

Henry (Rev);

Catherine.

The second son,

THOMAS ST GEORGE (1738-85), MP for Clogher, 1776-85, Commissioner of Barracks, wedded, in 1776, Lucinda, fourth daughter of Archibald, 1st Viscount Gosford, and had issue,

Thomas Baldwin;

ACHESON, of whom we treat;

John;

Archibald;

William Molyneux.

The eldest surviving son,

ACHESON ST GEORGE (1778-), of Wood Park, Tynan, County Armagh, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1826, espoused firstly, in 1810, Eleanor, daughter of Robert Gordon, of Clonmel, and had issue,

Thomas Gordon, Lieutenant-Colonel, East India Company;

William, East India Company;

ACHESON, of whom hereafter;

John, East India Company;

Lucinda Margaret; Eleanor Mary; Olivia.

He married secondly, in 1824, Jane, second daughter of the Hon and Very Rev John Hewitt, Dean of Cloyne (fourth son of James, 1st Viscount Lifford), and had one daughter,

Alicia Hewitt Caroline.

The third son,

ACHESON ST GEORGE (1819-1902), of Wood Park, County Armagh, married, in 1890, Jane Rebecca, only surviving child of Thomas Knox Armstrong, of Fellows Hall, County Armagh, and dsp 1902.

WOOD PARK, near Tynan, County Armagh, was a Georgian house to the south of the neighbouring estate of Fellows Hall.

Wood Park features in J A K Dean's  Plight of the Big House in Northern Ireland on Page 66.

First published in December, 2020.

1st Earl of Stamford

This was one of the most ancient and illustrious families in the peerage. It deduced an uninterrupted line from the Conquest, and allied with the Plantagenets and Tudors.

HENRY DE GREY (1155-1219) obtained from RICHARD I the manor of Thurrock in Essex, and had the same confirmed by KING JOHN, with the privilege of hunting the fox and hare in any lands belonging to the crown except the King's own demesnes.

In the reign of HENRY III, he had a grant of the manor of Grimston, in Nottinghamshire, from Robert Bardolf, whose niece and co-heiress, Isolda, he married and eventually shared in the shared inheritance of the said Robert's lands.

From his second son by this lady, JOHN DE GREY, descended the Lords Grey de Ruthyn, the extinct Earls and Dukes of Kent, the extinct Dukes of Suffolk, the Earls of Wilton, and the house of which we are now treating.

The second son of Reginald, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn,

SIR EDWARD GREY (c1415-57), wedded Elizabeth, 6th Baroness Ferrers of Groby, daughter and heiress of Henry, son and heir-apparent of William, Baron Ferrers of Groby, and in consequence assumed that title.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN GREY (c1432-61), of Groby, who espoused Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers, by whom he had two sons.

Sir John fell at the second battle of St Albans fighting under the banner of HENRY VI, and his widow became subsequently Queen Consort of EDWARD IV.

Sir John Grey's eldest son and heir,

SIR THOMAS GREY (1455-1501), through the influence of his mother, was created Earl of Huntingdon, and four years later advanced to a marquessate, in 1475, in the dignity of MARQUESS OF DORSET.

After King Edward's death, however, his lordship was attainted of high treason, but restored upon the accession of HENRY VII to the throne.

He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son (by his second wife, Cecily, daughter and heiress of William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington),

THOMAS, 2nd Marquess (1477-1530), KG KB, who carried the Sword of State at the celebrated meeting between HENRY VIII and FRANCIS I, King of France, at Ardres in 1520.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

HENRY, 3rd Marquess (1517-54), KG KB; who married for his second wife, the Lady Frances Brandon, eldest daughter and co-heiress of Charles, 1st Duke of Suffolk, by Mary, Queen Dowager of France, and sister of HENRY VIII, and was in consequence advanced, in 1551, to a dukedom, as DUKE OF SUFFOLK, and installed a Knight of the Garter.

The Lady Jane Grey

The issue of this marriage were three daughters: the eldest, the amiable and unfortunate LADY JANE GREY (1537-54), having, through the ambition of her father, and father-in-law, for a few days usurped the empty trappings of royalty, was attainted and, subsequently, in consequence of her father's second rebellion, brought with her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley, to the block, 1554.

The Lady Katherine Grey (1540-68), the second daughter, marrying Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford, without the permission of ELIZABETH I, was committed to the Tower by Her Majesty, where she died, 1568.

The youngest daughter, the Lady Mary Grey (1545-78), espoused Thomas Keyes, of Kent, Sergeant Porter to ELIZABETH I, and died without issue, 1578.

The unhappy father, having rebelled again after receiving the Queen's pardon, suffered soon after his eldest daughter and his brother, Thomas, following.

From that period the honours of the family were eclipsed until revived by JAMES I, who created SIR HENRY GREY, Knight (1547-1614), in 1603, Baron Grey of Groby.

His lordship wedded Anne, daughter of William, 2nd Baron Windsor, of Bradenham, Buckinghamshire; and dying in 1614, was succeeded by his grandson,

HENRY, 2nd Baron (c1599-1673), who was created, in 1628, EARL OF STAMFORD.

His lordship wedded the Lady Anne Cecil, youngest daughter and co-heiress of William, Earl of Exeter, in whose right he became possessed of the Castle, Borough, and Manor of Stamford.

Henry, 1st Earl of Stamford

The 1st Earl was a parliamentary military commander during the civil wars, as was his son, Thomas, Lord Grey, who predeceased him.

His lordship was succeeded by his grandson,

THOMAS, 2nd Earl (c1654-1720), PC; imprisoned for the part he had taken in the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion, but was admitted to bail; and he finally secured his safety under the amnesty granted, 1685-6.

His lordship married twice; but leaving no issue at his decease, the honours reverted to his cousin,

HARRY GREY, as 3rd Earl (1685-1739), grandson of the 1st Earl through his third son, the Hon John Grey, of Enville Hall, Shropshire.

His lordship wedded Dorothy, daughter of Sir Nathan Wright, 2nd Baronet, of Caldecote Hall, Warwickshire, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal in the reigns of WILLIAM III and QUEEN ANNE.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

HARRY, 4th Earl (1715-68), who married, in 1736, the Lady Mary Booth, only daughter and heiress of George, 2nd and last Earl of Warrington, and had issue,

GEORGE HARRY, his successor;
Booth;
John;
Mary; Anne Grey.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

GEORGE HARRY, 5th Earl (1737-1819); who was created, in 1796, Baron Delamer and EARL OF WARRINGTON, the honours enjoyed by his maternal grandfather.

His lordship espoused, in 1763, the Lady Henrietta Bentinck, daughter of William, 2nd Duke of Portland, and had issue,

GEORGE HARRY, his successor;
William Booth;
Anchitel;
Henry;
Henrietta; Marie; Maria; Louisa; Sophia; Ameila.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

GEORGE HARRY, 6th Earl (1765-1845), who wedded, in 1797, Henrietta Charlotte, sister of Francis, 8th Earl of Wemyss, and had issue,

GEORGE HARRY  (1802-35), father of the 7th Earl;
Henrietta Charlotte; Jane.

His lordship was succeeded by his grandson,

GEORGE HARRY, 7th Earl (1827-83), who espoused firstly, in 1848, Elizabeth, daughter of John Billage; and secondly, in 1855, Katherine, second daughter of Henry Cocks, though the marriages were without issue, when the honours reverted to his lordship's kinsman,

HARRY, 8th Earl (1812-90),

Harry Grey, 8th Earl (1812-90);
William Grey, 9th Earl (1850–1910);
Roger Grey, 10th Earl (1896–1976).

Ancestral seats ~ Enville Hall, Staffordshire; Dunham Park, Cheshire.

First published in December, 2018.

Balfour of Balbirnie

THE BALFOURS OF BALBIRNIE WERE THE LARGEST LANDOWNERS IN THE COUNTY OF FIFE, WITH 10,590 ACRES

The surname of BALFOUR was originally assumed from the barony and castle of Balfour, a beautiful seat, standing near the confluence of the rivers Ore and Leven. And so early as 1229, we find Ingelram de Balfour, Vicecomes de Fife, a witness to a charter granted to the monastery of Aberbrothwick. The Balfours were originally styled 'of Dovan'. ANDREW BALFOUR filled the office of Sheriff Depute of Fife, 1483.

Andrew Balfour's son,

JOHN BALFOUR, of Lawlethan, by 1499, had received a charter of Dovan from Andrew Laundin of Balgonie, which he proceeded to share between his sons,

Thomas, of Dovan;
David, of Lawlethan (d 1546).

The estates passed uniterruptedly until 1596, when the Dovan branch of the family found themselves in impecunious circumstances; and thereafter the property was mortgaged to the Pitcairns of Forthar.

Due to the grant of 1499, Martin Balfour of Lawlethan was able to prove his right to some of the lands of Dovan, enabling the right to the lands to be sold to Sir Andrew Balfour of Montquhannie.

Martin Balfour of Lawlethan, dying in 1624, was succeeded by

GEORGE BALFOUR, 1ST OF BALBIRNIE (d 1665), who became a clothier in London and Edinburgh, and purchased the estate of Balbirnie, in 1642.

His eldest son,

ROBERT BALFOUR, 2ND OF BALBIRNIE (1641-1713), whose younger sons succeeded in turn to Lawlethan, which estate was finally lost to creditors in 1692, was father of

GEORGE BALFOUR, 3RD OF BALBIRNIE (1664-1743), who bought back Lawlethan in 1716, married Agnes Lumsdain, and was father of

ROBERT BALFOUR, 4TH OF BALBIRNIE (1698-1767), was later styled Balfour-Ramsay after his marriage, in 1736, to Ann, daughter of  Sir Andrew Ramsay Bt, of Whitehill.

Mr Balfour, MP for Edinburgh, 1751-54, was succeeded by his only son,

JOHN BALFOUR, 5TH OF BALBIRNIE (1738-1833), who wedded, in 1771, Mary, daughter of James Gordon, and had issue,

ROBERT, his heir;
James, grandfather of RT HON ARTHUR J BALFOUR, PRIME MINISTER;
Elizabeth.

Mr Balfour, who purchased the estates of Dovan and Forthar, and Whittingehame, Haddington, in East Lothian, was succeeded by his eldest son,

LIEUTENANT-GENERAL ROBERT BALFOUR, 6TH OF BALBIRNIE (1772-1837), of Balbirnie House, who espoused, in 1808, Eglantyne Katherine, daughter of John Fordyce, and had issue,

JOHN, his heir;
Charles James;
Robert William;
George Gordon;
Katherine Jane; Eglantine Charlotte Louisa; Elizabeth Anne.

General Balfour was succeeded by his eldest son,

COLONEL JOHN BALFOUR JP DL, 7TH OF BALBIRNIE (1811-95), of Balbirnie House, who married, in 1840, the Lady Georgiana Isabel Campbell, daughter of John, 1st Earl Cawdor, and had issue,

Robert Frederick (1846-82);
EDWARD, of whom hereafter;
John William;
Alfred Granville (Brig-Gen Sir);
Georgiana Elizabeth; Mary Louisa; Emily Eglantine.

Colonel Balfour's eldest son, Robert, served in the Grenadier Guards and died of wounds received at the Battle of Tel el Kebir in Egypt in 1882.

His second son,

EDWARD BALFOUR JP DL, 8TH OF BALBIRNIE (1849-1927), of Balbirnie House, wedded Isabella Weyman Hooper, and had issue,

EDWARD WILLIAM STURGIS, his heir;
Eva Katharine.

Mr Balfour's son and heir,

BRIGADIER EDWARD WILLIAM STURGIS BALFOUR CVO DSO OBE JP DL, 9TH OF BALBIRNIE (1884-1955), of Balbirnie House, espoused, in 1914, the Lady Ruth Balfour, daughter of Gerald, 2nd Earl of Balfour, and had issue,

JOHN CHARLES, his heir;
Peter Edward Gerald;
Nora Elizabeth; Anne.

The elder son,

MAJOR JOHN CHARLES BALFOUR MC JP DL, 10TH OF BALBIRNIE (1919-2008), of Balbirnie House, served in North Africa and Europe in the 2nd World War and was awarded the Military Cross in 1942; DL and JP for Fife, 1957-58; and Vice Lord-Lieutenant for Fife, 1988-96.

Robert Balfour, present and 11th of Balbirbie, owns and manages the Balbirnie estate, which comprises 5,000 acres.

BALBIRNIE HOUSE, Glenrothes, Fife, was completed in 1817 as a re-build of an 18th-century building, itself a replacement for a 17th-century dwelling.

The home of the Balfour family from 1640, the house was sold in 1969 and opened as a hotel in 1990.

The grounds now comprise a large public park and a golf course.

Ca 1640, the Balbirnie estate was acquired by the family of Balfour.

A 17th-century house on the estate was remodelled or replaced in the later 18th century for John Balfour.

The architecture of these works, completed around 1782, has been attributed to both James Nisbet and to John Baxter, Junior.

In 1815, further changes were begun by General Balfour, to designs by the architect Richard Crichton.

Some £16,000 was spent on extending the south-west front, and constructing the portico at the south-east.

At the same time, the landscape gardener Thomas White provided plans for the improvement of the 18th-century parkland.

Further alterations, comprising offices, were carried out in 1860.

The plant collection was expanded from the mid-19th century with seeds sent from India by George Balfour, a friend of plant collector William Hooker.

In 1969, the house and estate was acquired by the Glenrothes Development Corporation, who were then building the new town of Glenrothes.

A golf course was laid out in the grounds, while the house was converted into council offices.

The mansion house was sold to a private owner who redeveloped it as a 30-bedroom hotel, opened in 1990 by the Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind KCMG QC MP, then Secretary of State for Scotland.

416 acres of parkland and woodland remain in the ownership of Fife Council as a public park.

Robert Balfour, the present and 11th of Balbirnie, owns and manages the Balbirnie estate itself.

The Balfours had a London residence at 14 Carlton House Terrace.

First published in December, 2015.