The Jackson Baronetcy

THOMAS JACKSON, of Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland, and of Coleraine, County Londonderry, was at the battle of the Boyne, and stood high in the favour of WILLIAM III.

He married Susannah, sister of SIR TRISTRAM BERESFORD Bt (ancestor of the Marquesses of Waterford).

Miss Beresford's family was considerably powerful in the Coleraine area and her marriage to William Jackson, who also owned substantial estates near Coleraine and acted as agent for the Irish Society, was deemed a dynastic alliance. 

She had perhaps seven surviving children from her first and her husband's second marriage. Her husband fell out of favour with the Irish Society over the improper exploitation of timber belonging to them. 

Richard Jackson, of Draperstown, who served in Michelburne's regiment, was probably her son. 

In the aftermath of the siege, Susannah married John Michelburne. Both she and her daughter stood guarantee for a loan given by the Stronges to her new husband. 

Her son, William Jackson, stood in the 1697 by-election for County Londonderry, which followed the death of George Philips MP. Although the election was won by James Lennox, Mayor of Londonderry, Jackson overturned the result and had himself declared MP for the county.

Mr Jackson was succeeded by his son,

WILLIAM JACKSON, of Coleraine, who married Miss Gorges, of Kilbrew, County Meath, and was father of

WILLIAM JACKSON, who espoused, in 1729, Frances, only daughter of George Eyre, of Eyre Court, County Galway, by Barbara his wife, daughter and co-heir of Thomas, 1st Earl Coningsby, and had (with a daughter, Mary, married to the Ven Edward Goulding, Archdeacon of Derry), a son,

THE RT HON RICHARD JACKSON (c1731-89), MP for Coleraine, 1751-89, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1760, Chief Secretary for Ireland, who married firstly, Lydia, niece of William Richardson MP; secondly, Nicola, daughter and co-heir of Arthur Cecil Hamilton, of Castle Hamilton, County Cavan; and thirdly, in 1768, Anne, daughter of Charles O'Neill, of Shane's Castle, County Antrim, and sister of JOHN, 1ST VISCOUNT O'NEILL.

By his first two wives he had no child, but by the third he had issue,

GEORGE, his heir;
Richard, died unmarried, 1767;
Anne, m Dr Nathaniel Alexander, Lord Bishop of Meath;
Mary, m John Hamiltom O'Hara, of Crebilly;
Harriet.

His eldest son,

GEORGE JACKSON (1776-1851), MP for Coleraine, 1789-96, Randalstown, 1797-1800, was created a baronet in 1813, designated of Fork Hill, County Armagh, and of Beech Hill, Surrey.

He married, in 1814, Anne, daughter of William Woodville, of Edgehill, Lancashire.

Sir George, having served in the army and attained military rank, had no surviving issue, and the baronetcy expired.

THE MANOR HOUSE, Coleraine, County Londonderry, was a building of two storeys over a basement with a dormered attic, and six bays. It was originally built in 1680.

This building was seemingly the official residence of the agents of the Clothworkers' livery company: The Jacksons and Edmond Stronge both filled this office. In 1871, the estate was bought by Sir Hervey Henry Bruce Bt for £150,000 (£1.5 million in today's money) and became part of the Downhill estate, created originally by The Earl-Bishop.

The old manor-house was enlarged and remodelled about 1770 by Richard Jackson, who gave it an extraordinary roof parapet of curving open-work, Chinese-style; and apparently open porches surmounted by ball finials in front of the dormers.

The windows received octagonal glazing.

The manor-house was originally faced in brick, though was rendered in cement during the 1920s.

Most of the windows were subsequently re-glazed.

The manor house was inhabited by the Jacksons from 1680 till 1803, when it was occupied by the Rev Michael Alexander.

Mrs D Maxwell was the tenant and manager between 1824-42.

From 1840-71, the Clothworkers' Company occupied the house; Charles James Knox and Edmond Stronge were successive agents.

Sir Henry Hervey Bruce Bt was resident there, 1871-1907; H T Barrie, 1914; D H Christie, 1930; Coleraine Health Centre; and ultimately Londonderry County Council, 1956-82.

Captain Stronge changed its name to the Manor House and built a lodge.

Coleraine Manor house, 6th June, 1982, two days before demolition (Image: Norman Maxwell)

It was demolished it in 1982 to form a car-park at the rear of the County Hall.

Former seats ~ Fork Hill, County Armagh; Beech Hill, Surrey.

First published in May, 2012.

Montgomery of Grey Abbey

This is the Braidstane line of the noble house of EGLINTON.

ROBERT MONTGOMERIE, second son of Alexander, Master of Montgomerie, and brother of Alexander, 2nd Lord Montgomerie, ancestor of the Earls of Eglinton, obtained for his patrimony, from his grandfather, Alexander, 1st Lord, in 1452, the lands of Braidstane, and thus became its laird.

Mr Montgomerie was succeeded by his eldest son, 

ROBERT, 2nd Laird of Braidstone, who dsp and was succeeded by his brother,

ROBERT, 3rd Laird, who dsp and was succeeded by his only surviving brother,

ADAM, 4th Laird, who was succeeded by his son,

ADAM JOHN MONTGOMERY, 5th Laird, who married the eldest daughter of Sir John Colquhoun, of Luss.

He died about 1550, having had four sons, viz.

ADAM, ancestor of the EARLS OF MOUNT ALEXANDER;
George (Very Rev), Dean of Norwich, afterwards Bishop of Meath;
Patrick, colonel in the French army during the reign of HENRY IV;
ROBERT, of whom hereafter.

The youngest son, 

ROBERT MONTGOMERY, was father of 

JOHN MONTGOMERY,

Who went over to Ulster in the early part of the reign of JAMES I with his cousin Hugh, 6th Laird of Braidstane, afterwards VISCOUNT MONTGOMERY, of the Great Ardes, his lordship having brought several of his clan from Scotland, that they might settle upon his new estates, and assist upon the plantation of the country. 

To this John he granted lands at Gransha, in the Ards, where he settled, where he was esteemed a man of opulence, which supposition caused his house to be attacked by robbers, himself, his wife, and all his servants were inhumanely murdered, save one, who escaped with his son HUGH. This John espoused an heiress of the family of Stewart, in Scotland.

His son,

HUGH MONTGOMERY, of Maghera, County Londonderry,

Who had been left for dead in attempting to defend his father, but recovering from his wounds, he lived to an old age, on his property at Maghera, to which he removed after the attack on his paternal dwelling. 

He represented the borough of Newtownards in Parliament, from 1634-39, and lies buried with his father in the church of Donaghadee.

Hugh Montgomery left two sons,

HUGH;
John.

The elder son,

HUGH MONTGOMERY, of Maghera, wedded a daughter of Sir Robert McClelland, by whom he had several daughters and an only son, his successor,

WILLIAM MONTGOMERY, of Maghera, who married Mary, eldest daughter and co-heir of Captain James Magill, of Kirkistown, County Down, and had, with one daughter, Lucy, an only son, his successor,

WILLIAM MONTGOMERY (1700-55), who wedded firstly, in 1719, Catherine, daughter of Edward Hall, of Strangford, and by her had,

Edward, died 1726;
WILLIAM, his successor.

He wedded secondly, in 1725, Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Hill, of Buckinghamshire, by whom he had further issue (with three daughters), four sons,

Hugh, died unmarried 1765;
James, died unmarried 1796;
Robert, died unmarried 1758;
Samuel, dsp.

Mr Montgomery purchased, ca 1715, the estate of Grey Abbey from his kinsman, James Montgomery, and rebuilt the mansion-house, the former having been burnt accidentally in 1695.

He was succeeded by his second son,

WILLIAM MONTGOMERY (1721-99), of Grey Abbey, MP for Hillsborough, 1761-99, who espoused, in 1749, Susanna, daughter and sole heir of John Jelly, of Rathmullen, County Down, and had issue,

William, killed in America, 1781;
HUGH, heir to his father;
Edward, Royal Navy, died unmarried;
Francis, died unmarried 1808;
Dorcas, died unmarried 1824.

Mr Montgomery was succeeded by his eldest surviving son,

THE REV HUGH MONTGOMERY (1754-1815), of Grey Abbey, who married, in 1782, Emilia Ward, youngest daughter of Bernard, 1st Viscount Bangor (by his wife, the Lady Anne Bligh, daughter of John, Earl of Darnley), and had issue,

WILLIAM, his successor;
Hugh Bernard;
Edward (Rev), Rector of Portaferry;
Arthur Hill, of Tyrella, Co Down;
John Charles;
Francis Octavius;
George Augustus Frederick Sandys;
Anne Catherine; Emilia Georgiana Susanna.

Mr Montgomery died at Grey Abbey, and was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM MONTGOMERY JP DL (1786-1831), of Grey Abbey, High Sheriff of County Down, 1824, who wedded, at Brussels, 1817, the Lady Amelia Elizabeth Parker, second daughter of Thomas, 5th Earl of Macclesfield.

Mr Montgomery was succeeded by his only child,

HUGH MONTGOMERY JP DL (1821-94), of Grey Abbey, High Sheriff of County Down, 1845, who wedded, in 1846, the Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Herbert, second daughter of Edward, 2nd Earl of Powis KG, and had issue,

WILLIAM EDWARD, his successor;
ROBERT ARTHUR, succeeded his brother;
Percy Hugh Seymour, Chinese Imperial Customs Service (CICS);
FRANCIS HENRY, succeeded his brother;
George Fitzmaurice, CICS, father of HUGH EDWARD;
Lucy Florentia; Edith Cecilia; Charlotte Henrietta Emily; Evelyn Mary.

Mr Montgomery was succeeded by his eldest son,

MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM EDWARD MONTGOMERY JP DL (1847-1927), of Grey Abbey, High Sheriff of County Down, 1900, who married, in 1891, Alberta Victoria, daughter of Major-General the Rt Hon Sir Henry Ponsonby GCB, though the marriage was without issue.

General Montgomery was succeeded by his brother,

MAJOR-GENERAL ROBERT ARTHUR MONTGOMERY CB CVO JP DL (1848-1931), of Grey Abbey, who was succeeded by his brother,

FRANCIS HENRY MONTGOMERY (1857-1941), of Grey Abbey, who died unmarried, when the estate devolved upon his nephew,

HUGH EDWARD MONTGOMERY JP DL (1906-69), of Grey Abbey, Major, 43rd and 52nd Light Infantry, High Sheriff of County Down, 1955, who married, in 1938, Anne, only daughter of Brigadier Charles Graeme Higgins CMG DSO DL, of Badbury Hill, Faringdon, and had issue,

WILLIAM HOWARD CLIVE MONTGOMERY, (1940-),who married, in 1965, Daphne, daughter of Brigadier the Hon Geoffrey John Orlando Bridgeman, and has issue,

Hugh Geoffrey Clive, b 1966;
Rose Evelyn, b 1968;
Frances Mary, b 1970;
Flora Anne Selina, b 1974.

First published in February, 2012.

Coolcarrigan House

THE WILSON-WRIGHTS WERE MAJOR LANDOWNERS IN COUNTY KILDARE, WITH 5,432 ACRES

The first member of the Wright family to settle in Ireland was

CAPTAIN JAMES WRIGHT (1615-1700), of Royston, Yorkshire, son of John Wright and Margaret, daughter of Richard Ratcliffe.

Captain Wright, an officer in Cromwell's army, landed at Dublin, 1649.

In 1661, he was granted lands at Golagh in County Monaghan.

Captain Wright was, however, attainted by JAMES II's parliament, 1688.

His son,

JOSEPH WRIGHT (1652-1731), of Golagh, married, in 1708, Mary, daughter of Edward Own of Kilmore, County Monaghan, and was father of

JOSEPH WRIGHT, of Golagh, who married, in 1744, Eleanor Martyn, of Clogher and Dumbartagh, County Cavan.

The second son,

JOSEPH WRIGHT JP, of Carrachor Hall, Rector of Killencoole, Lurgan Green and Harristown, County Louth, married Mary Montgomery and had four sons.

His second son,

RICHARD WRIGHT, of Fortfield, Belfast, and Craigavad House, County Down, married Catherine, daughter of George Dowdall.

He died in 1788, leaving issue five sons and two daughters.

The third son,

EDWARD THOMAS WRIGHT (1810-81), of Donnybrook, County Dublin, Barrister, married, in 1832, his cousin Charlotte, daughter of Joseph Wright, of Beech Hill, Donnybrook, County Dublin.

The eldest son,

EDWARD PERCIVAL WRIGHT (1834-1910), Professor of Botany, Dublin University, married Emily, daughter of Colonel Ponsonby Shaw of the Indian Army.

His second son,

THE REV CHARLES HENRY HAMILTON WRIGHT (1836-1909), married, in 1859, Ebba Johanna, daughter of Nils Wilhelm Almroth (Director of the Royal Mint in Stockholm and a Knight of the Northern Star of Sweden).

His second son,

SIR ALMROTH EDWARD WRIGHT KBE CB (1861-1947), married, in 1889, Jane Georgina, daughter of Robert Mackay Wilson, of Coolcarrigan, County Kildare.

His second son,

LEONARD ALMROTH WILSON-WRIGHT JP, of Coolcarrigan, High Sheriff of County Kildare, 1921, who married, in 1925, Florence, eldest daughter of James Ivory JP, of Brewlands, Glenisla, Forfarshire, and had issue, an only son,

JOCK WILSON-WRIGHT (1928-), who married, in 1953, Sheila Gwendolyn Yate, only daughter of Colonel Henry Patrick Blosse-Lynch, of Partry, Claremorris, County Mayo, and had issue,

Robert (b 1956);
Jane Sheila (b 1958);
Janet, (b 1951) who married Sir Richard La Touche Colthurst, 9th Baronet, of Ardrum, County Cork, and had issue two sons, Charles (b 1955) and James (b 1957).

***** 

THE WILSONS descend from John Wilson, of Rahee, County Antrim, said to have landed in Carrickfergus in the suite of WILLIAM III.

Robert Mackay Wilson's great-grandfather Hugh Wilson (d 1822) also lived at Rashee.

Robert Mackay Wilson's grandfather William Wilson, of Daramona House, County Westmeath, and Larkhill, County Dublin, was born in 1787 and married, in 1815, Rebecca Dupre (d 1846), daughter of John Mackay of Elagh, County Tyrone, and Prospect, County Londonderry.

Robert's elder brother John (1826-1906) succeeded to Daramona House and was sometime High Sheriff for counties Westmeath and Longford.

Robert Mackay Wilson JP (b1829), High Sheriff of County Kildare, 1887, married, in 1858, Elizabeth, daughter of Murray Suffern, of Belfast.

Mr Wilson purchased Coolcarrigan.

Coolcarrigan passed to his only surviving child,

Jane Georgina Wilson (1860-1926) who married Sir Almroth Wright.

COOLCARRIGAN HOUSE, near Naas, County Kildare, is a mansion of three bays and two storeys in the Georgian style, built in the 1830s by Robert Mackay Wilson to the designs of an unknown architect.

The façade has hooded moldings over the upper windows, a simple parapet and a typical late-Georgian door with fanlight and sidelights, while the central bay is treated as a breakfront by the addition of a pair of pilasters.

Two later curved screen walls, ending in tall piers, project outwards to either side of the entrance front and disguise the fact that the house has been considerably enlarged at the rear.

These additions make Coolcarrigan a very comfortable family home.

There is a beautiful family chapel in the grounds:

Consecrated in 1885 by the Most Rev William Plunket, Lord Archbishop of Dublin and later 4th Baron Plunket, the chapel was built in the Hiberno-Romanesque Revival style, with a Round Tower and a High Cross.

It derives from the 12th century Temple Finghin at Clonmacnoise on the River Shannon.

This tiny complex, surrounded by trees and a dry moat, is the most complete example of the Celtic Revival style in Ireland and makes an attractive view from the house.

The church interior has frescoes in Gaelic script, specially chosen by Douglas Hyde, the first Irish President and a close family friend; while the very good stained glass windows, dedicated to various members of the family, are also in the Celtic Revival style.

The main avenue has a splendid display of spring bulbs while the superb twenty-acre garden has a wonderful collection of rare and unusual trees and shrubs inspired by Sir Harold Hillier, the great 20th century plants-man and collector.

An elaborate 1900s greenhouse in the walled garden has just been authentically restored.

Robert Wilson's daughter Georgina married Sir Almroth Wright, and inherited Coolcarrigan.

Her husband was an eminent physician and a colleague of Alexander Fleming, who worked on the development of vaccination and discovered the cure for typhoid.

Among his friends was the playwright George Bernard Shaw, whose play The Doctor’s Dilemma is based upon Sir Almroth.

Their descendants, the Wilson-Wright family, still live at Coolcarrigan, the sixth generation to live in the house.

First published in March, 2013.

The Hill Baronets

THE HILL BARONETS OWNED 230 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY LONDONDERRY

SAMUEL HILL, the first ancestor of this family in Ulster, went from Buckinghamshire to Ireland as Treasurer of that kingdom, under OLIVER CROMWELL, about 1642.

For his active services he received large grants of lands in the counties of Armagh, Tyrone, Antrim, and Derry, and eventually settled at Coleraine, being a burgess of the first corporation of Londonderry.

This Samuel Hill married Sarah, daughter of Michael Beresford, by whom he had issue, two sons, John and Jonathan, who then held commissions as Major and Captain respectively during the celebrated siege of Derry.

The elder son,

JOHN HILL, succeeded to the family estates, and wedded, in 1642, Mary, daughter of Thomas Wilson, of Kilkenny, by whom he acquired an estate in lands and houses in East Smithfield, Manor of Stepney, Middlesex.

He died leaving an only son,

SAMUEL HILL, of Culmore, which estate he obtained with his wife, Mary, daughter and co-heiress of Hugh Rowley, of Culmore, by Mary, daughter of Edward Rowley, of Castle Roe, MP for Londonderry, by Lettice his wife, daughter and co-heiress of Sir John Clotworthy, 1st Viscount Massereene.

ROWLEY, of Culmore and of Walworth, his heir;
Samuel, of Strangford, County Down;
Hugh (Rev Dr), of Mount Hill, County Armagh;
Elizabeth, m William Montgomery, of Grey Abbey;
Lettice; Mary.

The eldest son,

ROWLEY HILL (1672-1739), of Ballykelly, County Londonderry, MP for Ratoath, 1734-9, married, in 1726, Sophia Beresford, second daughter of Gorges Lowther MP of Kilrue, County Meath, and had issue,

HUGH, his heir;
George, drowned at sea;
John;
Jane; Catharine; Mary.

The elder son,

HUGH HILL (1728-95), who married firstly, in 1754, Mary, daughter of John Hodgson, of Ballynascreen, and had issue, four daughters,

Elizabeth; Sophia Beresford; Mary; Letitia.

He wedded secondly, in 1762, Hannah, daughter of John McClintock, of Dunmore, County Donegal, and had issue,

GEORGE FITZGERALD, his successor;
John Beresford, father of GEORGE, 3rd Baronet;
Rowley George;
Marcus Samuel;
Rebecca.

Mr Hill, MP for Londonderry City, 1768-95, and Collector of that port, was created a baronet in 1779, designated of Brook Hall, County Londonderry.

He was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE RT HON SIR GEORGE FITZGERALD HILL, 2nd Baronet (1763-1839),

Privy Counsellor in Ireland, a trustee of the linen manufacture, Colonel, Derry Militia, MP for Londonderry, 1795-1830; and successively Clerk of the Irish House of Commons, Vice-Treasurer of Ireland, Governor of the Island of St Vincent, and Governor of Trinidad.

Sir George espoused, in 1788, Jane, third daughter of the Rt Hon Lord John Beresford, brother of George, 1st Marquess of Waterford, which lady dsp 1836.

He died without issue, and the title devolved upon his nephew,

SIR GEORGE HILL, 3rd Baronet (1804-45), who espoused, in 1831, Elizabeth Sophia, eldest daughter of John Rea, of St Columb's, by Louisa his wife, daughter of the Very Rev Stewart Blacker, of Carrick Blacker, County Armagh, and had issue,

JOHN, his successor;
George;
Rowley (Rt Rev), grandfather of 7th and 9th Baronets;
Louisa Jane; Letitia Diana.

Sir George was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR JOHN HILL, 4th Baronet (1833-72), High Sheriff of County Londonderry, 1869, who married, in 1863, Charlotte Isabella, daughter of Henry David Blyth, and had issue,

GEORGE, his successor;
HENRY BLYTH, successor to his brother;
John;
Hugh Rowley;
Charlotte Elizabeth; Letitia Catherine; Mary Maud; Louisa Isabella.

Sir John, Captain, 17th Lancers, was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR GEORGE HILL, 5th Baronet (1866-78), who died in childhood, and was succeeded by his brother,

SIR HENRY BLYTH HILL, 6th Baronet (1867-1929), DSO, Captain, Royal Irish Fusiliers, who wedded, in 1907, Eliza Maud, daughter of George Bowdler Gipps, and had issue, an only child, JOHN PATRICK (1909-10), who died in infancy.

The baronetcy accordingly reverted to Sir Henry's cousin,

SIR GEORGE ROWLEY HILL, 7th Baronet (1864-1954), son of the Rt Rev Rowley Hill, who espoused, in 1890, Alice Estelle Harley, daughter of Edward Bacon, and had issue, an only child,

SIR GEORGE CYRIL ROWLEY HILL, 8th Baronet (1890-1980), who wedded, in 1919, Edith Muriel, daughter of W O Thomas, though the marriage was without issue, and the title reverted to his cousin,

SIR GEORGE ALFRED ROWLEY HILL, 9th Baronet (1899-1985), who wedded firstly, in 1924, Rose Ethel Kathleen, daughter of William Richard Spratt, and had issue,

RICHARD GEORGE ROWLEY, his successor.

He espoused secondly, in 1938, Jessie Anne Roberts, and had further issue,

JOHN ALFRED ROWLEY, 11th Baronet;

Margaret Anne Rowley.

Sir George was succeeded by his eldest son,

SIR RICHARD GEORGE ROWLEY HILL, 10th Baronet (1925-92), MBE, who married firstly, in 1954, Angela Mary, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Stanley Gallon; and secondly, in 1975, Zoreen Joy Macpherson, by whom he had issue, two daughters,

Charlotte Mary Rowley; Georgina Emma Rowley.

Sir Richard was succeeded by his brother,

SIR JOHN ALFRED ROWLEY HILL, 11th Baronet (1940-), of Oadby Grange, Leicestershire, who married, in 1966, Diana Anne Walker.

The Hill Papers are deposited at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. 

St Columb's

When Sir George Hill, 3rd Baronet, married Elizabeth Rea in 1831, St Columb's in Derry's Waterside became their residence.

The Hills remained at St Columb's until about 1890, when it was acquired by the Cookes.

They owned 969 acres of land in County Donegal.

Brook Hall

During the Siege of Derry in 1689 Brook Hall, at Culmore, was the headquarters for JAMES I's army and the house was occupied by the Duke of Berwick, who commanded His Majesty's army.

The original house was replaced ca 1780 by an elegant villa to the north of its site, where extensive landscaping took place.

This house was altered ca 1816, when the balcony was added and it took on its Regency-style appearance.

It would appear that Sir George Hill, 3rd Baronet, leased Brook Hall to Henry Barré Beresford (the Hills are related to the Beresfords through intermarriage) in 1831, and went to live with his new wife at St Columb's.

The estate was purchased in 1852 by Samuel Gilliland, who planted the demesne with its rare ornamental trees and shrubs.

David Gilliland heads a family of quite remarkable achievement and social conscience.

Married to the novelist Jennifer Johnston, David, a Londonderry solicitor, inherited Brook Hall and has continued the family passion for gardening by restoring, maintaining and improving the estate's gardens of azaleas, rhododendrons and flowering shrubs, as well as an arboretum harbouring over 900 specimens of conifers and deciduous trees.

Brook Hall is listed on the UK’s Register of Parks, Gardens and Demesnes of Special Historic Interest.

When the house was built ca 1780, surrounding land was acquired to create a landscape park, which slopes down to the River Foyle.

The house, lodge and gates are listed.

Much original planting remains including parkland oaks, beeches and chestnuts.

In Notes of a Journey in the North of Ireland in the summer of 1827, Mitchell wrote that,

Upon the grounds, evidently neither expanse nor skill has been spared in furnishing and maturing one of the most luxuriant collections of shrubs I ever beheld.

There is also more recent planting of considerable interest in the arboretum, begun in 1932 by Commander Frank Gilliland, RNVR.

This important collection, which occupies about 35 acres west and south west of the house, has been continuously enlarged over the years.

The present owner, who succeeded to the property in 1957, has catalogued the collection.

The walled gardens are partly cultivated.

Nearby lies the National Collection of Escallonia.

The gate lodge, one remaining of two, was built ca 1820 and is listed with the house and gates.

Residence in 1956 ~ 2 Dawlish Drive, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.

First published in January, 2011.

Milford House

THE McCRUMS OWNED 46 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ARMAGH

The family of McCrum originated from Argyllshire, where they were seated from very ancient times.

WILLIAM McCRUM (1785-1879), son of William McCrum (1756-1818), a farmer from County Armagh, by his wife, Elizabeth Harper, of County Armagh), married, in 1818, Judith, daughter of Moses Paul, and had issue,

ROBERT GARMANY, of whom presently;
Martha, died in infancy.

The only son,

ROBERT GARMANY McCRUM JP DL (1827-1915), of Milford House, County Armagh, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1889, wedded, in 1864, Anne Eliza Riddall, of Armagh, and had issue,

WILLIAM, his heir;
Harriette, b 1867.

Mr McCrum was succeeded by his only son,

WILLIAM McCRUM (1865-1932), of Milford House, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1909, who espoused, in 1891, Maude Mary, daughter of Dr W W Squires, of Montreal, Canada, and had issue, an only son,

CECIL ROBERT McCRUM OBE* (1892-1976), of The Mall, Armagh, Captain, Royal Navy, who wedded Ivy Hilda Constance (1891–1990), daughter of William Nicholson, and had issue,

Patrick, 1917-22;
Antony, b 1919; 
MICHAEL WILLIAM, of whom presently;
Robert.

*Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, St James's Palace, SWl. 1st January, 1943: The KING has been graciously pleased to give orders for the following to be Additional Officers of the Military Division of the said Most Excellent Order : Captain Cecil Robert McCrum, RN (Ret.).

The third son,

Michael McCrum CBE, Headmaster, Eton College, 1970-80
(Image: Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge)

MICHAEL WILLIAM McCRUM CBE (1924-2005), a distinguished academic and historian, married, in 1952, Christine Mary Kathleen, daughter of Sir Arthur Brownlow Frederick fforde GBE,  and had four children, of whom 

(John) Robert McCrum, born in 1953, is a well-known editor and writer.

*****

Harriette McCrum. Photo Credit: Armagh County Museum

Robert Garmany McCrum's only daughter,

HARRIETTE (1867-1951), of The Mall, Armagh, married, in 1898, the Rev David Miller, and had issue, four sons,

Robert Craig;
William McCrum;
David Riddall;
Edward Wentworth.

MILFORD HOUSE, near Armagh City, County Armagh, is a two-storey, Italianate country house, built for Robert Garmany McCrum between 1865-1904.

It has a three-sided bow; pedimented three-bay projection; and camber-headed windows.

There is an elaborate range of glasshouses running at right-angles from the middle of the front.

During the Victorian era, the grounds extended to 46 acres.

The manor house passed into the ownership of William McCrum in 1915.

Never adept at business, he lost heavily in the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and was forced to auction the contents of the house the following year and sell the mill the year after that.

Mr McCrum died penniless in 1932 and the Milford House came into the ownership of the Northern Bank.

In 1936, the bank leased it to a private boarding school for girls (Manor House School), who bought it outright for £3,000 in 1940.

The school closed in 1965; and in 1966 the property was sold to the Northern Ireland Hospital Authority for use as a special care home.

This shut in 1988 and since then the property became vacant.

In 1936, the house was leased and ultimately sold to a girls' school.

In 2000, the Friends of Manor House was established by Stephen McManus in collaboration with Armagh Council to secure the future of the property.

The building was sold to the current owners in 2002.

The Milford Buildings Preservation Trust continues to work tirelessly to protect Milford House, its parkland and gardens.

First published in May, 2014.

Killynether: III

Several years ago I drove to Drumbeg: to explore the graveyard of St Patrick’s Parish Church.

Drumbeg is a lovely leafy area on the outskirts of Belfast, close to Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, within a stone's throw of the River Lagan and canal.

Is the church on the County Antrim or County Down side of the river? County Down, I'm sure.

I've just had a look at the map.

The little church has a large, extended graveyard at one side.

My purpose was to locate the Weir family plot.

The Weirs used to live at KILLYNETHER HOUSE, Scrabo, County Down.

Seemingly they resided near Drumbeg prior to that, at a property called Oak Hill in Dunmurry, Belfast.

In 1852, Arthur Collins Weir was a merchant who undertook business at his company, the Manchester Woollen Warehouse, 24½, Bridge Street in Belfast (would 24½ equate to 24A today?).

His residence was 1 Albion Place.

First published in March, 2009.

New Antrim DL

APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY LIEUTENANT

Mr David McCorkell, Lord-Lieutenant of County Antrim, has been pleased to appoint

Mrs Jenny Lendrum

To be a Deputy Lieutenant of the County her Commission bearing date the 8th day of June 2026

Lord Lieutenant of the County