The Molyneux Baronetcy

THE MOLYNEUX BARONETS OWNED 6,009 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY ARMAGH

This is a junior branch of the family of MOLYNEUX, Earls of Sefton, springing immediately, it is supposed, from Sir Thomas Molyneux, second son of Sir William Molyneux, of Sefton, Lancashire, a celebrated warrior under the Black Prince; who added to his arms, in a distinction, the fleur-de-lis in the dexter chief still borne by the family.

Sir Thomas commanded the forces of Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland, but was defeated and slain by the combined and insurgent lords at Radcot Bridge, near Faringdon, formerly in Berkshire, in 1388. The genealogy, however, and the records of this branch of the Molyneux family, which resided at Calais, France, being destroyed during the sacking of that town by the Duke of Guise in 1588, a chasm, of necessity, occurs in the pedigree.

SIR THOMAS MOLYNEUX (1531-97), who was born at Calais, falling into the hands of the enemy on the capture of that place, above alluded to, was ransomed for 500 crowns.

He came to England in 1568, and was sent to Ireland, 1576, by ELIZABETH I, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he obtained, with extensive grants of land from Her Majesty, a lease for twenty-one years of the exports and imports of the city of Dublin (wines excepted), for the annual rent of £183.

Sir Thomas married Katherine, daughter of Ludovic Stabcort, Governor of Bruges, and and issue,

Samuel, MP for Mallow; died unmarried;
DANIEL, successor to his brother;
Katherine, m Sir R Newcomen Bt and had 21 children;
Margaret.

He was succeeded at his decease by his eldest surviving son,

DANIEL MOLYNEUX (1568-1632), who was appointed, in 1586, Ulster King-of-Arms, and his celebrated collection of Irish family history, now amongst the manuscripts of Trinity College Dublin, prove him to have been an accurate and very learned antiquary.

He wedded Jane, daughter of Sir William Usher, clerk of the privy council (by Isabella, daughter of Lord Chancellor Loftus, Lord Archbishop of Dublin), and had five sons and three daughters.

Mr Molyneux, MP for Strabane, 1613-15, was succeeded by his third, but eldest surviving son,

SAMUEL MOLYNEUX (1616-93), of Castle Dillon, County Armagh, Chief Engineer of Ireland, who espoused Anne, daughter and heir of William Dowdall, of Mounttown, County Meath.

Castle Dillon, County Armagh

My Molyneux was succeeded by his eldest son,

WILLIAM MOLYNEUX (1656-98), MP for Trinity College, Dublin, 1692-8, author of the celebrated "Case of Ireland", who married Lucy, daughter of Sir William Domvile Bt, Attorney-General of Ireland, and was succeeded at his decease by his eldest son, 

THE RT HON SAMUEL MOLYNEUX, a Lord of the Admiralty, Secretary to GEORGE II when Prince of Wales, who wedded, in 1717, the Lady Elizabeth Diana Capel, eldest daughter of Algernon, 2nd Earl of Essex; but dying without issue, in 1727, the estates reverted to his uncle,

Sir Thomas Molyneux, 1st Baronet (Image: Armagh County Museum)

THOMAS MOLYNEUX  (1661-1733), Lieutenant-General, Physician-General to the Army in Ireland, who was created a baronet in 1730, designated of Castle Dillon, County Armagh.

Sir Thomas married Catherine, daughter of Ralph Howard, of Shelton, County Wicklow (grandfather of the 1st Viscount Wicklow) and had (with four daughters) two sons,

DANIEL, his heir;
CAPEL, successor to his brother.

He was succeeded by his elder son,

SIR DANIEL MOLYNEUX, 2nd Baronet; at whose decease unmarried, in 1738, the title and estates devolved upon his brother,

THE RT HON SIR CAPEL MOLYNEUX, 3rd Baronet (1717-97), MP for Clogher, 1761-83, Trinity College, Dublin, 1768-76, who wedded firstly, in 1747, Elizabeth, daughter of William East, of Hall Place, Berkshire, and sister of Sir William East Bt, and had issue,

CAPEL, his successor;
George, MP for Granard;
Harriet; Anne.

The Molyneux Family (1758). Image: Armagh County Museum

Sir Capel espoused secondly, in 1766, Elizabeth, only daughter of Lieutenant-General John Aldercron, Commander-in-Chief in the East Indies, and had further issue,

THOMAS, succeeded his half-brother;
John, father of the 8th Baronet.

Sir Capel erected a fine obelisk near his park at Castle Dillon, to commemorate the revival of the Constitution of Ireland in 1782.

He was succeeded by his son,

SIR CAPEL MOLYNEUX, 4th Baronet (1750-1832), who married, in 1785, Margaret, eldest daughter of Sir Neil O'Donnel Bt, of Newport, County Mayo; but dsp in 1832, when the title devolved upon his brother,

SIR THOMAS MOLYNEUX, 5th Baronet (1767-1841), Lieutenant-General in the army, who wedded Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Perrin.

Sir Thomas Molyneux, 5th Baronet (Image: Armagh County Museum)

His only legitimate child was

SIR GEORGE KING ALDERCRON MOLYNEUX, 6th Baronet (1813-48), who espoused, in 1837, Emma, daughter of _____ Green, and had issue,

CAPEL, his successor;
Elizabeth; Emily Catherine.

Sir George was succeeded by his son and heir,

SIR CAPEL MOLYNEUX, 7th Baronet (1841-79), DL, of Castle Dillon, who married, in 1863, Mary Emily Frances, daughter of Sir Peter George FitzGerald Bt, and had issue, an only daughter, JULIA ELIZABETH MARY MOLYNEUX.

Sir Capel Molyneux, 7th Baronet (Image: Armagh County Museum)

On Sir Capel's decease without male issue, the title reverted to his cousin,

THE REV SIR JOHN WILLIAM HENRY MOLYNEUX, 8th Baronet (1819-79), grandson of the 3rd Baronet, Vicar of Sudbury, who wedded, in 1842, Louisa Dorothy, daughter of Deemster John Christian, and had issue,

JOHN CHARLES, his successor;
Howard William;
Henry Stuart;
Capel Forbes;
Isabella Louisa.

Sir John was succeeded by his eldest son,

THE REV SIR JOHN CHARLES MOLYNEUX, 9th Baronet (1843-1928), of Castle Dillon, Vicar of Portesham, who espoused firstly, in 1873, Fanny, daughter of Edward Jackson, and had issue,

EDWARD CHARLES (1876-1922);
William Arthur (1877-1928);
John Howard (1878-1923);
Mary Gertrude Fanny; Emily Jane; Ethel Stuart.

Sir John wedded secondly, in 1895, Ada Isabel, daughter of the Rev A F Wynter.

Following Sir John's decease without surviving male issue, the title reverted to his cousin,

SIR ERNEST MOLYNEUX, 10th Baronet (1865-1940), great-grandson of the 3rd Baronet, who espoused, in 1934, Evelyn Margaret, daughter of the Rev Arthur Ellison Molineux, though the marriage was without issue.

The title expired on the decease of the 10th Baronet in 1940.

First published in February, 2011.