UK Genealogy-Links - The Willoughby Family

WILLOUGHBY FAMILY

Posted Jan 10th 2003 - by Glenys Pollard (click here to email Glenys)

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My great grandfather RICHARD WILLIAM WILLOUGHBY was born Hotwells. Bristol. England in 1832 ? His parents unknown so I am unable to go back any further, it seems he was banished and cut off from the family, because no records can be found of him.

According to information on the birth certificates of his three children, Richard William Willoughby, came out to Australia in approximately 1851 as a young man of 19 years, but his parents names were not mentioned.

Family knowledge has it that his ancestor was a Sir or Lord Willoughby and that he was great friends with Lord Carrington the makers of champange, and either he or a member of his family was a member of the House of Lords. The family Willoughby had a castle. Richard was found in a compromising position with the family maid Catherine Hayes, he may have been cut off from his family and banished to Australia with no ties !!.

There was a Mr Willoughby aged 26 years..hotel keeper, listed as a passenger on the cargo ship Marco Polo which arrived in Australia in September 1857, but I have no proof this is my Richard. There were a number of other Willoughbys on the ship, but unsure if there is a connection with him. Catherine Hayes aged 24 years, was a passenger on board the ship Pekin which arrived in Australia in November 1853.

Richard William Willoughby ( B .. 1832. Hotwells. Bristol. England ) Catherine Hayes ( B .. 1829. Tipperary. Ireland )

They had three children in Australia, Hugh Richard 1861, Mary Ann 1863, George Withycoomb 1865. On the birth certificates of his three children it states that he was married in Mansfield. Victoria. Australia. I have been unable to obtain any firm records of their marriage in Mansfield Victoria, or their arrival in Australia.

They may have been married in Mansfield England ??

I know that all Willoughbys are descended from Richard Bugge de Willoughby ( b .... 1070 )

There is also a royal connection with Christopher Willoughby ( b .... 1450 ) who married Margery Jenny, together they had 15 children. One of these children Elizabeth married a ( 9th generation ) descendant of

William the Conqueror.

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I recieved this email last year ...

I read your email from August 20 or so regarding Richard William Willoughby with interest. The story that you gave is virtually the same as one that has been circulating in my family for 100 years. My earliest known Willoughby ancestor was a Richard Willoughby who lived in Tallow, County Waterford, Ireland in the middle of the nineteenth century. His son, my great Grandfather emigrated to the USA about 1875. In any event, your story is virtually a word for word replica of ours. The fact that we both have Richard Willoughbys as ancestors makes it even a larger coincidence. Could there be a connection?

My earliest known ancestors on the Willoughby side are Richard Willoughby and his wife Mary Moore or perhaps Moon. They were residing on Chapel Street in Tallow, County Waterford Ireland in 1851 per Griffith's Valuation of 1851. He rented three pieces of property from the Duke of Devonshire, which made him relatively prosperous for the village. I do not know any more about them, except that they were Catholic.Richard and Mary had three children that I know about, they were...................James Willoughby who remained in Tallow and lived in the same house on Chapel Street. They had 9 children who were born alive, six still alive in 1911 per the Irish census of that year. The four children that I have names for are Eliza, Helena, Michael and Jeannie. James' wife was Mary Anne Griffin. James was born about 1833. Richard Willoughby who emigrated to Titusville, PA about 1870. His wife was Catherine was probably English. They had one adopted daughter, Jennie. Richard was born in 1844 and died in 1926 in PA.Edward M. Willoughby who also emigrated to Titusville, PA. He married Mary Jennings of Frenchtown, PA. He died in 1902 and was born in 1855. Edward is my great-grandfather.James, Edward and Richard were all plasterers by trade. Edward learned the trade in Manchester, England. I suspect that the others did also.

The family story that we have is that one Willoughby ancestor was of a peerage class family, probably the Willoughby de Broke, and fell in love with an Irish scullery maid. They married and moved to Ireland the story goes. I do not know if my ancestor Richard was the one referred to in this story or perhaps his father, grandfather, etc.

I have no more information regarding my Irish Willoughby ancestors beyond what I gave to you earlier. Irish records are poor at best. I have actually been to Tallow Ireland and seen the family tombstone and been in the old family house on Chapel Street. I have contacted the village priest and others in the area and have not been able to either find a relative or anyone who has any knowledge of the family other than that they lived there long ago. The family tombstone is nothing other than a memorial to the family with no specific information.I still suspect that we could indeed be connected. Your story is the same one that has circulated in this family since the late 1800s. Perhaps it was a generation or two before Richard William.

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I have been trying for ten years with no firm result yet and I hope by puting this info on this site may help me in my quest in finding Richard William Willoughby.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Glenys Pollard in Australia

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