How it all started
My family history journey began because I knew very little about my family’s past. I guess like many people though, I was also keen to know if I was related to anyone important in history.
Purely by chance, I got my answer.
Once my tree went past about 5 generations, one thing became problematic for me.
There were times when I wanted to see more of the tree than the ‘usual’ sites would show me. so I began to look for a solution.
I came across a site that offered to show a fully expandable tree on one screen. That site was Brigham Young University. I clicked through. If you’d like to check your own tree, you can find it here.
Anyway, after using the site to log into my FamilySearch account, it almost instantly expanded my tree with information.
As well as the information I already knew, it filled in the tree with hundreds of additional people. In one branch, going back 209 generations. Although the sources for the last 80% of the generations are a bit sketchy. That branch, or at least the first 34 generations of it, is the subject of this post.
The George/Saunders Branch
On the 11th May 1895, James George (1867-1937) married a 30 year-old Annie Elizabeth Saunders in Fisherton Anger, Wiltshire, England.
That union meant that my Grandfather, Herbert James George (1897-1963), became a descendent of William the Conqueror and the House of Normandy. (see the tree in .jpg format)
William the Conqueror was married to Matila de Flaudre (of flanders) and between them, they had their fourth son, who would become Henry I of England from 1100 until his death in 1135.
These two kings are from the House of Normandy.
Henry I’s wife, Matilda of Scotland was a child born to Malcolm III King of Scotland.
Henry I’s daughter, also Matilda (Holy Roman Empress;
Queen of the Romans), together with her second husband, Geoffrey V Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, had a son Henry, how would become King Henry II of England. However, my family’s link to the royal line ends with him.
Henry II, was the first King in the House of Plantagenet. He claimed the royal throne from King Steven, after the bloody civil war known as The Anarchy, in 1154.
During his reign, he reinvigorated England financially and effectively laid the basis for English Common Law as we know it today.
Unfortunately, he’ll probably be most remembered for ‘ordering’ the death of Thomas Becket. During a session of royal court in 1170, Henry supposedly uttered the words, “will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?”.
These innocuous words were taken out of context by four of his knights, who proceeded to murder Thomas Becket in front of the high altar at Canterbury Cathedral. That event caused shockwaves throughout Christian Europe.
Anyway, back to the story… Henry II had a mistress by the name of Ida de Tonsy (Countess of Norfolk). He had many, but Ida is the one who continues my line. During their relationship, they had a Son.
That son was William Longspee, an illegitimate half-brother of kings Richard I and John. In 1188 he married Ela of Salisbury (3rd Countess of Salisbury) and became the 3rd Earl of Salisbury.
Their Daughter, Ida Longspee married Wiliam de Beauchamp (Baron of Bedford) and they had a Daughter, Beatrice de Beauchamp, who married Thomas Fitz Otes.
Their Daughter, Maud married John de Botetourt, (1st Baron Botetourt). He was an English military commander and admiral in the 13th and 14th centuries.
In 1295, Their Daughter, Ada de Botetourt, married Sir John St. Philibert, Son of Lord Hugh de St. Philibert and Alice De Blakenham.
The line continued over the following years with their Daughter, Margery St. Philibert marrying Richard de Plaiz, then their son, John de Plaiz (Baron of Tofi), marrying Joan Stapleton, daughter of Sir Miles Stapleton, of Bedale, Yorks, and Ingham, Norfolk.
John and Joan’s Daughter, Margaret Plaiz married Sir John Howard (Crusader King of Wiggenhall), then their son, Sir John Howard II, married Lady Johanna Walton.
John and Johanna had a Daughter, Countess Elizabeth Howard, who, in 1425 married Sir John de Vere (12th earl of Oxford) and they had a daughter, Lady Jane de Vere in 1440.
Jane married Sir William Norreys and they had a son, William. William’s marriage produced Jane Norrys who Married John Cheney Esq.
Their Daughter Elizabeth Cheney, married William Gouldwell and produced a Daughter Francis, in 1540.
Francis married Sir William Howard of Lingfield, and they had a daughter, Elizabeth in 1569.
When Elizabeth married John Neete, they had a daughter themselves in 1596, whom they named Annis. Annis married Simon Ruddle and they had a daughter, Susan, in 1620. She went on to marry William Sloper and had a Son Thomas in 1644.
The marriage between Thomas and Mary Weston at around 1670, provided them with a daughter, Susanna in 1673.
Susanna Sloper and Thomas Piper married and gave birth to a daughter, Mary in 1741. Mary went on to later marry William Gilbert. They had a son, John, who married Mary Hopgood and also had a son John Gilbert II in 1765.
When John II married Mary Holmes, they too had a son they called John in 1792.
John Gilbert III married a lady by the name of Jane Smart. They were blessed with a daughter Elizabeth in 1816 who married George Saunders on 24th December 1836.
George and Elizabeth had a son, Edward in 1837. He went on to marry Elizabeth Horner on 11th December 1858. They had a daughter, Annie Elizabeth Saunders in 1864.
In the early 1890s, Annie met James George in Wiltshire, England. They were married on 11th May 1895 and the George line interlinked with that of William the Conqueror.
Obviously, that means I’m also descended from Richard I, Richard II and Robert I of Normandy as well.
William the Conqueror was also known as William the Bastard and he had as many enemies in his own family as he did supporters. Although, it was also William, who ordered the compiling of the Doomsday Book in 1086.
So to all the Anglo-Saxons reading, I’m very sorry for what my 31x Great Grandfather did to you. Although, in his defence, he was an illegitimate child, who after he succeeded his father as Duke of Normandy, had much of his own family trying to control him, so he had to pick on someone 🙂
