THE BYRON FAMILY ANCESTRY

Background

The Burun family arrived in England with William the Conqueror (or shortly after) in the 11th century. Their paternal ancestors were from Normandy and Ralph de Burun, a norman knight, is listed as a landowner in Hochenale (Hucknall Torkard) in the Domesday Book (1086). He was lord of Horestan Castle in Derbyshire. By the end of the 12th century, the family had acquired Clayton Hall near Manchester. Colwick Hall in Nottinghamshire was acquired in the 14th century and Henry VIII made Sir John Byron steward of the royal Manor of Rochdale (although they did not own the Manor as such, until 1638).

The ‘de Burun’ surname evolved over time. Historical records pinpoint Robert de Byron as the first family member to use a variant of the surname. Sir John Byron (c.1270-1316) is recorded as being the first to use the surname ‘Byron’ consistently.

Ralph de Burun died around 1107. He was a Norman knight who arrived in England following William the Conqueror. He was granted lands in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lancashire in exchange for his service to William – who defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings. Following his victory, William was crowned King of England on Christmas Day1066, beginning the Norman dynasty in England.

Sir John Byron, Lord of Clayton (c. 1253 -1339) served with distinction in the wars of Edward I (nicknamed ‘Longshanks’ for his height). This was a period known for its brutal military campaigns. Sir John was appointed the Governor of York and acquired the manor of Rochdale in Lancashire through marriage.

Sir Richard de Byron (c.1274 – 1346), son of Sir John, served under Edward II until the king’s deposition and under Edward III during the early part of his reign. He was a member of Parliament.

Sir James Byron (c.1300 – 1351) was the son of Sir Richard. He was succeeded by Sir John Byron (c. 1386-1450) who was knighted by Edward III for his service at the siege of Calais. The king was overthrown by his wife, Isabella and her lover, Roger Mortimer and died in 1327, likely after being murdered.

Tudors and Stuarts

1st. Sir John Byron of Clayton and Colwick (c. 1488 - 1567)

Sir John Byron of Clayton Hall was an English nobleman and politician of the Tudor era. A trusted adviser to King Henry VIII, he was at court most of his life. In 1540, Henry Vlll granted Sir John the dissolved priory of Newstead Abbey (for £810/£840) in recognition of his loyalty. Sir John dismantled the church using the stone to convert the Priory into a Country House - owned by the Byron family for the next 280 years.

Sir John was Constable of Nottingham Castle, Lieutenant of Sherwood Forest, Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire – and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire. In 1543 Sir John was made steward of the royal Manor of Rochdale. He married Isabel Lemington (no issue) and Elizabeth Costerdine (no. of children uncertain). He died in 1567 and was buried at Colwick Old Church. The table-top monument featuring the incised effigies of Sir John and his two wives was moved to Newstead Abbey for preservation.

Sir John Byron of Clayton and Newstead (c. 1526 - 1600)

An Elizabethan nobleman and politician, he was known as Little Sir John with the Great Beard. Notable for his prominent political and landowning positions in Elizabethan England, he was not a figure of great national renown. He lived initially at Clayton Hall, Manchester (the Byron’s principal home for over 150 years). Sir John married Alice Strelley in the early 1540s. She was the daughter of Sir Nicholas Strelley of Strelley, Nottinghamshire. They moved to Newstead Abbey in 1567. A somewhat contentious character, he was known to have a quarrelsome

disposition, particularly with his wife’s family.

He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1579. Their eldest son Anthony, died before his father, and the next son, also named John, became heir to the estate. Sir John died in 1600 and was buried at Colwick Old Church. An elaborate alabaster tomb was created for him and his wife which, along with the effigies, were moved to Newstead Abbey.

Sir John Byron (Newstead Abbey)

Sir John Byron of Clayton and Newstead (c. 1562 - 1623)

Sir John Byron was a landowning aristocrat and politician. Debts mounted and he was reportedly outlawed for debt, which led him to sell off many of the family’s properties in Lancashire – including Clayton Hall and portions of the Rochdale estate. The sale shifted the focus entirely to their estates in Nottinghamshire. Sir John was knighted by King James I and welcomed the king to Newstead Abbey on at least two occasions. It provided good hunting grounds and a base to explore the haunts of Robin Hood.

Sir John married Margaret Fitzwilliam. He took little part in public affairs, spending time looking after his wife who suffered from mental health issues later in life. Sir John’s love for his wife never faltered and they both died on the same day, 7 th March, 1623, within hours of each other. Their monument, originally located at Colwick Old Church, was also moved to Newstead Abbey.

Sir John Byron of Newstead (birth date uncertain - died September 1625)

A Knight of Bath, Sir John married Anne Molyneux – the daughter of Sir Richard Molyneux of Sefton in Lancashire. While he did not achieve fame himself, Sir John is recognised as the patriarch of a generation of Byrons who served Charles I. Eight of their sons served as dedicated Royalist commanders during the English Civil War.

Sir John died in 1623 - only two years after inheriting the estates at Colwick and Newstead.

Sir John and 1 st Baron Byron of Rochdale (c.1599 - 1652)

One of Charles I’s foremost and fiercest Royalist commanders (a Cavalier General) during the Civil War, he was referred to as the ‘Bloody Braggadoccio’ by the Roundheads. John was the eldest of the seven sons. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge and took The Grand Tour around Europe. Sir John was knighted by Charles I for his loyalty during the English Civil War. He held various positions as an MP, High Sheriff for Nottingham and Lieutenant of the Tower of London. The Manor of Rochdale was purchased in 1638. In 1641, he and his brother, Richard sold the Colwick estate to help settle the family’s debts.

1^st Baron Byron by William Dobson (Newstead Abbey)

In 1642, Byron’s regiment took part in the battle of Edgehill, where seven of his brothers also participated. During 1643, he distinguished himself in battles across the south of England. In recognition of his services, Sir John was elevated to the peerage as Baron Byron of Rochdale. In 1644, John Byron joined Prince Rupert on the York March which led to the decisive battle of Marston Moor where his forces were defeated by Cromwell’s Ironsides. Rupert later claimed that Byron had not followed his orders and was therefore a major cause of the Royalist defeat. In 1646, Byron went into exile in Paris and continued to serve the royal family, specifically the
household of the Duke of York (the future King James II).

Although twice married - to Cicile West (1629) and Eleanor Needham (1644) he died in Paris in 1652 without an heir. It is presumed that he was buried in a French cemetery or church that supported the English monarchy. Although the family vault at St Mary Magdalene Church in Hucknall was constructed during his lifetime, it was his first wife, Celia, who became the first person to be interred there in 1638.

Richard 2nd Baron Byron of Rochdale (1605 - 1679)

Brother of John – the 1st.Baron Byron, Richard is also known for his steadfast loyalty to the Royalist cause. His key contributions were his military service and governorship of the  important Royalist stronghold of Newark. Richard was knighted in 1642 after the Battle of Edgehill. He inherited Newstead Abbey along with the office of Governor of Newark. Richard successfully commanded a combined force with Prince Rupert and defeated a Parliamentarian force in 1644, which contributed to Newark’s ongoing resilience. He was controversially discharged as governor in 1645 due to political infighting amongst the Royalists. Richard succeeded to the title as 2 nd .Baron Byron in 1652. His financial situation was more stable than that of his predecessors. After the monarchy was restored, he managed to continue the restoration effort and bought back other parts of the family’s ancient inheritance. Richard’s acquisition likely involved additional lands and holdings associated with the Rochdale area and Lancashire in general.  

Richard Byron married Elizabeth Rossell, daughter of George Rossell of Radcliffe- on-Trent. He later married Elizabeth Booth (no children) and his only surviving son, William succeeded to the title. Richard was praised for his piety and charity. A tablet was erected in his memory in
Hucknall Church detailing his service and character. His epitaph highlights his general success in rebuilding the family’s estate and financial position – leaving a ‘laudable memory for his great piety and charity.’                            

William 3rd.Baron Byron (1636 - 1695)

William married Elizabeth Chaworth, daughter of John Chaworth, 2nd Viscount Chaworth of Armagh. Her father owned Annesley Hall. Their marriage established a family link between the Byrons and the Chaworths that would become part of the family lore and romantic history associated with the poet, George Byron. They lived at Bulwell Wood Hall while his father was alive. The couple had five sons - but sadly four died in infancy. Their last surviving son, also named William, was the only one to survive to adulthood. He inherited Newstead Abbey in 1679.

The 18th Century

William 4th.Baron Byron (c1669 - 1736)

William was born at Newstead Abbey. He was notable for hie role in the prosperous period of the ancestral home due to his public service and his connections to prominent high-ranking noble families through his three marriages. He held a position at the royal court which added to the family’s prestige. He served as Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Prince George of Denmark, husband of Queen Anne.

William Byron first married Lady Mary Egerton in 1703. Daughter of John Egerton, 3rd Earl of Bridgewater – they had no children.

Secondly, he married Lady Frances Wilhelmina Bentick in 1706. Daughter of Hans William Bentick, 1st Earl of Portland – all four of their children died in infancy or childhood.

 View of a park with deer by William Byron

                                       

Thirdly, he married the Honourable Frances Berkely in 1720. Daughter of William Berkely, 4th Baron of Stratton. They had six children (five sons and one daughter) including the Vice-Admiral John Byron – the Poet’s grandfather.

William was a prudent and cultured figure and during his ownership, Newstead Abbey flourished. He invested heavily in the estate and amassed a large collection of artistic masterpieces including works by Rubens, Canaletto, Titan and van Dyke. This period of prosperity ended when he died in 1736 and was succeeded by his fourth (but oldest surviving) son.

His brother, Rev. Richard Byron (1724 – 1811) was an amateur etcher and painter in his own right. An Anglican clergyman, he is the ancestor of later holders of the Byron title. He was the great, great, great grandfather of the 12 th Baron Byron – Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Geoffrey Gordon Byron who served in the First and Second World Wars and was awarded the  Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his heroism in 1944 during Operation Overlord (the Allied invasion of Normandy). Robert James Byron succeeded him as the 13 th Baron Byron in 1989.

William 5 th Baron Byron - The Gothick Lord (1722 - 1798)
William inherited Newstead Abbey in 1736 at the age of fourteen, whilst at Westminster School. He was removed from school at sixteen and sent into the Navy. Coming of age in 1743, he left the Navy. William Byron married Elizabeth Shaw in 1747. She was the daughter and heiress of Charles Shaw of Besthorpe, Norfolk. They had four children, two of whom survived to adulthood.

In January 1765, he (accidentally) killed his cousin and neighbour William Chaworth in a duel with swords at the Star and Garter tavern in Pall Mall. Byron was imprisoned in the Tower of London and tried for murder. He was judged guilty only of manslaughter, paid a small fine, and was set free.

  Star and Garter Union Club (1801) by James Gillray

                                       

Throughout his life, expenditure outstripped income. Money was largely spent on building Gothic follies including a Folly Castle, a Battery fortification with cannons and a Fort. He acquired a miniature fleet manned by a full-time crew of sailors and enjoyed mock battles on the lake. William’s hopes of securing a wealthy heiress for his son were thwarted when his son eloped with his first cousin. Mythology suggests that in a fit of rage, Lord Byron intentionally neglected the ancestral home. This is arguably, far from the truth. Despite finances in a dire condition, William Byron attempted to maintain the estate and treated tenants and servants well. The neglect and decay stemmed from his inability to pay off his debts. The Brass Eagle Lectern and Candlesticks which had been thrown into a large, rectangular pool at the time of
the dissolution of the monasteries, were sold and a ‘Great Sale’ was held at Newstead Abbey in 1778.

William outlived his grandson who was killed by cannon fire at the siege of Calvi in Corsica in 1794. Finally, he became an ‘eccentric and misanthropic’ recluse. When the 5th Lord died in 1798, at the age of seventy-five, Newstead Abbey passed to his great-nephew, George Gordon Byron. Whilst the House had fallen into a state of disrepair, the estate was not encumbered by debt or subject to legal restraints. As a result of stories told following the duel, his life of eccentric behaviour and the decline of the ancestral estate, the 5th Lord was infamously known by the nicknames ‘the Wicked Lord’ and ‘the Devil Byron’.

Vice-Admiral John ‘Foulweather Jack’ Byron (1723 – 1786)

John Byron was the 5^th Lord’s brother and George Byron’s grandfather. He started his naval career as a midshipman serving on HMS Wagner, which was shipwrecked off the coast of Chile in 1741.  After returning to England, he was promoted to post-captain and commanded various ships. He was given the nickname Foul-Weather Jack because he often encountered adverse weather conditions at sea.

Admiral ‘Foul-Weather Jack’ Byron by Joshua Reynolds (Newstead Abbey)

                                                           

As a commander with his own squadron, he circumnavigated the globe. Appointed Governor of Newfoundland in 1769, Byron Bay (New South Wales, Australia) was named in his honour by Captain James Cook. He was finally promoted to Vice-Admiral in 1778. John Byron was actively involved in the American War of Independence, commanding naval forces in North America and the West Indies.

The second son of Frances and William Byron, 4th. Baron Byron, he married Sophia Trevannion in 1748. They had nine children (of whom three died in infancy).

Captain John Byron (1757 – 1791)

John ‘Mad Jack’ Byron was the sixth child and eldest son of the Vice-Admiral. He was a British Army officer and Captain of the Coldstream Guards. Known to be a deplorable gambler, a notorious womaniser and a spendthrift with mounting debts – he squandered his first wife’s inheritance.

Catherine Gordon of Gight and John Byron met in Bath in 1785. He was there to find a new, wealthy wife as his first wife has died and he was deeply in debt. The pair were quickly married, and ‘Mad Jack’ squandered much of her inheritance and used her assets as collateral to secure further loans. By the time their son was born in 1788, almost nothing remained of her fortune (est. £23,000). The family were rendered virtually destitute.

John Byron abandoned his wife and two-year-old son, leaving Catherine to raise young George in humble lodgings in Aberdeen, Scotland. She was forced to sell off what remained of her family estate, including the Gight castle lands, to pay off her husband’s debts. The financial hardship had a profound and lasting impact on her son’s childhood and adult identity.

John Byron lived his last years in Valenciennes, France and died in1971 at the age of thirty-five. He appointed his son “heir to my real and personal estate and charge him to pay my debts, legacies, and funeral expenses.”

Catherine Gordon of Gight (1764/5 -1811)

Daughter of George Gordon, Catherine Gordon was the 13th Laird of Gight Castle, situated in the Formartine area of Aberdeenshire. The family had considerable estates, shares, and salmon-fishing rights. After the birth of their son George Gordon, the family left London and moved to Aberdeen. John Byron quickly abandoned his wife and child, leaving them to live economically on a vastly diminished income. 

Catherine Gordon Byron by Thomas Stewardson (Newstead Abbey)

Catherine Byron was generally described as ‘plain’ and ‘stout’ - and somewhat unsophisticated. Her temper was unpredictable and ungovernable with her mood swinging from indulgent tenderness to passionate resentment. She often vented her frustrations by shouting at her son and in moments of stress, she bawled him out as ‘a lame brat’.

Catherine did however act as if she genuinely loved her son and prioritized his education and status above her own comfort. She secured funds and made significant sacrifices to ensure George was educated at Harrow and Trinity College Cambridge.

“I do believe she likes me, she manifests that in many instances, particularly with regard to money, which I never want and have as much as I desire.’’ (Byron)

With the support of John Hanson, Catherine secured a royal grant of £300 p.a. to help cover the cost of education at Harrow School. George Byron lived with the Hansons in London 1799-1801. His guardian proved to be a mentor and father figure to the young Byron. Whilst at university, Byron was well impressed with his student grant of around £500 and claimed to have one of the best allowances in the College.

It is through his correspondence with his half-sister Augusta Leigh, that we begin to understand the eccentric ups and downs of Byron’s relationship with his mother. By

the time Byron started university in 1805, he perceived her to be his ‘tormentor’- whose ‘diabolical disposition’ increased with age. Catherine Byron’s own letters, however, infer a somewhat different persona - a sensible woman with good feelings and admiration for her son. She was proud of his achievements and optimistic regarding his future. Confronted with her son’s capriciousness and extravagance, she endeavoured to keep a close watch on his financial state.

Catherine Byron rented Burgage Manor in Southwell, Nottinghamshire (1803 – 1808). The residence served as Byron’s home base during his school holidays and early years at university. They moved into Newstead Abbey in 1808. While Byron was away on his Grand Tour of the Mediterranean, she lived at the Abbey “in fear of her son’s creditors.” Byron returned to England in July1811 and was in London when his mother unexpectedly fell ill and died suddenly from an apoplectic fit on 1^st August. He was deeply distressed that he had not returned to Newstead in time to see her before her death. Catherine Gordon Byron was buried at Hucknall Torkard Church. Overwhelmed with emotion, Byron remained at Newstead Abbey where he engaged in a bout of sparring with his page, Robert Rushton.

 

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