{115} Ruvigny Elaboration: Mortimer/Percy Descent for J.P. Chamberlain Starkie (1830-1888)

Starkie of Huntroyde coat of arms
[Argent, a bend sable, between six storks proper]

When Chamberlain Starkie died in June 1888, two weeks shy of his fifty-eighth birthday, of blood poisoning incurred from a cut on his finger a month previous, there was a tremendous outpouring of grief in Lancashire. "The news spread through the town very rapidly, and on every hand, amongst all classes of society, regardless of creed or party, there were expressions of sorrow and grief that a gentleman so highly beloved as a neighbour and friend should have been suddenly cut off in the prime of life ... By the mere force of his personal character and rare qualities he became the most popular county gentleman in North Lancashire, and he well deserved that distinction ... There was no one—however humble his position—residing in Ashton township, who had any hesitation in approaching Mr Chamberlain Starkie to ask advice or assistance ... He was a ready and courageous exponent of the political faith he held, but on no occasion did he utter anything that would wound or give personal offence to an opponent. And this charitable and sensible side of his nature assisted greatly in establishing his popularity. He was always listened to attentively at a political meeting; and the most extreme Radicals would give a patient hearing to ‘Chamberlain Starkie.’ They admired the man, and as a consequence tolerated the politician" ['Death of Mr. Chamberlain Starkie, J.P., of Ashton Hall', The Lancaster Gazette, Saturday, June 16, 1888, p. 5].

Ashton Hall, Thurnham, Lancashire

Ashton Hall, three miles south of the city of Lancaster, lies on the east bank of the River Lune, in the parish of Thurnham. In 1853, the hall was sold by the Dukes of Hamilton to Chamberlain's father, the wealthy Le Gendre Nicholas Starkie (1799-1865) of Huntroyde Hall, who had it largely rebuilt in 1856. Chamberlain, a second son, attended Eton and Trinity College Cambridge, where he studied law, and was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1852. In 1861 he married Anne Hudson, sister of the young squire of Bessingby Hall in Yorkshire, the wedding ceremony performed by her stepfather, Rev. Arthur Fane. Ashton Hall was gifted to the newlyweds by Le Gendre Starkie, and they soon had three children there. In 1865, Chamberlain was made a Justice of the Peace for the county, taking particular interest in Lancaster Castle, and in the County Asylum, which was a pioneer in the humane treatment of the mentally ill. A devoted member of the Conservative Party (he took part in the formation of the Lancaster Conservative Club), Chamberlain was elected in 1874 to represent North East Lancashire in Parliament, and sat for six years, until 1880, when the Tories lost the seat to the Liberals. In 1867, Chamberlain joined the Central Committee for the Royal Albert Asylum, which had been established in Lancaster to provide care and education for children with learning disabilities between the ages of 6 and 15, and remained an active Committee participant for the Asylum for the rest of his life. On receiving news of his death, the Asylum flew their flag at half-mast.

Ruvigny's account of Chamberlain Starkie and his children
on p. 306 of his 1911 Mortimer-Percy volume

Chamberlain Starkie is included in the 1898 Starkie of Huntroyde pedigree in the Visitation of England and Wales series, in the Starkie of Huntroyde article in the Burke's Landed Gentry series, and on p. 306 of Ruvigny's 1911 Mortimer-Percy volume. Below is an elaboration of Ruvigny's account of Chamberlain and his children, and of the 21-generation descent from Edward III for Chamberlain outlined by the marquis.

Hudson of Bessingby coat of arms

(JOHN PIERCE) CHAMBERLAIN STARKIE of Ashton Hall, Lancashire, M.P. Lancashire North East 1868-80, b. 28 June 1830 Huntroyde Hall, Padiham, Lancashire, bap. 18 Nov. 1830 St Leonard Church, Padiham; d. 12 June 1888 Ashton Hall, bur. 16 June 1888 Padiham Cemetery, 2nd son of Le Gendre Nicholas Starkie of Huntroyde Hall (1799-1865, descended from Edward III - see Generation 20 below) and Anne Chamberlain (1809-1888); m. 27 June 1861 St Mary Church, Boyton, Wiltshire, ANNE CHARLOTTE AMELIA HUDSON, bap. 20 Nov. 1836 St Magnus Church, Bessingby, Yorkshire; d. 24 Nov. 1925 Speke Hall, Lancashire, only dau. of Harrington George Frederick Hudson of Bessingby Hall (1798-1848, descended from Edward IV) and Charlotte Watt (1814-1891), and had issue, one son and two daughters.

Issue of J.P. Chamberlain and Anne (Hudson) Starkie:

Brig-Gen. Walter Charles Smithson
(1860-1938)

1) ANNE CHARLOTTE LE GENDRE STARKIE, b. May 1862 Ashton Hall, bap. 29 June 1862 Christ Church, Glasson, Lancashire; d.s.p. 1 Oct. 1938 The Neuk, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire; m. 1st 29 July 1885 St James Church, Westminster (divorce 22 Aug. 1900), as his 2nd wife, Maj. JAMES EDWARD PLATT of Bruntwood Hall, Cheshire, sportsman, b. 12 Dec. 1856 Werneth Park, Oldham, Lancashire, bap. 5 Mar. 1857 St James Church, Oldham; d. 26 Sept. 1928 Westminster, London, 6th son of John Platt of Werneth Park (1817-1872) and Alice Radcliffe (1824-1902); m. 2nd 1 Feb. 1901 St Bride Fleet Street, London, Brig-Gen. WALTER CHARLES SMITHSON of The Neuk, CBE, DSO, Brigadier-General 1917-38, b. 26 Jan. 1860 Heighington, Durham; d.s.p. 16 Aug. 1938 The Neuk, Aboyne, 3rd son of Samuel Smithson of Lentran House (1815-1874) and Elizabeth Cradock (1824-1878).

2) FRANCIS CHAMBERLAIN LE GENDRE STARKIE of Speke Hall, b. 30 Mar. 1863 Ashton Hall; d. 29 July 1908 Ostend, Belgium, bur. 3 Aug. 1908 St Leonard Church, Padiham; m. 12 Aug. 1884 St Michael Church, Cambridge, as her 1st husband, ELLEN EVA COOPER, b. 15 Sept. 1860 Cambridge; d. there 12 Mar. 1937, dau. of George Cooper of Cambridge, college porter (1831-1915) and Mary Rowling (1837-1901), and had issue, one daughter.

All Saints Church, Tarrant Keyneston, Dorset

3) SUSAN CATHERINE LE GENDRE STARKIE, bap. 21 Sept. 1865 Christ Church, Glasson; d. 1 Jan. 1946 Parkstone, Dorset; m. 20 Dec. 1899 St Paul Church, Caton, Lancashire, Maj. JAMES SELBY LINTON ROBSON SCOTT of Ashtrees, Roxburghshire, Major 3rd Hussars, b. 18 Jan. 1855 Madras, India, bap. 4 Apr. 1855 Bellary, Madras; d. Mar. 1928 Parkstone, Dorset, son of Dr. James Robson Scott of Ashtrees, physician Honorable East India Company (1814-1883) and Marianne Grant, and had issue, two sons.

Issue of Susan (Starkie) and Maj. James Robson Scott:

3A) HENRY SELBY LOFTUS ROBSON SCOTT of Parkstone, b. Oct. 1900 Brookfield Cottage, Tarrant Keyneston, Dorset, bap. 11 Nov. 1900  All Saints Church, Tarrant Keyneston; d. unm(?) 17 June 1950 Parkstone.

3B) JOHN FRANCIS ROBSON SCOTT, motor engineer, b. 12 Aug. 1902 Brookfield Cottage, bap. 21 Sept. 1902 All Saints Church, Tarrant Keyneston; d. unm(?) 3 July 1970 Elizabeth Welsh Care Home, Harraby, Carlisle, Cumberland.

Lady Elizabeth (née Mortimer) Percy
- see Generation 3

Edward III had a 2nd surviving son
1) Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence (1338-1368) m. 1) Lady Elizabeth de Burgh (1332-1363, descended from Edward I), and had
2) Lady Philippa Plantagenet of Clarence (1355-1377) m. Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March (1352-1381), and had
3) Lady Elizabeth Mortimer (1371-1417) m. 1) Sir Henry 'Hotspur' Percy (1364-1403), and had
4) Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland (1394-1455) m. Lady Eleanor Neville (1403-1472, descended from Edward III), and had
5) Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland (1421-1461) m. Eleanor Poynings (1428-1484, descended from Edward I), and had
6) Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland (c.1449-1489) m. Lady Maud Herbert (c.1457-by 1487), and had

Margaret (née Percy), Countess of
Cumberland - see Generation 8

7) Henry Algernon Percy, 5th Earl of Northumberland (1478-1527) m. Katherine Spencer (1477-1542, descended from Edward III), and had
8) Lady Margaret Percy (c.1495-1540) m. Henry Clifford, 1st Earl of Cumberland (1493-1542, descended from Edward III), and had
9) Lady Katherine Clifford (1518-1598) m. John, 8th Lord Scrope of Bolton (c.1515-1549, descended from Edward III), and had
10) ELIZABETH SCROPE, b. 28 Oct. 1537; d. 6 Nov. 1620, bur. same day St Cuthbert Church, Forcett, Yorkshire; m. c.1552, THOMAS PUDSAY of Barforth Hall, Yorkshire, b. 1531; d. 4 Sept. 1576 York Castle, son of Henry Pudsay of Barforth Hall (1513-1542, descended from Edward I) and Joan Eure (descended from Edward III), and had
11) MARGARET PUDSAY, b. 15 July 1560; bur. 10 Dec. 1640 Old All Saints Church, Skelton-in-Cleveland, Yorkshire; m. ROBERT TROTTER of Skelton Castle, Yorkshire, b. c.1531; bur. 8 Apr. 1611 Old All Saints Church, Skelton-in-Cleveland, son of Robert Trotter of Pickering and Isabel Forcer, and had

Katherine (née  Clifford), Lady Scrope
- see Generation 9

12) HENRY TROTTER of Skelton Castle, bap. 29 Aug. 1588 Old All Saints Church, Skelton-in-Cleveland; bur. there 30 Oct. 1623; m. by 1608, KATHERINE WITHAM, dau. of Anthony Witham of Cliffe Hall (d. 1604) and Anne Middleton (d. aft.1621, descended from Edward III), and had
13) GEORGE TROTTER of Skelton Castle, bap. 23 July 1609 Old All Saints Church, Skelton-in-Cleveland; d. 5 Apr. 1647 Beverley, Yorkshire, bur. 7 Apr. 1647 St Mary Church, Beverley; m. 2nd 1629, as her 1st husband, MARY BOYS, d. aft. 1654 (when she re-married), dau. of Sir Edward Boys of Fredville (1579-1646) and Elizabeth Hammon, and had
14) EDWARD TROTTER of Skelton Castle, b. 19 Mar. 1638; d. 8 Feb. 1709 Skelton Castle, bur. 12 Feb. 1709 Old All Saints Church, Skelton-in-Cleveland; m. 11 Nov. 1658 St Michael Church, Loather, Westmorland, MARY LOWTHER, bap. 11 Nov. 1641 St Michael Church, Lowther; d. 17 Nov. 1687 Aislaby House, Egglescliffe, Durham, bur. 21 Nov. 1687 St John the Baptist Church, Egglescliffe, dau. of Sir John Lowther, 1st Baronet of Lowther (1606-1675, descended from Edward III) and his 1st wife Mary Fletcher (c.1608-1648, descended from Edward III), and had

Trotter of Skelton coat of arms

15) JOHN TROTTER, Heir of Skelton Castle, b. there 28 Jan. 1660, bap. 4 Feb. 1660 Old All Saints Church, Skelton-in-Cleveland; bur. there 23 Dec. 1701; m. 15 Feb. 1681 Old All Saints Church, Skelton-in-Cleveland, ELIZABETH LAWSON, b. 12 Sept. 1660 Leeds, Yorkshire, bap. 19 Sept. 1660 Leeds Minster; d. 23 Sept. 1726 Durham, co. Durham, bur. St Mary-le-Bow Church, Durham, dau. of Godfrey Lawson of Leeds (1629-1709, descended from Edward III) and Elizabeth Watkinson (1629-1683), and had
16) KATHERINE TROTTER, b. 17 Sept. 1693 Skelton Castle, bap. 12 Oct. 1693 Old All Saints Church, Skelton-in-Cleveland; d. 29 Sept. 1740 Durham, co. Durham, bur. 4 Oct. 1740 St Margaret Church, Crossgate, Durham; m. 14 Dec. 1716 Old All Saints Church, Skelton-in-Cleveland, JOSEPH HALL of Durham, bap. 19 Sept. 1693 St Margaret Church, Crossgate; bur. there 27 Aug. 1731, son of Joseph Hall of Market Place, Durham (d. 1701) and Frances Gibson, and had
17) FRANCES ELIZABETH HALL, bap. 16 Apr. 1727 St Mary-le-Bow Church, Durham; d. 25 Nov. 1755 Hawksworth Hall, Yorkshire, bur. 27 Nov. 1755 St Oswald Church, Guiseley, Yorkshire; m. 12 Oct. 1745 Old All Saints Church, Skelton-in-Cleveland, WALTER RAMSDEN [later HAWKSWORTH] of Hawksworth Hall, bap. 4 Mar. 1723 St Peter Church, Birstall, Yorkshire; d. 12 Oct. 1760 Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, son of Thomas Ramsden of Crawstone Hall (1698-1727) and Frances Hawksworth (b. 1702, descended from Edward III), and had

Le Gendre and Frances (née Hawksworth)
Starkie - see Generation 18

18) FRANCES HAWKSWORTH, bap. 17 Nov. 1747 St Oswald Church, Guiseley; d. 18 Dec. 1815 Heath Hall, Yorkshire, bur. 27 Dec. 1815 St Leonard Church, Padiham, Lancashire; m. 12 Oct. 1769 All Saints Church, Bingley, Yorkshire, LE GENDRE STARKIE of Huntroyde Hall, b. c.1735; d. 8 Sept. 1791 Calais, France, bur. 21 Sept. 1792 St Leonard Church, Padiham, son of Nicholas Starkie of East Riddlesden Hall (c.1701-1764) and Sarah Farrington (1711-1775, descended from Edward III), and had
19) LE GENDRE PIERCE STARKIE of Huntroyde Hall, b. East Riddlesden Hall, Bingley, Yorkshire, bap. 31 July 1770 All Saints Church, Bingley; d. 25 Oct. 1807 Huntroyde Hall, bur. 1 Nov. 1807 St Leonard Church, Padiham; m. 14 Jan. 1788 St Mary Church, Brington, Northamptonshire, CHARLOTTE PREEDY, bap. 9 May 1762 St Albans Cathedral, Hertfordshire; d. 30 Apr. 1801 Bath, Somersetshire, bur. St Leonard Church, Padiham, dau. of Rev. Benjamin Preedy, Rector of Brington 1777-96 (1719-1796) and Mary Osman, and had
20) LE GENDRE NICHOLAS STARKIE of Huntroyde Hall, b. there 1 Dec. 1799, bap. 31 Dec. 1799 St Leonard Church, Padiham; d. 15 May 1865 Huntroyde Hall, bur. 20 May 1865 Padiham Cemetery; m. 26 Feb. 1827 St Peter Church, Rylstone, Yorkshire, ANNE CHAMBERLAIN, b. 16 Aug. 1809 Rylstone, bap. 22 Aug. 1809 St Peter Church, Rylstone; d. 27 Dec. 1888 Radcliffe Rectory, Lancashire, bur. 2 Jan. 1889 Padiham Cemetery, dau. of Abraham Chamberlain of Rylstone (1783-1840) and Sarah Foster, and had
21) (JOHN PIERCE) CHAMBERLAIN STARKIE (1830-1886-see details above)

The next blogpost will look at some of the other lines of descent from Edward III for Chamberlain's father Le Gendre Nicholas Starkie.

Cheers,                               ------Brad