Martha (Hughes) Knollys (abt. 1704 - abt. 1771)

Born about 1704 in Southampton, Hampshire, England

Wife of Charles Knollys — married 28 Dec 1725 in Nursling, Hampshire, England

Descendants

Died about Sep 1771 at about age 67 in Burford, Oxfordshire, England

Biography

Martha (Hughes) Knollys was born in Hampshire, England.

Martha Hughes, of unknown pedigree joined the prominent Knollys family when she married Charles Knollys, the son of an earl, in 1725. ^[1] Her father-in-law was the 4th Earl of Banbury and in 1740, when his father died, Charles himself became the 5th Earl of Banbury, a titular role that had been in the family for generations. Martha, through marriage, attained the title of "Martha Knollys, Countess of Banbury". She eventually became the matriarch of a family of well-connected offspring. Her first two sons, William and Thomas, would become the 6th and 7th Earls of Banbury, and her grandson, William, the 8th Earl. ^[2]

According to her marriage record, Martha was born in Southampton, England. Her approximate birthdate of 1704 is estimated based on her date of marriage. Her parentage is uncertain, but a possible father could be Sibron Hews of Southampton. There is a baptismal record for a Martha Hews born to a Sibron Hews, baptized 26 March 1704 in St. Michael's Church in Southampton. Since St. Michael's is located just 5.8 miles from Nursling, Hampshire, where Martha was married, it's a reasonable possibility that Sibron was her father.^[3] The uncertainty of Martha's pedigree was an issue of great concern to her grandson, William, who, long after her death, wrote a letter to his sisters lamenting "the mystery and secrecy" of their grandmother's background, saying "I shrewdly suspect she was some old washer woman" and that he was "determined that there will be no more secrets in the family because of the difficulties it has caused." ^[4]

The marriage between Martha and Charles Knollys took place on 17 December 1725, in Nursling, Hampshire, England. ^{[1] [5]} Charles, aged 22, was an Oxford student studying to become a clergyman. He was the third son, but the only surviving son and heir of Charles Knollys, the 4th Earl of Banbury. His mother was Mary Woods, a second wife to his father. Charles had two older half brothers who were born to his father's first wife. They were twins born on 15 October 1694. One of the twins, Charles, died as an infant on 26 April 1695. ^[2] The other twin, William, died in June of 1740. ^[2]

Charles matriculated Oxford Christ Church College on 9 May 17 1722, attaining a BA in 1725, and an MA in 1728. ^[2] As a clergyman, he held appointments as vicar of Black Bourton, Oxfordshire from 08 March 1732 until 30 May 1771 and concurrently as vicar of Burford, Oxfordshire from 20 October 1747 until 11 April 1771, the two towns being located just seven miles from one another. ^[6]

St. Mary's Church in Black Bourton, England

Between 1726 and 1743, Martha and Charles had at least seven children including:

• William: born on 21 October 1726, became a lieutenant colonel in the army, and died 1776. The 6th Earl of Banbury^[2]
• Thomas Woods: born on 15 Jan 1727 in Cowley, Oxfordshire, England, and baptized on 16 December 1727 at Saint James Church in Cowley. And died in 1793. The 7th Earl of Banbury. His baptismal record refers to him as the son of the Hon'ble Charles Knollys Esq. and his wife Martha born in Hockmow Shresh December the sixteenth 1727 and baptized in Cowley Church January 15th 1727/8^[7]
• Mary: born 1729, died 1810, unmarried ^[8]
• Katherine: baptised on 14 Mar 1732 in Black Bourton, Oxfordshire, England^[9]
• Martha: born on 27 December 1736/7 and baptised on 21 February 1736/7. Martha the daughter of Charles Knollis Vic. and Martha his wife was Born December 27th and baptized February 21, 1736/7. ^[10][11]
• Samuel: baptized on 29 October 1739 in Black Bourton, Oxfordshire, England. The baptismal record said he was the son of Charles Knollis Vicar.^[12]
• Francis: baptized on January 3, 1743/4, in Black Bourton, Oxfordshire England. His baptism was listed in a record titled: "An account of births, marriages and burials in Black Bourton from Ladyday 1743 to Ladyday 1744". . He is identified as "Francis, son of Charles Earl of Banbury and Martha his wife" ^[13]

In 1761, Martha's son Thomas married a Mary Porter, daughter of William Porter of Winchester, an attorney at law. They married in Winchester, Hampshire, England ^[14] A year later, Martha became a grandmother for the first time when granddaughter Caroline was born. ^[15]Thomas and Mary would go on the have four more children, William, Amelia, Letitia and Frederick Charles between 1763 and 1769.

In 1764, Martha's daughter Martha married Rev. James Dashwood in Burford Oxfordshire, England. ^[16] and in 1769, her son Samuel married a Miss Sally Anne Sherwood in Wells, Somerset, England. ^[17]. Samuel and Sally had two daughters, Sarah and Charlotte. ^[18]

Martha's youngest son, Francis, followed in his father's footsteps and became a clergyman. In 1772, he married a Mary Hallifax in Ewell, Surrey, England, and they would go on to have six children. ^[19]

Martha's husband, Charles, died on 13 March 1771 at the age of 67 in Burford, Oxfordshire, England and was buried on 19 March 1771 in St. John the Baptist Churchyard in Burford. ^[20] He died intestate and his estate was administered to his widow, Martha, on 6 April 1771. ^[2]

Martha, herself, died just five months later, in September of 1771 and was buried on 09 September 1771 beside her husband in St. John the Baptist Churchyard in Burford, Oxfordshire, England. She was 62 years old. ^[21]

In Martha's will, she names just her two daughters, Martha Dashwood and Mary Knollis. There is no mention of any of her four sons. Her will reads:

• I Martha Knolles Countess of Banbury of Burford in the County of Oxford Widow make this my last will To my daughter the Right Honorable Lady Martha Dashwood I give and bequeath my Diamond Loop Ring to my Daughter the Right Honorable Lady Mary Knollis I give and bequeath all my clothes and linen all the rest and residue of my personal estate I give and bequeath to the above named Lady Mary Knollis to hold to her and her assignees during my term and interest therein and do hereby constitute and appoint her my sole executrix In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this eighteenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy one. M: Banbury, (The will was proved in London on the 12 November in 1771.) ^[22]

Research Notes

• Hampshire Archives has innumerable records surrounding the administration of Charles's estate. Since he died intestate, it was evidently an affair that required much correspondence. Since the letters are only summarized, it's difficult to determine the details. ^[23]
• Further research might uncover what specific concerns were held by Martha's grandson, William, about his grandmother's lowly position and what "difficulties" it had produced for him.
• Martha's children are named in a will drafted by their Aunt Mary Catherine Knollys. In a letter from Mary Catherine, Viscountess Wallingford, she references a will dated 25 June 1771, bequeathing legacies to her nephews William Earl of Banbury, Thomas Woods Knollis, Samuel Knollis and Francis Knollis, her niece Lady Mary Knollis and servants. Her niece, Martha Dashwood is not included in this summary of the will. The will was drafted two months after the death of their father, who was also Mary Catherine's brother-in-law.^[24]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Marriage: Charles Knollys of the City and University of Oxford and Martha Hughes of Southampton, Hampshire 17 December 1725. Hampshire Allegations for Marriage granted by the Bishop of Winchester. 1689 to 1837 Vol 1. Extracted and Edited by William J. C. Moens F.S.A. London 1893. https://books.google.com/books?id=4kYWYM-jyxAC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false p.457 accessed June 17, 2022
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, V. 1. Cokayne, G.E.; Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors. p. 234. Banbury Earls: Charles Knollys, accessed 17 June 2022. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/322797/?offset=0#page=256&viewer=picture&o=download&n=0&q=
3. ↑ Possible Father to Martha: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C65N-G33Z : 18 September 2020), Sibron Hews in entry for Martha Hews, 1704.
4. ↑ Letter from William Knollis, the 8th Earl of Banbury (Martha's grandson) to his sisters: Amelia, Laetitia, and Caroline Knollis. 23 February 1805 in the Hampshire Archives: https://calm.hants.gov.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=44001%2f11%2f119%2f14&pos=2 under 44001 Knollys and Banbury families, accessed 18 June 2022
5. ↑ Marriage: "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NK88-X56 : 13 March 2020), Martha Hughs in entry for Charles Knollys, 1725.
6. ↑ The Clergy of the Church of England Database. entry for Knollis, Charles (1732 - 1771) CCEd Person ID: 34837 accessed 6/16/2022 https://theclergydatabase.org.uk/jsp/search/index.jsp
7. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N5B7-LJH : 18 September 2020), Martha in entry for Thomas Woods Knollys, 1727.
8. ↑ "British Newspaper Archive, Family Notices," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPCF-BZCQ : 17 April 2019), Mary Knollis, Hon Lady, Norwich, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom; records extracted FamilySearch and images digitized by FindMyPast; citing Norwich, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom, 2 Jun 1810, The British Newspaper Archive, Ireland; FHL microfilm .
9. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N5YK-CQJ : 21 March 2020), Martha in entry for Katherine Knollis, 1732.
10. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J77P-P5T : 21 March 2020), Martha in entry for Martha Knollis, 1736.
11. ↑ "England, Oxfordshire Parish Registers 1538-1904", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:43RM-ZQZM : 12 November 2019), Martha Knollis in entry for Martha Knollis, 1736..
12. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NBZQ-686 : 21 March 2020), Martha in entry for Samuel Knollis, 1739.
13. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NBZQ-DX1 : 21 March 2020), Martha in entry for Francis Knollis, 1743.
14. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKHM-YMW : 13 March 2020), Thomas Woods Knollis, 1761.
15. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JWMH-D9Z : 20 March 2020), Thomas Woods Knollis in entry for Caroline Knollis, 1762.
16. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NLMQ-P4F : 13 March 2020), Martha Knollis in entry for James Dashwood, 1764.
17. ↑ "England, Somerset, Church Records, 1501-1999", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6DMK-QWJ7 : 25 February 2022), The Hon'ble Samuel Knollis in entry for Miss Sally Anne Sherwood, 1769.
18. ↑ "British Newspaper Archive, Family Notices," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPZ3-YNF2 : 17 April 2019), Samuel Knollis, Colonel The Hon in entry for Charlotte, Wells, Somerset, England, United Kingdom; records extracted FamilySearch and images digitized by FindMyPast; citing Wells, Somerset, England, United Kingdom, 14 Jul 1860, The British Newspaper Archive, Ireland; FHL microfilm .
19. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N21Z-6L2 : 12 March 2020), Francis Knollis, 1772.
20. ↑ Burial of husband, Charles. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176374174/charles-knollys : accessed 17 June 2022), memorial page for Rev Charles Knollys (26 Mar 1703–13 Mar 1771), Find a Grave Memorial ID 176374174, citing St. John the Baptist Churchyard, Burford, West Oxfordshire District, Oxfordshire, England ; Maintained by woowoo (contributor 49949980) .
21. ↑ Burial of Martha: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176374183/martha-knollys : accessed 11 June 2022), memorial page for Martha Hughes Knollys (unknown–9 Sep 1771), Find a Grave Memorial ID 176374183, citing St. John the Baptist Churchyard, Burford, West Oxfordshire District, Oxfordshire, England ; Maintained by woowoo (contributor 49949980) .
22. ↑ Martha Knollis's Will. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D447420 Will of The Right Honorable Martha Knolles Countess of Banbury, Dowager of Burford ,... The National Archives. Item number: 5779659 Catalogue reference: PROB 11/972/192 accessed 18 June 2022
23. ↑ Charles's Estate: Letters about: https://calm.hants.gov.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=44001%2f4%2f23 accessed 17 June 2022
24. ↑ Aunt Mary's Will: https://calm.hants.gov.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=44001%2f3%2f11%2f1&pos=83 accessed 18 June 2022

See Also

• The Knolly Family: Background and History. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Knollys

Acknowledgments

This profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail.