Frances Barbara (Thornhurst) Jennings (abt. 1625 - abt. 1693)

Born about 1625 in Canterbury, Kent, England [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 1693 at about age 68 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England [uncertain]

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Biography

Frances Barbara Thornhurst was born about 1627 in Canterbury, Kent, England. She was the daughter and heiress of Sir Gifford Thornhurst, the first and last Baronet Thornhurst of Agnes Court and Susan Temple.

She married Richard Jennings on the 18th of December 1643. ^[1] They had nine children, four sons and five daughters. Of the nine children only Frances and her sister Sarah are noteworthy. Sarah became the Duchess of Marlborough and confidante of Queen Anne when she married John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. Frances, nicknamed "La Belle Jennings", became maid of honour to the Duchess of York in 1664, and eventually by her second marriage to Richard Talbot became Countess of Tyrconnel.^[2]

Their children include:

1. Susanna (1645–55), d.y.
2. (s. & h.) John (d. 1674).
3. Frances (c. 1649 – 1731)
4. Barbara (1651/2 – 78), married Edward Griffith
5. Richard (b. 1653 – d. bef. 1677);
6. Susanna (b. 1656);
7. Ralph (1656–77);
8. Sarah (1660–1744), married John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

Frances outlived her husband by many years; he died in 1668 and she about 1693. She made her will in 1691 and it was proved in Jan 1694; she left everything to her daughter Sarah. ^[3] She directed that her body be buried in the Abbey Church of St. Albans (now St. Albans Cathedral), but the records were lost to fire so it is not known with certainty if that happened.^[4].

Sources

1. ↑ Wolseley, G.W. The Life of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, to the Accession of Queen Anne, 1, p. 45. London: R. Bentley & Son. 1894.
2. ↑ Sergeant, Phillip. Little Jennings and Fighting Dick Talbot: A Life of the Duke and Duchess of Tyrconnel. Vol. I. London: Hutchinson. p. 2 https://archive.org/details/littlejenningsfi01serg/page/2/mode/2up
3. ↑ National Archives PROB 11/418/113
4. ↑ Wolseley, p51

• Wolseley, Garnet Wolseley. The Life of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, to the Accession of Queen Anne, Volume 1. London: R. Bentley and son, 1894. pp45-52 archive.org

• "The Life of John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, to the Accession of Queen Anne, 1, p. 45. London: R. Bentley & Son.