Identification Codes
The generations are represented in this data via numbers for sons and letters for daughters, ie. a first born son will be labeled 1. and a third born daughter will be labeled c. As such each individual has a unique code which denotes their lineage. The code 1.2.1.a would denote the first born daughter of the first son of the second son of the first son. As English hereditary convention emphasises the first born male, the female and junior male lines are seldom followed beyond marriage.
The dates noted eg. x1473 indicates date of birth, +1524 indicates date of death. Other dates indicate a mention in records.
BILLINGSLEYS in Ireland
When Queen Elizabeth I decided to introduce the ‘ Manorial System’ of Land Ownership to her holdings in Ireland - where most of the land was held in common or by the Catholic Church – in order to produce income and obligations to the Crown - she divided it into ten ‘counties’ giving them to her court administrators to subdivide and sell to English – Welsh and Scots farmers. S.P.
Henry the Collector of the Queens Customs in the Port of London was given Kilkenny which he passed to his two sons Henry and Thomas who sold the last section in 1630.
The Welsh and the shaping of early modern Ireland 1558 – 1641. Rhys MORGAN.
The younger Henry’s involvement in Ireland and information contained in his grandson Richard’s 1659 petition at London concerning the Deeds of Siston – identify him as the Captain of the Earl of Middlesex’s Irish company who was ordered by King Charles to support SWINBURN and his group’s attempt to release SACHVILLE from the Tower of London. The attempt failed - SWINBURN and his group escaped to France but BILLINGSLEY was arrested and tried by Parliament. He gave evidence against the plotters and was rewarded with the commission of Major in IRETON’s Reg. at Naseby.
Britain in Revolution 1626 – 1660 p.179. Austin WOULRYCH.
A longer lasting association with Ireland followed Prince Rupert’s reinforcement of the Royalist force there. He raised a regiment at Glamorgan with commissions to the elder sons of Mjr. Francis and Elizabeth LATHAM. They are named in the memorial plaque in
St. Calixus church at Astley Abbotts. ( Edward, Rupert and Lewis.).
Following Cromwells success Lt. Col.s Edward and Rupert were imprisoned but after the restoration they were released. Edward became Army Paymaster and Rupert the Govenor of Berwick. The junior officers ( Lt. Edward 1623 ‘ Esg. Henry 1625 ‘ Lt. John
1620 ‘Lewis, Rupert, Samuel & William were not allowed to transfer to Parliamentary Regiments but in 1659 were given land grants in Ireland to compensate.
Most Irish records of the period were destroyed on the 1919 uprising, however the registers of some Anglican churches survive which record family marriages etc. permitting further research. E.g.
St. Andrew Dublin .
William B. married 1713 to Mary FLEMING having a daughter Mary who died 1735.
William B. married 1720 to Agnis GILPIN.
St. Auden Dublin .
Ralph B. married 1665 to Ann MILLER before dying in 1674. They had a daughter
Elizabeth who died in 1675.
The duplication of names in the branches of the family would make further research extreamly difficult.