Monday 5 April 2021

 Mildred A. Colclough.

Exploring Discovery[1] channeling my narcissist, who would I happen upon driven by the Karma of my previous life?

Miss Mildred A. Colclough[2], she has 70, -seventy- pages of records, surely enough to look into her life. A nursing Colclough, why would I not look?

Here are some bits and pieces…

First snippet is she looks to have retired in June 1939, next page a letter to Miss Husband Principal Patron T.A.N.S. (Territorial Army Nursing Service) Royal Infirmary Glasgow, from The War Office London SW1. Accepting (among others) the resignation Miss Mildred Adelaide Colclough from 7th June 1939 and noting she was entitled to retain her T.A.N.S. badges.

A letter from her dated December 21st, 1921 from ‘The Disabled Officers Home and Club, 46 and 48 Westbourne Terrace, Hyde Park W.2.’ acknowledging her promotion. Handwritten and signed by her.

Letter confirming her promotion (named on a list) from Maud McCarthy matron in Chief T.A.N.S. 18th December 1923.

Personal letter from the above Miss McCarthy to ‘Miss Colclough’ congratulating her on promotion from Staff nurse to Sister, dated 18th December 1923, promotion effected from 10 November 1923, addressed to Miss Mildred A. Colclough, Sister T.A.N.S., Nursing Home 46 Westbourne terrace, Hyde Park.

Promotion recommendation headed 4th Scottish General Hospital. Career history trained at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; Rochester. Enrolled 7.10.18, called up 22.10.18, age 35 demobilized 30.4.19. Reports ‘Very Good recommended for promotion’.

Letters acknowledging promotion process underway from above Miss McCarthy.

Date of arrival at 4th Scottish Hospital, Glasgow, 22 October 1918, permission for Miss Mildred Colclough staff nurse T.A.N.S. to be released from duty as no longer needed on 30th April 1919.

Document giving her Age and address in 1919 on demobilisation address 38 Netherby Road Edinburgh. Aged 23 last birthday, stationed at 4th Scottish General Hospital, the disability form, Army form Z 22.  -  W 3165a.

Notification of Gratuity Granted on account of cessation of service with satisfactory conduct.

Handwritten letter giving her insurance number 45956 as a member of ‘The Nurses Insurance Society’.

Document noting £7 insurance arrears contribution for civilian nurses in tempera Army employ.

Handwritten letter 20th October 1919, enquiry if she was entitled to Victory Medal Ribbon even though she had not seen overseas service, reply that she was not.

Territorial army nursing service document, she was previously Nurse at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital Rochester Kent, sent to 4th Scottish Hospital, address for pay was 4 Nelson St. Edinburgh.

War officer letter outlining her pay would be £40 first year annual increment £2 10/- and addition of £20 if undertaking to serve abroad. Also required to state if both parents were British.

Handwritten letter applying for TANS, stating she was 23, had completed 4 years of general training at Rochester and had had Theatre Sister experience, asking for London appointment if possible (went to Scotland), or overseas.

Handwritten letter 29 August 1918, stating her parents were British, her deceased mother was English, stepmother was Australian, father was an officer in the Accountant branch of the Navy for 18 years. A reference can be supplied by Mrs. Harold Fairweather, wife of Dr H Fairweather honorary surgeon at the hospital, their address was 11 New Road Avenue New Road, Chatham.

The snippets above all the pages accessible via The National Archives for Mildred give a fascinating insight into her adult life (I think so anyway).

The genealogical aspect kicks in, she mentions her parents, including her stepmother.

I spent an hour or two looking. Her probate shows she never married, died 1947 and had lived on the Motor Yacht Magnet Cubitt Yacht Basin Hartington Road Chiswick, London.

Her parents were Beauchamp Urquhart Colclough born Thayetmyo Burma 1867 died Surrey, England 1949, he retired from the navy with the rank of Paymaster Rear Admiral (check him in The National Archives too)[3] and Anabel Mildred Annie Gooch born Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland died Hampshire England 1911, interestingly a remnant of the ‘empire’ as far as Mildred was concerned her parents were British and were in those times considered to be absolutely so. Her stepmother was Beatrice Sophie Pearson born new South Wales 1873 and declared to be Australian.

Just for Colclough’s for now Beauchamp Urquhart’ father was Beauchamp Colclough born 1829 Dublin, died 1900 Hampshire a retired H.M. Navy Captain. His father was Beauchamp Urquhart Colclough born about 1800 Elm Grove Co. Carlow Ireland, his father was Beauchamp Colclough born 1766 Lower, Kildavin, Carlow, Ireland died 1847 Chippawa, Upper Canada. His father was not surprisingly Beauchamp Colclough too, born about 1732 Kildavin, Co. Carlow died 1766 at Kildavin, this Beauchamp’s father was for a change, Henry Colclough born Duffry Hall Co. Wexford about 1705 died Co. Wexford 1770, his father was Dudley Colclough born About 1670 Duffry Hall, Co. Wexford died there 1712, his father was Patrick Colclough born about 1645 Duffry Hall, Co. Wexford died 1691 he was in the Irish parliament at the time of James II in 1689[4]. Patrick’s father was Sir Dudley Colclough born about 1613 he died 1633 in France where he had escaped to, to avoid Cromwell’s clutches a friend it seems to Charles II’s mother which helped after the restoration[5]. Sir Dudley’s father was Sir Thomas Colclough born 1564 Rosegarland Co. Wexford died 1624 and bured ar Tintern Abbey Co. Wexford, last for now Sir Thomas’s father was Sir Anthony Colclough born Blurton Staffordshire about 1520 the first of us who ventured to Ireland[6]. So Mildred A. Colclough as well as our career shared some ancestors that’s genealogy for you a winding path into the past.

 



[1] National Archives (Great Britain). Discovery. https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ : accessed 26 March 2021

[2] War Office (Great Britain). Directorate of Army Medical Services and Territorial Force: Nursing Service records. COLCLOUGH, Mildred A 1914-1919. WO399-10476. National Archives (Great Britain),

Kew, England. Collection: WO 399 - War Office: Directorate of Army Medical Services and Territorial Force: Nursing Service Records, First World War.  https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10803412 : accessed 26 March 2021.

[3] Admiralty (Great Britain). Naval Officer's service record. COLCLOUGH, Beauchamp Urquhart CBE. ADM 196/12/513 . National Archives (Great Britain), Kew, England. Collection: ADM 196 - Admiralty: Officers' Service Records (Series III). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7586619 : accessed 05 April 2021.

[4] Library Ireland. The Irish Parliament of King James the second 1689.   https://libraryireland.com/Pedigrees2/irish-parliament-king-james.php : accessed 05 April 2021

[5] See my blog elsewhere here.

[6] Ibid.

Saturday 13 March 2021

 

Will of John Colclough alias Rowley, Potter of Burslem, Staffordshire.

Testamentary Records. England. 07 May 1657. COLCLOUGH, John. Will. Prerogative Court of
 Canterbury: Will Registers. PROB 11/264/200. The National Archives, Kew, England. Will of John Colclough alias Rowley, Potter of Burslem, Staffordshire | The National Archives : accessed 10 March 2021.

In an earlier piece I noted the Colclough Wedgwood connection, here is a tangible glimpse, I have transcribed it so any errors or omissions in transcription are mine, but you can get the gist. I needed the transcribing practice. 
We can tease some genealogy out from it too...

An image of the original referenced from above.


So the transcript is:

In the Name of God Amen The

Seventeeth daie of November in the year of Or Lord God. One

Thousand six hundred Ffifitie Six. I John Colclough als’ Row

Ley of Burslem in the countie of Stafford Potter. being

sick and weak in bodie but of good and perfect memorie bless

& praysed be the Lord therefore do make and ordayne this my last

will and Testament in manner following. Ffirst I commend my Soul

To Almightie God my most merciful Creator, Trusting by shorlie

meritts of Jesus Christ my saviour to have the same recd into Abrahams

Bosome, And my bodie to Christian buriall in the Parish Church or Chann:

Sell of Burslem in such ceremie and decent manner as my Executor

Hereafter herein named shall think fitt. And for such Lands Tenements

howses buildings monies goods debts cattles & chattles as it hath

pleased the Lord in great mercie to bestow upon me. I give devise

bestow and bequeath in manner & forme following. Ffirst I give devise

& bequeath to Thomas Wedgwood of the church yard in Burslem afore

said, his heirs and Assignies for ever. Both these my two Cottages or Pr

emisis in Burslem aforesaid. Th’ one heretofore called Machins howse &

the other Ormes howse now in the possession or occupation of me and

my assignes or under servants withall howses edifices buildings stables

outhouses gardens backsides Lands & appy [fixure] to them and with to

them belonging together with all my right title interest claims &

domains to them and other of them. Also I give to the said Thomas

Wedgwood & his Assignes all my potting Boards, and all other necessarie

implements and materials belonging to the trade of potting (Lead and

Lead saw onlie excepted). Also I give and bequeath unto [indecipherable text] half

Brother William Colclough of Burslem aforesaid and Katherine

Colclough his wife and John Colclough their sonne the summe of [ten]

Ten pounds apiece to everie one of them. ALSO I give to the said John

Colclough six Silver spoones with everie one of them a J. C. upon them

Also I give devise and bequeath to the said John Colclough and his

Assignes. One Tenure or the remainder of a Lease which I have of in

or to one Close field or Croft called Little Elgreave situate in Burslem

aforesaid. Also I give to my reputed half sister Margaret Drakeford

alias Rowley Ffive pounds. Also I give unto Moses Wedgwood of Burslem

aforesaid Potter all such summe or summes of money as he oweth or

anie way handeth indebted unto me upon anie account whatsoever Also I give

unto William Wedgwood his brother All such monies as he oweth or

anie way handeth indebted to me. Also I give devise and bequeath

unto the aforesaid Thomas Wedgwood and his Asignes one Tenure

or remainder of a Lease which I have of, in or to that field Close or

Pastures called the Horse pastures He therefore paying to his

Brother Aaron Wedgwood and Marie and Sarah his sisters as it

is my will and mynd the summe of ffortie shillings apeece to every

one of them within the space of Six mon. this [niyt] after his Entry

upon the same. Also I give unto Margaret Wedgwood of Ashley

widow the summe of ffortie shillings over and besides the monie she

now oweth me. Also I give unto everie one of my servants Two

shillings six pence apiece. Also I give unto Clive Astburie of

Shelton one pound. Also after funerall expenses & Probate dis.

charged I give devise and bequeath All the rest residue remain-

der of all and singular my goods moveable and immoveable debts monies

Cattle & Chattles to the aforesaid Thomas Wedgwood for ever. Onlie it

It is my will and mynd That Gilbert Wedgwood his father shall have

the usage of all the goods of mine now standing in his howse at

Burslem aforesaid, Th’ aforesaid silver spoons onlie excepted. And

of this my last will and Testament I do constitute ordaine nomint.

& appoint my Loveing friend the said Thomas Wedgwood Sole

Executor, hopeing he will execute and perform the same according

to the dutie I repost in him. And I desire my Loving kinsman the

said John Colclough to see the same done accordinglie And I

doe herby utter admit and make voyd all former & other wills

whatsoever. IN WITNESS whereof my last will &

Testament. I the said John Colclough alias Rowley havg. putt my

Hand & seald. Dated the day & time above written. One Thousand &

Six Hundred Ffiftie Six (John Colclough alias Rowley) Sealed

Signed and published in the presence of Gilbert Wegwood John

Colclough John Shawe./

This will was proved at London

The seventh day of May in ye year of Our Lord One Thousand Six

Hundred Ffiftie seven. Before the Judges for Probate of wills &

Granting of administrations lawfullie authorized by th’ oath of

Thomas Wedgwood sole Executor named in the said will To whom

was committed Administration of all and singular the goods chattels

and debts of the said deceased. He being by virtue of a commission

trust Legallie serve well and truelie to Administer the same.

*****************************************************

So to find some genealogy in the will:

William Colclough married (date not apparent from this document, however if John Colclough the son was an adult as seems likely as he appears to have witnessed the will, the marriage could be estimated as around 1630 as a starting point for further research). Katherine (Maiden name not known from this document).

William and Katherine were parents of  John Colclough (see above) can be estimated birth as around 1630 as a start for research.

Family lived Burslem Staffordshire.

William Colclough and John Colclough alias Rowley were half brothers so shared a parent it is likely that was their father but again not absolutely clear from the will.

John Colclough alias Rowley had a reputed (his words) half  sister Margaret it can be implied her maiden name was Rowley and she married a Mr. Drakeford. Margaret and John Colclough alias Rowley shared a parent, again the implication s that this was a different parent than William Colclough and John Colclough alias Rowley shared.

From this document it appears William Colclough and Margaret Drakeford were not related, but this also needs further research.

Onto the Wedgwood's. Gilbert Wedgwood is Thomas Wedgwood's father, Thomas is certainly an adult so born early 17th Century, Gilbert likely late 16th starting point for research, living in Burslem.

Gilbert's other children Thomas Wedgwood's siblings are Aaron a brother, Marie and Sarah sisters their ages are not clear but likely to be young adults.

Margaret Wedgwood a widow is mentioned, can be deduced she was the wife of  a deceased brother of Gilbert, needs to be checked, she lived Ashley in Staffs.

There are two more Wedgwood's mentioned Moses and his brother William, to start research a useful deduction would be they are brothers of Gilbert, uncles of Thomas, Aaron, Sarah and Marie, this would have to be checked and verified as cannot be proved from the document.

Finally a Clive Astburie of Shelton is noted,  of interest Astbury a potting name of  high status, viz. John Astbury born 1688 died 1743 Shelton in Staffordshire, English Potting technology pioneer, earliest of the great Staffordshire potters a precursor of Josiah Wedgwood. John Astbury | English potter | Britannica : accessed 12 March 2021.

Along with the Genealogy there is going to be a wealth of social history of the Potteries hidden in plain sight in the will just from the mention of an Astburie.






Wednesday 3 March 2021

Muster a Colclough

 Who can resist a medieval Colclough Archer?

Following on from a piece on WW1 army officers I wrote elsewhere

Officer Ancestor WW1 – GenealogyandYou 

  I will outline a few more sources you might consider in your UK military ancestor search, I will just widen the time frame, and try to work logically.

First one to mention and the subject of this piece is:

 “The Soldier in Medieval England” a database formed out of a project headed by Professor Adrian Bell of the Henley Business School and Professor Anne Curry of the University of Southampton to challenge assumptions about the emergence of professional soldiery between 1369 and 1453. The database has grown with input from ‘citizen historians’ like you and I, among others. The datasets used are:

1.Musters Dataset, held in The National Archive a record of the army ‘mustered’ to leave the country between 1369 and 1450, kept and maintained to account for the money spent on overseas campaigns. A captain raised forces for the crown and had a contract specifying size of force, type of troops, length and location of service. The muster was to check if the captains had kept their side of the contract, if troops had not turned up, they had not ‘passed muster’. The database includes English garrisons in Calais, as well as garrisons in Wales, Scotland and England. There are also musters of ‘standing forces’, these would have been troops serving with the lieutenants of Gascony and Ireland.

2.French Garrisons. Data recorded for the soldiers who served in the English garrisons in Northern France, principally Normandy, at the end of the Hundred Years War from the capture of Harfleur by Henry V in 1415 to the fall of Lancastrian Normandy in 1450. Also holding data on garrison reinforcements, armies operating in the field or undertaking particular sieges in France during this period. These soldiers were regularly mustered and review on a monthly to quarterly basis dependent on the nature of service. The Musters occasionally include information on the geographical origins of the soldiers when the English rulers became concerned about the loyalty of local troops after the successes of Joan of Arc.

3.Protections Dataset, the letters of protection and appointments of attorneys granted and recorded on the Treaty (or French) Rolls , Gascon rolls and Scottish Rolls for the years 1369-1453. They are legal instruments that would be taken out by soldiers prior to undertaking military service outside England, in order to protect their interests whilst they were absent. The letter of protection protected an individual from prosecution or legal action whilst serving overseas; by letters of attorney an individual appointed legal representatives to act on his behalf whilst absent. However, both types of letter only indicate an intention to serve, and do not in themselves prove that service was actually given.

4. The ‘Agincourt roll’, was a part of the Musters dataset and now separate, it contains the names of some retinue leaders and men-at-arms (but no archers) who were with Henry V in the battle of Agincourt in 1415. Unlike the documents in the Muster dataset, created for accounting purposes, this list is a result of heraldic and genealogic interest of the Tudor age.

With many thanks to the project: Information on soldiers has been taken from the AHRC-funded ‘The Soldier in Later Medieval England Online Database’, www.medievalsoldier.org [1].

Given all the above what can you discover?

Raise your hand anyone wouldn’t search on their own name you don’t need to be a narcissist!

I searched for John Colclough with first name variations and there I was not.

Take John out…

I found one Colclough.

Thomas Colclough, Rank: Archer, Service: Garrison of Rouen, Captain: John of Lancaster (1389 - 1435) duke of Bedford, Lieutenant / Sub-Captain: Handford, John, Sir (b. 1391) seigneur de Maisons-sur-Seine. Service date: 15 06 1435, Source type: Muster Roll, Reference: BNF, MS. Fr. 25772, no. 954.

With background research opening up who knows where this might lead.

For further reading try:

Was your ancestor on the Agincourt ... - Medieval Soldier

English Knights at Agincourt

Exploring a medieval muster roll

Agincourt Carol - Wikipedia

The Battle of Agincourt - The National Archives

https://www.genealogyandyou.com/2021/03/03/mustering-a-post/



[1] AHRC. The Soldier in Later Medieval England Online Database. www.medievalsoldier.org : accessed 03March 2021


Wednesday 24 February 2021

 With very many thanks to Gay Conroy.

I have uploaded

Pedigree and History

of the

Colclough Family

of

Staffordshire

and

Wexford

Compiled and arranged

by

Beauchamp H.D. Colclough

1879


Collated and updated by my late great Uncle Bernie in 2002

Prepared for electronic publication by Gay Conroy M.A. 2009.

All 381 pages are on my website in PDF form they will open in Google Docs.

Colclough Files | Genealogy and You (genealogy-and-you.com)


Saturday 18 April 2020

A look at the pedigree.


I will have a look at BHD's pedigree. Bold lettering is the document text followed by my thoughts in standard script.

The document is…

Pedigree Colclough of Staffordshire & Wexford[1].

Statement of fact?

It is then important is to check the sources and the provenance to enhance historical and genealogical value. Without sources it is the statement of pedigree as defined by the original writer viz.

“The late Caesar Colclough of Tintern Abbey, was at considerable trouble and expense in hunting up the Pedigree of his family. Several copies of his compilation were made, from one of which I took the groundwork of the present, but the former contained many errors, and fell very far short of being a Pedigree of the whole family. The errors are here corrected, and the omissions supplied, and it is further brought down to the present day, and through the kindness of Sir Bernard Burke,  Ulster King at Arms, a skeleton of the present Pedigree is published in the 1879 Edition of his “Landed Gentry”. Sir Bernard’s arrangement of the Colclough Pedigree, and which is the only correct one yet published, is necessarily made to occupy as little space in his book as possible, but still it covers the whole ground, and accounts for all the legitimate male issue of Sir Anthony, and leaves no peg for any one who is not entitled, to hang his pretensions upon.”…

It does seem strange, but it is nevertheless true as may be verified by a careful perusal of the within pedigree, that of all the legitimate male issue of Sir Anthony there now survives only 5. All others of the name, are claiming to be descended from him, may be his descendants, but if so they must be illegitimate. It may be however that some of the families of the name, now in Ireland, and in other parts of the world, who say they are descended from Sir Anthony Colclough, are in reality legitimately descended from one or other of the junior branches that remained in England after Sir Anthony who came to Ireland.  It is possible that much of what is contained herein may be of little interest to any one but myself. Still I make no apology for inserting such, for it all contributes to throw light on the relations that existed or still exists between the different branches and different individuals of the family. Want of means forbids my having the work printed, and in that way of ensuring that my labours might not be lost, through some untoward accident to the manuscript. 

My task is now ended, it has been truly said that, ” What one man treasures, may be to his neighbour rubbish fit only for the dust hole,” But I will fondly hope, that whoever may possess this after I am gone will care it if only for my sake, and will think kindly of one who felt strongly, that “blood is thicker then (sic JC) water.”

 Beauchamp Colclough. August 1879.[2]

From this Beauchamp has used Burke[3] as his source, it is for another time to assess Burke’s pedigrees but for the purposes of this exercise suffice to say Burke was based in many instances on hearsay from the family itself and the need to self-validate, you might notice the use of legitimate in the above passage, it might be asked if it was all about inheritance?



The earliest reliable information we have goes back no further than the time of King Edward III, in whose reign, the Visitation of Staffordshire, England shows that the Family was there of consideration in that county[4].

This text then, might read that there is a document contemporary to Edward III noting the Colclough family, Edward III reigned from 1327 to 1377 [5], there were three visitations the first visitation was the heraldic visitation undertaken by John Flower for Henry VIII to check and enforce heraldic law (this is referenced to Wikipedia, but I have checked the veracity of the sources therein used so for access I have here referenced the Wikipedia page)[6], it was from 1583[7], 200 years after Edward III, with a generation being somewhere between 25 and 33 years[8] gives 6 to 8 generations, so the Colclough’s reporting to Flower with the best will in the world, even given they had to try to avoid transgressing the law and wrath of Henry VIII, would have been problematic, this was followed by 1614 and 1663-4 visitations[9] with similar difficulties.

Thus. my next step is to dig a bit deeper, if this was a commercial commission, I would have a log of all the sources I looked for each individual, that can be for another time, a future blog post.

There is nothing wrong with using Google, Bing et.al. just type what you are looking for, literally type a sentence and see what happens.

Anyway, in my search for the 1360’s Colclough’s and not going off to Staffordshire yet, the history of parliament online bears fruit.

Between 1384 and 1414 at Newcastle under Lyme we get John, William, Hugh and Richard Colclough as MP’s at various times, with secondary evidence of a Richard Colclough as MP for the same place in 1360[10], all referenced back to the William Salt Archaeological Society, now known as the Staffordshire record society[11], the definitive place to look for this county’s history (albeit the visitations are part of the archive).



1367 Richard Colclough, living 40, Edward III. (1367) had three sons viz..

1. Hugh; 2.  William, living 39 Edward III; 3.  Richard.

Checking and cross referencing the Parliamentary histories, reasonable evidence starts to appear. Firstly John Colclough, from records available the following can be reasonably surmised: This John was the eldest son of Richard Colclough, MP for Newcastle under Lyme 1360, brother to William Colclough, and married to Margery by Easter 1408, had possibly 1 son[12].

There is evidence for Richard living 1367, in that there was an MP for Newcastle under Lyme in 1360, but the pedigree doesn’t note John, yet. Back to Richard the elder, the circumstantial evidence is that he was dead by 1385, John Colclough and John Keen were executors[13]. John Colclough was Bailiff for Newcastle 1377-8 thus it is very likely but not completely certain he was what we would consider an adult in his 20’s as this appears to have been a usual age for this kind of position[14], so born before 1356 at least.

William is mentioned as John’s brother[15], and has his own entry as an MP, as younger brother of John, son of Richard, married to Elizabeth, with other biographical details[16].

A chronological sequence of the Colclough MP’s then brings me to Hugh Colclough, he was MP for Newcastle 1407 and coroner for Staffordshire 1409-10, however documentary evidence for his relationship to the other Colclough’s is not extant at present, but that he was of the family is almost beyond doubt given the geography his name and prominence. He is named in a marriage settlement of a son of John Delves[17].

Finally in the 1400’s is Richard Colclough of Blurton, MP for Newcastle 1414, he it was said (via the visitations probably) to be the son of Hugh above, but there is also documentation of a Richard Colclough senior involved in property transactions around 1400, he could have been another son of Richard d. 1385, this Richard could have been Richard of Blurton’s father, however there is good circumstantial evidence for this Richard’s marriage to a daughter of John Delves who had been a contemporary of Hugh[18].

Family tree entries now can start with sources identified above:

Richard Colclough b. before 1340 (given Richard was MP in 1360 he is probably of modern adult age so probably born before 1340) m. before 1356 (John’s likely birth) that John is his heir makes it very likely but not impossible John was not illegitimate, thus the marriage date estimate, d. about 1385.

 John Colclough b. before 1356, m. to Margery before May 1408, d. before 1422.

William Colclough b after 1356. m. to Elizabeth between 1397 and 1406, d. before summer 1415.

From the evidence I cannot place Hugh or Richard of Blurton in this tree with evidence.

Is Beauchamp’s pedigree is looking a bit flaky? and I’m only two lines in…

Thoughts?



Finally, back to DNA.

If any male family members have taken or are considering taking Genetic DNA tests, consider the Y DNA testing. They can be costly.

Have a look at:

 https://isogg.org/wiki/Y-DNA_STR_testing_comparison_chart



As it stands there are no sponsored Colclough tests, there is the surname project on FTDNA administered by Greg Bonner:

https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/colclough/about













[3] Burke, Bernard Sir. (1879). A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland. London : Harrison. Pp. 336-340. https://archive.org/details/genealogical01burk1879/page/340 : accessed 24 January 2020.
[4] Conroy,Gay.  Colclough Family Pedigree Chapter 3. p. 1. p. 20. John Colclough Document set.
[5] Encyclopaedia Britannica.  Edward III King of England. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-III-king-of-England: accessed 23 January 2020.
[6] Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. William Flower (officer of arms). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Flower_(officer_of_arms) : accessed 23 January 2020.
[7]Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Heraldic visitation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraldic_visitation : accessed 23 January 2020.
[8] Isogg Wiki. Generation length. https://isogg.org/wiki/Generation_length : accessed 23 January 2020.
[9] Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Heraldic visitation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraldic_visitation : accessed 23 January 2020.
[11] Staffordshire Record Society. About Staffordshire Record Society. http://www.s-h-c.org.uk/ : accessed 24 January 2020.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Sidders, Lindsey C. et.al. (2008). Coming of Age and the Family in Medieval England.  Journal of Family History. 33 (1) pp. 41-60.  https://www.academia.edu/322247/Coming_of_Age_and_the_Family_In_Medieval_England : accessed 24 January 2020.
[15] Institute of Historical Research. History of Parliament Online COLCLOUGH, John (d.1420/1), of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Hanley, Staffs. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/colclough-john-14201 : accessed : 24 November 2020.
[16] Institute of Historical Research. History of Parliament Online. COLCLOUGH, William (d.c.1414), of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs. and Calverhall, Salop. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/colclough-william-1414 : accessed 24 January 2020.
[17] Institute of Historical Research. History of Parliament Online COLCLOUGH, Hugh. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/colclough-hugh : accessed 24 January 2020.
[18] Institute of Historical Research. History of Parliament Online COLCLOUGH, Richard, of Blurton, Staffs. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/colclough-richard : accessed 24 January 2020.

Tuesday 6 August 2019

It's been a year.

I've neglected this for a year, but not genealogy. I've just completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Genealogical,  Palaeographic & Heraldic Studies (with pretty good marks even though I say it myself) from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow (by the miracle of the internet) it's the first year of an intended masters. I need to keep up with my own family though.

An interesting part of the course was Heraldry:
Firstly an adapted extract from one of my assignments, then a bit about the various Colclough Coats of Arms, there will be more than one as we might see.


If you search for your surname in any of the ubiquitous search engines abounding, invariably towards the top of that search will appear offers to sell you a family ‘Coat of Arms’. It is my contention that such a family coat of arms does not exist in England , Scotland or Ireland, for legal reasons I will outline. The use or misuse of these devices is governed in England by the Law of Arms[1], and disputes settled in the Court of Chivalry[2] a civil court whose only judge is the Earl Marshall (who if not a lawyer can appoint one in his stead)[3]. In Scotland all matters dealing with granting of and use of arms is by The Court of the Lord Lyon[4]. In Ireland it is the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland (or the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms in the six counties)[5]. Hence, from first principles there exists legal process in these countries covering the use of coats of arms, which would indicate a regulated non-trivial process. A point to note also, would be that it is not the depiction of the coat of arms but it’s written description in prescribed manner or blazon, which is important in having a standard for reproduction of the arms[6]. Thus, this should be regarded to be the legal entity rather than a picture, drawing or sculpture.

Now consider, who is entitled to use the coat of Arms? In England the College of Arms is quite clear, for someone to have a right to a coat of arms it must have been granted to them or they must prove descent in the legitimate male line from someone holding that coat of arms in the past by grant or confirmation[7], this is consistent with the Irish position[8] . By this statement, it is clear that it is an individual who holds the coat of arms by descent or grant. The College of Arms will also point out that many people holding the same surname will be entitled to different coats of arms or no arms at all. By this definition covered by a legal process there is no entitlement to a coat of arms merely by possessing a certain surname or seeming member of a family group[9]. In Scotland, as mentioned above The Court of the Lord Lyon has jurisdiction. This also is quite prescriptive, with its legal basis, that the coat of arms of a clan, or family, in Scotland is a misnomer, the coat of arms belongs to the chief of the clan and is received by descent, eldest son to eldest son, so as in England the coat of arms belongs to an individual not a group[10].

To sum up, the coat of arms in England, Scotland and Ireland will belong to and individual and passed on as inheritance as the blazon, covered by law in both England, Scotland and Ireland, not belong to the whole family group even if they share the same surname.

So now for us…

I remember the inordinate pride seeing a wooden plaque with the Colclough Arms, but now I know that was not mine.

It was broadly based on this:



Colclough (Bluerton, Staffordshire, Richard Colclough, Esq. of Bluerton, was living 40 Edward III., 1367. Visit. Stafford, and Visit. London). Blazon: Argent. five eaglets displayed in cross sable try this in the free app, see below.














Then one below from Eddie Geoghegan, from a very interesting site.





Now here’s what Sir Bernard Burke in his tome will give you if you care to look. But to claim any of these arms you need to prove descent. Good luck!

Colclough (Ingston, Yngton, or Erdington, and Bluerton, Staffordshire. Visit. Stafford, 1583. Same Arms, quartering, ar. a fess between. three martlets sable., for Lockwood. Crest — A demi eagle displ. sable. ducally gorged or.

Colclough Ireland, Sir Anthony Colclough, Knt., of Bluerton and Woolstanton, Staffordshire, settled in Ireland 34 Henry VIII., 1542, as Captain of the Pensioners, got a grant of the house, abbey, and lands of the dissolved monastery of Tintern, co. Wexford, 18 Queen Elizabeth, 1576, and was ancestor of the Irish family of Colclough of Tintern Abbey and Duffry Hall, and the branches formerly living in Carlow, Queen's County, etc. Sir Adam Colclough, grandson of the grantee of 1576 was created a bart. of Ireland 1628, which title became extinct on the death of his grandson. Sir Caesar Colclough, 3rd bart., s. p. 16S7. Caesar Colclough, Esq., of Tintern Abbey, eighth in descent from Sir Anthony, d.s.p. 1842, when the Abbey and estates devolved on his cousin and heiress-at- law, Mrs. Rossborough-Colclough, now of Tintern Abbey. The representative and heir male of the family was Lieut. - Col. Beauchamp Henry Dudley Colclough, Wexford Militia; Visit. Stafford 1583; Visit. Wexford 1618; Fun. Ent. Ulster's Office. Ar. five eaglets in cross sa. Crest — A demi eagle displ. sa., ducally gorged or. Motto— "His calcabo gentes”.

Colclough. Rossborough-Colclough, Tintern Abbey, co. Wexford, exemplified to John Thomas Rossborough, Esq., of Tintern Abbey, co. Wexford; and Mary Grey Wentworth, his wife, only daughter of Caesar Colclough, Esq., of Duffrey Hall, in same co., Chief Justice of Prince Edward's  Island, and sole heiress of her kinsman, Caesar Colclough, Esq., of Tintern Abbey aforesaid, on their assuming, by royal licence, 1853, the additional surname and arms of Colclough). Quarterly, Ist and 4th, ar. five eaglets displ. in cross sa., for Colclough; 2nd and 3rd, az. on a chev. or, three roses gu. seeded or, barbed vert, for Rossborough. Crests — 1st: A demi eagle displ. sa. gorged with a ducal coronet, or, for Colclough ; 2nd : On a dexter hand in fess a dove close with a branch of olive in his beak all ppr., for Rossborough. Mottos (over the second crest) — God is my shield; (under the arms) — His calcabo gentes.

Colclough (London, founded by Mathew Colclough, second son of Bichard Colclough, Esq., of Bluerton, and brother of Sir Anthony Colclough, Knt., of Tintern. Visit. London, 1568). Arms, Crett, and Motto — Same as Sir Anthony Colclough, with a crescent for diff. Colclough (Delph House and Cheadle, co. Stafford, descended from Thomas Colclough, second son of John Colclough, Esq., of Bluerton, and uncle of Sir Anthony Colclough, Knt., of Tintern Abbey, which Thomas had Delph House by gift from his father, 1522; Visit. Stafford and Derby 1662-4). Same Arms as Sir Anthony Colclough, with the proper mark of cadency.

Colclough (Burslem, descended from a younger brother of Sir Anthony Colclough, Knt., of Tintern Abbey. Dugdale's Visit., 1664). Same Arms as Sir Anthony Colclough, with a canton gu. for diff.[11]

 I'm working on being able to find a graphic design app which would let me draw from some of the blazons any recommendations welcome.
Now here's a link to a small venture I'm attempting:
Thanks. 
I'm going to use my new found knowledge to post links and information for the Colclough family, one soon will be mentions of Caesar Colclough in the Stewart Papers, he even had his own 'spy name' in correspondence from France.



[2] College of Arms. Court of Chivalry. https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/resources/court-of-chivalry : accessed 24 May 2019.
[3] College of Arms. The Law of Arms. https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/resources/the-law-of-arms : accessed 24 May 2019.
[4] Court of the Lord Lyon. The Court of the Lord Lyon. https://courtofthelordlyon.scot/ : accessed 24 May 2019.
[5] Slater, Stephen. (2017) The complete book of heraldry. pp. 194-5. London: Baker & Taylor.
[6] Heraldry Society. The Emergence of the Heraldic Phrase in the Thirteenth Century. https://www.theheraldrysociety.com/articles/the-emergence-of-the-heraldic-phrase-in-the-thirteenth-century/ : accessed 24 May 2019.
[8] National Library of Ireland. Applying for a Grant of Arms. https://www.nli.ie/en/applying-for-a-grant-of-arms.aspx : accessed 06 August 2019.
[9] College of Arms. FAQs: heraldry.  https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/resources/faqs : accessed 26 May 2019.
[10] Court of the Lord Lyon. Frequently asked Questions. https://courtofthelordlyon.scot/faqs.htm : accessed 26 May 2019.
[11] Burke, John Bernard. (1884) The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales; comprising a registry of armorial bearings from the earliest to the present time. London: Burke’s Peerage. [reprinted London: Harrison, 2005]. P 212. http://archive.org/details/generalarmoryofe00burk : accessed 06 August 2019.