Henry Hotspur Percy Sir

Arms of Hotspur

Henry Percy, Lord Percy also known as Hotspur was the son of Henry 1st Earl Northumberland and Margaret De Neville, he was born 20th May1364 at Alnwick Castle Northumberland England. He married Elizabeth De Mortimer daughter to Edmund De Mortimer 3rd Earl March and Philippa Plantagenet Countess of Ulster.   

Henry and Elizabeth had two children: 

Henry Percy, 3rd February 1393 - 22nd May 1455.

Elizabeth Percy, c.1395 - 26th October 1496.  

The Percy family were a powerful family in Northern England during much of the Middle Ages, the family had gained the title Baron Percy before the 1066 conquest. The family name Percy is derived from the Norman village Percy En Auge , the ancestral home of the Percy family before 1066.    

I discovered Henry Hotspurs back in 2008 - 09, and my ancestral connection is; he is my 18th Great grandfather. 

Henry is an ancestor who gives up an extraordinary amount of historical information of himself, and his family history. Seconded only by the House of Plantagenet the House of Percy has given me years of researching pleasure. 

In the year 1377 Henry Hotspur was knighted by King Edward III alongside the future King Richard II and Future King Henry IV. He was in Ireland in the year 1388 with Edmund De Mortimer 3rd Earl of March, 1338 saw him travelling to Prussia and was appointed Warden of the East March 1384 - 1385. 

He accompanied King Richard II to the Scottish boarders in 1385 and because of his speed and willingness to attack the Scots gave him the name Hattspore (Hotspur). In 1386 he travelled to France and reinforced the garrison at Calais were he led raids into Picardy.

He was in command of Naval forces August to September 1387 were he attempted to relieve the siege at Breast. He was made Knight of the Garter 1388 at the age of 24 in appreciation of his military abilities.

Percy commanded the English military forces against James Douglas at the Battle of Otterburn 10th August 1388, were he was captured and ransomed for 7000 marks. Henry Hotspurs reputation continues to grow in years to follow and he is sent as a Diplomat to Cyprus, June 1393. Appointed Lieutenant of the Duchy of Aquitaine 1394 - 98 on behalf of John of Gaunt. Returning to England January 1395 he accompanied Richard II in his expedition to Ireland, returned to Aquitaine in the autumn and was in Calais in the Summer of 1396. 

Percy earned substantial Royal favour for his military and diplomatic service, the Percy family gave its support to the feature King Henry IV in his rebellion against King Richard II. When Henry returned from Exile in June 1399 Percy and his father joined Henry and his forces at Doncaster and marched south to depose King Richard II. The Percys were rewarded with lands and titles from Henry IV.  

Under the new King Henry IV Percy had both civil and military responsibilities to the east of march and towards Wales and also to the north and Scotland. He was appointed High Sheriff of Flintshire, 1399.

In 1402 Percy was appointed Royal Lieutenant in Wales by Henry IV, on the 14th September Percy, his father and the 3rd Earl of March defeated a Scottish force at The Battle of Homildon Hill. 

The Percy family became disgruntled with Henry IV decisions over the next months and the family moved closer to rebellion. Among other grievances the Percys could not except the Kings failure to pay them for their defending the Scottish boarder and the Kings failure to ransom Henrys brother-in-law, Edmund Mortimer after his capture by the Welsh, June 1402.

Pedigree of the Percy Family

In the summer of the year 1402 the Percy family had had all they could take from the King and they took  up arms against Henry IV in rebellion to his decisions in past months. Apparently Henry Percy had issued proclamation accusing the King of running a tyrannical government.

Percy was joined by his uncle Thomas Percy Earl of Worcester and his father Henry1st Earl Northumberland and together they marched to Shrewsbury were they intended to engage the army there under the command of the Prince of Wales, feature King Henry V. 

Death of Henry Hotspurs Percy

Henry and his uncle arrived at Shrewsbury with their armies 21st July 1403, without the support of his fathers army as his father was moving south toward Shrewsbury at a slower pace. 

On their arrival they encountered the King with a large army, Henry and Thomas engaged the Kings army, and the ensuing bloody and fierce Battle of Shrewsbury was underway. 

The battle was the first were English Archers engaged against the other on English soil, reaffirming the effectiveness of the English Longbow, in the most gruesome of ways, cutting men down in both armies. The battle ended Henrys challenge to King Henry IV, he paid the price of his dis - content with the King through his own death; on that battle field at the Battle of Shrewsbury 21st July 1403, at the age of 39.

Henrys uncle was executed 2 days after his capture at the battle, he was beheaded at Shrewsbury and Buried at St Peter's Shrewsbury; his head was on display on London Bridge.  It is said that on being presented to Henry Hotspurs lifeless body after the battle, that King Henry IV wept for the loss of a great Warrior. 

His body was taken to Whitchurch Shropshire by Thomas Neville for burial, that should have been the end of Percy's story but there is one last twist.

It soon became a popular public opinion that Hotspurs was not in fact dead, and he was in fact alive and still raging battle some were. 

The King moved to extinguish this belief by having his body exhumed and put on display in the Shrewsbury market place. 

The King then sent his head to York for display, had his body quartered and sent to London, New Castle on Tyne, Bristol and Chester. After a pried of time his body parts where retuned to his wife who respectfully laid them to rest in York Minster, November 1403.

Henrys land holdings were forfeited to the crown after he was declared a traitor, January 1404.

Researching Henry Hotspur Percy has given me not just an insight into his life, but an over all greater understanding of history in general surrounding his and other ancestors lives. Through my research I can reveal that Henry is also 16th Great grandfather to Sir Winston Churchill and Lady Diana. If we keep looking, keep researching we may be pleasantly surprised with the discovery of unknown facts, concealed in our family history.

Henry Hotspur

Suggested reading:

The Bloody Field by Shrewsbury, by Edith Pargeter.

Hotspur, by AW Boardman.

Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

Executions in the Family

 Down through the ages there have been those who have suffered the most horrendous of deaths at the hands of the executioner of the day, treason seems to be a conviction handed out rather regularly. Hugh the younger De Spencer was my 20th Great granduncle and he suffered a particularly gruesome ending 24th November 1326 Hereford England. Hugh was judged and found guilty of High Treason and sentenced to death. While awaiting his execution in prison he attempted to starve himself to death, trying the easier way to die was his motivation. He was sentenced to death by Hanging and Drawing and Quartering, the most gruesome form of execution along side burning at the stake. The demise of Hugh the younger was well documented and we can explore his life up to his death, personally I believe his punishment was some what excessive. 

Execution of Hugh De Spencer

A less gruesome form of execution may have been Beheading, if we consider the possible speed of execution in comparison to the later. But there must be some consideration to personal choice now days so I leave it up to the reader to decide the less gruesome. Truth is that executions could often be a prolonged process by intent or incompetent executioners. 

In my deep family history there are those who made their way through life without drawing adversity to themselves, seems that stepping on toes on your life journey was a shaw way to bring the executioner's  axe swinging down on your head. There are 25 people, in my family who suffered death at the hands of the executioner, Hugh's death amongst them.

Another person I would like to bring forward is my 3rd Cousin 14x removed Anne Boleyn and wife to the tyrant King Henry VIII also a 6th Cousin 13x removed to myself.

We have all learnt of the fait of the wives of Henry VIII but when we discover that you have an ancestral connection to people in history we tend to take a much more in-depth look at their lives, and possibly take on a more personal interest in history; this has been true in my case. I have read countless articles and publications about Anne Boleyn, leading up to and including her execution at the Tower of London.

I can say that I do experience a personal attachment to her story and consequently absorb more attention to how she may have been feeling in her last hours. 

Public outrage to the executions was not uncommon, just as we see today some would be in support and others would not be in support of an execution. In the case of Edmond of Woodstock Plantagenet, public anger at his execution delayed his death by 5 hours because no Axman would go against public opinion. A convicted murderer was call upon to do the deed in exchange for his own pardon. 

Revenge could be said to be the motivation for some executions, 17th November 1326 Edmund 9th Earl of Arundel Fitzalan was executed by Queen Isabella, after being captured by John Charlton of Powys an old foe at Shrewsbury. Historical account tells us he was executed with a blunt sword and that it took 22 blows of the sword to remove his head.    

Anne Boleyn 

Tower of London

 

There are stories be hind each execution, it is a fascinating research journey; to be taken. If we take the time to look a little deeper than we usually do we will be rewarded with a richer understanding of our family history. Give thought to how lucky we are that our executed ancestors had issue to continue their family line, so we are here to explore our history.

Below listed 25 ancestors who have met with gruesome endings, 23 were executed by beheading.

1. Hugh the Younger De Spencer, 20th Great granduncle.

2. Edmund of Woodstock Plantagenet, 20th Great granduncle. 

3. Edmund 9th Earl of Arundel Fitzalan, 20th Great grandfather.

4. Thomas 2nd Earl of Lancaster Plantagenet, 20th Great granduncle.

5. Henry 1st Earl of Northumberland Percy, 19th Great grandfather. 

6. Thomas 1st Earl of Worcester De Percy, 18th Great granduncle.

7. Anne Boleyn Queen, 3rd Cousin 14x removed.

8. Owen Meredith Tudor, Husband of 4th Cousin 20x removed.

10. Margaret 8th Countess Salisbury Plantagenet, 5th Cousin 14x removed.

11. Richard 11th Earl of Arundel Fitzalan, 18th Great grandfather.

12. Robert Devereux, 6th Cousin 11x removed.

13. Christopher Blount, Husband of 5th Cousin 12x removed.

14. Robert De Holland, Husband of 1st Cousin 22x removed.

15. John 1st Duke of Northumberland Dudley, 2nd Cousin 15x removed.

16. Edward Neville, 2nd Cousin 17x removed.

17. Richard 5th Earl of Salisbury Neville, 17th Great granduncle.

18. Mary I Stuart Queen, 8th Cousin 11x removed.

19. Richard Grey, 4th Cousin 18x removed.

20. Robert 8th Baron of Willoughby De Eresby Welles, 3rd Cousin 16x removed.

21. Richard 7th Baron of De Welles, 2nd Cousin 17x removed.

22. Edward 17th Earl of Warwick Plantagenet, 5th Cousin 14x removed.

23. Jane Grey Lady, 8th Cousin 11x removed.

24. John Guildford Dudley Lord, Husband of 8th Cousin 11x removed. 

25. Charles I King, 10th Cousin 9x removed. 

Execution of Lady Jane Grey

Recommended reading:

Tower, by Nigel Jones.

Anne Boleyn, by Eric Ives.

Lady Jane Grey, by Eric Ives.

 

Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

Burials and Tomb's in Westminster Abbey

 Westminster Abbey is a fascinating example of historical fact as are most all cathedrals and church's in London and through out the the United Kingdom, I found them to be so during my visits to England. Churches and their Parish records are like sponges to the history of our past generations and we should never under estimate the value of the information they hold about our ancestors. This has been a true fact for my researching of my Bond family history, a tool I have used since the begging of my family researching. In London and though out England I have found Church/Parish records that record the births, marriages and deaths of my family that go back many generations not simply two or three generations but many more. We can look forward to the possibility of gaining information for multiple persons in one record, and we may also be able to find that multiple generations have recorded history at a given church. Dig deep, research deep and leave no favourable record behind, as you discover them.

Westminster Abbey is a place of outstanding historical value, a place most would have on their bucket list of places to see in their travels. For you family historians who have the Abbey on your list see this helpful link too visiting, when your next in London, Verger guided tours.

Westminster Abbey/Public Domain 

As we know it today Westminster Abbey go's back to 1245 when the construction was begone with the orders of King Henry 3rd, there are more than 3,300 burials on site including 16 Monarchs and 8 Prime Ministers plus many more persons of notoriety. I have visited Westminster when in London and have been lifted up by the grandeur  and atmosphere, on taking those fist step in past the entrance. I was only able to wander in areas limited to self guiding but still I was in ore of the names that were before me. I was unaware at the time, to the fact that I was a descendent of some of the people entombed here. 

Today if I was to visit I would be visiting with the knowledge that in fact I have 35 ancestors entombed at Westminster Abbey, in my Bond family line. Amazing some would say, unbelievable others would exclaim, but to me it's just the results of heavy research days for years on end. All 35 ancestors were researched individually for their individual place in the family, over a period of 17-18 years; before connection to Westminster Abbey.

When researching our family histories be ready to be surprised at any point along the way and willing to dig deeper into the new found facts.

The 35 individual ancestors that I discovered and entombed at Westminster Abbey are listed below.

1. Henry III Plantagenet King, 22nd Great grandfather, Eleanor De Provence, 22nd Great grandmother buried at Amesbury Priory.

2. Thomas Owen, 11th Great grandfather.

3 - 4. Edward I Longshanks Plantagenet King, 21st Great grandfather. Eleanor De Castile Queen, 21st Great grandfather.

5 - 6. Edward III of Windsor Plantagenet King, 21st Great grandfather. Philippa De Hainault Queen, 21st Great grandmother.

7 - 8. Richard II Plantagenet King, 1st Cousin 21x removed, Anne Bohemia Queen, Wife of 1st Cousin 21x removed.

9. Emma De Normandy Queen, 29th Great grandmother.

10 - 11 Edward the Confessor De England King, 28th Great grand uncle, Edith De Wessex, Wife of 28th Great grand uncle. 

12. Henry V De Lancaster King, 2nd Cousin 20x removed.

13. Edward V of England child King, 5th Cousin 14x removed.

14. Henry VII of England King, 6th Cousin 14x removed.

15. Edward VI of England King, 7th Cousin 12x removed.

16. Anne of Cleaves, Wife of 6th Cousin 13x removed.

17. Mary I of England Queen, 7th Cousin 12x removed.

18. Elizabeth I of England Queen, 4th Cousin 14x removed.

19. Cnut (Canute) the Great King, 30th Great grandfather.

20. Anne Neville Queen, 2nd Cousin 17x removed.

21 - 22. Elizabeth Seymour / Percy, 8th Cousin 8x removed, Huge 1st Duke of Northumberland Smithson / Percy, Husband of 8th Cousin 8x removed.

23. Elizabeth Anne Frances Percy, 9th Cousin 6x removed.

24. Marie De La Garde Peliot / Bond, Wife of 9th Cousin 10x removed.

25 - 26. George Augustus II Hanover King, 13th Cousin 6x removed,

 Wilhelmine Charlotte Karoline Von Brandenburg Ansbach, Wife of 13th Cousin 6x removed.

27. Mary I Stewart Queen, 8th Cousin 11x removed.

28. James VI Stewart King, 9th Cousin 10x removed.

29. Elizabeth Stewart, 10th Cousin 9x removed.

30. Charles II Stewart King, 11th Cousin 8x removed.

31. Anne Stewart Queen, 12th Cousin 7x removed.

32. George of Denmark Prince, Husband of 12th Cousin 7x removed. 

33 -34. William II - III Orange of England King, 12th Cousin 7x removed, Mary II Stuart Queen, 12th Cousin 7x removed.

35. George Seymour, 8th Cousin 7x removed.  

  Source: Burials at Westmister Abbey.

Recommended reading:

The Obedientriaries of Westminster Abbey and their Financial Records, by Barbara Harvey.

Treasures of Westminster Abbey, by Tony Trowels. 

Westminster Abbey, by David Cannadine.

Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

1066 Battle of Hastings

 I remember before my addiction to family history researching, my understanding and interest in history was somewhat vague beyond one hundred years or so; English history was definitely a foggy mix of Roman occupation, War of the Roses, Kings and Queens, and the Battle of Briton. Mostly learnt through historically obscure movies or documentaries over the years, today I now only give historically accurate programs my attention. England has such a rich, well documented history that goes back many hundreds of years and because of my ancestry researching I have come to a richer and more objective understanding of past events. Through my ancestral journey I have discovered ancestors who forged history as we now know it.

During the last few day's prior to ending my 2000 visit to the UK I found my self exploring towns, villages reasonably close to Gatwick. One day I found my way to Hastings and exploring in the area I discovered the town known as Battle. Located north east of Hastings in East Sussex, approaching the town in my rental I was thinking how ominous the name Battle seemed. With my limited knowledge I'm thinking maybe the town of Battle had something in common with the Conquest and the battle of 1066. 

After driving around town for a short while I found my self at Battle Abby at first I was under the impression that I was parking in the car park of a tourist gift shop, and really didn't expect much more. My visit to Battle Abby was one of my most memorable tourist attraction visits in my 2000 UK activities.

I soon became aware that I was at the 1066 battle field were English history change with outcome of the battle between King Harald of England and William  of Normandy. I saw that for a small fee I would be able to take a self guided stroll out onto the actual battle field, an opportunity that I took up without hesitation.

 For a full Hour I wondered the battle ground taking in the imaginary images of men on foot, men on horse back glinting weaponry and armour the sounds of battle and death all over this place 14h Oct 1066. Standing at the place were King Harold of England laid dying is confronting, but then I realised when standing at almost any place on the field many men may have died at that very spot more than nine hundred years ago.

 

The 1066 Hastings Battle Field

Some years have past since the day I visited the 1066 battle field and I am now even more thankful that I had the opportunity to spend time on the field. Today thanks to the following  years spent research studying and documenting my family history, I have been successful in identifying some ancestral relationships to men at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and my Bond family line. Each person was individually researched, not for their connection to the battle but their connection to my Bond family line; and serendipitously connected to the battle. Knowing now that I acutely have ancestors who survived the carnage at the Battle of Hastings gives me a whole new perspective of the history surrounding the battle.

King Harold of England / Husband of 29th Great grandmother.

Gyrth Godwinson / Brother in-law to 29th Great grandmother.

Leofwine Godwinson / Brother in-law of 29th Great grandmother,

William of Normandy / 27th Great grandfather.

Robert Deaumont / 25th Great grand uncle.

Walter Giffard / 27th Great grandfather.

William De Warren / 26th Great grandfather.

Hugh De Montford / 28th Great grandfather.

1066 Battle of Hastings

Recommended reading:

The Battle of Hastings, by Jim Bradbury.

1066, by Kelly Devries. 

The Norman Conquest, by Mac Morris.

Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

New Discoveries

 New discoveries just keep on coming, just when you think you have learnt all there is to know about the people in your family one or two individuals will suddenly give up new information, that will delight you. January 2022 and the new family research year started off with two such discoveries, from people that I have been researching one from the very beginning; my grandmother Kate and the other a cousin found through DNA matching some years back 4th cousin 1x recovered Reginald Albert Gorman. 

In the case of my grandmother I received an automated Email from a family tree building and research site that I subscribe to, informing me that a new Christening record had been found for my grandmother, and inviting me to come and see the record. After a day or so, I clicked on the record link and behold. I discover indeed more detailed information than in other past records.

Name Kate Elizabeth Wise

Sex Female  

Christening date 28 Mar 1875

Christening place Wareham, Dorset, England UK 

Christening place (original) St Mary's Wareham, Dorset England 

Fathers name William 

Mothers name Julia

The new fact I see for the first time in this record is St Mary's Wareham Dorset England, I had never known that Kate was Christened at St May's Wareham so I went Googling and found that St Mary's is still active today.

StMary's Wareham Dorset England/Public Domain.

Exploring St Mary's history on line I discovered an interesting fact about the Christening font, it is apparently the only 12th century Hexagonal lead font in existence. 

Christening font St' Mary's Wareham Dorset

   Grandmother Kate is a twin sister to my aunt Louisa so this discovery of the font is an interesting new fact to add to the family story.

Reginald Albert Gorman, Australian actor who has been in the tree since 2019 was only discovered for being the so well known actor of Australian TV that we know him for, while I was exploring my DNA match to his daughter Kate Gorman, who is also an accomplished Australian TV actress. Appearing in Neighbours and many other productions. Cousin Kate Gorman and her father Reg are related through William Bond and Sarah Bond/Acton and their daughter Sarah Jane Bond.

Reg Gorman

A third new discovery was while watching the program Who do You Think you Are, Australian journalist and television  presenter Jennifer Victoria Byrne was being presented with her family history and in the course of the program it became clear that her ancestral line had similarities to my own family. I have since learnt that we are 19th cousins.

 

Jennifer Byrne 

My lesson for this new year is I don't know what I don't know, when I think I know.  

Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

Blackboy Hill

Blackboy Hill

 

Hell, on Earth.

A flicker of consciousness, a flicker of gloomy light, a wave of knowing, a realization of his surroundings and his commitment and duty.

Robert Vivian Bond was aged 19, and for the past two weeks he had been waking at five in the morning each day; at Blackboy Hill military training camp.

Blackboy Hill a military training camp in Western Australia was a tented military camp that gave basic training to the young men, who had volunteered for duty in the 1^st world war.

Notoriously known; because the men, mostly teenagers; would be going to the front line in France. After 2½ months training they will be in, hell on earth.

 “Ho God here we go again,” Viv muttered to himself, as his nostrils detected the smells of breakfast wafting through the camp. He knew it as a ploy, they feed us well and we go through a rigorous training schedule all day; it’s a ploy that was working because hundreds of young men like him would be rather keen on a good breakfast right now. 

The guys working in the mess, seem to have signed up to a different War to what the regular men had signed up for. Whatever, Viv and his mates had no complaints given their devotion to keeping their stomachs full and content, before and after a full day of training.   

Ratatattat, boom, all day the sounds of machine gun and single arm fire reverberated around the camp, the stench of cordite, gunpowder and smoke filled the air.

“You’re doing it wrong you bloody fool,” “keep shooting for god’s sake, boy;” The drill Sergeant bellowed.

He knew he was being singled out, so Viv’s reply was to fire his machine gun in a burst that cut his target to smithereens, sending splinters of wood flying in all directions.

“Good man, that’s what we like to see,” the sergeant said, slapping him firmly on the shoulder before moving on to his next victim.

Within a minute a new target would pop up to be dealt with, again and again Viv dispatched his targets like a man possessed.   

After completing his training Vivian was deployed to the battle front in France, newly trained troops usually took a train from Midland station bound for Fremantle port where ship boarding was conducted.

Hundreds of newly trained men, fully kitted out would patiently make their way to the gangways and on to the ship that would take them to the action.

He served in France, manning his machine gun; in the mud, the blood and filthy stench of death for seven months before the day, that the cloud of death came silently, creeping across the battle field.

“Gas, gas,” a fellow forward gunner bellowed, folowed by other men shouting out the same warning before franticly fitting their gas masks. 

The cloud of death had come creeping across Viv’s position before, he knew what he needed to do to be safe; get that bloody mask on and endure the following three or four hours of the suffocating effects of the mask. That or be killed by the truly Suffocating effects of the gas, it’s your choice.

There must have been an accumulation of the effects of the gas attacks on Viv because he was removed from the front, to a medical outpost for the treatment of gas exposure on the battle field, within six months of commencing active duty in the trenches.       

As a young child I remember, sitting all snug and warm, freshly bathed in my jim jams slippers and dressing gown; on the huge lounge that seemed to swallow me up. Visiting uncle Viv and aunty Eva was a delightful outing for a young lad, as I knew I would be fully captivated by my uncle’s presence.  

We held a warm connection between us, Viv and I, remaining quiet and seemingly uninterested I managed to take in most of the Adult conversation, or I thought so at the time. I remember his warm smile and wink of acknowledgment whenever our gaze met, I knew him as a kind gentle man; I remember him being like a Farther Christmas, without the red suit and white beard, huge smile and warm eyes.

He was a man; who had taken a journey to hell and returned home, those eyes had seen hell on earth.

Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

House of Plantagenet

House of Plantagenet:

Plantagenet

I discovered a distant connection to the Plantagenet's firstly through my Maternal family line, but then after another 2yrs of further researching I discovered a much closer Paternal Bond family line connection.

The House of Plantagenet was a royal house which originated from the lands of Anjou in France. The name Plantagenet is used by modern historians to identify four distinct royal houses – the Angevins who were also Counts of Anjou, the main body of the Plantagenets following the loss of Anjou, and the houses of Lancaster and York, the Plantagenets' two cadet branches. The family held the English throne from 1154, with the accession of Henry II, until 1485, when Richard III died.

Under the Plantagenets, England was transformed, although this was only partly intentional. The Plantagenet kings were often forced to negotiate compromises such as Magna Carta. These constrained royal power in return for financial and military support. The king was no longer just the most powerful man in the nation, holding the prerogative of judgement, feudal tribute and warfare. He now had defined duties to the realm, underpinned by a sophisticated justice system. A distinct national identity was shaped by conflict with the French, Scots, Welsh and Irish, and the establishment of English as the primary language.

In the 15th century, the Plantagenets were defeated in the Hundred Years' War and beset with social, political and economic problems. Popular revolts were commonplace, triggered by the denial of numerous freedoms. English nobles raised private armies, engaged in private feuds and openly defied Henry VI.

The rivalry between the House of Plantagenet's two branches of York and Lancaster brought about the Wars of the Roses, a decades-long fight for the English succession, culminating in the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, when the reign of the Plantagenets and the English Middle Ages both met their end with the death of King Richard III. Henry VII, a Lancastrian, became king of England; two years later, he married Elizabeth of York, thus ending the Wars of the Roses, and giving rise to the Tudor dynasty. The Tudors worked to centralise English royal power, which allowed them to avoid a number of the problems that had plagued the last Plantagenet rulers. The resulting stability allowed for the English Renaissance, and the advent of early modern Britain.

Ingelger De Anjou, 32nd Great Grandfather.

Fulk I (The Red) De Anjou, 31st Great Grandfather.

Fulk (The Good) De Anjou, 30th Great Grandfather.

Geoffrey I Ferreol Gastinios De Anjou, 29th Great Grandfather.

Geoffrey II of Gastinios Audri, Count, 28th Great Grandfather.

Fulk IV (The Rude) De Anjou, Count, 27th Great Grandfather.

Fulk V (The Younger) De Anjou, 26th Great Grandfather.

Geoffrey V (The Handsome) Plantagenet, 25th Great Grandfather.

Henry II (Curtmantle) 1st Plantagenet King, 24th Great Grandfather.

John (Lackland) Plantagenet, 23rd Great Grandfather.

Henry III Plantagenet, 22nd Grea Grandfather.

Edward I Longshanks Plantagenet, 21st Great Grandfather.

Joan Plantagenet, 22nd Great Grandmother.

War of the Roses 1455-58

The House of Plantagenet

Plantagenet

Recommended reading:

The Plantagenets, The Kings Who Made England. by Dan Jones.

Birth of The Plantagenets (series). by Blanche d' Alpuget.

War of The Roses (series). by Conn Iggulden.

Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

Harry Bond Service.

Harry Bond
Service number 14666.

Grandfather

Privet Harry Bond

Harry was born 6^th April 1864; to parents James Robert and Anne Maria Bond of Kilburn London England. He enlisted in the Australian military forces; Bunbury Western Australia Thursday 12^th April 1917, he was a family man with a cheeky smile.

Harry Bond and his wife Kate Elizabeth were living in Balingup Western Australia in 1917; three of their five children Violet aged seventeen, Lena Rose aged fifteen and Cyril Leonard aged thirteen were still living at the family home in Forrest street Balingup. (Kilburn house)
Eldest daughter Lilian Bertha was living in Perth Western Australia with her husband Arthur Fitzgerald Chapman from c1916 and she was aged twenty-three in 1917.
The Eldest son Robert Vivian was aged twenty-one and convalescing in Boscombe military hospital England 1^st April 1917. He was suffering from the after effects of a gas attack in the front-line trenches of France, where he was serving at the time. He had been serving in the Australian military since 1914 and was not supportive of his father Harry enlisting for military service. He may have been comforted in his assumption that his father would be home looking after things; during this time of conflict.

 It is very clear that Harry would have had compelling incentives to remain at home where he had his loving wife and three teenage children depending on his support and his being around. We must give him credit for the decision he made back then to enlist and serve his time, do his bitt. Knowing of his son Robert’s close call with death and possibly knowing of other local men who had not survived gas attacks in the trenches; he surely took account, of the possibility that he may not return. 

On the 12^th April 1917 in the town of Bunbury Western Australia Harry Bond of Balingup enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, unit A.S.C (May, Reinforcements)

The A.S.C (Army Service Corps) was a complicated unit of Companies that provided other units with specialised services. The enlistment paper has no birth date entered, but Harry has stated his age as being forty-four years; a clear understatement by nine years given his birth date is 6^th April 1864 in London England.
Harry was putting his age down from fifty-three to forty-four; to be eligible for enlistment for service in the army, and he has achieved his goal, for the time being.
In his application, he has nominated his calling as being a baker. He was possibly putting himself forward to an area in the army where he may not see too much action; in the catering services. 

Enlistment Form Harry Bond

He appears on English records for the last time with his London family in the 1881 England Census; Occupation Carpenter. In pre and post-war Balingup records, his calling moves from gardener to fettler and back to carpenter over a forty-five-year period. There is no mention of Harry having baking skills in any Electoral Rolls pre or post-war Balingup. 

It’s from here in Harry’s enlistment record that he begins to state truths in that his wife is Kate Elizabeth Bond and that his permanent address is the town of Balingup WA, also he has no prior military service nor had he ever been rejected for military service. 
Harry next indicates that he is perfectly willing to be inoculated against small pox and enteric fever, he was not about to let a jab or two in an arm stop him from enlisting. Finally, near the bottom of the enlistment record he allots no less than three-fifths of his army pay to the support of his wife and children. 

Amongst other military records for Harry, is a Will document that simply informs us that his will has been lodged with the Secretary of the Roads Board Balingup W.A, and an indication that he has taken account of the possibility he may not return. 
Age enlistment requirements in 1917 would have been made clear to all men offering themselves for military service, 18 – 47 years of age. By reducing his age Harry would have been offering to give three years of service.
We have men under age and men over age who are willing to do what is necessary to be enlisted into the services during WW1. In Harry Bonds case, he may have been attracted by the prospect of three years of reliable income for his family and an opportunity to travel back to the UK and his home town of London. Thousands of service men may have managed to work around the age requirement and Harry would not have been in a minority group at the time, but a group with multiple reasons for why they enlisted.     

Training camp at Black boy Hill Perth Western Australia was home for Harry and his fellow soldiers, from 1^st May 1917 with periodic visits back to his family in Balingup. Military records indicate approximately a three-month time frame between training and embarkation for Sydney 1^st August 1917 to sail for the UK 21^st September 1917 on board SS Orita Halifax, disembarking Liverpool, UK 3^rd October 1917. A very busy time for the men after signing up and training, before they are shipped off across an ocean. 

Mr. Harry Bond returned to camp from long leave on Monday, 21^st.
He expects to sail for France on or about the 23^rd inst.
Trove; National Library of Australia, The Blackwood Times Bunbury WA, Balingup Notes.
Fri 25^th May 1917

Blackboy Hill Training Camp, Greenmount Perth W.A

This must have been a traumatic time for the family, knowing that their father was going off to the war over aged and may well find himself on the front line in France. Baking bread or not they considered the front a dangerous place for him to be.        

While Private Harry Bond was going through his training at Black boy hill or at some time after, his wife Kate was at work behind the scenes thinking up a way to scuttle her husband’s plans of a full three years of service in the army or at best preventing his movement to France. 

 Son Robert Vivian Bond may have received news from his mother, Kate; of his father’s successful enlistment and subsequent deployment to England and on to France and at some time he decided to intervene and have his father discharged from active service on the grounds of being over age. 

From October 1917 through to December 1917 Harry's service in England seems to be going well, there are no statements in his service record to suggest he has been discovered. 

On the 31^st January 1918, his service record indicates that his game is up, he has been sprung and he is to return to Australia (discharge) reason senility. The family have got there way and their father is coming home where he belongs, thankfully to Viv's intervention.

On the 6^th April 1918 Harry returns to Fremantle Western Australia on board RMS Osterley, and records state, Discharged 5^th MD 24^th April 1918. 

RMS Osterley Homeward Bound

Harry and Kate Bond remained living in Balingup up until August 1946 when they made the move to Bunbury, there is abundant community records at Trove Australia in the form of newspaper articles from the Balingup News giving acknowledgements in their community participation. 

Harry his son Robert Vivian and others returned soldiers received a big welcome home from the Balingup town community, this is well documented Balingup News at Trove Australia. 

Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

The Acton Family Line

The Acton Family line is in itself a huge complex line of Baronet's and the pinnacle achiever would have to be Lord Acton.

(3rd Great Grandmother) Sarah Acton brings this line to the Bond,s.

The Bond,s where also of high order at this time in history.

9th Great Grandfather.

1.Sir Edward Acton, 1st Baronet.

2.Sir Edward Acton, 1st Baronet (20 July 1600 - c. June 1659) was the son of Walter Acton, Sheriff of 3.Shropshire. He was created 1st Baronet Acton, of Aldenham, Aldenham Hall, in Morville, Shropshire England on 17 January 1643/44.

Sir Edward was a Royalist during the English Civil War and fought at the Battle of Edgehill and the Siege of Bridgnorth. At the Battle of Worcester he was wounded in the thigh.

Sir Edward was MP for Bridgnorth during the Long and Short Parliaments and also sat in King Charles I's Parliament at Oxford.

He married Sarah Mytton, and they had the following children:

1.Sir Walter Acton, 2nd Baronet (1621-1665)

2.Edward Acton (1623-1654)

3.Thomas Acton (1623-1677)

4.Frances Acton (1625-1626)

5.William Acton (c. 1627-1659)

6.Robert Acton (1628-1654)

7.Richard Acton (1630-1674)

8th GreatGrandfather.

Sir Walter Acton, 2nd Baronet (1621 – 1665) was the son of Sir Edward Acton, 1st Baronet, he succeeded to the baronetage upon the death of his father. Sir Walter was elected MP for Bridgnorth at the Convention Parliament of 1660.

He married Catherine Cresset, and they had the following children:

1.Sir Edward Acton, 3rd Baronet (1649-1716)

2.Walter Acton (1651-11 Mar 1718)

3.Richard Acton (b. c. 1652-Mar 1705)

4.Thomas Acton

5.William Acton

6.Robert Acton (b. 1655) 7th GreatGrandfather. > Robert Acton Jnr 6th G.Gf. > Charles Acton 5th G.Gf. > John Acton 4th G.Gf. > Sarah Acton 3rd G.Gm (hus) William Bond 3rd G.Gf. > William Robert Bond 2nd G.Gf. > James Robert Bond 1st G.Gf. > Harry Bond Grand father. > Cyril Leonard Bond. > Noel L Bond.

7.Francis Acton (1657-24 Aug 1733)

8.Catherine Acton

9.Elizabeth Acton

10.Sarah Acton

7th Great Grand Uncle.

Sir Edward Acton, 3rd Baronet(c. 1650 - 28 September 1716) was the son of Sir Walter Acton, 2nd Baronet, he succeeded to the baronetage upon the death of his father. He was Tory Member of Parliament for Bridgnorth from 1689 until 1705, and was a barrister, being a member of the Inner Temple.

He married Mary Walter, and they had the following children:

1.Sir Whitmore Acton, 4th Bt. (1678 - January 1732)

2.Mary Acton (born 1678)

3.Edward Acton (1681-1741)

4.John Acton (born bef. 1716)

5.Sarah Acton

6.Elizabeth Acton

7.Frances Acton (died 29 October 1718)

9.Catherine Acton

He held the office of High Sheriff of Shropshire from 1684 to 1685. He held the office of Recorder of Bridgnorth in 1701.

1st Cousin 8x Removed.

Sir Whitmore Acton, 4th Baronet (c. 1677 - 17 January 1731/32) was the son of Sir Edward Acton, 3rd Baronet, he succeeded to the baronetcy upon the death of his father.

He married Lady Elizabeth Gibbon, and they had the following children:

1.Sir Richard Acton, 5th Baronet (1 January 1712-20 November 1791)

2.Elizabeth Acton (b. bef 1730)

3.Jane Acton (b. bef 1732)

4.Mary Acton (b. bef 1732)

He held the office of High Sheriff of Shropshire from 1727 to 1728.

2nd Cousin7x removed

Sir Richard Acton, 5th Baronet (1 January 1712 - 20 November 1791) was an English baronet. The son of Sir Whitmore Acton, 4th Bt., he succeeded to the baronetcy upon the death of his father.

He married Lady Anne Grey, Daughter of Henry Grey, 3rd Earl of Stamford on 21 September 1744, and they had the following children:

1.Elizabeth Acton (b. 1746)

2.Frances Acton (1749-1762)

He held the office of High Sheriff of Shropshire from 1751 to 1752.

As he had no surviving male issue, the title went to his distant cousin, Sir John Acton.

Sir John Francis Edward Acton, 6th Baronet (3 June 1736 – 12 August 1811) was commander of the naval forces of Grand Duchy of Tuscany and prime minister of Naples under Ferdinand IV.[1]

He was the son of Edward Acton, a physician at Besançon, and was born there in 1736, succeeding to the title and estates in 1791, on the death of his second cousin once removed, Sir Richard Acton of Aldenham Hall, Shropshire. He served in the navy of Tuscany, and in 1775 commanded a frigate in the joint expedition of Spain and Tuscany against Algiers, in which he displayed such courage and resource that he was promoted to high command.

In 1779 Queen Maria Carolina of Naples persuaded her brother the Grand-Duke Leopold of Tuscany to allow Acton, who had been recommended to her by Prince Caramenico, to undertake the reorganisation of the Neapolitan navy. The ability displayed by him in this led to his rapid advancement. He became commander-in-chief of both the army and the navy of the Kingdom of Naples, minister of finance, and finally prime minister.

His policy was devised in concert with the English ambassador, Sir William Hamilton, and aimed at substituting the influence of Austria and Great Britain for that of Spain at Naples. Such policy consequently involved open opposition to France and the French party in Italy. The financial and administrative measures resulting from a policy which necessitated a great increase of armaments made him intensely unpopular, and in December 1798 he shared the flight of the king and queen.

For the reign of terror which followed the downfall of the Parthenopean Republic, five months later, Acton has been held responsible. In 1804 he was for a short time deprived of the reins of government at the demand of France; but he was speedily restored to his former position, which he held till, in February 1806, on the entry of the French into Naples, he had to flee with the royal family into Sicily. He died at Palermo.

He had married, by papal dispensation (13 January 1799) Mary Anne, the eldest daughter of his brother, General Joseph Edward Acton (1 Oct 1737-12 Jan 1830), who was in the Neapolitan service, and had three children:

Sir Ferdinand Richard Edward Acton (later Dalberg-Acton) (1801-1837)

Cardinal Acton (1803-1847)

Elizabeth Acton (1806-1850) married Sir Robert Throckmorton, 8th Bt and had issue.

The elder son, Sir Ferdinand, being the father of the first Baron Acton.

Copyright © Noel Bond. Researched and written by Noel Bond, No written part of this Blog may be reproduced in any form, by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.