References and Notes on the Family of Medlicott of Dunmurry

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Compiled by Ronald F. Medlicott from Glascott’s Pedigree and from material collected by Henry Edmondstone Medlicott.

INTRODUCTORY.

The following Pedigree and notes are compiled from information collected by Henry Edmondstone Medlicott of Sandfield, Potterne, Wilts. and edited and arranged by his grandson, Ronald F. Medlicott, Codicote Mill. Hitchin.

The notes are to be read with the Pedigree to which the reference numbers refer. As it as been compiled from sources which differ widely, the Pedigree itself cannot claim to be fully accurate. The main sources are the Pedigree and pencil notes of Mr. J. Glascott, of Ulster’s Office, Dublin Castle, who compiled the article in Burke’s Landed Gentry of Ireland, and more or less contemporary records of Dorcas Medlicott, wife of the councillor Christopher Williams of Dublin, who married on the 7th. January, 1791.

There are two important discrepancies which should be mentioned. Burke’s Landed Gentry states that James Medlicott, Esq. LL.D.,of Ardscull marked (3) on the Pedigree, was the oldest son of Samuel, marked (22), who was the fifth son of George Medlicott of Tully. Also, Glascott’s account makes no mention of the Rev. Thomas Blunt Medlicott and his descendants. In each of these cases, I have preferred Dorcas Medlicott’s version as it was contemporary.

REFERENCE TO ACCOMPANYING PEDIGREE OF MEDLICOTT OF DUNMURRY

1. George Medlicott, Esq. of Tully, Co. Kildare, marked (1) on Pedigree herewith, was the founder of this branch of the family. He was born on 15th March 1649, and later went to Ireland. He obtained faculties as a Notary Public in 1671 and was also appointed Registrar of Kildare Cathedral in that year. He was living at Bandon, Co. Cork, in 1683. He purchased Tulley, Dunmurry, Ardscull, Ardnecross, Youngstown, etc. etc., Co. Kildare, from John Berkeley, Viscount Fitzharding, in 1712 by Deed executed on 19th August, and enrolled on the 27th October 1714. His Will is dated 14th October 1712, and was proved on 24th July 1730. He died on 26th June 1717, aged 68 and was buried at Kildare. He had married Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Bagot Esq, of Harristown, Co. Kildare, on 22nd June 1672. She was born at Kildare on 16th July 1637. Her Will was dated 1st. June 1723, and proved on 10th May 1729. She died on 29th December 1725, and is also buried at Kildare. Edward Bagot of Harristown and Waltersdown, Co. Kildare, was born in 1620 and was made a Royal Commissioner for Kings County in 1663. He was High Sheriff of Kildare in 1677 and of Kings Co. in 1680. He married in 1659 Catherine daughter of William Colborn of Great Connel, Kildare, and died in 1711 aged 90. He was a direct descendant of Robert Bagod, b.1213, and Lord Chief Justiciary of Ireland in 1274.

We do not know what brought George Medlicott to Ireland, but Mr. Glascott thinks that there must have been some official connection or a very great friendship between George Medlicott and the Earl of Ossory, who was the eldest son of the first Duke of Ormonde, the great supporter of the Royal Stuarts. He (the Earl) died in the Duke’s lifetime 1680, leaving a son who became second Duke. This is of course pure conjecture, probably based on the fact that the fifth son of George Medlicott was named Ossory. But it is to some extent reinforced by the fact that Thomas Medlicott, Esq. M.P., Chief Commissioner of the Revenue in Ireland, and founder of the Rocketts Castle branch of the family, who is stated in some records to have been the brother of George Medlicott, came over to Ireland as paid Secretary to the Duke of Ormonde, and manager of his extensive estates.

There is an interesting record of the position and influence of the Medlicott family at that period in the proceedings on the petition# of George Thornton, Esq. to the Irish House of Commons against the undue practice of George Medlicott, Esq. and his sons in producing themselves to be elected sovereigns of the Borough of Kildare for several years successively. The petition was presented to the House on September 26th 1707, and the report of the committee is dated October 7th, and extends over two columns of pages 539 and 540 volume II. The House having heard the report appears to have proceeded to Order of the Day, and Mr. Thornton gained little by his petition. One of the charges against Mr. G. Medlicott was that he was elected on a Sunday, but it appeared that the stated day for the annual election of Sovereign was St. Matthew’s Day, which fell on a Sunday and that no person objected. It also appeared that it was the custom to nominate three persons for the office, and it was alleged that the friends of Mr. Medlicott in order to secure his return succeeded in putting in nomination two opponents who would be unlikely to receive the vote of the electors. This practice however, appeared to have been adopted at other elections, and although nearly two hundred years old might be worth the consideration of anyone seeking civic or parliamentary honours at the present day!

#This account of Thornton’s petition was sent by a Miss Addison Slone to George Medlicott of Dublin. It may be noted that Alice (73), daughter of George Medlicott married Thomas Thornton.

It appears in evidence that Edward and James, sons of George Medlicott, used to exercise the right of making Freemen of the Borough of Kildare, and one, Daniel Nichola, was produced, who stated that he did not well understand English and desired to be spoken to in French. He admitted that he was made Freeman by Mr. James Medlicott, but denied that he had made any promise or condition to vote for Mr. George Medlicott as sovereign. On the other hand, Captain Lock swears that he was made Freeman by Mr. Linden and forced to promise Dean Synge to keep out Mr. Medlicott, but he did not keep his promise and voted to put him in.

It appeared that there was a prison in Kildare which it was stated was unfit for a dog – kennel, and the practices of other Sovereigns in its use was contrasted with the milder government of Mr. Medlicott, to whose character the witnesses pay their tribute of respect. Stephen Palfrey, Esq. gives evidence that Mr. Medlicott has a valuable lease about Kildare from Lord Drogheda, but knows not his interest in the town of Kildare. Another witness states that Mr. Medlicott is related to the Bagots.

Amongst the malpractice’s charged against the Medlicotts was that foreigners from Portarlington and other places had been admitted to the Freedom of Kildare, and from their sympathy with such we might conjecture that they may have been of the Hugenot French families who came to this country about a century earlier.

2. James Medlicott, eldest son of George, was born in Fish Street, London September 9th, 1674. He was named as eldest son in his father’s Will, and bequeathed Luggshill in Kings County, which had been purchased by his father. He was also named in his Mother’s Will, who left him Dunmurry, Ardnecross, Youngstown and Ardscull. He was granted a lease forever of a burial ground in Kildare Churchyard on the 28th May 1684. He married Mary Banks, at St. Bride’s Church, Dublin, on the 20th November, 1695. Her Will to which Edward and John Medlicott are witnesses is dated 10th March 1737, and was proved on 8th June 1739. She is buried at Kildare.

3. James Medlicott Esq. of Ardscull, son of James Medlicott above (according to early records), was named in his Mother’s Will as Executor. He graduated as B.A. at Trinity College, Dublin, in 1717, and as LL.B. in summer 1723, He was examined as a witness in the trial between James Annesley Esq. and Richard, Earl of Anglesea, in November 1743.
His mother bequeathed to him her concerns in Big Butter Lane, and furniture, plate etc. at Tully. By Deed dated 10th December, 1770, he settled the greatest part of his estates on Charles Dowling of Redhills. He died unmarried on 25th December, 1771. His Will was dated 20th October, 1770, and proved on 8th February, 1772, and in it he devised the residue of his estate to the said Charles Dowling, (7).

4. Elizabeth Medlicott, wife of Hugh Hughes. Was named in her mother’s Will and was bequeathed a house in Peter Street and several chattels and money, also the silver candlesticks which belonged to her grandmother. She was also bequeathed £400 by her father.
With regard to the Hughes family we have obtained the following information from Roscollyn Church, Anglesea: John Hughes married July 24th 1710 Elin, daughter of Michael Owen, of Marian, Llandyfynan, and had two sons, Hugh who married the above named Elizabeth Medlicott, and John who married Jane Taylor of Hollyhead. Hugh Hughes of Plas, Gent., Inspector General of Excise in the City of Dublin, married Elizabeth Medlicott on the 6th December 1739, and died on the 8th Sept. 1792, aged 79 years. Elizabeth had died on 16th January 1754. They left one daughter, Ellen Williams, and present owner of Plas is her descendant, Margaret Williams, married to Sir Edmund Verney, of Claydon, Bucks.

5. Mary, wife of John Fleeson, of New Grove, Kildare, was left £6 per annum, free of all control of her husband. She was also named in her Brother’s Will. She was married on the 5th Jan. 1728. Her Will was dated 1775, and proved in 1776. It should be observed that in some of our records she is said to have married a Mr. Dowling, but here I have taken Glascott’s version. This matter will be further discussed below.

6. Catherine, wife of – Thompson, was bequeathed 1/- by her mother!

7. Charles Dowling, took the name of Medlicott when he succeeded to the property of James Medlicott of Ardscull. He was born 1705, and died intestate on the 12th February 1811, aged 106. Although some records state that he was the son of Mary Medlicott, and therefore a nephew of James, Glascott writes “I was always under the impression that Charles Dowling was no relation of the Family at all. In the Deed of 1770 by which the Medlicott estates were settled on him, he is not named by the Grantor as any relation, but as Charles Dowling of Redhills.”
Charles Dowling married Sarah, daughter of Joshua Paul Meredith.

8. James Dowling Medlicott of Youngstown, who died unmarried in 1812, bequeathed by Will to the family of Medlicott of Dunmurry their ancient property, to be held by their heirs male lawfully begotten.

9. Sarah, who married John Grogan, barrister-at-law, on 16th November 1801, died on 20th October 1819, leaving a son Sir Edward Grogan, Bart.

10. George Medlicott was born at Ballykelly, on the 11th July 1676. He was named in his mother’s Will and bequeathed £200.

11. Revd. Thomas Blunt Medlicott, who according to contemporary records was the son of the above George Medlicott, was Vicar of Laracor, Co. Meath, which is near Dangan Castle, the residence of Lord Mornington, and was Dean Swift’s living.

An interesting account is given of this branch of the family by Wellesley Medlicott, marked 11A on the attached Pedigree. He says: “To the best of my belief and recollection the following is a brief statement in relation to my ancestors. My Paternal grandfather was the Revd. Thomas Blunt Medlicott, Vicar of a living called Laracor, in the county of West Meath, Ireland, and was private chaplain to the Earl of Mornington, father to the late Duke of Wellington and his brother the Marquess of Wellesley. My grandfather had three sons, James, William Wellesley and Hercules, and one daughter, I think her Christian name was Elizabeth. His two sons James and William Wellesley were Captains in the city of Dublin Militia, and his son Hercules was in Holy Orders. His daughter Elizabeth married a Captain Burns, either of the Royal Navy or Marines. My uncles William Wellesley and Hercules died at an early age when I was a boy, and my aunt Mrs. Burns also died, I always understood from grief in consequence of her husband being either drowned or killed in action. My father married Emily Caroline Stewart, sister to a gentleman commonly called John Stewart, a family of high Scottish descent. She had a brother William Weldon Stewart, a Colonel of Infantry in the East India Company’s service. My father resided at this period of his life in Grafton Street, Dublin, and I believe followed some business there. He had two sons, myself and my brother Edwin, and one daughter. My brother Edwin died a young man in London and never was married so far as I know. My sister also died in London. She was married to a Lieutenant Glasgow of the 41st Regiment, eldest son of the late Lt. General Glasgow R.A. My father died in Dublin when I was a boy, and my mother ultimately came to this country with her family, two of whom I have already stated, my brother Edwin and my sister, died. I am therefore the sole representative of my grandfather and father as regards heirship. My uncles had no family, in fact Hercules was never married and William Wesley, although married had no children. I was born in Grafton Street, Dublin, and so I believe were my brother Edwin and sister Emily. My brother Edwin was an Ensign in the Dublin Militia, commanded by Colonel Henry Gore Sankey, whom I always understood was related to my father’s family. I was a Lieutenant in the army and served on the continent. I am a widower and have a family of eleven children, five of whom are now living, viz.. three sons and two daughters, all grown up. I was named Wellesley after my uncle, whose godfather was I believe, the Marquess of Wellesley.”
The above statement is dated November 9th, 1867.

12. Lt. Harold William Medlicott born 1895. Lieutenant R.F.A. and then R.F.C. Was shot down and killed while attempting to escape from a prison camp at Bad Colberg (Sachsen- Meiningen) on or about May 19th 1918. He was the only surviving son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Medlicott of Ealing, W., and a brother of 2nd. Lt. S. N. Medlicott, R.F.A., who was killed at Loos on October 6th, 1915. He obtained his commission in the R.F.A. in September 1914 and shortly after was transferred to the R.F.C. During several months of good work he proved himself to be a daring and skilful pilot and was successful in bringing down a number of enemy machines, for which he was mentioned in despatches. On November 9th 1915 while on special work a blinding snow storm and consequent engine trouble compelled an enforced landing within German lines, and he had since been interned in various prison camps from which he made many successful attempts to escape.

The following comments were contained in the “Evening Standard” of Monday 27th November, 1933: “One name cropped up in almost every speech at the dinner. It was that of Lt. Medlicott. By all accounts he was the champion escapee of the war. He succeeded in getting out of fourteen different camps and fortresses by a combination of marvellous timing and iron nerve. After his last recapture he was murdered by his guards who were taking him back to a fortress.”

There are accounts of Lt. Medlicott’s exploits in a book called “The Escaping Club” (see page 90). The following is an extract from Captain T.W.M. Morgan’s report regarding Lt. Medlicott: “I was with 2nd Lieut. Medlicott at Mainz. There he was working a scheme to get out of the citadel, and go to Darnstadt Aerodrome, in the hopes of being able to get a duty machine, which it had been reported (by an officer from hospital at Darmstadt, who had overlooked the aerodrome) was left out on the flying ground at night. In order to get out of camp he was digging a tunnel from near the bathroom to pass under the two rows of wire. In this, Lieuts. Robinson, Milne and myself were working with him. We were all separated and moved to different camps before it came off. I cannot give you the exact detail of his camps and escapes until the next time I met him at Ingoldstadt, but it is roughly as follows:

1. His first escape was from Han Munden (I think) with Capt. Stuart, Gordon Highlanders. They walked to Darmstadt, and waited round the aerodrome two days before finally deciding the scheme unpractical. They were arrested then on a main road one day’s march from Darmstadt, and put in some civil gaol.
2. From this they both escaped by breaking open their door, placing a ladder against the yard wall, and jumping down into the town. They had somehow procured civil clothing. They were fired on and pursued, and eventually captured after one hour by a Feldwehel on a bicycle with a pistol.
3. His next escape was from a top window by means of an improvised drawbridge on to the ramparts of a camp. This I think was with Capt. Oliphant. They were out five days, and marched 50 km. a night before being captured in a village.
4. While waiting in a camp for his court martial, he escaped again with Lieut. Poole and Captain Oliphant. After eight days they reached the Dutch frontier, where they were all taken. They overpowered their sentry, or, rather pushed him into his own guard room (the same log huts right on the frontier which I reported.) They then ran in different directions. The lucky one Poole, got across, and is now on the staff in France. Medlicott was retaken and sent to Ingoldstadt.
5. From there he escaped, concealed under the day’s refuse in a large box, but when the box was tipped out the sentry saw him, and brought him back to camp.
6. After that, again from Ingoldstadt, he cut out the bars of his window and escaped across the ice on the moat. He was chased by the whole guard firing after him and eventually ran into an under officer who had short-cutted him. Intermediate somewhere between (2) and (3) I believe he had another attempt with Lieut. Collier, R.F.C. but they were captured before leaving the camp.

At Ingoldstadt during a search for contraband in his room he was accused of insulting the Camp Commandant, and up to the time I left, was in solitary confinement awaiting trial. (He was confined for eight weeks without a trial, and expected to get about 18 months imprisonment.)

During his 18 months in Germany he has only spent about two months in an ordinary officers’ camp; the rest in prison; in consequence of this, I think his health and nerves are going” see page 81, letter from Mr. M. R. Chidson of 15th May 1936.

13. Edward Medlicott of Moortown, Co. Kildare was born at Ballykelly on 22nd December 1677. He was left £400 by his mother and named as her executor. He married Dorcas, daughter of Bartholemew Rigg, Esq. of Grange Cullen, Co. Kildare, who died in 1745. He died 10th May 1762. His issue is given somewhat differently in Glascott’s pencil notes, but I have relied on Dorcas Medlicott’s account as this is her own branch of the Family.

14. George Medlicott was of Grange Gormon Lane, Dublin. His Will was dated 17th January 1760 and was proved 23rd February 1766. He married Esther Caroline Blossett of Rathfarnham – Marr, Lic. 8th September 1750. Her Will was proved on 6th May 1790.

15. Rev. James Medlicott was of Tullow, Co. Carlow. He was born in Kildare, in 1712. Entered Trinity College, Dublin, 7th June 1731, aged 19. M.A. Summer 1739. His Will was proved 8th March 1771. He held the lands of Bellyroe in Co. Wexford under George Ogle. His wife Eleanor Whelan was sister of John Whelan of Roth, Co. Wicklow.

16. John Medlicott was bequeathed the lands of Ballyroe, Co. Wexford, by his father.

16A. Margaret daughter of John Medlicott of Ballyroe, married Colonel Charles Grevis on July 28th, 1797. The following is extracted from the Gentleman’s Magazine:
“Colonel Charles Grevis b. 29th Sept. 1745, d. 13th November 1835, aged 90. Was of Mosley Hall, Worcester. He married 1st. Elizabeth, daughter of Demetrious James, Colonel, and cousin of Richard James of Ightham Court, Kent, and 2ndly. Margaret, eldest daughter and co-heiress of John Medlicott of Moortown House, Kildare.”

17. John Medlicott was of Grangeby, Co. Kildare. His Will is dated 20th September 1757, and was proved on 1st November 1761. He married Margaret, daughter of Edward Sandes of Dublin, Glover.

18. Dorcas Medlicott married Christopher Williams of Dublin Marr.Lic. 7th. January 1791. She was declared next of kin to her uncle Theobald on 22nd July 1789. We are greatly indebted to her as it appears that she was the only member of the family who left any genealogical record. We have in our possession a letter from her to Catherine, wife of Joseph Medlicott of Neilstown, asking for points on family history.

19. Theobald Medlicott, of Moortown. Died unmarried and intestate. Administration was granted to his niece Dorcas as next of Kin.

20. Joseph Medlicott was of Dublin. His Will was proved on the 28th July 1762. He married Margaret daughter of Mr. Moore of Burrishole, Marr.Lic. 15th November 1745.

21. Elizabeth Medlicott, was born at Newhall, Ladytown. on 20th February 1679. She Married John Ward of Wardshill, Co. Dublin, Brewer. Was bequeathed £100 in her Mother’s Will.

22. Samuel Medlicott was born at Tully on 18th September 1682. His Will is dated 28th March 1737 and was proved 2nd May 1737. He was bequeathed £100 by his mother.

23. James Medlicott was bequeathed £30 in his father’s Will. He married Anne, daughter of Thomas Olford, Esq. of Muddenstown Co. Kildare.

24. George Medlicott was named in his Father’s will and bequeathed 1/-.

25. Samuel Medlicott was bequeathed by his father £50, when out of apprenticeship. He married Angelice Irwin, Marr. Lic. Oct. 1765.

26. Edward Medlicott was bequeathed £50 when out of apprenticeship. He was of Dunmurry and married Elizabeth McRoberts of Carlow.

26A. Francis Medlicott youngest son of George. Died intestate. Administration was granted to his widow, Phoebe, on 17th November 1764.

26B. Anne Medlicott was bequeathed £20 in her fathers Will.

26C. Penolope Medlicott, the youngest daughter was granted administration of the undistributed assets of her father.

27. Edward James Medlicott J.P. was of Dunmurry. He was born 1791 and died 11th January 1868. He married Anne, daughter of Solomon Speer of Granitefield, Co. Dublin, in February 1827. She died 22nd August 1866.

28. Lieut. James Medlicott R.N. died unmarried. It is recorded in Lodge’s Peerage, 1910 that “George Phillimore, Lt. H.M.S. Polyphemus was mortally wounded in a duel with Lt. Medlicott, on the 18th December 1807, and died next day aged 23.” This probably refers to Lt. James Medlicott, but it should be stated that there were two Lieutenant Medlicotts in the Royal Navy at that time; the other was Lt. John Medlicott, of whom more hereafter.

29. Graydon Medlicott Settled in North America.

30. James Edward Medlicott, of Dunmurry, J.P. was born on 19th December 1827, and died January 25th 1913. He had the distinction of being the oldest magistrate and Grand Juror in the county of Kildare, being in his 85th year at the time of his death. He was a keen sportsman and in his day was usually foremost rider to the hounds.
He married in October 1859 Margaret, daughter of J.H. Davidson, Esq., of Edinburgh, H.M. Physician in Ordinary.

31. Edward Richard Medlicott was a Sub-Inspector in the Royal Irish Constabulary. He was educated at Sandhurst and Hythe, and died unmarried on 26th November 1872, aged 40, from smallpox.

32. Richard Solomon Medlicott married Louisa Mary, daughter of A.T.H. Banks, M.D. on 9th March 1882.

33. Annie Medlicott, was born on 31st October, 1829, married in 1857, Walter Bagot, and died without issue, 6th August 1878. It will be noted that this is the second alliance with the Bagot family as the Pedigree starts with George Medlicott and Elizabeth Bagot.

34. Major Richard Frederick Cavendish Medlicott was born on 9th July 1877. He resided at Dunmurry. He served in the 89th Regiment and then in the South African Defence Force (Witwatersrand Rifles) in Zululand in 1906 and in the German South West African campaign with the 3rd South African Infantry in the Great War. He was awarded the M.C. and O.B.E. He married in 1920 Augusta Blanche, daughter of the late H.J.B. Hargreave, M.I.C.E. of Dublin, by whom he had two sons, Edward James, born on 13th August 1921, and Henry George Stephen, born on 26th Dec. 1922 and a daughter Anne Stuart. Maj. Medlicott died on 11th Jan. 1936 and was succeeded at Dunmurry by his elder son.

35. Charles Francis Louis Medlicott, was born 25th July 1880. He went to California U.S.A. where he married Miss Etelka Küstel on July 26th 1912. He was connected in business with the Rucker Fuller Desk Company. His present address is 331, Sycamore Avenue, Mill Valley, California.

36. George Herbert Medlicott was born 6th June 1885. He was 2nd. Lieut. in the 3rd South African Infantry, and was killed in action in France on the 15th October 1916, aged 31 years.

37. Elizabeth Medlicott married 21st June 1883 Thomas Browning Reeves, J.P. of Arthgarvan. Mr. Reeves died in February 1910, and his obituary notice says “as a cricketer in his Dublin University days, and afterwards for his County, he was particularly well known, and there were few, if any, better batsmen in his time. He was a fine shot, a brilliant man at hounds, and owned some very useful horses in the ‘seventies, namely: Rose of Richmond, and Mary Walker, both of which won races at the same meeting at Baldoyle with his brother, Mr. Willie Reeves, in the saddle, as he himself could not do the weight.”

38. Harriet Medlicott married Lieut. Richard Nunn Bailey, son of Thomas Bailey, J.P. of Mulladuff.

39. Joseph Medlicott, of Nielstown. Co. Dublin, died March 1816. He married Catherine, daughter of Lt. Col. Robert Wood, M.P. on March 9th, 1785, in Dorsit St., Dublin.

40. Elizabeth Medlicott born 12th February 1797, at the Castle, Kildare, married Thomas Finlay on 9th September 1813. Mr. Finlay was a Freeman of the City of Dublin and lived in Rutland Street. A correspondent writes: “He was one time master of the Dublin Foundling Hospital, the buildings of which are now used as the North Dublin University#. It had been a most iniquitous institution in the eighteenth century as recorded by Froude, but we may trust that it was somewhat reformed in the days of our Great Uncle. He was a small irascible man and my father has told me a tradition of his tall and strapping wife taking him up in her arms when he was troublesome and putting him on a high chimney piece to recover himself.” (Our correspondent seems to have confused Trinity College Dublin with some other university.)

#Our correspondent seems to have confused Trinity College Dublin with some other university