Genealogy & Family History
Pedigree of Homfray
The Homfray family is of considerable antiquity, having been long seated in Yorkshire before branching off into Wales and the east of England.
Their origin is said to be Norman.
Their advent into Glamorganshire was through the marriage of Francis Homfray, Esq., of Wollaston Hall, Worcestershire, with Miss Hannah Popkin, of Coytrehen, near Bridgend, and that of his son Jeremiah with Mary Richards of Llandaff.¹
Francis, a successful iron-master in Staffordshire and Worcestershire, established an ironworks at Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil. His third son, Jeremiah Homfray (1759-1833) gave up his share in the Penydarren works to his brother, Samuel 1789. In 1813 Jeremiah was declared bankrupt. He fled to Boulogne to avoid paying his creditors.²
Source: Familiae Minorum Gentium, Joseph Hunter The Publications of the Harleian Society (1869)
THOMAS HOMFRAY, Esq., the 2nd son of Francis Homfray, of Wales, near Rotherham, Yorkshire d. 1733, leaving by Anne Revel, his wife, a son, JOHN HOMFRAY, b. 1723, who m. Sarah, dau of John Parr, and by her, who d. 20 Feb. 1795?, he left at his decease, 2 Feb. 1804, a son, Rev. JOHN HOMFRAY, rector of Sutton, co. Norfolk, m. 13 June, 1797, Hetty, dau. of James Symonds, Esq. of Ormsby, co. Norfolk, and by her (who d. Jan 1841) left at his decease, Dec. 1842, a son and successor, HENRY-REVEL HOMFRAY, Esq.b. Mar. 1809; m. 27 Sept. 1838, Frances- Alice, dau. and co-heiress of William Rayner, Esq. of Stradishall, by Frances, his wife of The Place. Frances Alice, died age 47 in 1863 at Stradishall.
Source: A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain by Sir Bernard Burke
John Henry Revel HOMFRAY, aged 23 years, bachelor, Lieutenant, Royal Navy, HMS Egmont, the son of Henry Revel George Homfray, married 13th November 1915, to Amelia Wilson MACILWAINE, aged 24 years, spinster, the daughter of Sidney Wilson Macilwaine. They had a son Henry Wilson Revel HOMFRAY, born 6th June 1917.
John Homfray (1793-1877) purchased Penllyn Castle in the Vale of Glamorgan in 1846. He married Maria, only daughter and heiress of John Richards of the Corner House, Cardiff. The estate then descended in the male line, the present descendant being Major Herbert Franklen Richards Homfray of Newbury, Berkshire. The castle was a place of note from the twelfth century, when it became the property of a Norman settler - Sir Robert Norris, sheriff of the lordship under Robert of Gloucester, successor and son-in-law of Fitzhamon.
Homfray in Sheffield
After the death of Francis Lister in 1755, owner of Sheffield Weekly Journal; it was purchased by Revel Homfray, who, incorporated it with his Sheffield Register and Doncaster Flying Post, previously printed at Doncaster.
Revel Homfray from Wales, near Kiveton, died in 1760, and his son, Francis Homfray, seems to have thought the trade of brazier and tin-plate worker, which he carried on in King Street, more desirable than newspaper publication.
Thomas HOMFRAY m. 1719 Rotherham Anne REVELL (b.1697 Whiston). Children christened Wales:
- c.1721 Rachel
- c.1723 John
- c.1725 Henry
- c.1727 Revell died 1760
- c.1730 Anna
Revel HOMFRAY, married twice:
m.(1) 1750 Sheffield Anne FOX, son Francis born 1751 Sheffield
m.(2) 1753 Sheffield Elizabeth HOLMES, children born Sheffield:
- b.1754 John
- b.1756 Christopher
Refer to Revel Pedigree
Parker of Norton Lees
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