Down Rabbit Holes and Up Family Trees

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Alfred Marshall, the well known Cambridge economist, was Charles Henry Marshall’s nephew – the son of Charles’s brother, William Jnr. Charles lent Alfred the money he needed to fund his education at Cambridge. When Charles died in 1874, he also left Alfred a bequest which Alfred famously used to finance a trip to the United States.

After Alfred’s death in 1924, his pupil, John Maynard Keynes, wrote an obituary that was published in The Economic Journal a few months later and in the opening paragraph stated, “The Marshalls were a clerical family of the West, sprung from William Marshall, incumbent of Saltash, Cornwall, at the end of the seventeenth century.” ¹

Mary Paley Marshall, Alfred’s wife, when writing to Keynes in preparation for the obituary wrote, “His great-great grandfather was the rector of Ashprington, who was called ‘The strong man of Devon’. A[lfred] was fond of telling stories about him: e.g. of his driving a pony draft in one of the narrow lanes, when on meeting another vehicle he took his pony out of his trap, & lifted the trap clean over the hedge.” ²

These references pricked my interest and with the online resources now available, I have explored the Marshall lines of descent and have found ten clergymen in Alfred Marshall’s direct ancestry:

• Rev. John Marshall (1728-1799), Alfred’s great-grandfather, Rector of St John’s and St George’s, Exeter; Master, Exeter Free Grammar School. (Listed by Keynes.)
• Rev. William Marshall (1677-1756), ³  Alfred’s great-great-grandfather, Rector of Ashprington, Devon. (Listed by Keynes.)
• Rev. Charles Hawtrey (1687-1770), Alfred’s great-great-grandfather, Rector of Heavitree, Sub-Dean of Exeter. (Listed by Keynes.)
• Rev. John Hawtrey (1645-1715), Alfred’s great-great-great-grandfather, Vicar of Sanderstead, Surrey and of Mapledurham, Oxfordshire.
• Rev. Edward Hawtrey (1605-1669), Alfred’s great-great-great-great-grandfather, Rector of Denham, Buckinghamshire.
• Rev. Richard Sleech (1675-1730), Alfred’s great-great-great-grandfather, Canon of Windsor.
• Rev. William Thornton (1669-1718), Alfred’s great-great-great-grandfather, Rector of Birkin and Clapham.
• Rev. Robert Thornton (1623-1698), Alfred’s great-great-great-great-grandfather, Rector of Birkin, Yorkshire.
• Rev. Robert Thornton (~1597-1665), Alfred’s great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, Rector of Birkin, Yorkshire.
• Rev. Stephen Upman (1643-1707), Alfred’s great-great-great-great-grandfather, Prebendary of Westminster, Rector of Stamford.

Rev. William Marshall St. David’s Ashprington ©Alun Stevens 2016	Rev. Charles Hawtrey Exeter Cathedral ©Alun Stevens 2016

The wider family is also important. The Marshall, Hawtrey, Bentall, Sleech, and Thornton families, largely of the West of England, were extensively interconnected and intermarried over many generations. They produced many clerics. I have found the following in Alfred’s family tree:

• Rev. George Baker (1687-1772), husband of Alfred’s first cousin four times removed, Mary Weston (1700-1777), Vicar of Modbury, Archdeacon of Totnes, Prebendary and Registrar of Exeter. (Photo)
• Rev. Dr. Thomas Baker (1727-1803), D.D., Alfred’s second cousin three times removed, Prebendary of Exeter Cathedral.
• Rev. Richard Battiscombe (1798-1873), husband of Alfred’s first cousin once removed, Anne Marshall (1802-1862), Rector of Lawhitton, Cornwall.
• Rev. John Benthall (1806-1887), Alfred’s first cousin once removed, Vicar of Willen, Buckinghamshire.
• Rev. Douglas Belcher Binney (1830-1911), Alfred’s second cousin, Vicar of Culham, Oxfordshire.
• Rev. John Erskine Binney (1836-1913), ⁴  Alfred’s second cousin, Prebendary of Exeter Cathedral and Rector of the parish.
• Rev. William Frederick Bird (~1767-1831), husband of Alfred’s first cousin twice removed, Sarah Hawtrey (1783-1862), Rector of Widmerpool, Nottinghamshire.
• Rev. Richard Brereton (died 1801), husband of Alfred’s first cousin three times removed, Maria Philippa Sleech (1750-1807).
• Rev. Richard Buller (1776-1806), ⁵  husband of Alfred’s great aunt, Anna Sophia Marshall (1782-1844), Vicar of Colyton, Devon.
• Rev. Claude Jamineau Carter (1763-1833), husband of Alfred’s first cousin twice removed, Sybilla Mendham (1773-1835), Rector of Great Henny, Essex.
• Rev. Dr. William Cooke (1711-1797), husband of Alfred’s great-great-great aunt, Catharine Sleech (1720-1765), Dean of Ely and Provost of King’s College. Portrait.
• Rev. William Cooke (1749-1824), Alfred’s first cousin three times removed, Professor of Greek at Cambridge, Rector of Hemstead-with-Lessingham, Norfolk.

• Rev. William Floyer Cornish (1769-1858), husband of Alfred’s first cousin twice removed, Elizabeth Marshall (1772-1862), Rector of Hook, Dorset. (Photo)
• Rev. Dr. Richard Cust (1726-1783), husband of Alfred’s first cousin three times removed, Mary Harris (1732-1791), Canon of Christ Church, Oxford.
• Rev. Charles Daman (1813-1895), husband of Alfred’s second cousin once removed, Emily Hawtrey (~1814-1883), Fellow and Tutor of Oriel College.
• Right Rev. Thomas Dampier (1748-1812), husband of Alfred’s first cousin three times removed, Elizabeth Sleech (1757-1844), Bishop of Ely. Portrait.
• Rev. Samuel Edlin (~1637-1698), husband of Alfred’s great-great-great-great-aunt, Mary Hawtrey (~1644-1686), Rector of Silchester, Hampshire.
• Rev. Charles Fleetwood (1693-1737), husband of Alfred’s first cousin four times removed, Anne Weston (1697-1777), Rector of Barley, near Barkway, Herfordshire; Rector of Cottenham, Cambridgeshire; Archdeacon of Cornwall; Prebendary of Ely; Prebendary of Exeter.
• Rev. Lightfoot Gaverick (1716-1763), husband of Alfred’s half great-great aunt, Susannah Marshall (1709-1793).
• Rev. Robert Fitzwilliam Hallifax (1778-1837), Alfred’s second cousin twice removed, Rector of Richards Castle, Shropshire.
• Right Rev. Samuel Hallifax (1733-1790), husband of Alfred’s first cousin three times removed, Catherine Cooke (died 1824), Bishop of Gloucester. Portrait 1. Portrait 2.
• Rev. Dr. George Harris (1688-1752), husband of Alfred’s great-great-great aunt, Elizabeth Sleech (born 1711), Vicar of Ringwood, Hampshire; Rector of Worplesdon, Surrey.
• Rev. George Harris (1735-1801), Alfred’s first cousin three times removed.
• Rev. John Harris (1729-1805), Alfred’s first cousin three times removed, Vicar of Sturminster Marshall, Dorset.
• Rev. William Hatherly (died ~1781), husband of Alfred’s second cousin three times removed, Sarah Baker (1730-1760), Vicar of Colyton, Devon.
• Rev. Charles Hawtrey (1732-1796), Alfred’s great-great-uncle, Vicar of Bampton, Oxfordshire.
• Rev. Charles Sleech Hawtrey (1780-1831), Alfred’s first cousin twice removed, Vicar of Hackney, Middlesex.
• Rev. Edward Hawtrey (1741-1803), Alfred’s great-great-uncle, Vicar of Burnham, Buckinghamshire.
• Rev. Edward Craven Hawtrey (1789-1862), Alfred’s first cousin twice removed, Provost of Eton College.
• Rev. Henry Courtenay Hawtrey (1820-1906), Alfred’s second cousin once removed, Rector of Holy Trinity, Windsor.
• Rev. John Hawtrey (1736-1817), Alfred’s great-great-uncle, Vicar of Ringwood, Winchester.
• Rev. John Hawtrey (1781-1853), Alfred’s first cousin twice removed, Rector of Kingston Seymour, Somersetshire.
• Rev. John William Hawtrey (1818-1891), Alfred’s second cousin once removed, headmaster of St Michael’s school, Westgate on Sea, Kent.
• Rev. Montague John Gregg Hawtrey (1805-1886), Alfred’s second cousin once removed, Prebendary of Wells, Somerset.
• Rev. Stephen Hurnard Hawtrey (1779-1858), Alfred’s first cousin twice removed, Vicar of Broadchalke, Wiltshire.
• Rev. Stephen Thomas Hawtrey (1808-1886), Alfred’s second cousin once removed, senior mathematical master at Eton College, and Warden of St Mark’s School, Windsor.
• Rev. James Hicks (1810-1889), Alfred’s second cousin once removed, Vicar of Piddletrenthide, Dorset.
• Rev. James Champion Hicks (1781-1855), husband of Alfred’s first cousin twice removed, Frances Searle (1784-1856), perpetual curate of Rangeworthy, Gloucestershire.
• Rev. Stenning Johnson (1818-1894), husband of Alfred’s second cousin once removed, Emily Marshall (1821-1895), Rector of Eastergate, Chichester, Sussex.
• Rev. Charles Trevanion Kempe (1778-1851), husband of Alfred’s first cousin twice removed, Elizabeth Marshall (1779-1857), Rector of St. Michael Carhayes, St. Dennis, and St. Stephens in Branwell.
• Rev. Charles Marshall (1770-1826), Alfred’s great-uncle, Rector of Lawhitton, Cornwall.
• Rev. Edward Marshall (1730-1803), Alfred’s great-great-uncle, Vicar of Breage, Cornwall.
• Rev. Edward Marshall (born 1769), Alfred’s great-uncle, Rector of Kingston, Jamaica.
• Rev. Richard Marshall (1723-1792), Alfred’s great-great-uncle, Vicar of Hockleigh.
• Rev. William Marshall (1774-1864), Alfred’s first cousin twice removed, Rector of Chickerell, Dorset.
• Rev. John Newborough (died 1712), Alfred’s step great-great-great-great-grandfather, Headmaster of Eton College.
• Rev. Ambrose William Rhodes (1781-1818), Alfred second cousin twice removed.
• Rev. Edward Duncan Rhodes (1797-1866), Alfred’s second cousin twice removed, Vicar of Bathampton, Prebendary of Wells.
• Rev. George Rhodes (1743-1798), husband of Alfred’s first cousin three times removed, Elizabeth Sleech (1756-1817), Rector of Colyton, Devon.

• Rev. Peter Robinson (died ~1721), husband of Alfred’s great-great-great-great aunt, Martha Bulwer (died 1699), Rector of Grendon, Staffordshire, and Vicar of Whitgift, Yorkshire.
• Rev. Charles Sleech (1759-1785), Alfred’s first cousin three times removed, priest at Exeter.
• Rev. Henry Sleech (1722-1784), Alfred’s great-great-great-uncle, Rector of Hitcham, Suffolk.
• Rev. John Sleech (1711-1788), Alfred’s great-great-great-uncle, Rector of Farringdon and Vicar of Sudbury, Devon, canon of Exeter, prebendary of Gloucester, and archdeacon of Cornwall.
• Rev. Stephen Sleech (1705-1765), Alfred’s great-great-great-uncle, provost of Eton College, canon of Windsor, and chaplain to George II.
• Rev. Matthew Tate, husband of Alfred’s first cousin four times removed, Elizabeth Edlin (fl. late 1600s).
• Rev. Henry Taylor (1791-1861), Alfred’s second cousin twice removed, Rector of Stockenham and of Southpool, Devon.
• Rev. John Thomlinson (died ~1721), husband of Alfred’s great-great-great-great aunt, Sibill Bulwer (married ~1692).
• Rev. William Henry Thomlinson (1693-1774), Alfred’s first cousin four times removed, Rector of Rochford, Essex.
• Rev. George Thornton (1803-1876), Alfred’s fourth cousin once removed, Vicar of Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire.
• Rev. Robert Thornton (born 1698), Alfred’s great-great-great-uncle, of Yorkshire.
• Rev. Francis Vansittart Thornton (1816-1895), Alfred’s fifth cousin, Rector of Childon Candover, Hampshire.
• Rev. John Wardale (1824-1903), husband of Alfred’s second cousin, Susannah Jennings Gay (1832-1892), Rector of Orcheston St Mary, Wiltshire.
• Rev. Lewis Way (1772-1840), Alfred’s second cousin twice removed, founding member of The Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People.
• Rev. Stephen Weston (1665-1741), husband of Alfred’s great-great-great-great aunt, Lucy Sleech (1674-1741), Bishop of Exeter. Portrait. (Photo)
• Rev. James Langton Wiglesworth (1822-1882), husband of Alfred’s second cousin once removed, Isabella Marshall (1826-1869), Curate of Chickerell, Dorset.
• Rev. Henry Woollcombe (1785-1861), husband of Alfred’s second cousin twice removed, Sarah Baker Rhodes (1791-1836), Rector of Ashbury, Highampton, and Pillaton.

I also found a number who were contemporaries of Alfred, showing that the clerical connection continued:

• Rev. Arthur Adams (1852-1926), Alfred’s second cousin, Vicar of Crowan, Canon of St. Corentin in Truro Cathedral, Cornwall.
• Rev. Ernest William Adams (1862-1937), Alfred’s second cousin, Vicar of St. John’s, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
• Rev. Herbert Campbell Adams (1849-1912), Alfred’s second cousin, Vicar of Ugley, Essex.
• Rev. George Baker (~1863-1934), ⁶  husband of Alfred’s second cousin, Dora Sophia/Louisa Marshall (1854- 1918), Rector of Huntley, Gloucestershire.
• Rev. Charles Francis Benthall (1861-1936), Alfred’s second cousin, Vicar of Cofton, Devon.
• Rev. Octavius Arthur Benthall (1859-1900), Alfred’s second cousin, Vicar at Sherborne, Dorset.
• Rev. William Louis Benthall (1868-1952), Alfred’s second cousin once removed, Chaplain at Düsseldorf.
• Rev. Frederick Fabian Brackenbury (1853-1928), husband of Alfred’s third cousin, Edith Mary Hawtrey (1852- 1934), Vicar of Monkton, Thanet, Kent.
• Rev. William Bevil Browne (1845-1928), husband of Alfred’s second cousin, Mary Waterfield (1827-1901), Prebendary of Exeter, Devon.
• Rev. Henry Daman (1842-1915), Alfred’s third cousin, master at Eton.
• Rev. Charles de Beauvoir Durand (1881-1926), third cousin once removed.
• Rev. Havilland Durand (1837-1884), husband of Alfred’s third cousin, Mary Hawtrey (born 1843), Vicar of Earley, Berkshire.
• Rev. Ernest Delabere Guillebaud (1856-1907), husband of Alfred’s sister, Mabel Louisa Marshall (1850-1912), Rector of Yatesbury, Wiltshire.
• Rev. Edward Shearburn Marshall (1858-1919), Alfred’s third cousin, Rector of West Monkton, Taunton.
• Rev. Frederick Marshall (1857-1928), Alfred’s second cousin, Rector of Ockley, Surrey.
• Rev. Richard John Milner (1849-1899), husband of Alfred’s first cousin, Amy Marshall (1860-1953), Vicar of Coombe Bisset, Wiltshire.
• Rev. Francis David Morice (1849-1926), Alfred’s third cousin, schoolmaster at Rugby College.

Keynes’s statement summarised the family’s connection to the Church quite succinctly. My research shows that Alfred had ten clerics in his direct line of descent, sixty-six ancestors in his broader family who were clerics, and seventeen contemporaries who were clerics.

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This article is provided as a reference in our paper, The Wrong Marshall: Notes on the Marshall family in response to biographies of the economist, Alfred Marshall which was published in the journal History of Political Economy Volume 52, No. 2, April 2020. If you have visited this page because of that reference, please note that an extended version of the paper with additional research and copies of family and public archival material is available here.

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Footnotes

1. J. M. Keynes, Alfred Marshall 1842-1924, The Economic Journal, 34(135) (Sep. 1924), p. 311, Opening paragraph.▲
2. Mary Paley Marshall note to John Maynard Keynes, King’s/PP/JMK/EJ/6/4, King’s College Archives, Cambridge.▲
3.  Devon and Cornwall notes & queries . See note 190 on page 275. Search for “William Marshall”. ▲
4.  Monuments in Exeter Cathedral, search for “Binney”. ▲
5.  Jane Austen visited Richard Buller who had been a pupil of Jane’s father, George Austen. ▲
6.  St Mary’s Churchyard, Bathwick – Memorial Inscriptions, page D-114. Search for “Baker”. ▲

©Megan Stevens 2018