Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 8.djvu/373

 10 s. VIIL OCT. 19, loo?.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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age of eighty- eight, spent his early years in New Bedford, Massachusetts, at that time the centre of the whaling industry. A few years after Daguerre's invention Kent learned the art of photography, and in 1848 opened his first studio in New York. So great was his success that after realizing a small fortune he came to England in 1854, and opened three London studios one in Oxford Street, one in Regent Street, and one in Knightsbridge. He lived for some years at Eastbourne, where he died on 29 September.

FBEDEBICK T. HIBGAME.

ms.

WE must request correspondents desiring in- formation on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that answers may be sent to them direct.

BEAUCHAMP OF SOMERSETSHIRE.

Is the relationship of the Somerset branch of this distinguished family to Hugh de Beau- champ, the companion in arms of William the Conqueror, and the Beauchamps of Warwick, known ? Sir Bernard Burke, ' Dormant Peerages,' 1866, p. 33, says (following Dugdale) that the first of the Beauchamps of Hacche or Hatch (called after them Hatch-Beauchamp), in Somerset- shire, was Robert de Beauchamp, who died in 1228.

But we can go back further than this, for the Norman Survey states that " Robert holds of the Earl Hache." Not long after the Conquest the three manors held by Godric, Godwin, and Bollo became vested in the family of Beauchamp, from whom the united manor derived its additional name (Collinson, 'History of Somerset,' 1791, i. 44).

In the reign of Henry II. Robert de Beau- champ or Bello Campo, styled of Hache, was Sheriff of Somersetshire several years. His possessions in the county were very con- siderable, the number of knights' fees being no fewer than seventeen, which he certified to hold when the aid was levied for marrying Matilda, Henry's daughter, to the Duke of Saxony. Robert died in 1211 (Collinson, u.8.). This date differs from that given by Burke, who is probably wrong.

At Robert's death his son Robert de Beauchamp was a minor. This Robert was appointed Constable of Oxford and Sheriff of the county, 1215 ; judge, 1234 ; justice

itinerant, 1234 and 1238.. He died shortly before 1 Feb., 1251/2, when his son did homage for his lands (see ' D.N.B.').

Robert de Beauchamp of Hacche, his son, attended King Henry III. in his military expedition into France in 1253 (Collinson ..) He was living in 42 Henry III., c. 1258 (HEBMENTBUDE at 5 S. xi. 347). Was he the Robert de Bello Campo who with Alice his wife held land in London and Middlesex of the Abbot of Westminster, 36 Henry III. ? (See Hardy and Page, ' Calendar to the Feet of Fines for London and Middlesex,' i. 1892, pp. 33, 34.)

His son and heir John de Beauchamp was, 5 Edward I. (1277), appointed Governor of the Castles of Caermarthen and Cardigan. He married Cicely, second daughter of William de Vivonne (styled de Fortibus) and his wife Maud de Kyme (Duchess of Cleveland, 'Battle Abbey Roll,' 1889, iii. 411), or one of the sisters and heiresses of William de Fortibus (Collinson, ii. 118). He died 12 Edward I., 1283 (Collinson, i. 44).

His son John de Beauchamp succeeded in 1284 at the age of ten years (Ancestor, Oct., 1903, p. 254). The Duchess of Cleve- land (i. 132) says he was summoned to Parliament in 1299 ; Collinson (i. Introduc- tion, p. xxix) says he served the county of Somerset in Parliament in 1307, 1314, and 1316. He was summoned to Parliament as a baron by the style of " lo de Bello Campo (de Somerset) " (Burke, ' Dormant Peerages,' 1866, p. 33), and was thus the first Lord Beauchamp of Hacche. He was in 1306 (34 Edw. I.) one of those gentry who received the honour of knighthood with Prince Edward previous to the King's expedition against the Scots (Collinson, i. 45). His wife was Maud (HEBMENTBUDE in ' N. & Q.,' u.s.). Of what family was she ? He was Governor of Bridgwater Castle (Ancestor, u.s.), and died in 1336.

His son and heir John de Beauchamp, 2nd Lord Beauchamp of Hacche, was 30 years of age when he succeeded, and was summoned to Parliament from 1336 to 1343, in which year he died (Collinson, i. 45). His wife seems to have been Margaret, Margareta, Margarita, or " Margaretta, com. Warwick, ob. 35 Edw. III." (Weaver, ' Somerset Incumbents,' 1889, pp. 122,* 124, 410, 442). Was she the Margaret, daughter of William de Beauchamp, Is*

of mine for another of Weaver's books, ' Visitations of the County of Somerset, 1531 and 1573, Exeter, 1885 ; but I am unable to verify this now.
 * The first of these references may be a mistake