Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 22 Dec 1761

To Sir Wr Blackett Bt. M.P. to be left at the Cocoa tree in Pall Mall London 

                                                                                                                        22nd December 1761

Hon[ou]rd Sir    Edw[ar]d Fenwicks pedigree, as given to you at first, was <….[ripped]> his g[ran]f father married Mary, Daughter of Sir Fra[nci]s Liddell whose wife was <….[ripped]> to Sir Richd. Stote. But it is now removed a degree further back. For Mr Robson writes That he & Mr Scott who mar[rie]d Ed Fenwicks Sister, have learned that Sir Fra[nci]s Liddell mar[rie]d Eliz the Daug[the]r of Sir George Tong & that it was Sir Geo Tong who mar[rie]d Sir R[ichar]d Stotes Sister. This descent will still be preferable to Sir Robt Bewicks & Mr Craister’s, if any proof co[ul]d be given of it. But I have enquired here & searched the parish registers, & have also employed an Attorney at Durham to enquire abo[u]t Sr. Geo Tong (who lived at Denton in that County) & to examine the registers of the parish in wch Denton lyes & also to search for his will or any Lres [Letters] of  adminis[tratio]n in the office at Durham. And all I have obtained in favour of this new pedigree is only Hearsay, collected by Mr Scott & Mr Robson.

Against wch the following Facts appear   1st. Sir R[ichar]d Stote on the 25 Aug[u]st 1666 certifies to the Colledge of Arms a pedigree of his family, & sets forth that his Sister Barbara was married to Rich[ar]d Hodgshon of Whickham & his Sister Ann to Wm. Comandale merch[an]t but makes no mention of St. Geo Tongs having married any relation of his.

2dly In the parish register of St. Nicholas in this town I find that on the 7th December 1635 Mr. George Tong married Barbara Carre ( who appears to be the Daug[ht]er of Ralph Carre merch[ant]). Now if this was the Sr. Geo. Tong (For he might afterwards be Knighted) It must be shewn that he had another wife before or after this Barbara & that she was a Sister of Sr R[ichar]d Stotes, notwithstanding the silence of the above certificate. And if it be alledged, as from the Enquiry at Durham appears more probable, That it was this Mr Geo Tongs father who was the Sir George; then I think a greater difficulty, if not an Impossibility <…….> occur ag[ain]st Edwd Fenwicks claim under Him. For from Sr Nichs <regi[ster]> it appears that Sr Richd Stote’s father married Jane Bewick on the 14 Ap[ril] 1618 & that his Eldest Daug[the]r Eleanor was baptized the 24 October 1619, but di[ed] before she was 15 y[ea]rs old. That his 2nd daug[the]r Mary was not baptized till 7 December 1628 & died within the year & That his 3rd Daug[the]r Marg[are]t was baptized the 27 December 1629 & consequently co[ul]d not be mar[rie]d to the s[ai]d Sr. Geo Tong, so as to have a Daug[hte]r marriageable before or in the y[ea]r 1656. & yet, by Mr. Ellison of Parkhouse’s Minute, Sir Fra[nci]s Liddell had mar[rie]d Elizth Daug[the]r  of Sr Geo Tong before or in that y[ea]r. Besides, if better Evidence than Hearsay should be procured about this marriage of Sr Geo Tongs with Sir R[ichar]d Stotes Sister, & all the difficulties wch occur, as above, were removed: yet there wo[ul]d still remain so many others abo[u]t the marriage of Sr  Fra[nci]s Liddell with Eliz Daug[the]r of Sr. Geo Tong; & about the marriage of Edw[ar]d Fenwicks Grandfather with Mary Daug[the]r of Sr. Fra[nci]s Liddell; as wo[ul]d make a legal proof of the s[ai]d Edw[ar]d Fenwicks descent from Sr. R[ichar]d Stote almost to be despaired ag[ains]t.

I was told the other day that Mr Geo Surtees of Mensforth has purchased a part of Sr Geo. Tongs Estate; & therefore have desired a Gent[lema]n who has some Acquaintance with him to enquire whe[the]r he has any deeds that mention the name of Sr Geo Tongs wife? If any thing material is met with I shall im[m]ediately let you know it. I am etc      HR

P.S. Mr Brewster has got Sandgate Chapel, so that the Curacy of St. Nich[ola]s will be to be disposed of by Dr Brown.