The English Munfords & Civil War

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9

Isle of Wight

Perranporth South Petherton Thomas Munford De Montfort Montfort Castles   Norfolk

Honour Roll

The Genealogical History of Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited and Extant Peerages by Burke in a footnote to the de Montforts of Warwick indicates an illegitimate line of Peter de Montfort, last Baron, at Coleshill, Warwick starting with Sir John Montfort. It carries on until the attainder of Sir Simon Montfort by Henry VII (1485-1509). What's interesting is that it goes on to state his descendants continue at Brescote (sic) [Bescot], Staff.  We note also that John Mountford of Warwickshire was enrolled as a student at the university of Oxford in 1586. The crest is described in the Parliamentary and Jenyn's Rolls as belonging to Sir John de  Montford.  It is also listed for Sir William and Robert Montfort (Rolls of Edward III 1327-1377). Burkes Armoury simply says it was an escutcheon borne by a Mumford family of Burport (sic) [Bridport?] Dorset.
Courtesy of Bill Mumford
Sir Edward Munford practised in Walsall as a lawyer. He was a Royalist and at the outbreak of the Civil War 1640 he joined a troop of horse under the command of Sir Arthur Aston. He fought against Oliver Cromwell at The Battle of Worcester in 1651. He was taken prisoner but escaped to France. His estate was sequestered by Parliament and administered by the Mayor of Walsall during his absence. He returned to England at the time of the Restoration 1660 when his estate was returned to him and he was Knighted for his services to the King. The estate no longer exists having been sold in the 18th century and has been extensively built upon.
Courtesy of G.P. Trabone Birmingham
Registered at the Heralds' College:- Crest recorded in 1663 to Sir William Munford, Bescote Hall, Bescote, Staffordshire. All that remains today  is a Bescot Railway Station and a Football Stadium just past Junction 9 on the M6 Motorway. Nearby there is also a Bescot crescent, a street and a road and adjoining Bescot Drive is Montfort Road. It appears to be on the edge of the borough of Sandwell and Dudley which was in Staffordshire before 1976, after that was part of the county of West Midlands but is now a unitary authority. Confusingly Bescot Hall is listed in the 1904 Kelly's directory as being in Walsall. In 1904 it was the residence of a Mrs Slater. Walsall also used to be situated in Staffs.
 Courtesy of  Elizabeth Harris (CRS)
Five feathers with motto "Je Tiens Je Que Je Tiens" (That which I have I hold).  The shield is diagonal blue and gold stripes.
 

Shield drawn by Albert Charles Munford(1892-1986)
Courtesy of Nancy Hutchinson (nee Munford)
Munford Origins

We seem to have three distinct groups, of the family East Anglia, The West Country in particular Somerset (where we hail from) Devon & Hampshire and Walsall & The Midlands. Our particular branch of the family hails from Martock in Somerset. We can trace our descendants directly back to a Cordwainer (shoemaker) John Munford and the triangle bounded by the towns Crewkerne, Chard and Yeovil in 1800. His son a draper in Martock is recorded in Pigot's 1844 Directory of Somerset shortly prior to his death. To view the entry click here. If you would like to check out my personal family tree then please click your mouse here.


Isle of Wight

To read the story of this branch of the family click here.

Individuals
 

There are some 430 persons listed with the surname Munford in the 2002/3 UK Electoral Rolls. The details are available on request from the webmaster.

More recent references to Munfords include:-

Captain William Noon Munford owned and ran the Droskyn Castle Hotel Perranporth from 1932 to 1955.

Dr. William A. Munford (1911-  ) The Patron Saint of Library History and a prolific author on this subject. A short  bibliography of some of his works may be seen by visiting the Sharp Web Library History.

Dr Alan Munford a graduate of University Bristol used to be Senior Lecturer in Statistics at Exeter University.

Dr James Munford is the Programme Director of The National Biodiversity Network Trust see the South Petherton page for related information.

Su Munford-Saunders is the Manager at H. Samuel The Jewellers Megastore at Merry Hill Shopping Town Birmingham West Midlands.

Geoff Munford is The Managing Director of The Burton Bridge Brewery 24 Bridge Street Burton-on-Trent.

Mary-Ann Munford is The Chief Executive of The Basildon Primary Care Trust Basildon Essex
 

 
Lest  We Forget
 
 

Twenty-two Munfords lost their lives in the first and second World Wars 
Click here to see the Debt of Honour Register 
or 
Visit the The Commonwealth Graves Commission for full details. 

 
 
   
 


South Petherton

To read the story of a whole generation of fighting Munfords from South Petherton in Somerset. Click here.

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