Brand Hall

Sir George Mainwaring of Ightfield sold ‘The Brand’ to Richard Grosvenor.

Richard Grosvenor was the son of Thomas and Margery Grosvenor, his brother William Grosvenor lived at Bellaport Hall. Richard Grosvenor of the Brand married Ursula Charlton of Apley, their son William Grosvenor married Anne Shirley, they had two children:

Richard Grosvenor (1612-1628)
Margaret Grosvenor (1609-1614)

Richard Grosvenor of the Brand died in 1616 and Anne Grosvenor died in 1634.

Hearth Tax Roll 1672 – Norton-in-Hales – Mr Grosvenor 8 hearths 16s.

The Davison’s were really a branch of the Styche family. James Styche inherited property from his step-father and took the name Davison. It was his grandson George Davison (d. 1714) who brought the Brand estate.

In the 1737 Churchwarden’s Account book, S. Davison and Robert Davison are listed amongst the principle inhabitants of Norton-in-Hales. A Samuel Davison Esq, died and was buried at St Chads, Norton-in-Hales in 1740.

1756-57 Alterations to the interior of Brand Hall for Robert Davison. [1]

In 1765, Robert Davison married Anne Chetwode, the eldest daughter of Sir Philip Touchet Chetwode and Elizabeth Venables of Oakley.

By a settlement made in 1765 on the marriage of Robert Davison and Ann Chetwode, the manor of Brand, Brand Hall, a house and lands in Betton and a house and lands in the parish of Malpas (called “the Maes-y-Groes estate”) were settled to the use of Robert Davison, the husband for life. In Robert Davison’s will dated in 1769, he gave all his estate to his wife for life, after her death it would pass to his brother William for his life, then to his nephew William Holt Davison (son of his brother William). When Robert Davison died in 1772 without children, his wife Ann (afterwards the wife of Edward Mainwaring) held Brand Hall. William Holt Davison (the nephew) died in 1791, leaving two sons, one of whom was William Holt Davison the younger.

William Holt Davison, the younger (1733 – 1824) by his Will, date in November 1824, after directing his debts to be paid and after giving some legacies out of his personal estate he gave, devised and bequeathed unto his cousin, Daniel Wilson Davison the Brand estate. William was buried on 29th May 1824 at Norton-in-Hales.

Daniel Wilson Davison, was the son of Doctor Robert Davison. On 12th Jan 1823 at St Clement’s Danes Daniel and Margaret Ann Scott were married. Daniel was a Solicitor and lived at 6 Clement’s Inn, Holborn, London.

Children of Daniel Wilson Davison and Margaret Ann Davison
Mary Montague Davison (1826-1874) – in 1844 at Bombay, Mary Montague married Alexander, son of Duncan Stewart, Esq. of Achnacone, Argyleshire.
George Davison (1827-1907) – in 1854, at the parish church of Bryton, Herefordshire, George Davidson Esq. Bombay army married Constance Louisa Close, second daughter of Major Close, H. M.’s 9th Lancers.
Diana Hay Bainbrigge Davison (1832-1842)
Elizabeth Davison (1825) – in 1842 at St Werburg’s church, Derby Elizabeth married Pulteney Mein Dalzell, Esq., of Bombay, eldest son of Alexander Dalzell, Esq. of Sciennes, Edinburgh.

Following the death of Daniel Wilson Davison in 1836, Brand Hall was put up for sale in 1837 but it did not sell. In 1838 the trustees sold it to Mr. Sillitoe for 35,000l.

The Hall of the Brand and other valuable freehold estates at Norton-in-Hales, Knighton, Dorrington and Malpas, in the counties of Salop, Stafford and Flint, will be sold by auction by Mr Brearey. At the Royal Hotel in Manchester, on Wednesday, the 27th day of September, 1837, at five o'clock in the afternoon. Lot 1 - The capital mansion, called the Hall of the Brand well adapted for the residence of a gentleman of fortune, having spacious dining and drawing rooms and other convenient apartments and all requisite offices with a coach house, stables and other buildings suitable for the accommodation of a family, now occupied by Charles Wickstead Esq., as yearly tenant from lady-day to lady-day. 1837

In Purney Sillitoe’s will 1855, he leaves majority of property, land etc. to Alfred William Griffin, eldest son of his niece Elizabeth Sarah Griffin nee Sandey.

Elizabeth Sarah Sandey was born 1812 at Newington, Surrey, to William Sandey Esq., Commander Royal Navy (one of Nelson’s officers) and Martha Sillitoe. In 1833, she married Alfred Griffin Esq., of the Middle Temple.

Children of Elizabeth Sarah and Alfred Griffin
Elizabeth Fanny Griffin (1834-1916) – on 4th January 1860, at St Paul’s Cathedral Elizabeth Fanny married Arthur Cory, 2nd in Command 3rd Irregular Bengal Cavalry.
Alfred William Griffin (1835-1861)
Marten Harcourt Griffin (1836-1924)
Georgiana Griffin (1840-1927)
Arthur Griffin (1841-1857) – 8th Madras N.I., died aged 16 on 30th October 1857 on his passage from Madras to Calcutta.
Townsend Griffin (1842-1932)
Emily Griffin (1843-1866)
Boy Griffin (1845-1845)
Margaretta Noneley Griffin (1846-1935) in 1870 Mararetta Noneley married Captain Charles R Matthews B.S.C., Assistant-Commissioner, Jhansi.
Clifford Griffin (1847-1887)
Heneage MacKenzie Griffin (1848-1939) – lived in Lugano, Switzerland. He died on 3rd September 1939 at Lanzo D’Intelvi in the Province of Como, Italy.

On 18th December 1861, at his father’s house, Cleveland gardens, Alfred William Griffin died aged 27.

On 16th May 1867, Alfred Griffin senior died at Brand Hall.

Marten Harcourt Griffin On 25th January 1865 at Stoke Clymesland, Cornwall, Marten Griffin married Isabella Elizabeth Spencer, the youngest daughter of Rev William Henry Spencer.

BRAND HALL TO LET - Either from year to year or for a term not exceeding five years and entered upon at Lady-day next. The capital Mansion House called "Brand Hall" late the residence of Charles Wickstead, Esquire with Coach Houses, excellent Stabling and Outbuildings, good Garden partly walled, Plantations and Pleasure Grounds surrounding the House. The Mansion is well calculated for the reception of a large family and is pleasantly situated in the parish of Norton in Hales, in the county of Salop and is distant about 3 miles from the town of Market Drayton, then from Nantwich and about seven miles from the Grand Junction Railway Station at Whitmore. The tenant can be accommodated with any quantity of land not exceeding 85 statute acres of land adjoining the mansion. Three packs of fox hounds are kept within a reasonable distance. For permission to view the place and for other information applications may be made to Mr Pigot, Market Drayton. 1838.

At Westminster Police Court, Mr Marten Harcourt Griffin, JP of Salop and Stafford, described of Brand Hall, near Shrewsbury; Pall Mall House, Market Drayton, Salop; and the Junior Carlton Club, appeared to a summons, before Mr d'Eyncourt, to show why an affiliation order should not be made against him in the instance of Mary Morrat, nee Morgan, now residing in Sydney Street, Chelsea. Lakes Chronicle and Reporter, Friday 17th August 1888

On the morning of the 22nd ultimo the inhabitants of this quiet little village were aroused from their slumbers by the merry peals of the church bells in honour of a son-and-heir being born to Martin Harcourt Griffin Esq of the Pelwall and Brand Hall estates, In the evening the Norton-in-Hales Campanalogian Band performed on the church bells by ringing a beautiful peal of “Grandshire doubles” – The band stood as follows’ Treble Joseph Dunn Austin; 2nd William Wainwright; 3rd James Wainwright; 4th John Martin; 5th William Ellams conductor; tenor Richard Hassall. We may add that the band is progressing favourably under the instructions so willingly and freely given by Mr A Marshall conductor to the Sandbach Change-ringing Society, Cheshire. 3rd August 1867 – Wellington Journal

Marten and Isabella had eight children in 17 years. Marten died on 3rd June 1924 at the age of 87. Isabella died on 6 January 1934 at the age of 90. The Griffin’s resided at different properties during their lifetime – 1880’s Dinan, France, 1891 Sandbanks Havenhurst, Dorset and 1911 Efford Down, Bude.

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John Radford-Norcop was born 20th August 1877 at Etwall, Derbyshire. John was the son of Arthur Radford of Smalley Hall and Henrietta Maria Hurt of The Knoll, Littleover. His family resided at Bradfield Hall, Berkshire. He succeeded to the Betton estates on the death of Alexander W Radford-Norcop in 1904 and assumed the additional name of Norcop. On 9th June 1910, John married Miss Phyllis Thornton, daughter of Colonel Walter Thornton, of Meadenhatch, Pangbourne. On the 1911 census John and Phyllis are living at Brand Hall, along with eight servants.

3rd August 1867 – Wellington Journal

Children of John and Phyliss Radford-Norcop
Captain Peter John Church Radford-Norcop (1911-1940) – died of wounds recieved on May 21 1940 in Belgium. He obtained his commission in the Grenadier Guards from the Supplementary Reserve of Officers in 1932.
Henrietta Grance (Jane) Radford-Norcop (1915-1997) – married Squadron-Leader Robert Sorell-Cameron, Gorthlack House, Inverness.
Eve Radford-Norcop (1917-1999) – married Mark Medley Carter

On the 1939 census John and Phyliss were living at Brand Hall, along with four servants.

John Radford Norcop of Church Stretton, Bradfield, Berkshire, died 11th November 1959 at Thames Bank, Goring, Oxfordshire. Probate (limited to settled land). London 29th March to the right honourable Evelyne Vaughan, Lady Foley widow and Charles Walter Turner retired major H.M army. Effects £38,328.

In 1952 Col. George Wade bought Brand Hall. He died in 1986 aged 94.

Sources:

[1] William Baker of Audlem, Payment Book