My wife's ancestors - Kerr - Contents

Alston

Street view of the new Odell Castle, Bedfordshire.
The old Odell Castle was destroyed by a fire in 1931. This is a new building.
See satellite view.

Sir Thomas Alston, 5th Baronet (see here), born c.1724,
of Odell Castle, Odell, NW of Bedford, Bedfordshire.
Odell Castle was an Alston property since 1633.
5th Baronet separated from his wife 1752.
He had relationship with Margaret Lee, left all his property to her.
He died 1774.
He had illegitimate issue by Margaret Lee:

Thomas Alston, born c.1755.
Inherited Odell Castle and Harrold Hall from his mother in 1809.
He died 1823.
He had issue:

Justinian Alston,
baptised 19 October 1780.
Listed at "Abington" at mar.
He mar 1816 to Mary Kerr [born 2 June 1793].
Lived at Wootton, Bedfordshire, before he inherited.
He inherited Odell Castle from his father in 1823.
Mary's father John Manners Kerr in his will of 1842 says that "after the death of my said wife my portrait may be given to my daughter Mary Alston". But both Mary and her husband died before John Manners Kerr's widow did.
Mary died 1845, age 52 yrs.
Justinian died at Winterbach, Germany, 11 January 1848, age 67 yrs.
Justinian and Mary had issue:

1. Crewe Alston,
   born 1828.
   He inherited Odell Castle.
   He went bankrupt in 1885.
   He had issue:
   1. Rowland Crewe Alston,
      born 1852.
      He inherited Odell Castle.
      Odell Castle was destroyed by a fire in 1931.
      He died 1933.
      The estate was sold after his death.

Odell Castle, Bedfordshire.
LHS from OS map. Surveyed: 1882. Published: 1883.
RHS from OS map. Surveyed: 1882. Published: 1884.

Odell Castle in 1811.
From Bedfordshire County Council

Odell Castle in 1863.
From Bedfordshire County Council.

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Sources yet to be consulted

• Stemmata Alstoniana, by Lionel Cresswell, 1898.
• LLOYD-JONES (formerly ALSTON) in [Burkes LG, 1952]
• A River of Recollections and Biographies (2009) by Nick Bird (descendant of Justinian Alston and Mary Kerr).

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• Alston of Odell Castle, baronets by Nick Kingsley.
• Alston by Peter Barns-Graham

• Family history site by Edward Fenn.
  • Alston family history
  • Alston pictures
  • Alston wills
  • Alston letters
  • Alston manuscripts
  • Alston graves