My ancestors - Blennerhassett - Contents

Thomas Blennerhassett, of Flimby, Cumberland

Thomas Blennerhassett,
born est c.1540,
of the Manor of Flimby, Flimby, Cumberland (Cumbria).

[Burkes Irish, 1976] thinks he is the Thomas Blennerhassett who was MP for Carlisle 1584-1588.
He would be MP in the 5th Parliament of Elizabeth I, assembled on 23 November 1584, dissolved 14 September 1585.
He would be MP in the 6th Parliament of Elizabeth I, assembled on 15 October 1586, dissolved 23 March 1587.
Him being the MP makes some sense. It could explain how he attracted some attention in London to be granted land in Ireland.

Granted lands in Ireland, 1590:
He was granted lands in Ireland in 1590 by Sir Edward Denny, Governor of Kerry and Desmond, as part of the Munster Plantation.
He was granted the forfeited Desmond estate of Ballycarty, near Tralee, Co.Kerry.
See grant dated 14 Aug 1590.
Thomas visited Ireland, "at an advanced age".
Thomas and his son Robert appear in the petition of 1598 from early settlers who had to flee Kerry in the insurrection of 1598.
He returned to Cumberland, but his son Robert stayed in Kerry, and was ancestor of Blennerhassett there.
He had issue:

John Blennerhassett,
of Flimby, Cumberland.
Ancestor of Blennerhassett of Flimby Hall (stayed in family until sold 1772).
Robert Blennerhassett,
born est c.1570,
of Ballycarty, Co.Kerry.
He settled in Ireland and was ancestor of Blennerhassett of Co.Kerry.

List of MPs for Carlisle in 1558-1603.
Thomas Blennerhassett was MP 1584-1588.

1590 grant

Photocopy of 1590 grant from Sir Edward Denny to Thomas Blennerhassett.
Grant of "Ballecartin" (Ballycarty).
Ms. 14,347 in [NLI]. Photocopy deposited in 1978. Apparently by Brian Fitzelle.
Location of original deed unknown.
See full size. See signatures.

Back of document.
See full size. See closer.
A note on this side of uncertain date says "24th Aug 1590".
This may be a mis-reading for 14 Aug 1590 (see below).

Note about 1590 grant by Edward Francis Jemmett Browne, dated 1910.
Says he then (1910) had a copy of the 1590 grant.
Note on p.7 of a bound Ms. book titled "Blennerhassett Notes, chiefly Cumberland", in Kynnersley-Browne papers, box 28 of deposit 823.
Says the grant is dated "Decimo quarto die Augusti. Regni Domi. Elizabethae Tricessimo secundo".
That is, 14 Aug, 32 Elizabeth.
That is, 14 Aug 1590 (NOT 1591 as written here).

Similar note on p.VII (a different page) of the same.

Extract from claim of 1654 by Thomas' grandson John Blennerhassett about his family's lands in Co.Kerry.
He refers to the original 1590 grant of lands to his grandfather Thomas.
See full size.

The claim says (with some spelling modernised): "I do hereby claim as my inheritance in fee simple ... all the lands underwritten ... that is to say the Castle, town and lands of Ballycartie, Ballysheedy, Killy, BallyseedyMcnagh, BallyMcThomas & Ballencham ... granted, and rendered unto my grandfather by Sir Edward Denny Kt, deceased, grandfather to the late Sir Edward Denny Kt, likewise deceased, and by deeds bearing date the 29th of August in the 32nd year of Queen Elizabeth's reign".
That is, he dates the grant to 29 Aug 1590.
As Bill Jehan points out, 29 August is actually the date rent was due (the feast day of John the Baptist) rather than the date of the grant, which is 14 August 1590.

1598 petition

Thomas and his son Robert appear in the petition of 1598 from early settlers who had to flee Kerry in the insurrection of 1598.

The signatures of Thomas Blennerhassett and his son Robert Blennerhassett on the petition of 1598.
See larger and full size.

A reading of the signatures on the petition by Sir Henry Denny, 7th Baronet.
He notes that this is Thomas and Robert Blennerhassett, the first two settlers of that name in Kerry.

Thomas Blennerhassett of Orton in 1578

In 1578, a Thomas Blennerhassett held part of the manor of Orton, Cumberland (on W side of Carlisle).
He had inherited it from an earlier Blennerhassett ancestor.
There has been a suggestion this was Thomas of Flimby.

Extracts from entry for Orton on pp.207-208 of vol.2 of [Nicolson and Burn, 1777].
In 1578, a Thomas Blennerhassett held a share of the manor of Orton.

Extract from entry for Orton on pp.82-83 of [Denton, 1887].
This thinks Thomas Blennerhassett was of Carlisle.

[Graham, 1932, p.53] says Thomas Blennerhassett was "probably" Thomas Blennerhassett of Flimby.
It is unclear why he says this.

Graham says Thomas was a burgess for Carlisle in 1586. It is unclear if he means Thomas of Orton or Thomas of Flimby.
Bill Jehan has him as burgess for Carlisle in 27 and 28 Elizabeth I (Nov 1584 to Nov 1586) but it is unclear what the source is, and also unclear if this is Thomas of Flimby.

The other Thomas Blennerhassett MP

[Burkes Irish, 1976] says it is a different Thomas Blennerhassett who is Mayor of Carlisle at various dates in 1601 to 1623, and MP for Carlisle in 1603-1604.

There are entries at historyofparliamentonline and wikipedia which make all these the same person.
There is also a Thomas Blennerhassett who is Mayor of Carlisle in 1597. See p.272 of vol.4 (1877) of Some municipal records of Carlisle. That must be this other Thomas since it seems our Thomas would be in Ireland at this time.
MPs for Carlisle in 1558-1603.
MPs for Carlisle in 1604-1629.

Mayors of Carlisle in 1598 to 1630.
From p.135 of [Whellan, 1860].

MPs for Carlisle in the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I.
From p.137 of [Whellan, 1860].