Lyons family

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House of Lyon
(de Lyon, de Leonne, Lyon)
House of Haute Normandie
Country
Founded1066 (in Britain)
Founder
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The Lyons family (originally styled de Lyons, or de Leonne, Lyonne, and also spelled Lyon) is an Anglo-Norman landed gentry family descended from Ingelram de Lyons, Lord of Lyons, who arrived in England with the Norman Conquest, and from his relation, Nicholas de Lyons, who emigrated from Normandy to England in 1080 and was granted lands at Warkworth, Northamptonshire by William of Normandy. The family originated in the district of the Forest of Lyons, north of the town of Lyons-la-Forêt, in Haute Normandie, where their seat was the Castle of Lyons.

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The original surname was 'de Lyons' ('of [the Forest and Castle] of Lyons'): subsequently, the 'de' was removed from the name, and some branches removed the 's' from the end of the word, producing 'Lyon'.

During the 14th century, a branch of the family emigrated to Scotland, where they became Clan Lyon, the Lords of Glamis, and the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne.

During the 15th century, a branch of the family emigrated to Ireland, where they established a seat at King's County that became known as River Lyons, and a seat at County Westmeath that was named Ledestown/Ledistown Hall. Many members served as High Sheriff of King's County and High Sheriff of Westmeath. This branch of the family owned land in Antigua. Their descendants include Edmund Lyons, 1st Baron Lyons; Richard Lyons, 1st Viscount Lyons, the British diplomat who solved the Trent Affair; and Sir Algernon McLennan Lyons, Admiral of the Fleet. [1] During the 16th and 17th centuries, members of the family emigrated to America to New York, America.

The descendants of the Warkworth family who remained in England had ceased to reside at Warkworth by the 16th century, and resided on estates in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Middlesex. The Middlesex line of the family produced Sir John Lyon, who was Lord Mayor of London for 1553–1554, and John Lyon (d. 1592), who was the founder of Harrow School, after whom The John Lyon School, and the John Lyon's Charity, and a Harrow School house, Lyon's, are named.

Norman Origin

The family derives its name from the district of the Forest of Lyons, north of the town of Lyons-la-Forêt in Haute Normandie, where their seat was the Castle of Lyons. During the first decades of the 12th century, Henry I of England built a new castle in the district, the Château de Lyons-la-Forêt, where he died in 1135. [2] [3] [4]

The family name was originally 'de Lyons' ('of [the Castle and Forest] of Lyons'). Later the 'de' was removed from the name of the family, producing merely 'Lyons'; some branches subsequently removed the 's' from the end of the word, producing 'Lyon'. [5] The original arms of the family are described as, 'Sable, a chevron between three lions sejant-guardant argent'. The crest is described as 'On a chapeau gules, turned up ermine, a lion's head erased argent'. The motto of the family is Noli irritare leones ('do not provoke the lions'). [1]

Warkworth (Northamptonshire) line

In 1066, Ingelram, Lord of Lyons, arrived in England with the Norman Conquest and was granted lands in Corsham and Culington. [5] Fourteen years later, in 1080, a member of the same family, Nicholas de Lyons, emigrated to England with his son, Sir John de Lyons. [6] Nicholas was granted, by William I, lands in Warkworth, Northamptonshire, where his family subsequently bought Warkworth Castle, a castellated mansion consisting of a body with two wings, forming three sides of a quadrangle, [6] with a large gatehouse and semi-circular towers, which was the English seat of the Lyons family until 1412. Warkworth Castle was converted into a spectacular house by subsequent owners, during the Jacobean period, but was demolished c.1805. [5] [7]

Some genealogies incorrectly state that the seat of the Lyons was Warkworth Castle in Northumberland: this is incorrect, Warkworth Castle in Northumberland belonged to the Percy family. The English seat of the Lyons family was the identically named Warkworth Castle in Northamptonshire. [6] [7] [8] Several members of the family are buried in the Church of St Mary, Warkworth, Northamptonshire: in the North Aisle there is a tomb-chest with an effigy of enclosed Sir John de Lyons (fl.1322) [6] [7] [8] who was Lord of Warkworth in 1322; and an effigy of Sir John de Lyons (1320 – 1385). [8]

Nicholas's grandson was also named John (b.1100), who travelled to the Holy Land. [6] There also was a branch of the family living in Norfolk, whose members included Sir John Lyon (1289 – 1346), and the father of the infamous English merchant Sir Richard Lyons, Sheriff of London, PC, MP [6] (1310–1381), who was a friend of the poet Geoffrey Chaucer, and who was beheaded during the Peasants' Revolt by its leader Wat Tyler.

Notable members of the Warkworth family include Sir John de Lyons (1268–1313), Sir John de Lyons (b.1299), who fought at the Battle of Crecy and the Battle of Poitiers, Sir John de Lyons who was Lord of Warkworth in 1322, Sir John de Lyons (1320–1385), who is interred in the Church of St Mary in Warkworth, [8] Sir John Lyon (1289–1348), Baron of Forteviot Forgandenny and Drumgawan, who was born in Scotland, William Lyons, Governor of Bordeaux during the reign of Henry V of England (c.1420), [9] and Sir Richard Lyons, Governor of Calais during the reign of Henry VIII. [9] The daughter, Elizabeth, of Sir John Lyons, (d.1385) who was Lord of Warkworth, [8] married Sir John Chetwode: [10] Elizabeth had no male siblings and the estate passed to Chetwode, who adopted the Lyons arms and the title 'Lord of Warkworth'. [11] However, during the 15th century, a member of the Warkworth line was ennobled as Baron Lyon of Warkworth, Northamptonshire. [6]

Scottish branch

Some sources identify the progenitors of the Scottish branch of the family, Clan Lyon, who subsequently became the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, [12] to be members of the Anglo-Norman family who emigrated to Scotland the end of the eleventh century in the retinue of Edgar, son of Malcolm III of Scotland, to fight against his uncle, Donald Bane. [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] Subsequent to the victory of Edgar, these members of the family received lands that were later called Glen Lyon in Perthshire, [12] and, in 1105, Roger de Leonne witnessed a charter from Edgar to Dunfermline Abbey. [12] Other sources identify the progenitor of the Scottish branch as Sir John Lyon, Baron of Forteviot, Forgandenny, and Drumgawan (1289–1348), who was the son of a member of the Warkworth line, [6] who was born in Scotland. His son was Sir John Lyon, Thane of Glamis (1340–1382), who married a daughter of Robert II of Scotland, for whom he served as Chamberlain of Scotland: this Sir John Lyon was known as the White Lyon due to his pale complexion. [12] [17] His marriage brought him ownership of Tannadice, Angus on the River Esky, and he was also granted the barony of Kinghorne. [17] The son of this Sir John (b.1340) was Sir John Lyon (1377–1445), who married a granddaughter of Robert II, and the grandson was Patrick Lyon, 1st Lord Glamis, [6] [18] who was a Privy Counsellor and Master of the Royal Household. [17]

The eighth Lord Glamis renounced his allegiance to Mary Queen of Scots to serve the Regents Moray and Lennox. He was made Chancellor of Scotland and Keeper of the Great Seal. His son was Captain of the Royal Guard and a Privy Counsellor to James VI: in 1606 he was created Earl of Kinghorne, Viscount Lyon, and Baron Glamis. In 1677, the Third Earl was granted the titles Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, Viscount Lyon, Baron Glamis, Tannadice, Sidlaw, and Strathdichtie. His son was a Privy Counsellor. [17]

Irish branch

The grandson of Sir Richard Lyons, Governor of Calais during the reign of Henry VIII of England, was Captain William Lyons, [9] a Huguenot and supporter of Henry of Navarre who fled to England after the Massacre of St. Bartholomew in 1572. [9] William entered the army of Elizabeth I of England and, in 1599, commanded a company of cavalry, under the Earl of Essex, in the Tudor conquest of Ireland. William was subsequently granted the estate of Clonarrow, subsequently known as River Lyons, [1] in King's County: the transfer of the land to Lyons occurred in 1622, [9] after which a branch of the family settled in Ireland. [19] William also bought the lands of Mullalough, Casement, Killeen, and Killowen, together constituting over 3000 acres, in the same County. [20] An Irish seat of the Lyons family was Ledestown/Ledistown Hall, Mullingar, County Westmeath. [19] [20] Several members of the Irish family served as High Sheriff of King's County and High Sheriff of Westmeath. [1]

Major John Charles Lyons JP DL (1792 - 1874) of Ledestown Hall, was the son of Charles John Lyons and Mary Anne (who was the daughter of Sir Richard Levinge, 4th Baronet) and the grandson of John Lyons, who was High Sheriff of Westmeath in 1778. [19] John Charles was educated at Pembroke College, Oxford and was High Sheriff of Westmeath in 1816: [21] his son Charles Lyons JP DL also served as High Sheriff of Westmeath. [1]

Antigua and Hampshire branch

Admiral Lord Edmund Lyons, 1st Baron Lyons Edmund Lyons (large).jpg
Admiral Lord Edmund Lyons, 1st Baron Lyons

Major Henry Lyons, who was the grandson of Captain William Lyons of River Lyons (d. 1633) and Margaret, daughter of Sir Thomas Moore of Crogham, married Lady Anne Rochfort who was the sister of the 1st Earl of Belvedere, and emigrated from River Lyons, King's County, Ireland and Ledestown/Ledistown Hall, County Westmeath, to the 563 acre Lyons Estate in Antigua [1] that had been founded by Major John Lyons of Westmeath. Henry served as a member of the Council of Antigua in 1710. His son and grandson and great-grandson served as members of the Council of Antigua. [1]

The great-grandson of Henry Lyons was John Lyons of Antigua (b. 1760), who, as the eldest of 11 children, inherited the Lyons Estates in Antigua, which constituted 563 acres. He was sworn in as a member of the Council of Antigua in 1782. John married Catherine Walrond, who was the daughter of the 5th Marquis de Vallado and of his wife Sarah Lyons (1731-1764): [1] the couple had 15 children, including Vice-Admiral John Lyons, who served as Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and to Egypt, and Admiral Edmund Lyons, 1st Baron Lyons, who served as Ambassador toSweden, and to Switzerland, and to the court of King Otto of Greece. The Lyons River in Australia is named after Edmund Lyons. [22] There is a life size statue of him, by Matthew Noble, in St Paul's Cathedral, which remains in place. [23] [24] After the death of their second child, in 1803, John and his wife, Catherine, settled at St Austin's, a 190-acre estate in the Boldre, New Forest, Hampshire, England.

John Lyons of Antigua's grandchildren included Richard Lyons, 1st Viscount Lyons, who was Queen Victoria's favourite diplomat, whom Queen Victoria said that she would permit to represent her 'at any court in the world', who served as British Ambassador to the United States during the American Civil War, during which he resolved the Trent Affair, and as British Ambassador to France. His influence over subsequent British diplomats was sufficient for him to be credited with the foundation of a "Lyons School" of British international diplomacy. [25] [1] John Lyons of Antigua's grandchildren also included Augusta Minna Lyons who married Henry Granville Fitzalan-Howard, 14th Duke of Norfolk, and who was the grandmother of Philip Kerr, 11th Marquess of Lothian, who was the founder of the Round Table Journal, and Sir Algernon McLennan Lyons, Admiral of the Fleet. [1]

During the late 19th-century, the Lyons family lived at Kilvrough Manor in Glamorgan, Wales, [26] [27] and Major Richard Thomas Lyons MD (1875 – 1903) owned Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge. [28]

Richard Lyons, 1st Viscount Lyons, photographed by Mathew Brady Richard Bickerton Pemell Lyons - Brady-Handy.jpg
Richard Lyons, 1st Viscount Lyons, photographed by Mathew Brady

Middlesex branch

Arms of John Lyon (d. 1592) Jls.png
Arms of John Lyon (d. 1592)

Sir John Lyon (b.1353) owned lands in Middlesex in addition to lands in Suffolk and Norfolk, which he inherited from his ancestors. Sir Henry Lyon (b. 1355) moved to Middlesex. [6] From the Middlesex line of the Lyons family descended Sir John Lyon, [29] Lord Mayor of London for 1554–1555, [30] [31] and John Lyon (d.1592), who was the founder of Harrow School, [29] [32] [33] after whom The John Lyon School, the John Lyon's Charity, and a Harrow School house, Lyon's, [33] are named. [32] [34] The Middlesex line owned substantial estates at Harrow-on-the-Hill [29] [34] [35] where John Lyon (d.1592) resided at Preston Hall in Harrow, Middlesex, and, in 1564, had the largest land-rental income in Harrow. [29] There are memorials to this John Lyon (d.1592) and his wife, Joan Lyon, at St Mary's, Harrow on the Hill.

American branch

During the 16th and 17th centuries numerous members of the English family emigrated to New England. [5] [6] William Lyon (1620 -1692), was the first Lyon to emigrate to America, in September 1635. [5] [6] Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon, the first Union General to be killed in the American Civil War, was a descendant of the family's emigrants to New England. [36] [37] For his efforts, he received the Thanks of Congress. [36] 15,000 people attended his funeral. [36] The 24th Missouri Volunteer Infantry was recruited as "The Lyon Legion" in honour of the General, and carried a unique regimental colour, depicting a Lion beneath a constellation of six stars. [36] Counties in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nevada, and Lyons valley in Jamul, California, are named after him. [36] [38] Two forts were also named in his honour: Fort Lyon in Colorado and Fort Lyon (Virginia). Lyon Park in St. Louis, Lyon Street in San Francisco and Lyon Lane in Carson City, Nevada are also named after him. [36]

Notable members

See also

[40] The Lyons of Cossins and Wester Ogil: Cadets of Glamis by Andrew Ross, Marchmont Herald, traces the origins of the Lyon family in Scotland until John Lyon, 3rd Lord Glamis and then the descendants of David Lyon of Baky, his second son.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Langford Vere, Oliver. History of the Island of Antigua, Vol. 2. Mitchell and Hughes, London, 1894. pp. 214–217.
  2. ↑ Base Mérimée : Château fort , Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
  3. ↑ Judith A. Green Henry I: King of England and Duke of Normandy, Cambridge University Press, 2006. The introduction is online: "Introduction: A surfeit of lampreys"
  4. ↑ Office de Tourisme du Pays de Lyons-la-Forêt: Le pays de Lyons à travers l'histoire Archived 23 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine . This site also contains further historical detail concerning the castle and its royal connections. (in French)
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Miller, Robert, ed. (1907). The Lyon Memorial: New York Families Descended from the Immigrant, Thomas Lyon of Rye. Press William Graham Printing Co.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Hewitt, Michael (2014). A Most Remarkable Family: A History of the Lyon Family from 1066 to 2014. AuthorHouse.
  7. 1 2 3 Pevsner, Nikolaus. The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire (2nd edition, revised by Cherry, Bridget. Yale University Press. p. 444.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Rutherford-Edge, Shana. "The Ancient and Noble Seat: The History of the Villages of Overthorpe and Warkworth in Northamptonshire" (PDF). pp. 11–23.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 Lyons, John Charles, JP DP, of Ledestown. Grand Juries of Westmeath, 1727–1853.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ Kimberley, E.; Johnson, R. (1771). The Baronetage of England, Vol. 2. G. Woodhall. p. 536.
  11. ↑ "History of Parliament Online: Sir John Chetwode".
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Way, George and Squire, Romily. Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. Pages 202 - 203.
  13. ↑ Ross, Andrew (1901). The Lyons of Cossins and Wester Ogil. Edinburgh: G. Waterston & Sons. pp.  4–8.
  14. ↑ Herald, Ross (1911). "Lyon, Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne". Scotts Peerage: 1.
  15. ↑ Anderson, W (1862). "The Story of the Family Lyon". The Scottish Nation. 3.
  16. ↑ Thomson, Ingrid, Glamis Castle Archivist
  17. 1 2 3 4 "Scots Web, Lyon Clan Info".
  18. ↑ "Lyon, Patrick". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/54275.(Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
  19. 1 2 3 Reynell, William Alexander. Entry for Lyons, John Charles (1792 - 1874) in Dictionary of National Biography, 1885 - 1900, Vol. 34.
  20. 1 2 Woods, James (1907). Annals of Westmeath, Ancient and Modern. Sealy, Bryers, and Walker. p.  68.
  21. ↑ Walford, E. (1882). The County Families of the United Kingdom. p. 405.
  22. ↑ "History of river names – E". Western Australian Land Information Authority. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  23. ↑ Edmund Lyons at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  24. ↑ "Victorian Web, Sculpture of Edmund Lyons, St Paul's Cathedral". Victorian Web.
  25. ↑ Jenkins, Brian. Lord Lyons: A Diplomat in an Age of Nationalism and War. McGill-Queen's Press, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Sir Algernon Lyons" . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/34650.(Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
  27. ↑ Rees, David. "Major Penrice's Dilemma". The National Library of Wales. p. 23. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  28. ↑ The St Andrews University Calendar: 1902–1903. William Blackwood and Sons. p. 649.
  29. 1 2 3 4 Hunt, William. Entry for Lyon, John (1514? - 1592), in Dictionary of National Biography, 1885 - 1900, Volume 34.
  30. ↑ A.B. Beavan, The Aldermen of the City of London Temp. Henry III to 1912 (Corporation of the City of London, 1913), II, p. 32 (Internet Archive).
  31. ↑ Thornbury, Walter. "The Temple: Church and Precinct (Part 3 of 3)". British History Online.
  32. 1 2 "John Lyon's Charity: History".
  33. 1 2 Tyerman, Christopher (2000). A History of Harrow School. Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-822796-5.
  34. 1 2 Cockburn, J. S.; King, H. P. F.; McDonnell, K. G. T., eds. (1969). "Schools: Harrow School". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 1, Physique, Archaeology, Domesday, Ecclesiastical Organization, the Jews, Religious Houses, Education of Working Classes To 1870, Private Education From Sixteenth Century. London: Victoria County History. pp. 299–302 – via British History Online.
  35. ↑ "'Harrow, including Pinner: Other estates', in A History of the County of Middlesex, Vol. 4 [...], (ed. T. F. T. Baker, J. S. Cockburn, and R. B. Pugh". British History Online. pp. 211–218.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hewitt, Michael (2014). A Most Remarkable Family: A History of the Lyon Family from 1066 to 2014. AuthorHouse. p. 163.
  37. ↑ Hewitt, Michael (2014). A Most Remarkable Family: A History of the Lyon Family from 1066 to 2014. AuthorHouse. p. 154.
  38. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p.  193.
  39. ↑ "Lyon, James Frederick"  . Dictionary of National Biography . London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  40. ↑ The Lyons of Cossins and Wester Ogil: Cadets of Glamis by Andrew Ross, Marchmont Herald
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