Family Notes - March 2018

The Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland for 1852 gives the following explanation for the origins of the P*rr*tt surname.

“The ancient family of Perrott derived their name from Castle Perrot, in Brittany, built in 957, by William de Perrott, whose great-grandson, Sir Richard Perrott, Seigneur de Perrott, in 1066, furnished William of Normandy with his quota of ships and men, accompanied the expedition to England, and settling in Somersetshire, commenced the building of a city, whose remains are North and South Perrott, between which the river Perrott rises and runs into the Severn. Sir Richard left issue by his wife, daughter of Sancho Ramyno, second king of Aragon, a son and heir, Sir Stephen Perrott, who, growing too powerful in the lands he inherited in Somersetshire, King HENRY I called him thence, and gave him as much territory as he could conquer in South Wales, which was then in confusion. He was thus forced to leave, with regret, the infant city his father had founded, and to which he had given the name Perrott; but not being able to contest it with HENRY, he went into Gloucestershire to raise forces. Not willing, however, to lead his troops into a country of which he knew nothing, he went to Wales in disguise in order to view the state of it, and was there struck with the beauty of Princess Helen, daughter and sole heir of Marchin, descended from Howel Dda, King of South Wales. She was no less charmed with his graceful stature, his amiable and majestic countenance, and most wonderful brilliant and piercing eye, which commanded reverence from all that beheld it. The conquest of this Princess, whom he married, gained him great part of that country, and the respect and love of the people”. The document goes on to mention their son Andrew, his son William, and a branch of the family in Gelligaer including a Reverend Gregory Perrott and his son of the same name.

These Welsh Perrotts are of course the family of Sir John Perrott, and if you are interested in his life you might like to read the 1728 publication The History of That most Eminent Statesman, Sir JOHN PERROTT, Knight of the BATH, and Lord Lieutenant of IRELAND.

We’ve scoured the pages of newspapers recently added to the British Newspaper Archive website to bring you some P*rr*tt-related articles.

WESTON-SUPER-MARE GAZETTE AND GENERAL ADVERTISER (UK) – 1st August 1877

Mr. John Carnock, farmer, of Nibley, Gloucestershire, has obtained a decree nisi for a disolution of marriage on the ground of his wife’s misconduct with one Perrett, a maltster of Bristol.

TENBURY WELLS ADVERTISER (UK) – 10th October 1882

The magistrates at the St. Augustine’s Petty Sessions, Canterbury, have had before them a case in which a hotel keeper named Alchin, residing at Herne Bay, was charged with permitting a theatrical company to perform certain stage plays on his premises, he not being at the time in the possession of a theatrical license. Mr. W. H. Perrette, the leader of the company, was also summoned for committing the offences, which took place on five different evenings. Defendants admitted that the performances took place, and Superintendent Walker, Kent County Constabulary, stated that he was instructed by the Chief Constable to press for a heavy penalty, the infringement of the statute having been persisted in after defendants had been warned by the police. Each member of the company, numbering about 20, was liable to a penalty of £20. The Bench ordered Alchin to pay a fine of £5, and £2 4s. costs, and Perrette was mulcted in the sum of £4 10s., including court expenses.

NORTHAMPTON CHRONICLE AND ECHO – 3rd March 1913

Mourning was general in Stony Stratford on Saturday morning, when the remains of the late Mr. William Rose Parrott were conveyed to their last resting place. Business was suspended for an hour, and the blinds of all the residences in the main street were drawn. At half-past eleven the coffin, covered with beautiful wreaths, was placed on a wheeled bier, and the cortege wended its was to St. Giles’ Church … The Rev. H. Last (vicar) read the opening sentences and the Rev. A. J. Moxon (Wolverton St. Mary) the lesson. The hymn “Jesu, lover of my soul” was feelingly sung, and as the mourners left Miss Bird played the Dead March in “Saul”. The coffin, of plain oak, with heavy plain oak brass fittings, was inscribed: “William Rose Parrott, died Feb. 26, 1913, aged 64 years”.