The Smith Family of Annesbrook, Co Meath: Associated Heraldry

 

This article originally appeared in The Annals of Duleek, a local publication. The heraldry, of the Smith family who resided at Annesbrook, Duleek for more than a century, provides an interesting backdrop to their association with the Parish of Duleek. The townland of Annesbrook is situated about two miles from Duleek and the property there was owned by Thomas Fay in 1796. John McCullen (2011) in his detailed article on the Smiths says that the first member of the Smith family to reside at Annesbrook was Henry Smith (d. c. 1817), of Beabeg near Drogheda, who purchased the house in the early 1800s. His son, Henry Jeremiah Smith (1784-1857) married first in 1802 Margaret Osborne of Dardistown and second in 1809 to Elizabeth Radcliff of Tinnakilly, Co Wicklow. One of the sons from the second marriage was Stephen Henry Smith (1812-90) who succeeded at Annesbrook.

 

Figure 1: The Smith arms at Annesbrook

Stephen Smith, High Sheriff of Meath in 1861, married first to Georgina Pelly. One of their three daughters, Constance married Colonel John Coddington of Oldbridge. Stephen married secondly in 1876, Francesca Bourchier Savile. After Stephen’s death in 1890, Annesbrook continued in Smith ownership until 1920 when it was sold. The present owner, Ms Kate Sweetman has successfully operated a guest house there for over twenty years. She comes from a family with a deep interest in the built and living heritage and is sister of P. David Sweetman, former Chief Archaeologist of Ireland (Annesbrook Website). The Smith coat of arms (Figure 1) and crest (Figure 2) are on a beautiful stained-glass window at Annesbrook.

Figure 2: The Smith crest at Annesbrook 

 

Thanks to the foresight of the late Enda O'Boyle, we have a recording of the wall plaques from St Kienan’s Church of Ireland in Duleek (O’Boyle, 2002). He kindly loaned his photograph of the stained-glass window and while its quality is not perfect, the detail is sufficient to identify the associated heraldry. Regrettably the plaques and stained-glass window no longer exist. The stained-glass window at Duleek (Figure 3) was erected to the memory of Stephen Smith by his wife, Francesca, and children. It contained two impaled shields, these recognised both of Stephen’s marriages, the first to Georgina Pelly and the second to Francesca Bourchier Savile. The lower shield contains the impaled arms of Smith and Savile. The second shield shows the arms of Smith and Pelly. The Smith crest of a demi-bull along with a red background was displayed above each of the shields. 

Figure 3: The Smith Window at Duleek, Courtesy of the late Enda O'Boyle

The Smith arms contains two unicorns and a diagonal, including three lozenges (Figure 1). The Pelly arms consist of a diagonal (engrailed) that contains three martlets. While the martlets on the window were white (argent), they are yellow (or) on the Pelly arms shown in (Figure 4). The arms also included two trefoils. The Savile arms contain a diagonal and three owls (Figure 5). Among the Smith plaques recorded at Duleek by Enda O’Boyle was one to Stephen Smith’s first wife that read ‘In loving memory of Georgina Barbara dearly beloved wife of Lt. Col. Stephen Henry Smith J.P. of Annes Brook and only daughter of Lt. Col. Raymond Pelly C.B. 16th Lancers. Died June 19th 1854 ...’. There was also a plaque at Duleek to Stephen Smith that read: ‘To the glory of God and to the beloved memory of Stephen Henry Smith of Annesbrook in this parish who entered into rest February 5th 1890 … erected by his wife …’.

              

                        Figure 4: The arms of Pelly 

        

                             Figure 5: The arms of Savile    

The Smith arms shown in Figure 1 and the crest in Figure 2, are depicted on the stained-glass window at Annesbrook. The colours (tinctures) of the crest differed from those on the Duleek window. The demi-bull is blue at Annesbrook while it was a natural colour (Brown) at Duleek. Also at Annesbrook are arms within a lozenge shape that appear to represent those of Wallace. Usually arms displayed in a lozenge shape represent those of the wife. The arms of Wallace (Figure 6) are given by a red background and a lion rampant, charged with eight mullets all within a bordure. The eldest sister of Stephen Smith, Catherine, married in 1843, Sir Robert Wallace K.C.B., K.C.S.I. He was in the Bombay Staff Corps and first commissioner of Rawalpindi. The window at Annesbrook was likely erected to commemorate the marriage of the eldest daughter of the house to Sir Robert Wallace.

      

Figure 6: The arms of Wallace at Annesbrook 

  

    Figure 7: The arms of Wallace at Annesbrook

Also of interest is the stained-glass window at Kentstown, dedicated to Emily, sister of Stephen Smith. She died in 1864 and had lived at Besborough House in the parish of Kentstown. Elizabeth Smith (née Radcliffe) and mother of fifteen children including Stephen and Emily, had bought the lands at Besborough. She retired there after her husband’s death in 1857 and resided there until her death on 5 March 1872. The Kentstown window has two panels and the arms of Smith are displayed in one while the quartered arms of Smith and Wallace are depicted on the other panel as shown in Figure 7. William Smith, brother of Stephen who lived at Besborough is buried at Kentstown. The Smith arms were confirmed in 1844 by William Betham, Principal Herald of All Ireland to Henry Smith D.L., J.P. The fact that the Smiths descended from an ancient Yorkshire family was also recognised. The motto ‘Delectat Amor Patriae’ (The love of our country delights) was also used.

References

A History of Duleek by Enda O'Boyle, 1989.

‘The Smith Family’, by John McCullen, Co Louth Archaeological and Historical Journal, 2011, vol. xxvii pp 379-409.

Inscriptions from the Wall Plaques which were in St. Kienan’s Church of Ireland Church in Duleek, by Enda O'Boyle in Ríocht na Midhe, 2002, vol. xxvii pp 96-99.

Heraldry at Kentstown, Co. Meath, by Seamus Bellew, Ríocht na Midhe, 2011, vol. xxxvi pp 64-89.

 (Annesbrook website)

http://www.annesbrook.com/

 (Grant of arms to Henry Smith, Insert 297 into the box where 1 is present, hit return!)

http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000529302#page/297/mode/1up

Acknowledgements

 

The author would like to acknowledge the support and interest of Ms Kate Sweetman of Annesbrook. The late Enda O’Boyle generously shared his notes and photographs. Thanks also to Noel Ross, John McCullen, Gerard Crotty and Andrew Wright.