Arguably the best known member of the British MAWBEY family is Sir Joseph MAWBEY (1730-1798).
When starting to research my family history many years ago, I had hoped he would be the direct link that would connect George MAWBEY, the first one of my lineage in Australia, with the mother country.
But as former Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, once said: "Life was not meant to be easy."
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When Sir Joseph MAWBEY died in 1798, he had no male heirs.
He had a son, Sir Joseph Mawbey (2), who in turn had a son Joseph, who died in infancy.
Having no male heirs, Sir Joseph Mawbey (1) left his large estate, Botley's Park Manor, once owned by King Henry VIII, to his two granddaughters.
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This illustrious man of letters, and staunch upholder of freedom of the press, was a contemporary of the Earl Spencer of Althorp, Northamptonshire.
Both were Members of Parliament.
Earl Spencer, was of course, an ancestor of the late Lady Diana, Princess of Wales.
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Sir Joseph MAWBEY descended from a family in county Norfolk.
In 1761 he became sheriff of Surrey and four years lated was elected Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark.
He was a well educated man, originally destined for religious orders, who became rich from running his uncle's vinegar distillery.
He married Elizabeth Pratt, the daughter of his first cousin, Richard Pratt of Vauxhall, in Surrey in 1760.
His older brother, John Mawbey, married Martha Pratt.
The Mawbey family burial vault is in the chancel of the Anglican church at Chertsey, Surrey, England.
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| Picture courtesy of Miss Frances Webb and www.picturethepast.org.uk |
But as former Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, once said: "Life was not meant to be easy."
*
When Sir Joseph MAWBEY died in 1798, he had no male heirs.
He had a son, Sir Joseph Mawbey (2), who in turn had a son Joseph, who died in infancy.
Having no male heirs, Sir Joseph Mawbey (1) left his large estate, Botley's Park Manor, once owned by King Henry VIII, to his two granddaughters.
*
This illustrious man of letters, and staunch upholder of freedom of the press, was a contemporary of the Earl Spencer of Althorp, Northamptonshire.
Both were Members of Parliament.
Earl Spencer, was of course, an ancestor of the late Lady Diana, Princess of Wales.
*
Sir Joseph MAWBEY descended from a family in county Norfolk.
In 1761 he became sheriff of Surrey and four years lated was elected Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark.
He was a well educated man, originally destined for religious orders, who became rich from running his uncle's vinegar distillery.
He married Elizabeth Pratt, the daughter of his first cousin, Richard Pratt of Vauxhall, in Surrey in 1760.
His older brother, John Mawbey, married Martha Pratt.
The Mawbey family burial vault is in the chancel of the Anglican church at Chertsey, Surrey, England.
