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27th Generation
989. 
George Matthew FORTESCUE of Boconnoc and Dropmore7,117 was born on 21 May 1791. He died on 24 January 1877. (Connoc's Dwelling or. Bo-Con-Oke - Place of Stunted Oaks) Three
miles east of Lostwithiel, Boconnoc can trace its history back to the
Normans. The estate and house were taxed in the Domesday Roll
A.D.1087. The first recorded owners were the De Cant family
(1268) and in 1320 - 1386, the Manor was owned by the Carminows.
Latterly by Sir Oliver Carminow who married a daughter of Joan Holland
(The Fair Maid of Kent), a grand-daughter of Edward I who married the
Black Prince as her second husband, for whom the Duchy of Cornwall
was created.
Through the centuries, Boconnoc has been associated with many of this
country's famous names and history-makers including Lord Russell, Earl
of Bedford who sold Boconnoc in 1579 to Sir William Mohun who rebuilt
it. Later, Thomas Pitt purchased the estate with the proceeds of the
famous Pitt Diamond which he sold to the Regent of France where it
ended up in the hilt of Napoleon's sword. Pitt's grandson, William,
became Prime Minister. Eventually, the estate was bequeathed to the
Fortescue family who still own it although, since 1969 the house has
not been lived in due to deterioration and subsidence.
See Half Mad Lord : Thomas Pitt for some more History of Bocononoc
During the Second World War, Boconnoc House and the surrounding
buildings were occupied by American troops and the grounds used as an
ammunition dump in preparation for the invasion of Europe. In the
grounds (actually the largest park in Cornwall) can be seen the
church, of which the dedication is unknown, but was thought to have
been consecrated in 1413. The most prominent monument is the Obelisk
which is 123 feet high and was erected in 1771 by Thomas Pitt, 1st
Lord Camelford, in memory of his wife's uncle and benefactor, Sir
Richard Lyttelton. It is situated between Boconnoc and Braddock
churches in the middle of an old military entrenchment near to where
the Battle of Braddock Down was fought in the Civil War 1642-1646.
During this period Boconnoc was involved in two significant battles.
In January 1643 the Parliament forces under Col. Ruthven impatiently
attempted to enter Cornwall, which was strongly Royalist. The opposing
forces met near Braddock Church, the Royalists being commanded by
Bevil Grenville and Ralph Hopton (both subsequently Knighted) marching
from Boconnoc Park where they had bivouacked overnight. In a short
time the Parliament forces were routed. A more important clash took
place the following year when the King's cause was beginning to wane.
Lord Robartes of Lanhydrock (a sour Puritan) had indicated to the Earl
of Essex, then commander-in-chief of the Parliament Army, that the
Cornish were ready to surrender. Essex marched into the west, to be
met by a strong force under Richard Grenville and Lord Goring and
found he was pursued from the east by no less a person than the King
with an a army of several thousands. The King made his headquarters at
Boconnoc and the unfortunate Roundheads were gradually squeezed into
Lostwithiel and Fowey, to their ultimate surrender at Castle Dore.
There are approximately 100 head of dear in the Deer Park
contained within the grounds and also a garden of 20 acres which is
open in the Spring for various charities. Boconnoc House and Park have
been used for numerous film locations including the BBC Poldark series
and scenes from the 1993 film of The Three Musketeers.
George Matthew FORTESCUE of Boconnoc and Dropmore and Louisa Elizabeth RYDER obtained a marriage license on 18 February 1833.36 They36 were married on 19 February 1833. The Hon George M Fortescue, second son of Lord Fortescue and Hester Lady Fortescue, was born in 1791. He married Lady Louisa E Ryder, daughter of Lord and Lady Harrowby, on 19 Feb 1833. In a letter to Lady Harrowby in 1832 he says about his future wife: "....to lay before her my faults-my habits-my age-my poverty as compared with what she was born to and then to ask her whether in these circumstances a heart as frail as mine could be worth her acceptance"
Despite the difference in their ages of twenty three years, Lady Harrowby was very pleased with the match, particularly since her elder daughter, who died in 1827, had been married to George M Fortescue's elder brother, Hugh, 2nd Earl Fortescue.
He served in India in the Dragoons and was MP for Hendon from 1825 to 1831. Shortly after his marriage in 1833 he inherited the Boconnoc estate in Cornwall from his aunt, Lady Grenville. He and his wife had an extremely happy family life here, marred only by his fairly regular bouts of ill health. He inherited the estate at Dropmore in 1864.
He was very fond of his children who, in turn, adored him. He was particularly generous to his daughter Harriet and gave her help to buy Shedfield House; when Harriet and Augustus Phillimore were stationed in Jamaica in 1870 and the family was extremely ill with fever he sent Harriet the money for their passage home.
He died very suddenly from a stroke at dinner on 24 Jan 1877. There are a number of letters from him to his mother, to his mother-in-law Lady Harrowby, his wife Lady Louisa and his daughter Harriet.
Dropmore Lodge (or House) and estate was in Buckinghamshire purchased by William Wyndham Grenville in 1792. By 1795 he had renovated it at a cost of £14,000.
The house was designed by Samuel Wyatt (1737–1807) who removed a hill to give a view of Windsor Castle from the windows. Wyatt's work was expanded by Charles Heathcote Tatham (1772-1842). Over a period of years, lawns and paths were laid out whilst trees and shrubs were planted to transform the 600 acres into an area of lakes surrounded by an ornamental woodland and formal garden.
Louisa Elizabeth RYDER117 was born on 3 May 1813 in Carlton, Yorkshire.143 She was christened on 4 October 1813 in Sandon, Staffs. She died on 9 January 1899. Louisa was the 5 th daughter.
George Matthew FORTESCUE of Boconnoc and Dropmore and Louisa Elizabeth RYDER had the following children:
+1128 | i. | Louisa Susan Anne FORTESCUE. |
1129 | ii. | George Grenville FORTESCUE117 was born on 2 January 1835.144 He died on 2 November 1856.144 Accidently killed on a yacht Possibly Grenville as it was his grandmother's surname Given as Grenville in IGI which agrees with birthdate |
+1130 | iii. | Harriett Eleanor FORTESCUE. |
1131 | iv. |  Hugh Grenville FORTESCUE117 was born on 2 May 1838. He died on 19 November 1875. Of the Coldstream Guards |
+1132 | v. | Mary FORTESCUE. |
1133 | vi. |  Elizabeth Frances FORTESCUE117 was born in 1843. She appeared in the census in 1901 in Chilworth, Hants. She appeared in the census in 1911 in Chilworth Tower, Romsey, South Stoneham, Hampshire. RG14PN6066 RG78PN277 RD100 SD3 ED2 SN48 Chilworth Tower, Romsey, South Stoneham, Hampshire FORTESCUE, Elizabeth Frances Head 1844 67 F Single Private Means Boconoc, Cornwall |
1134 | vii. |  Capt Cyril Dudley FORTESCUE117 was born on 19 September 1847. He died on 26 October 1890. An officer in the Coldstream Guards St Stephen in Brannel Parish Church, 3 miles north-east from Grampound Road Station on the Cornwall (Great Western) railway, 5 west from St. Austell. The living is a rectory, yearly value from tithe rent-charge £780,t income £310 with residence and 5 acres of glehe, in the gift |
+1135 | viii. | John Bevil FORTESCUE of Boconnoc and Dropmore. |