Mantell, Daniell & Adams of King's School, Canterbury

The Mantell, Daniell and Adams children at King’s School, Canterbury. More Mantell dates and places found. Biography of Francis Daniell, attorney and soldier, of Canterbury. By Greg Ramstedt, 2 Oct 2010

Of the many recent family history discoveries, I was so excited to hear from Peter Henderson, archivist of the King’s School, Canterbury. I am grateful for his generosity in sending me several family references from the registers of this very ancient school that is situated right next to Canterbury Cathedral. I knew from Francis Daniell’s (1773-1858) diary that he attended this school in the mid-1780s, but I had no idea just how extensively the Mantell and Daniell families used the King’s School to educate their children over several generations. Peter wrote me a few weeks ago with evidence from the school registers that these ancestors of mine attended:

***Lady Day 1721 MANTELL, William (to Lady 1726). Probably b. c1713. s. of Walter Mantell of Horton Priory, Monk’s Horton, and Jane, née Bell. Royal Navy 1730: Lieutenant 1740; Commander 1749; Captain 1749. m. Mary Hubble 1753. d. 13 December 1765; buried 21 December. Will: PCC 20 January 1766. Brother of Walter (below). [Charnock; Syrett & DiNardo]
***Christmas 1721 MANTELL, Walter (to Mich. 1723). Probably b. c1711. s. of Walter Mantell of Horton Priory, Monk’s Horton, and Jane, née Bell. Of Horton Priory. d. 17 September 1758; buried 20 September at Sellinge. Brother of William (above).
***1753 DANIELL, James. Adm. 2 July. b. 8 October 1744; bapt. 11 October at St Mary Magdalene, Canterbury. s. of James Daniell and Jane, dau. of Walter Mantell. KS 21 October 1754 - Mich. 1759. Left Mich. 1759. East India Company: Governor of Masulipatam. Feast Society. m. Lucy, dau. of Peregrine Butler of Dungarvan, Ireland. d. 15 October 1802 at Ramsgate; buried 25 October at St Paul’s, Canterbury. MI. Portrait by Richard Crosse. Will: PCC 12 November 1802. Brother of Francis (1757); father of James (1784) and Edward (1791).
***1757 DANIELL, Francis. Adm. 11 July. b. 24 March 1748/9; bapt. 31 March at St Alphege’s, Canterbury. s. of James Daniell and Jane, dau. of Walter Mantell. KS 4 April 1758 - Xmas 1762. Left Xmas 1762. Attorney. Army. m. Ann, dau. of George Adams 1772. d. 7 June 1793; buried 12 June at St Paul’s, Canterbury. Brother of James (1753); father of Francis (1784) and James Richard (1788).
***1784 DANIELL, Francis. Adm. 12 January. b. 22 December 1773 at Windsor, Berkshire. s. of Francis Daniell (1757), attorney, and Ann, dau. of George Adams. KS 7 December 1784 - Mids. 1788. Left 1788. m. Joanna, dau. of John Wills 1797. d. 25 October 1858 at Corby, Lincolnshire. Brother of James Richard (1788).
***1784 DANIELL, James. Adm. 29 September. b. 19 June 1773 at Cuddalore, East Indies; bapt. 8 January 1789 at St Mary, Marylebone. s. of James Daniell (1753), Governor of Masulipatam, East Indies, and Lucy, dau. of Peregrine Butler. KS 25 February 1785 - Mids. 1787. Left Mids. 1787. m. Eliza Martha Pasley Hodges 1795. East India Company: director 1809-25. d. 28 December 1839 at Broadclyst, Devon. Portrait by Andrew Plimer in Victoria and Albert Museum. Probably Will: PCC 21 January 1840. Brother of Edward (1791).
***1788 MANTELL, Augustus William. Adm. 11 July. b. 6 May 1777 at Holborn, London; bapt. 8 May at the Lying In Hospital, Endell Street, Holborn. s. of Henry Mantell and Mary. KS Xmas 1788 - Lady 1793. Left Lady 1793. Of Horton Priory, Monks Horton, Kent. d. 5 October 1833. Will: ADC 2 November 1833.
***1788 DANIELL, James Richard. Adm. 14 July. b. 1 January 1780 at Lambeth, Surrey. s. of Francis Daniell (1757), attorney, and Ann, dau. of George Adams. KS Lady 1789 - Xmas 1792. Left Xmas 1792. Royal Navy. East India merchant service. d. 3 August 1802 at High Beech Villa, Waltham, Essex. Will: PCC 6 September 1802. Brother of Francis (1784).
***1791 DANIELL, Edward. Adm. 9 January. b. 13 August 1782 at Masulipatam; bapt. 29 January 1789 at Faversham, Kent. s. of James Daniell (1753) Governor of Masulipatam, East Indies, and Lucy, dau. of Peregrine Butler. Commoner. Left ( ). d. 1791/9; ‘drowned on the Bengal River by the Boat being overset by a squall of wind.’ [Faversham parish register] Brother of James (1784).

Below are a few entries on the Adams family. Francis Daniell (1749-1793) married in 1772 to Ann Adams (1752-1834).
***1765 ADAMS, George, Adm. 8 July. b. 16 October 1753; bapt. 11 November at St Mary the Virgin, Dover, Kent. s. of George Adams, innholder, and Sarah, née Powell. KS 31 October 1766 - Xmas 1767. Left Xmas 1767. Upholsterer, auctioneer and cabinet maker of the Minories, London. m. Sarah Price 1777. d. 8 March 1831 at Greenwich. Brother of John (below) and William (1768).
***ADAMS, John. Adm. 8 July. b. 8 February 1755; bapt. 5 March at St Mary the Virgin, Dover, Kent. s. of George Adams, innholder, and Sarah, née Powell. KS 31 October 1766 - Lady 1767. Left Lady 1767. Brother of George (above) and William (1768).
***1768 ADAMS, William. Adm. 6 October. b. 8 February 1758; bapt. 21 February at St Mary the Virgin, Dover, Kent. s. of George Adams, vintner, and Sarah, née Powell. KS 5 February 1770 - Xmas 1772. Left Xmas 1772. Brother of George and John (both 1765).

Peter Henderson explained some of the material in this way, “I append the extracts from the school register (still a work on progress). The initial date before each name is when they entered the school – or in the pre-1750 cases when they became a King’s Scholar. Before 1750, we only have records of scholars and the dates there are the quarters when the scholarship was paid. Thus William was a King’s Scholar for 5 years, the maximum, and may well have been at the school for longer. After 1750, the entry book often has the date of birth as well as father’s name and occupation.”

It is great that Peter was able to use some of my information at Rootsweb’s WorldConnect Project (http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=gregramstedt&id=I777) to fill in relationship details. (Actually, I was surprised to go to WorldConnect a few minutes ago, type in ‘Walter Mantell’ and come up with hundreds of other submissions. A few years ago my Mantell pedigree was the only one online. It looks like a lot of borrowing, sharing and new research has taken place since then.) Peter has also found much useful biographical information in the Cathedral Archives to add to the basic information in the school registers.

I thank Peter for his great work!

I sent Peter some entries from Francis Daniell’s diary which mention the King’s School.

Title page:
Extracts From the Diaries of Francis Daniell, 1780-1855: Made by himself from the original diaries which were buried with him, in accordance with his wish, at Corby, Lincolnshire. Volume 1: 1780-1829. Copied from the Original Ms. abstract diary, 1913.

1782: I was placed at the King School, Canterbury and the year following was made a King’s scholar in that ancient seminary.

1784: Having just recovered from a severe Tertian Ague I was most cruelly flogged at night by the Head Master (Dr. Tucker) for obeying the orders of a boy named Foster, who fagged me, and afterwards was the first to betray me. I think it was this year my cousin James Daniell arrived from India and was placed with me at the King’s School. My mother joins my father in France who was supposed to be on his death bed in that country.

1785: On my father’s recovery in France he sent for me and I witnessed with him many and severe deprivations. Both on the Continent and England. At Chelsea, Lambeth, Marchalsey Prison, etc., etc.

1788: This year my Uncle Daniell returned from India very rich – Paid off my father’s debts – Built a nice house for him at Canterbury and settled Four Hundred a year on him for life. My excellent Grandmother and friend (Jane Daniell, formerly Jane Mantell) departed this life at Canterbury and was buried in the family vault in St. Pauls Church – at Canterbury. I believe it was this year I was removed from the King’s School to that of Harrow-on-the-Hill with my cousin James Daniell, who was afterwards expelled the school with the late Lord Edward Fitzgerrad for heading a general row. [“FitzGerald” added below by some unknown person.—Greg Ramstedt comment.]

[I think these entries in the extracted diary must have been added in the 1840s when Francis Daniell (1773-1858) was editing his diary. The extracted diary as a whole contains several entries where he refers to friends and acquaintances from his childhood days at King’s School, Harrow-on-the-Hill and Shooter’s Hill School, especially the last of these schools.—Greg Ramstedt comment.]

Mr. Henderson again was very kind to look up the names Foster and Dr. Tucker in the King’s School registers. Here is what he found:

***1779 FOSTER, Francis. Adm. 12 July. b. 4 March 1771 [1772 in Entry Book]; bapt. 20 March at St Leonard’s, Deal, Kent. s. of William Foster Esq. (deceased) and Mary, née Edwards of Deal. Commoner. Left Mids. 1785.
***1763 TUCKER, John. Adm. 12 January. b. and privately bapt. 25 March 1758 at Canterbury; received into the congregation 14 April at Canterbury Cathedral. s. of Revd John Tucker (1731), Lower Master of the King’s School, and Jane, dau. of William Gurney, Lower Master of the King’s School. KS 19 April 1767 - Lady 1772. Left Mich. 1775. Adm. pens. at Trinity College, Cambridge 29 December 1774, aged 16. Matric. Mich. 1775; Scholar; BA 1779, 8th Senior Optime; MA 1782. Ord. deacon (Coventry & Lichfield) 24 September 1780; priest (Rochester) 30 March 1782. Lower Master, King’s School, Canterbury 1779-82; Headmaster 1782-85. Rector of Gravesend 1782-1811. Feast Society Preacher 1783. Rector of Luddenham 1784-1811. m. (1) Elizabeth, dau. of Henry Nicholls of Barham; (2) Sarah, dau. of Richard Harvey, farmer of Barfreston Court 1782. ‘Kept a seminary for young gentlemen’ at Hever Court, near Gravesend after retiring from Canterbury. Perpetual Curate of Wingham 1800-11. d. 26 February 1811; buried 2 March at Wingham Church. MI. Will: PCC 27 April 1811. Brother of Stephen (1771). [Sidebotham; Venn; Nichols, Ill. Vol. VI].
Also on John Tucker, the Lower Master (i.e. Second Master) and then Headmaster, and an old boy of the school. He was not a successful Headmaster.

I was particularly excited that Peter found that Francis Daniell (1749-1793) was an attorney. The original school register entry of 1784 says the father is ‘Fran: D. Attor:’ which certainly must be an abbreviation for attorney. In the burial register of St. George’s Canterbury for 12 June 1793 it shows, “Francis Daniel, a soldier, from the Barracks, at St. Pauls.” His son, Francis Daniell Jr. (1773-1858), wrote in his diary on 14 May 1811 that his father completed his “articles” at Windsor, so I assumed that had something to do with military training. After all, there was a castle with garrisons at Windsor Castle. The son’s christening on 19 June 1774 at New Windsor, Berkshire, lists the father as a “soldier.” It does not seem likely he was a common soldier, though, given his wider family connections. His travels in France in 1785 also suggest something beyond a foot soldier. Finding out that he was an attorney helps fill in the gaps.

It just occurred to me a few minutes ago that perhaps “articles” may refer to training as a lawyer. I note below that Francis (1749-1793) had an uncle Alexander Sunderland who lived in Windsor, Berkshire, in 1768. That’s got to be it! It may turn out that Alexander had a law firm. This is certainly worth following up to know one way or another. I love how the spirit of discovery works! I just checked the 1811 entry in the diary and see, “Mr. Bash, a solicitor of Wickham, called on me – he served his articles with my father at Windsor.” So, there was some sort of law firm at Windsor that Daniell, Bash and probably Sunderland were connected to. That is great. The pieces of the story are slowly falling in place.

I have seen Francis Daniell’s (1749-1793) signature twice. He signs his marriage allegation in 1772, which incidentally also contains the signature of his father-in-law George Adams Sr. (ca. 1713/1719-1802) of Canterbury. Ann Adams was underage and required her father’s signature. The allegation is recorded with the Vicar General of the Archbishop of Canterbury, GS film 368963. Francis Sr. also signed as a witness to the 1777 marriage of George Adams Jr. (1753-1831) and Sarah Price. Also, I have a copy of a letter dated Ellore [India] 5 June 1769 written in the hand of James Daniell (1744-1802) to Robert Palk in which he writes, “I have a younger brother, Sir, who is just entering on the Stage of life, in the Caracter of a lawyer—And, tho’ his Occupation is no great recommendation to him, I hope he will not permit it to Conquer either his honour or his honesty, and while he possesses these qualities, my purse shall support him against the fr....s of fortun[?]. If you find his merit equal to my description of it, I humbly request you will stretch out your arm to assist him, whenever he may require your services, if they are not attended with too much inconvenience to yourself – I am sure, Sir, you will excuse this my presumption, because you are capable of feeling how anxious I am for the welfare of a brother, for whom I have the most fraternal fondness – And, tho’ I can only return your Goodness with my thanks, I am confident that will not, with you, be a reason to reject my recommendation.” The British Library has the original letter which is Add. 34,686 f. 105.

Now I feel embarrassed that I had this information since 2005 that Francis Sr. was training to be a lawyer. I never tried to read this 1769 letter until tonight because James Daniell’s (1744-1802) handwriting was difficult. There must be some sort of position in the army where a man could be both a soldier and an attorney, and which perhaps caused Francis Sr. to travel to France in 1785. Perhaps it was a diplomatic position.

Robert Palk’s seat was at Haldon House, in Devonshire, and he seems to have left India by 1769. He had been governor of Madras from 1763 to 1767. In 1782 he became a baronet. Thomas Palk, relative of Robert Palk, was the whole reason that Francis Daniell Jr. (1773-1858) was sent to Devonshire in 1792 where he eventually established his subsequent career.

I will write elsewhere how I found the christening dates at Elmsted, Kent, of the three remaining Mantell children, offspring of Walter Mantell (1687-1741) and Jane Bell (died 1775), so it is nice to have the exact information for all eight of the siblings.

1. Jane Mantell chr. 17 July 1709 at Sellinge, Kent, England; married 6 March 1743/1744 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster, London to James Daniell (1707-1758); died 13 Jan. 1788 at St. George’s, Canterbury, Kent; buried 19 Jan. 1788 St. Paul’s, Canterbury. Their marriage entry and marriage allegation led me to Elmsted, Kent, which seems to fit in with other wider family relationships. These people all figure in the 1801 Chancery Court lawsuit Daniell v. Daniell, along with several of their relatives.

2. Walter Mantell chr. 7 May 1711 in Elmsted, Kent; died 17 Sept. 1758 in Sellinge, Kent. Several years ago I chose to assign 1758 as his death date, and 1741 has his father’s death date. I hope I have that right.

3. William Mantell chr. 23 April 1713 at Elmsted, Kent; married 18 July 1753 at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminister, London to Mary Hubble; died 13 Dec. 1765; buried 21 Dec. 1765 at Sellinge, Kent. He was a captain in the Royal Navy. His marriage allegation has also been found. Mary remarried Thomas Colby, Commissioner for Victualling His Majesty’s Navy, on 25 April 1768 at Chatham, Kent, England. The Daniell v. Daniell suit in Chancery Court in 1801 involves all of these people. For the lawsuit, see Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Chancery from the Year 1789 to 1817, published 1827 by Francis Vesey, pages 296 to 299. The National Archives reference number for this Chancery case is C 13/586/31.

4. Margaret Mantell chr. 9 Sept. 1716 Elmsted, Kent; married Alexander Sunderland (of Windsor, Berks. and of Eaton/Easton, Bucks.) Alexander was of Eaton, Buckinghamshire when he wrote his will on 10 May 1759. In 1768 they are described of Windsor, Berkshire. His PCC will is proved 26 March 1770 by his wife Margaret. They are mentioned in the 1801 Daniell v. Daniell lawsuit.

5. Anne Mantell chr. 11 April 1722 at Sellinge, Kent; buried 13 June 1722 at same.

6. Henry Mantell chr. 10 Oct. 1723 at Sellinge, Kent; died about 1788/1789 at Greenwich, Kent. I estimated his death based on Land Tax Assessments (LTAs) of Horton Priory. He was supposedly a purser in the Royal Navy and inherited Horton Priory after his brother William’s death in 1765. I wondered for years whether Greenwich might mean he lived at the Greenwich Hospital there. He is the father of Augustus William Mantell (1773-1833) of Horton Priory. The christening of Augustus William gives the mother’s name as Mary, who I believe lived until about 1802/1803 (based on LTAs). There is a Frederick Henry Mantell, Lt. Nottingham Militia, buried in 1808 in Sellinge, so perhaps Henry had more than one child. Earlier today I think I found Henry’s marriage and burial information. A Henry Mantell, widower, married on 21 July 1776 at St. Mary’s Lambeth, Surrey, to Mary Winter. Prior to this, there is a Henry Mantell of Hyth, Kent, married on 29 May 1767 at St. Mary’s Newington, Surrey, to Alice Hill, widow. The signatures of Henry seem to be very close from 1767 to 1776. I also found the burial on 3 April 1788 at St. Mary’s Lambeth of a Henry Mantell of “Hospital.” Henry is mentioned in Edward Hasted’s The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, published 1790, on page 319. See also Northamptonshire Notes & Queries, edited by John Taylor, published in 1890, on page 138 and 139. Henry is also mentioned in the 1801 lawsuit as a “mariner.” I think there was some serendipity at work in supposing that he probably lived at the Greenwich Hospital. I know that records of patients exist for that naval hospital, so there is another avenue to pursue to see if I may have guessed correctly.

7. Anna Mantell chr. 20 July 1726 at Sellinge; buried 12 Sept. 1728 at Sellinge, Kent.

8. Ann Mantell chr. 6 Oct. 1728 at Sellinge; buried 13 Oct. 1728 at same.

By Greg Ramstedt, 2 Oct. 2010