The Latus family of Millom, Cumberland, (the male line of which seems to have ceased) appears here on the Man family web site as a result of the marriage of Anne Latus to John Craddock. Surtees, in his history of Durham, shows a family pedigree of Craddock of Gainford where an Anne Latus daughter of Anthony Latus of the Beck in Millum [Millom] in Cumberland marries John Craddock. I disagree with Surtees and I think that Anne’s father was Ralph Latus, not Anthony, and her mother was Ann Huddlestone.

From Samuel Jefferson’s “The History and Antiquities of Allerdale Ward, above Derwent, in the county of Cumberland …” and various other sources we learn that that the two families of Latus and Huddlestone inter-married quite a bit; at least five times over the generations. On p. 158 Jefferson states that Ralph Latus married Ann Huddlestone daughter of Sir John Huddlestone. This fact is mentioned again in more detail on p. 173 as follows:

Ralph Latus, Esq. who married Ann, youngest daughter of Sir John Hudleston, of Millom castle, Knight by his second wife, Joan sister of Sir John Seymour, Knight, and aunt of Jane Seymour, queen-consort of Henry VIII. In consideration of which marriage he obtained from his father-in-law, a freehold tenement called Overbeck, and another called Netherbeck, and Harrats, all in the Lordship of Millom.

Jefferson claims that the above Ralph’s son was also a Ralph and that this Ralph’s son and heir was Anthony Latus who married Margaret Huddlestone (possibly his cousin). Given the sequences of births and marriages I hope to show that Anne (Latus) Craddock’s parent were Ralph Latus who married Ann Huddlestone and that Anthony Latus was her nephew.

Surtees gives no dates of births and deaths for the first two generations of Craddocks on his pedigree so we are at a disadvantage. Surtees shows that John and Anne (Latus) Craddock’s son John became vicar of Gainford in 1594 and that his first child was born in 1592. Let us assume that John was 25 when his first child was born which would mean that John born circa 1567. Let us assume that his parents (John and Anne (Latus) Craddock) were married in about 1566 and let us assume they were aged 25 in 1566 and so they were born circa 1541. If this is the case then the parents of Anne (Latus) Craddock (Ralph Latus and Anne Huddlestone) were probably married around 1540. If this the case then let us again assume that Ralph Latus and Anne Huddlestone were born roughly twenty years earlier in 1520. Some pedigrees show Ralph and Anne born about 1535 but if my argument holds up here then this is too late.

We know that Anne Huddlestone’s father, Sir John Huddlestone, was born in 1488 and his second wife was Joan (sometimes shown as Jane) Seymour (aunt to Jane Seymour mother of Edward VI). The date of 1518 is given in some sources for the birth of Anthony Huddlestone, John and Joan’s first born. This date of 1518 would fit nicely with the claim being made here that Anne was born around 1520, especially since Jefferson claims that Anne is the youngest daughter of Sir John Huddlestone.

To summarize: Sir John Huddleston (1488-1547) married Joan Seymour in about 1518 and this is a good date to fit in with the birth of a daughter (Anne) around say 1520 who would then have gone on to marry in about 1540 Ralph Latus. A child of this marriage, Anne, was born say in 1541 and she went on to marry at about the of age twenty five in 1566 John Craddock. The son of this marriage, John Craddock, is more than likely to have been born around 1569 and this fits in with the sequences of births and marriages stated here.

Joan Seymour died sometime before 1530. After that date Sir John Huddlestone married Joyce Prickley and had by her another set of children born after 1531 (although some sources say she had no issue). Our Anne Huddlestone-Latus could not belong to this latter set of children for the reasons outlined above although some genealogies have shown her, as well as Ralph Latus, being born around 1535 which would make her a child of Sir John’s third marriage to Joyce Prickley.

Unfortunately Jefferson on p. 173 shows the Latus family but gives no sign of an Anne being a child of Ralph Latus and Ann Huddlestone but that is not too surprising as missing children (especially daughters) are to be found across many family trees. Surtees for example does not show Susannah Craddock who is the ancestor of all living members of the Man family.

In the Surtees pedigree for the Craddock family, Anthony Latus is referred to as being ‘of the Beck’, probably as result of obtaining the freehold tenements of Overbeck and Netherbeck which occurred after Sir John Huddlestone bestowed these on his son-in-law Ralph Latus when Ralph married Sir John’s daughter Anne. But again we suggest that this Anthony Latus on the Craddock pedigree is in fact Ralph. Below is a table of dates as I have argued for. If we begin at 1535, as others have done, then the neat pattern seen in the table below cannot be sustained.

*This birth date we have the record for and all dates above it are based on it.

Further support for the claim being made here that Anne Huddlestone was born circa 1520 comes from the following sources:

1. In an article entitled: ‘Some Ancient Deeds Relating to the Manor of Southam Near Cheltenham‘ by E. R. Dowdeswell and published by the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Tr. Vol. 28, 1905, 48-60, on page 52 Dowdeswell says that Sir John Huddlestone, “married first Jane Clifford who died childless; secondly the Lady Joan Seymour, aunt of Lady Jane, the second wife of Henry VIII, who was the mother of ALL his children and third Joyce Richley [Prickley?], who died without issue.” Dowdeswell goes on to say that Anne Huddlestone married Ralph Latus inherited her father’s lands in Gloucestershire at Sudley (Sudeley) and Winchcombe. So if Dowdeswell is to be believed he supports my case. Unfortunately he goes on to contradict himself be reproducing on the following page (p. 53) Hutchinson’s pedigree from his History of Cumberland, indicating that Sir John Huddleston’s younger children, including Anne, were by his third wife, Joyce Prickley which is rather an odd thing to do.

One thing of interest is the case of incest between Anthony Huddlestone born 1518 and his sister Ann. Sources indicate that she was the wife of Ralph Latus and we can assume that the sister of Anthony Huddlestone is the same Ann that we have been discussing here. However there are some problems with this case because it would appear to have been been active against the incestuous pair as late as 1572 which by my calculations would make Ann Huddlestone and Ralph Latus married for 32 years before the law intervened between Ann and her brother. It is said that a daughter of this incestuous relationship was born (Bridgit Latus) but her date of birth is too late being about 1560. What is interesting about this case is that the ecclesiastical court kicked Anthony out of Cumberland and confined him to his estates in Durham. If Anthony had estates located in Durham and Yorkshire then that may have placed the Huddlestones / Latuses near enough to the Craddocks so that there was contact between the two families. The Huddlestones might otherwise have been confined to Millom on the eastern edge of Cumberland many miles from Durham. If Anne (Huddlestone) Latus continued to co-habit with her brother Anthony then Surtees may have been confused as to who the daughter Anne Latus’s father was and came up with Anthony Latus.

In a publication of the Privy Council of England’s decisions (abridged) we find two entries regarding this case of incest:

4th January. 1572/73 A letter to the Lord President of the North and the Archbishop of York (Edmund Grindal) with a supplication of Anthony Hudleston of Cumberland, esquire, that when he was covenented before the High Commissioners of that province for suspicion of incest and adultery, and thereupon was bound in recognisances not to depart home, which hath been almost two years, they would proceed without further delay to some final trial and determination of the matter, and to advertise their lordships what they have done therein.

23rd November (of the same year). A letter to the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Carlisle (Richard Barnes), with the petition of Anthony Hudleston and a letter of the Bishop of Chester (William Downman) touching a matter of incest, wherewith the said Hudleston was charged and under bond, that they should take further examination if it so seemed meet, and dismiss him if they found no further cause than appeared to their lordships.

Jottings: The manor of Lowick consists of a portion of land lying on the south east side of Kirkby Moor, near the river Crake, granted by William de Lancaster, fifth baron of Kendal, to Robert de Turribus, (Towers) in the reign of Henry II. It was afterwards, in the reign of King John, conveyed by Gilbert de Turribus to Robert de Lofwic, in whose family it remained till about the time of Henry VII, when it came by marriage to the family of Ambrose, in which it continued by descent, till about the year 1684, when, on the failure of male issue in that family, it passed by way of purchase, to John Latus, Esq., nephew to the last possessor, John Ambrose, the survivor of eight brothers, who all died without issue. The manor subsequently passed by marriage to William Blencowe, Esq., and is now possessed by his descendants, the three co-heiresses already named. Amongst the customs of this manor, is that of appointing four housekeepers annually, for reviewing and assigning timber for necessary repairs.

Xpofer Latus

A Regester, &c. …to bee sett downe
by mee, Sr John Hollyworthe, curatt thear;
John Gradell, Henry Dilworthe,
Robert Clarkson and Leonarde Clarkeson,
is sworn church wardens there.

9 Apr 1608 Robert Mylner and Issabell Turner 
26 Apr 1608 Richard Hall and Susan Parker, laborers
27 Apr 1608 Henry Kighley and Margaret Latus

There is one puzzle which is that the IGI shows an Anhtony Latus marrying a Margaret Huddlestone on Nov 3 1614 which is far too late.

THE HUDDLESTONE FAMILY

John Huddlestone born about 1488 married in about 1518 Joan Seymour who was born at Wolfhall, Wiltshire. Their daughter Anne married Ralph Latus whose daughter Ann married John Craddock.

1. Anthony Huddleston (Brother of Ann who married Ralph Latus) 1518-1598 marr. 1541 Marie Barentyne of Haseley Oxfordshire They had 5 children: Francis 1545 d. infant; 2 daus also d. inf. William b.c 1549 Joyce bc. 1557 marr. Sir Edward Lawrence of the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset. Also an illegit. dau Albina, probably dau. of his half sister, Anne. 2. William bap 25 July 1549 at Haseley. Marr. Mary Bridges of Gloucestershire (she d. 1601 M) At least 13 children several of whom were illegitimate. Ferdinand bap. 10 July 1577 H d.c.1646 Anthony bap. 1578 at H Barentyne bap. 1580 H d.1636 M sp William bap.1580 H d.1625M sp Other children included Thomas d. 1663 M; John b and d. 1605 M; George bap. 1594 H d. 1628 M Daughters: Dorothy b and d. M Frances bap 1600 H d.1680 M Mary (marr. Christopher Philipson) and d. 1670 M Margaret m. Anthony Latus 1614 M and d. 1631 M Ellen mar. Anthony Lamplugh pre 1625 and d. c.1678/80 Albina bap 1602 H d. 1653 M

MY EMAIL TO M ANDREWS-READING
SUBJECT: A question re Huddlestone and Latus

Somewhere I read but can now no longer find a very interesting posting on the internet about the Huddlestone family that I believe came from you and I was wondering if you could help me. According to an authority I know as Surtees who wrote a history of Durham there is shown a family tree (Pedigree of Craddock of Gainfield) where an Anne Latus marries a John Craddock daughter of Anthony Latus of Beck in Millum [Millom] in Cumberland. I am descended from Toby Craddock a grandchild of that marriage via his daughter Susannah.

I beg to disagree with Surtees and think that the more likely parents of Anne Latus were Ralph Latus and Ann Huddlestone.

It would seem from Samuel Jefferson’s ‘The History and Antiquities of Allerdale Ward, above Derwent, in the county of Cumberland ‘ that  the two families were inter-twined quite a bit.

On p. 173 mention is made of an Anthony Latus marrying a Margaret Huddlestone but as I will show this marriage is too late (1614 according to the IGI) for this couple to be the parents of Anne Latus who marries John Craddock. (The IGI has marriages and christenings of Millom or Millum batch no M / P001991). Also on that page Ralph Latus father of Anthony is shown marrying an Ann Huddlestone.

I think Anne (Latus) Craddock is the daughter of Ralph Latus who married Ann Huddlestone and that Anthony Latus was her brother not her father. Ann Huddlestone?s father was Sir John Huddlestone and her mother was Joan Seymour.

Surtees gives no dates of births and deaths for the first two generations of Craddocks on his pedigree so we are at a disadvantage. (The IGI for the parish of Millom starts too late and so is no help). There is some help from Surtees in that Anne’s husband John Craddock’s will is dated 1604.

Surtees shows that John and Anne (Latus) Craddock’s son John became vicar of Gainford in 1594. That’s our first date for anything happening in these generations. Let us assume he became vicar at the age of 25. This would then mean he was born circa 1569. Let us assume his parents (John and Anne (Latus) Craddock) married in 1567 and let us assume they were 25 in 1567 and so John Craddock?s parents were born circa 1542. (John Craddock vicar of Gainford’s first child Richard is born in 1592).

If this is the case then the parents of Anne (Latus) Craddock were probably married around 1540. (Also if this is correct and you left a will around 1604 you would have been 62 which kind of fits). As I have said, according to Jefferson, Ralph Latus married an Ann Huddlestone and I am claiming that they are the parents of Anne who married John Craddock. If this is the case then I am looking for a marriage that occurred about 1540 which would be a suitable year for Ann Huddleston and Ralph Latus to get married in. According to a roots web discussion, Sir John Huddlestone 1488 – 1547 married Joan Seymour (aunt to Jane Seymour mother of Edward VI). Jefferson shows this on p.158 but unfortunately with no dates. The date of 1518 is given in the roots web discussion for the birth of Anthony Huddlestone, John and Joan’s first born, and brother of Ann who marries Ralph Latus and so let us assume Ann Huddlestone was born circa 1520. Let us assume she was about 20 when she married Ralph Latus which would mean that she married him circa 1540. This would be the year in which I claim the parents of Ann (Latus) Craddock would most likely to have been married.

Unfortunately Jefferson on p 173 shows the Latus family but gives no sign of an Ann being a child of Ralph and Ann but that is not too surprising as missing children are to be found across many family trees. Surtees for example does not show Susannah daughter of Toby Craddock. So I reckon Ann Huddlestone and Ralph Latus are the parents of Anne Latus who married John Craddock. I am prepared to be disabused of this notion. Perhaps some of my calculations are off and would appreciate being checked for errors.

There is an online discussion regarding Huddlestones here:
https://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2006-02/1139218722

If you would like me to I can send you a .pdf file of Samuel Jefferson’s history. I have extracted just the genealogical data from it and not kept the history and topography parts as the file is very large. I am surprised when I see discussions about the Huddlestones how the Latus family is never or at least hardly ever mentioned, especially considering the families married at least twice.

One thing I find confusing is the case of incest between Anthony Huddlestone and his sister Ann who married Ralph Latus. That caseis dated 1572 which by my calculations would make Ann Huddlestone and Ralph Latus married for 32 years before the law intervened between her brother Anthony and herself. What is interesting about this case is that the court kicked Anthony out of Cumberland and confined him to his estates in Durham. Since the Craddocks are of Durham then a daughter of Ann and Ralph’s (i.e. my Anne (Latus) Craddock) could be in enough proximity to a Craddock to marry one. Also, if Ann (Huddlestone) Latus continued to co-habit with her brother Anthony then Surtees may have been confused as who Anne Latus?s father was and came up with Anthony Latus. The case I am referring to can be found via this link.

https://books.google.com/books?id=wfejAYxmwkwC&pg=PA207&lpg=PA207&dq=incest+huddlestone+and+latus&source=web&ots=c3bb8EB4iX&sig=MYpi5KgLlFUFaNKzicxe87AjuYI&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result

All the best, David

THE RESPONSE

David  This is what the late C. Roy Hudleston, FSA, the acknowledged expert on the family, had to say (Cumberland Families and Heraldry, Hudleston & Boumphrey, Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society Extra Series Vol XXIII, 1978, 198): 

“Latus, of the Beck and Whicham Hall. Richard Latus was steward to Sir John Hudleston of Millom (d 1547). His son Ralph Latus (c1535-1603) was of The Beck, Millom, and married Anne (b c 1537), daughter of the above Sir John. Their grandson Anthony (d 1669) married 1614 his cousin Margaret (d 1631) daughter of William Hudleston…”

This should give you some answers.

Kind regards, Michael