BANDON GENEALOGY                        

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Castle Freke in 1820

An Etch of Castle Freke in 1820

The Frekes of Castle Freke who married into the Bernard family of Bandon

There are several marriages between the Freke family and the Bernards of Castle Bernard.  A short outline of Rathbarry, Castle Freke and the Freke family history is given below.

The former name of Castle Freke was Rathbarry.  John Evans Freke built a new castle as the old Castle of Rathbarry was in a neglected and delapidated state. (See "View of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentry in England, Wales,Scotland and Ireland, 1820)  A new site was chosen in another part of the Park, the new building containing numerous spacious suites of apartments on the principal story, consisting of a drawing room in the gallery stye of 50 foot by 20 foot, a library and an eating room, each 34 feet by 22 feet, a breakfast room and two other apartments.  There was a magnificent hall and staircase, an excellent bed chamber story of twelve rooms and a basement story firmly vaulted.  The pleasure grounds and gardens were very extensive stretching along the base of the hill East of the Castle.

In 1910 there was a major fire at the Castle. The castle was rebuilt to include concrete floors, a lift and electrification.  By 1919 John Evans-Freke had sold the estate and moved to America and after a year to Kenya.

A short Freke family history as it relates to Rathbarry and Castle Freke

Robert Freke was auditor of the treasury in the reigns of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth.  His estate was worth upwards of 100,000 on his death. He had 8 children.  His son and heir was Sir Thomas Freke who was born 27th September 1563 and knighted by King James.  He stayed in Dorset and was the ancestor of the Frekes of Hannington, Upway and Farringdon and he died at Warnford, 5th May 1633.  He had William who was baptized at Shroton, Dorset on 24th April, 1577 and who married Ann, daughter of Arthur Swaine of Sareen in Hampshire. William moved to Ireland. William and Ann had 12 children as follows:
(1) Elizabeth born Ockaford Fitzpaine, Dorset 1607
(2) William, born 1608 at Sareen, Hampshire married Hays of Scotland
(3) Robert born 1609 at Ockaford married Feilding, Yorkshire
(4) Thomas born 1610
(5) George born at Cerne, Dorset
(6) Alice born 1613 and buried at Cerne Dorset in 1617
(7) Arthur born at Sareen (see below) 13 Aug 1604
(8) Judith, baptized Sept 21, married 1st October 1622 to  John Harding of Woolcomb, Dorset
(9) John born 11th June 1615  married the Mary, sister of Frances Bernard and had issue: Ann, Elizabeth, Alice, Mary, Margaret and Katherine
(10) Margaret born 14th Jan   John Dennet of Ockford.  without issue
(11) mary born 13th August 16
(12) Ann born 6th June 1613

  • Sir Arthur Freke, born in England, 13th August 1604, son of William of Sareen in Hampshire and Ann (d of Arthur Swaine) Freke.  Arthur married Dorothy Smith, daughter of Sir Piercy Smith Knight (Percy Smyth) of Youghal.  He moved to Ireland with his father, William Freke Esq.  He purchased Rathbarry Castle from David Barry in 1641. He died in 1707

  • Arthur and Dorothy had the following issue:-
    (1) Mary  married Francis Bernard - see Bernards of Castle Bernard, Bandon.  they had Francis, Arthur, Dorothy, Mary, Elizabeth, Ann and Catherine
    (2) Peircy (Percy), heir, married Elizabeth Freke, cousin and daughter of Raufe Freke, on 14th November 1671. Remarried on 26 July 1672 with her father's consent.  He purchased the estate of West Bilney, Norfolk with his wife's inheritance.
    (3)  Agnes m Patrick Crossby, Co Kerry and had Agnes, Margaret, William, Thomas, Raymond, Maurice and Arthur

    Percy and Elizabeth had the following issue:-
    (1)  Raufe, heir, married Elizabeth Meade (only child and heir to her mother), daughter of  Sir John Meade, 1st Baronet of Ballintober.  Had Castle Freke and West Bilney, Norfolk.  Raufe was created Baronet, 12th on 4th June 1713.  He died 1718.   Elizabeth married secondly James, 4th Lord Kingston and had issue.

    Raufe and Elizabeth had the following issue:-
    (1)  Sir Peircy Freke, Baronet, died unmarried 10th April, 1728, Dublin.  MP for Baltimore
    (2)  Raufe Freke, died unmarried in 1727, Richmond, Surrey. England
    (3)  Sir John Redmond Freke, heir, Baronet, died 13th April 1764 married (1) Mary Broderick, d of Alan Broderick.  She died 20th June 1761 at Castle Freke. Buried in Midleton.  No issue.  Sir John was MP for the City of Cork with whom the baronetcy expired.
    (4)  Grace Freke (see below as her son inherited from her brother's son), heir of her brother Sir John and inherited Castle Freke m Hon John Evans of Bulgadden Hall, Limerick  June 1741, 2nd son of 1st Baron Carbery.  She died 1782

  • Grace, sister of Sir John Redmond (above) and Hon John Evans had the following issue:-
    (1)  George Evans born 1742 m Anne Stamer 1768 dsp in 1769
    (2)  John - assumed the name and arms of Freke pursuant to the will of his uncle and on the death of his elder brother succeeded also to his paternal estate.  He married Elizabeth Gore.
    (3)  William Evans born 16th May 1747, died 1796 m Elizabeth Beecher, d of Richard Beecher of Hollybrook
    (4)  Ralph Evans m Elizabeth, d of Robert Woodcock - Had John and Mary
    (5)  Percy Evans died unmarried
    (6)  Grace Evans born 1745 in Limerick m Richard Baldwin Esq, June 1764
    (6)  Anne Evans m William Putland
    (7)  Catherine Evans m George Putland
    (8)  Jane Evans m Richard Grace

    John and Elizabeth Gore had issue:-
    (1)  Sir John Freke, Bart, 6th Baron Carbery, born 11th November 1765 who represented the borough of Donegal in parliament and on 25th January, 1783 he married his cousin Catherine Charlotte Saunders, third daughter of his uncle, the Earl of Arran.  Address:  Saunders Court, Co Wexford. Catherine Charlotte was born Sept  1766 and died  23rd February 1852.  John was grandmaster of the Freemasons of Munster.  He died 12th May 1844 aged 80.  Of Castle Freke, Laxton Hall in Northamptonshire and of Belgrave Square in London.  He sat as Sir John Freke in the Irish House of Commons.  He was the son of John and Elizabeth Gore and succeeded to the title of Baronet on the death of his father on 20th March 1777.  In 1807 on the death of his cousin John, fifth Lord Carbery, he succeeded to the peerage.  He was one of the largest landed proprietors in ireland and constantly resided on his estates.  Left estate valued at 90,000. Left rental of estates for life to his wife.  On his death he directed that the principal family seat and residence should be Castle and that his inheritor should redie there at least four months in the year.  If the inheritor was to become Roman Catholic, the interest in the estate would cease and go to the next in line provided such party was protestant.
    (2)  George Evans-Freke born June1772. of Bulgadden Hall  Died 19th July 1829  m 21st January 1806 Susan Carbery, widow of 4th Lord Carbery 1828
    (3)  Percy Evans-Freke, Esq born April 1774 Percy Lodge, Wexford m 1797 Dorthea Harvey (she died 26th Maryc, 1835) daughter of Rev christopher Harvey, DD of Bargy, Castle Kyle, Co Wexford..  Eldest son G.E. Freke left Castle Freke and Laxton Hall and received 4,000 a year in will of Sir John
    (4)  Jane Grace Evans-Freke born 1775 and died 31 Dec 1827.  m Sir Fenton Aylmer, 7th Baronet Donodea Castle in 1795
    (5)  Elizabeth Evans-Freke born 1782 died young

    John and Catherine Charlotte (sister of the Marchioness of Abercorn) had no issue and the title passed to George Patrick Percy Evans Freke, his nephew.

    Percy Evans (3rd son of John and Elizabeth Gore) and Dorothea Harvey had issue:-
    (1 ) John, born 19th February 1799 and died 1804,
    (2)  Elizabeth born 15th February, 1800 and died 21st February 1813,
    (3)  Dorothea born 15th May 1802 and died young,
    (4)  Catherine Charlotte died 26th January 1826,
    (5)  George Patrick Percy (heir) and 7th Lord, nephew of 6th Lord, born 17th March 1810, succeeded 12th May 1845 m 5th August 1852 Harriet Maria Catherine, only daughter of Edmund William Shuldham Esq, Honorable E.I.C.s service of Dunmanway, Co Cork  Died 25th November 1889 in Uppingham, Rutland. England
    (6)  Hon Lieut Colonel Percy Augustus died unmarried 15th January 1857
    (7)  Hon Major Fenton-John, Capt, 2nd Life guards m 14th oct 1851 Lady Katherine Felicia Pakenham, eldest d of Thomas, 2nd Earl of Longford and had issue
    (8)  Hon Jane Grace Dorothea m 25th July 1843, the Hon and Rev Charles Brodrick Bernard
    (9)  Hon William Charles, born 24th May 1812 m 23rd April 1840 Lady Sophia Sherard, 3rd d of Philip, 5th Earl of Harborough (and widow of Sir Thomas Whichcote, bart) who died 23rd Sept 1851.  He became 8th Lord Carbery on the death of his brother, George Patrick Percy in 1889.  William Charles married secondly Lady Victoria Cecil, daughter of Brownlow Cecil, 4th Marquess of Exeter.  he died on 7th November 1894 in  Laxton Hall, Northamptonshire.
    (10)Anna-maria born 1819, died young

  • George Patrick Percy and Harriet Maria Catherine had issue:-
    Georgiana Dorothea Harriet born 3rd November, 1853 in Brighton, Sussex, married 22nd June 1876, James Francis, 4th Earl of Bandon.  Lived at Castle Bernard in Bandon.

    William Charles Evans-Freke (brother of 7th Lord), 8th Lord Carbery
    (1812-1894) had issue by his second wife, Lady Victoria Cecil:-
    (1)
    Algernon William George (heir)  (born 9th Sept 1868, St Georges, London and died 12th June1898 in Ledbury, Hertfordshire) married 26th November, 1890 Mary Toulmin, 2nd daughter of Henry J Toulmin of The Pre, St Albans, Hertfordshire
    (
    2)  Percy Cecil (born 19th May1871 St Georges, London-died1915)DL Captain Leicestershire IY (Bisbrook Hall, Uppingham) married Eva Kirwan of Dalgan Park
    (3)  Cecil Montague (born Sept 1876- died at war in South Africa 2nd June 1900)

    Algernon (Algy) William George Evans-Freke, 9th Lord Carbery
    Sold Laxton Hall.  He and Mary had issue:-
    (1)  John, heir
    (2)
     Ralf born 23rd July, 1897, Marlebone, Middlesex m Vera Harrington Moore and had issue
    Mary, wife of Algernon, married again on 11th February 1902 to "Kit" Dr Arthur Wellesley Sandford who was born at Kilvernon Rectory, Co Tipperary in 1859, son of Rev William Sandford, rector of ClonmelArthur Sandford had the Cork Eye Ear and Throat hospital built. Mary was close friend to Doty Bandon

    John Evans-Freke, 10th Lord Carbery (born 20th May 1892- died 25th December 1970)
    Was a nationalist and flew the tricolour from Castle Freke.  Owned his own plane.  His last act at Castle Freke was to shotgun blast the portraits of his ancestors on the grand staircase.  He sold the 1100 estate of Castle Freke in 1919 at a fraction of its worth and took off for America but his citizenship was refused.  In the1920s he purchased a farm in Kenya. married (1)  m 7th July 1913 Jose, daughter of Evelyn James Mecalf of Chester Place, London  divorced 1920 In 1921 he changed his name by deed poll from John Evans-Freke, 10th Lord Carbery to John Evans Carbery.  He
    (2)  m 1922Maia Ivy, daughter of Alfred Anderson of Nairobi, Kenya  She died 1928 in an air crash. had issue:  Juanita, his only child
    (3)  m July 1930 June Weir Mosley  She died 1980

    Peter Rolfe Harrington Evans-Freke, 11th Lord Carbery (born 20th March, 1920-)
    Son of Ralf by Vera Harrington



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