Robert Bulmer rector of St Nicholas, Durham, in 1348.

An Indenture in the treasury states that Sir Thomas Surtees of Dinsdale received the wife of Sir William Claxton, "who was minded to go for the wars in France" (1416) into his house for a year. Also the lady of Sir Wm. Bulmer (Elizabeth, dau. of Sir R. Eure, Knt.) was placed under similar guardianship.

In the civil wars of end of Chas. I. some of the best blood of the county was shed at Marston and at Naseby, and in every conflict for the Royal cause.

Amongst those who bore commissions and were deeply engaged in the royal service is Captain Bulmer, Rom. Cath.

After the Restoration (1660) a petition is presented to the Kinges most Excellent Majestie, for the restitution of the ancient privileges of the Palatinate : Yet have all these temporal burthens been light, compared to the spiritual ones of depriving us of our Rev. Bishop. &c. "causing us to be over-run with errors, heresies, schisms and atheisme." Amongst names appended is George Bulmer.

Surtees says, writing in or about 1812: "Sir Bertram Bulmer (to whom allusion has been made) is not yet quite forgotten." He was exactly the character described in the excellent old song:

Though the name of Sir Bertram Bulmer, Knt. of Tursdale appears in the visitations of 1615; in Dugdale's next visitation, in 1666, the name of Bulmer does not appear. Surtees says "the heirs of some ancient houses had fallen into sear and yellow leaf, and probably neglected to register their descents from the effects of poverty and depression. The representatives of Bulmer, Trollope, Blakiston and Brackenbury, though still in existence in the County, were no longer possessed of the estates of their ancestors, leaving them no sign.

Sir Walter Scott, in the IVth Canto of Marmion, alludes to one of the family, as having had an encounter with a spectre.

In a note on the passage, Sir Walter says that this most singular story was copied by his friend, Mr Surtees, from a MSS note in a copy of Burthogge's, "On the nature of Spirits". 800. 1694. The extract, in Latin, is set out, and Sir Walter Scott adds that this tale suggested the incident of the encounter between Marmion and the supposed spectre. This Bulmer, in question, was a Radulphus, or Ralph, not Brian, whose name the Poet had doubtless substituted for the sake of the metre.

Sir David Lindesay is made to allude to this adventure of Ralph Bulmer, as a well-known story; and that such an incident should be tacked on to the family history, is further evidence of the antiquity and warlike character of those bearing the name.

In the neighbourhood of Paris, Mr G. B. Bulmer has observed the name, Boulmere, being almost identical with the spelling of the A.S. form of the name.

There is a fishing village on the Northumberland coast, near Alnwick, called Boulmer; but pronounced "Boomer".

The name of the late Vicar of Bolden, near Sunderland, was Bulmer, which was also pronounced Boomer. [It is common practice to pronounce the name, "Bulmer" as Boomer; in North Yorkshire.]

There is a yeoman family of the name Boomer, settled at Rotherham, Co. York, and in the neighbourhood, since the beginning of the last century, who came from Crich, Co. Derby, where we find them in the middle of the 17th century, spelling their name Buomer and Boomer.

They are now represented by Mr John Boomer, of Broom House, and Conisborough, near Rotherham, a relative of whom, a Miss Boomer, of the latter town. married the father of the Mons Louis Ruchonnet, the late esteemed and able President of the Swiss Republic, who died at Lusanne, 1893.

In 1726, Bertram Bulmer kept the Cock Pit and Bowling Green in Gray's Inn, London; and was in possession of an ancient emblazoned Pedigree of Bulmer extending beyond the Conquest. This rests on the authority of Francis Maire, Esq., of Gray's Inn, who made several extracts.

In Startforth Church-yard:-

"Here lyeth the body of Thomas Bulmer, Esq., one of the last of that ancient family, aged about 90 years, August 1st, 1749."

"The Durham Ox, bred by Mr Charles Colling at Ketton in 1796 was supposed to weigh 168 stones when exhibited at a Show in 1801 by Mr Bulmer, who purchased him for £140 and in the same year, sold him to John Day for £250."

P. Harrison, in the Preface of his History alluded to_, says "that we must not look for the blood of the ancient nobility and gentry of Yorkshire amongst the present Landowners; but amongst the farmers and Agricultural labourers, many of whose ancient names are the sole remnant of many long lines of ancestry."

Notes from Various Sources Relating to the Bulmer Family

In the Parish Church of Brancepeth "are two ancient tombs in the transept said to belong to the Bulmer, Lords of the Manor and by whom Brancepeth Castle was built."

British Traveller.

In Bulmer Church (an ancient edifice) there is a Monument of Knight Templar said to be one of the family.

Hutchinson's Durham, Vol. I. p. 127-8.

The Bishops of Durham had power to create barons who with their vassals, were bound to attend the Bishop's summons in Council. There were four barons of the See (some say seven). 1. Prior of Durham, for the time being, pre-eminent. 2. Hilton of Hilton. 3. Conyers of Sockburn. 4. Bulmer of Brancepeth.

G. de Nevil. uxit in uxem Emman fil. and hered. Bartram Bulmer hu'it Brancepeth. temp. Henry VII. Dugd: Bar: pt. I. p. 592. Ibid. Rad Bulmer hu'it Sum. ad. pan. temp. Ed III. and suit f. de Manerio de Thorp Bulmer.

Rogerus de Coniers, Ganfrious Escoland, et Bertram de Bulmer barones epi. Whart. Angl. Tac. 716.

Whitaker's Craven.

Aaliz de Rornille granted to Geoffrey de Nevill and Emma, his wife, the service of Robert de Bulmer of the fee and inheritance of his said wife, daughter of Bertram de Bulmer. One part of this donation was a carucate of land in Ayton and another the advowson of the church of Burnsal. The manor accompanied this carucate, which continued to be held by the Bulmers, as mesne lords, till Henry Fitzhugh married Eve, daughter of Sir John Bulmer, after which it was vested in the Fitzhughs till the death of the fourth baron in 1425.

Rectores de Burnsall.

23rd, Mai. 1309. Wm. de Bulmer, Cl.

Raine's "Historians of York and its Archbishops"

In a general letter, AD 1128, from Archbishop Thurston, about the consecration of the Bishop of St Andrews amongst the witnesses is Aschetino de Bulmer. His name appears again in the return letter from Scotland, as one of the witnesses with a slight difference in the spelling.

Hutchinson's Durham, Vol. I. p. 170.

In 1166 an aid was to be levied for the marriage of King's daughter, Henry II. - These amongst other names:

"Filius Bertram de Bulem (Bulmer) 5 militum".

"Stephanus de Bulem (Bulmer) 1 militum".

This is a record of military service in the Bishop's jurisdiction. Five militum is amongst the higher numbers. One man, Hugh Pencon furnishes 7; with that exception, Bulmer is the highest.

Hutchinson's Durham, Vol. I. p. 220.

In a "List of names of many Knights of the Bishopric of Durham, between Tyne and Tees, who were at the battle of Lewes, in the r. of Henry III, 1264" is Sir John Bulmer, at Thorpe Bulmer. This MS, which was found in the Lord Coniers' study, does not state on which side these Knights fought, but it is probable they were for the King. It is curious and interesting as showing the names and places of residence of the chief men of the time.

From Thompson's Magna Charta we find that this John de Bulmer was in arms for the King in the reigns of John, Henry III and Edward I.

Issue Roll, Easter 9 Henry IV

11th July. To Richard Cressey, Esq., sergeant of the hall of the King's Household. In money paid to him in part payment of 107 shillings, which the lord the King commanded to be delivered to him, therewith to pay the carpenters and workmen employed in making a certain scaffold at Nottingham by command of the lord King against the day of the duel appointed to be fought there between John Bulmer, appellant, and Bertram Dusane, defendant. By writ, &c. £4.

Exchequer Rolls, by Francis Devon.

Drake, in his Eboracum says that "In St Michael Belfray Church, at York, there was only one Chantry, and that was called the Chantry of Sir Rauffe Bulmer, Knt., and was founded by him in 1472. The yearly value of it was forty-nine shillings, for the purpose of praying at the Altar of Our Lady of the said Church".

Orde's Cleveland, p. 171.

Gisborough. Priory Church. Cottonian MS. mentions the families of the district, Bulmers of Wilton, &c. and continues "In the midst of them dwelte the Prior of Gysbrough, who kepte a most pompous house, insomuch as the towne, consystinge of 500 householders, had no land, but levied all on the abbey; twoe gate houses had lodgings and all houses of offyces appertayninge to a dwelling house, whereof two of the Bulmer Knights (Wilton) within the memory of men were resident, having allowance, when they came, of a plentifull dyet, at eyther to entertaine strangers, and as many horse in winter, in the stable, as in sommer at grasse; the number whereof, and other particulars, one Thompson, an almesman there, and diverse others, have related to me.

209 p. - The Church of St Nicholas at Gisboro' has very good register books beginning at 1653. There are entries of early ancestors of Bulmer.

In 1542 there were divers persons arraigned in the King's Bench, and condemned for misprision of treason, for concealing the Queen's misdemeanour (Catherine Howard) and sentenced to loss of goods and lands, and to be imprisoned for life. One of these was Joan, wife of Anthony Bulmer.

Baker's Chronicle - p. 288.

Hutchinson's Durham - Vol. I. p. 443.

(Commonwealth) In 1651 and 1652, two acts passed for sale of forfeited estates for treason, in the bishopric of Durham, in which the following loyal gentlemen who refused to compound, or had otherwise incurred the charge of obstinate Delinquency and Recusancy are named.

Anthony Bulmer, Esq., of Ketton.

Sir Richard Tempest, late of Stella, Co. Durham, Bart. (connected by marriage with Bulmers).

Adjoining the Town Hall in Durham is an old house called New Place or, as in some records, Bull's Head. It belonged to the Earls of Westmoreland, and tradition says was their palace. The Bull points to the estate having belonged to the Bulmers, possibly a town house of the Brancepeth branch, and the property would pass into the hands of the Nevilles, by the marriage of Emma Bulmer to a Neville.

Ryton Parish Register - these entries:

"Mr Bartram Bulmer, Mrs Jane Tempest married 30 July, 1600". "Anthony, son of Bartram Bulmer, Esq., baptized 2 Dec., 1602". "Mary d. of B.B., 26th Aug. 1606". "Mr Wm. Bulmer of Stella, bur. 23rd Jan., 1682-3".

Orde's Cleveland - p. 267

At Brotton, in the east portion of the church yard is a very curious monument something in the form of a Man-of-war, the whole completely covered with inscriptions in Latin and English. This cenotaph is dedicated to the memory of Richard Bulmer, AD. 1675, who according to the parish Clerk of that date (184-) "was a sailor, and fought in the wars." What renders the circumstance more singular is that a structure almost exactly similar now stands at the upper part of Westerdale,

P. 345. - "At the top of the village of Westerdale (which is near Grosmont) situated on land which is the property of a descendant of Thomas Bulmer, through the female side, is a curious representation of a ship carved in stone, nearly similar to that at Brotton, the whole closely covered with various inscriptions in Latin and English, from which we gleaned that the ingenious architect had sailed in the good ship "Hopewell" to Holland, France and Spain, and under the date 1727, he adds:

"This year it was my true intent

To make here my lasting monument."

The name of the eccentric individual who reared this monument in his lifetime was "Thomas Bulmer".

Also at Westerdale, two tombstones outside the chancel door, of singular structure, deserve recording: "Nigh to this place lyeth intar'd in the dust until ye resurrection of the just, the body of Thomas Bulmer, who departed this life 1727.

Again under a most appalling Death's head and cross bones!

"Behold Death's Emblems here, and hearken how they cry.

Prepare yourself just now, for you must surely die."

Thomas Bulmer he departed this life anno 1773.