Bulmer of Tursdale

Reverting to the former Pedigree, we find that Sir William Bulmer (III) married to the heiress Elizabeth Elmeden.

She was descended from William Elmeden who died seized of the manor of Trillesden, etc. in 1339. The issue of this marriage was:

(1) Francis Bulmer, of Elmeden, Gent. who died in the 1570s. He married Catherine, daughter of Richard Norton of Norton Conyers, Co. York.

(2) Cuthbert, and three daughters,

(3) Mary who married Conyers;

(4) Anne who married Robert Ayton, and

(5) Dorothy.

The issue of Francis Bulmer, who married Catherine Norton, were:

(1) Anthony Bulmer of Elmeden, Gent, who died in 1578

(2) Henry.

(3) Francis, and three daughters

Anthony married Diana, daughter and sole heir of Francis Metham of Wiganthorpe, Co. York, second son of Sir Thomas Metham, Knt. of Metham, and had issue:

(1) Sir Bertram Bulmer, Knt. of Tursdale, who married Isabel daughter of Sir Nicholas Tempest of Stella, Bart.

(2) Catherine, who married Sir George Conyers of Sockburn.

(3) Margaret, who married Sir Arthur Gray of Spindleston, Northumberland living in 1639.

(4) Francis, who married George Reveley of Ancroft, Northumberland.

Sir Bertram Bulmer had issue by his wife:

(1) William Bulmer, Gent., afterwards of Marrick Park, Co. York in 1607. He married Dorothy, daughter and co-heir of George Sayer, Esq., of Worsall and Marrick Park.

(2) Anthony Bulmer of High Embleton, afterwards of Ketton, Durham.He married, first, the widow of Mr Tunstall of Stapleton-on-Tees and had a daughter, Diana, living in 1622. He married, secondly, a widow of Mr Wild of Ketton and had a son and heir, John Bulmer and other Issue.

(3) George Bulmer of Hett, Gent., died without issue in 1665; buried at Merrington.

(4) John Bulmer of St Oswald's Parish, Durham, Gent.; died 1678. Married Jane ---- and had issue.

(5) Nicholas; buried at St Oswald's Oct.14, 1614.

(6) Ralph.

(7) Henry.

(8) Richard.

Daughters: Margaret, who married John Smythe, Esq. of Eshe, Durham; Isobel; Troath; Mary and Dorothy.

The issue of the eldest son of Sir Bertram, William Bulmer, who married Dorothy Sayer was:

(1) John Bulmer, son and heir who died without issue.

(2) Anthony Bulmer of Marrick.

(3) Thomas Bulmer of Startforth, near Barnard Castle, living in 1682. and 1712 married Phyllis ---- who died in 1719 and is buried at Startforth. They had an only daughter, Dorothy Bulmer, baptised at Startforth.

The issue of John Bulmer (4) of St. Oswald's, Gent. who married Jane ---- was:

(1) Anchitel Bulmer, Gent. (A Papist) who died in1695. He married Prisca, daughter of Mr Tilly Bolmar, and left no issue.

(2) Bartram Bulmer who died in 1639.

(3) Elizabeth, buried at St. Oswald's 1634, and.

(4) Mary Bulmer who died in 1639.

John Smythe, as noted above married Margaret, daughter of Bartram Bulmer of Tursdale, Knt. living 1644. The estate of John Smythe, Esq. at Embleton was Sequestered 5th September 1664, he being then engaged in the service of Charles I. He occurs in the list of Recusants who bore commissions in the Royal army. (Vol. I., p100) The 4th son of this marriage, Edward Smythe of Eshe, living 1656, was created a baronet 23rd February 1660 and died at Acton Burnel, Salop, October 1714 aged 80.

The reliques of several ancient Roman Catholic families seem to have been gathered round the old hall of Ash, or Eshe, both before, and after it was deserted by its owners. (The Smythes migrated to Salop). A circumstance which must have always taken place, whilst from a system of compression and exclusion, the cadets of Catholic families were prevented from entering on any active line of life, and had no resource but to gather round their chiefs, existing on such scanty annuities as the family estates could provide. Here some of the latest of the Bulmers found a refuge and a grave.

"Anthony Bulmer, buried 27th April 1683"

"Mrs Mary Bulmer, buried 2nd July 1684"

"Mr William Bulmer, buried 23rd March 1711"

Will of Ralph Ashmall, Gent., 1683. "Wife Mary executrix my maister Sir Edward Smithe. Witness Thos. Bulmer, Amorellus Bulmer". The Ashmalls were a Roman Catholic family.

By the marriage of Sir William Bulmer with the heiress of Elmeden and Tursdale the Bulmers became again seated in the County of Durham, and reinstated as large landed proprietors at Tursdale; but their glory was only short lived as their estates were, soon afterwards, squandered by a descendant, Sir Bertram Bulmer, who was known to be one of the gayest men of the period in which he lived. He lived at Tursdale in considerable splendour. He succeeded to his estates at an early age in 1598; and, on the first coming in of King James I, he received Knighthood at Durham. He, afterwards, spent much of his time at Court, - After his fortunes were broken, Sir Bertram led a troop, which he raised himself, into the Low Country Wars, where his men, on one occasion, deserted him and he was taken prisoner by the Spaniards. He afterwards returned to Durham and, after having dissipated the greater part of his paternal inheritance, he died in the parish of St Oswald's and was buried, May 6th 1638.

William, the eldest son of Sir Bertram, acquired a considerable estate by marriage with the heiress Sayer, of Merrick Park. He, in 1638, conveyed the Manor of Tursdale, for the sum of £1,658, to Lord William Howard of Naworth. The Manor of Marrick, with the Presentation of the Living, and tithes, was sold either by William Bulmer, or one of his sons, to Charles Powlett, Duke of Bolton, in whose descendant the Patronage still continues.

It is stated that, in later times, after the ruin of the family, some of the last of the Bulmers were sheltered in the houses of the Catholic Gentry of the district; and in many instances ended their career under that protection.

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