Weld-Blundell family

The Weld-Blundell family is a cadet branch of the English Weld family of Lulworth in Dorset. It emerged formally in 1843 when Thomas Weld (1808–1887), the second son of Joseph Weld of Lulworth, received a royal licence from Queen Victoria to use the surname Blundell in addition to Weld. The change followed his inheritance of the Ince Blundell estate on Merseyside, which had passed to him after the death of his childless cousin Charles Blundell in 1837. The inheritance required Thomas and his descendants to preserve the Blundell name, creating the compound family name Weld-Blundell. The family’s older ancestry is connected with the Welds of Eaton in Cheshire and, through Sir Humphrey Weld, Lord Mayor of London in 1608, with the later Catholic Welds of Lulworth. A descendant of Sir Humphrey acquired Lulworth Castle in Dorset in 1641. The Lulworth Welds became one of England’s prominent recusant Catholic families, maintaining their faith through the penal period before Catholic emancipation. The family was connected by marriage and inheritance to several Catholic landed families, and members of different Weld branches later appeared in England, Australia and North America. The Blundell side had been established at Ince Blundell in Lancashire for centuries. Documentary evidence places a Richard Blundell at the site in 1212. The family remained Catholic after the Reformation and accumulated estates through property transactions and advantageous marriages. By the eighteenth century it controlled numerous manors and other holdings in Lancashire and the Liverpool area. Nicholas Blundell of Little Crosby is remembered for diaries that record the daily life of eighteenth-century Catholic gentry. Ince Blundell Hall was developed substantially by Robert and Henry Blundell. Henry Blundell, a major collector of paintings, sculpture and antiquities, created a specialized architectural setting for more than five hundred objects, including the Garden Temple and a Pantheon inspired by the Roman building. After Charles Blundell died without children in 1837, the estate passed to Thomas Weld. He restored, refurnished and redecorated the hall while adopting the Blundell surname. The royal authorization of 11 March 1843 established the Weld-Blundell name for him and his issue. The family’s history remained closely tied to Catholic landed society and to two principal estates: Ince Blundell in Lancashire and Lulworth in Dorset. The direct Weld-Blundell line associated with Lulworth ended in the early twentieth century. Herbert Weld Blundell, described as the last of the line, later dropped the Blundell suffix; after his death without children in 1935, the Lulworth estates reverted to another branch of the Weld family. Ince Blundell Hall was sold in 1959, with part of the property transferred for local-authority housing and the hall itself passing to the Canonesses of Saint Augustine for use as a nursing home. The family is therefore best understood as a historical lineage and landed-house name rather than a commercial brand.

The Weld-Blundell family combines the histories of two old English Catholic gentry families. The Weld ancestry relevant to this branch leads back to John Weld of Eaton, Cheshire, and to his younger son Sir Humphrey Weld, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1608. A later Humphrey Weld, having returned to Catholicism, acquired Lulworth Castle and its estates in Dorset in 1641. The Lulworth Welds became an important recusant family and remained connected to Catholic religious, educational and aristocratic networks. The Weld succession at Lulworth passed through several generations. After Humphrey Weld died in 1685, the estate went to his nephew William Weld, followed by William’s son Humphrey and then Edward Weld. Edward’s eldest son, Edward Weld, died in 1775 after a fall from a horse, leaving no surviving issue from either of his marriages. The inheritance consequently passed to his younger brother Thomas Weld, whose large family included Thomas Weld, later a cardinal, and Joseph Weld. Joseph Weld inherited the Lulworth estates and became notable as an early English yachtsman and as a founder of the Royal Yacht Squadron on the Isle of Wight. His son Thomas, born in 1808, became the founder of the Weld-Blundell line in the dynastic sense. The Blundell family’s association with Ince Blundell on Merseyside reaches back at least to Richard Blundell, recorded there in 1212. The family preserved its Catholic faith after the Reformation despite legal and social restrictions. Through purchases, inheritances and marriages, the Blundells built a substantial landed position. Their holdings eventually included numerous manors and properties in Lancashire, Liverpool and Preston. Nicholas Blundell of Little Crosby left diaries that provide an unusually detailed account of Catholic gentry life in the eighteenth century. Ince Blundell Hall was rebuilt and enlarged over time. Robert Blundell inherited the estate in 1711 and commissioned the architect and mason Henry Sephton to create the principal house. His son Henry Blundell later improved the grounds and built a lake and ha-ha. Henry was also a distinguished collector. To accommodate his collection of paintings, sculpture and antiquities, he built structures in the grounds, including the Garden Temple in the 1790s and the Pantheon around 1802–1805. After his death, his son Charles inherited the estate. Charles died childless in 1837, causing the property to pass to his cousin Thomas Weld. Thomas Weld’s succession transformed the family name. As a condition of inheriting the Ince Blundell property, he adopted the name Weld Blundell. On 11 March 1843, Queen Victoria formally granted him and his descendants permission to use Blundell alongside Weld. The resulting cadet branch became known as Weld-Blundell and occupied an unusual position: it was descended from the Welds of Lulworth while also representing the continuation of the Blundell inheritance at Ince Blundell. Thomas restored and redecorated Ince Blundell Hall, maintaining the estate’s architectural and cultural identity. Members of the family appeared in Catholic directories and landed-gentry references during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The branch also remained linked to Lulworth. After the deaths of two sons of Charles Joseph Weld-Blundell, Lulworth devolved in 1924 upon Herbert Weld Blundell, whose father was Thomas Weld-Blundell of Ince Blundell. Herbert was the last member of the line associated with the compound name at Lulworth and died childless in 1935. The Lulworth estates then reverted to Colonel Sir Joseph William Weld, representing another Weld branch. The Ince Blundell estate followed a different path. Ince Blundell Hall, a Grade II* listed building, was sold in 1959. The local council acquired part of the estate for housing, while the hall passed to the Canonesses of Saint Augustine, who operated it as a nursing home. The Weld-Blundell family therefore survives primarily as a historical and genealogical subject, represented through its records, estates, buildings, Catholic associations and connection with the wider Weld family.

• 1959

  Sale of Ince Blundell Hall

  [1]Weld-Blundell familyen.wikipedia.org

  The Ince Blundell estate was sold in part for local-authority housing, while the hall passed to the Canonesses of Saint Augustine for use as a nursing home.

• 1935

  End of the Lulworth Weld-Blundell line

  [1]Weld-Blundell familyen.wikipedia.org

  Herbert Weld Blundell died childless, after which the Lulworth estates reverted to another Weld family member.

• 1924

  Lulworth passes to Herbert Weld Blundell

  [1]Weld-Blundell familyen.wikipedia.org

  Lulworth Castle and its estates devolved upon Herbert Weld Blundell after the deaths of two sons of Charles Joseph Weld-Blundell.

• 1843

  Royal creation of the Weld-Blundell name

  [1]Weld-Blundell familyen.wikipedia.org

  Queen Victoria granted Thomas Weld and his descendants authority to use Blundell alongside Weld, formally creating the Weld-Blundell branch.

• 1837

  Thomas Weld inherits Ince Blundell

  [1]Weld-Blundell familyen.wikipedia.org

  After Charles Blundell died without children, the Ince Blundell estate passed to his cousin Thomas Weld.

• 1641

  Lulworth Castle acquired by the Welds

  [1]Weld-Blundell familyen.wikipedia.org

  A later Humphrey Weld purchased Lulworth Castle and its estates, establishing the principal Dorset base of the relevant Weld branch.

• 1608

  Sir Humphrey Weld serves as Lord Mayor of London

  [1]Weld-Blundell familyen.wikipedia.org

  Sir Humphrey Weld, an ancestor of the Lulworth line, served as Lord Mayor of London.

• Early Blundell record at Ince Blundell

  [1]Weld-Blundell familyen.wikipedia.org

  Richard Blundell is recorded in connection with the Ince Blundell site, providing the earliest date cited for the family’s association with the estate.

Historical English Catholic gentry lineage associated with landed estates, recusant identity, dynastic inheritance and the preservation of the Blundell name.

• 1935

  Reversion of the Lulworth estatesOther

  Background

  Herbert Weld Blundell died without children, bringing the direct Lulworth-associated Weld-Blundell line to an end.

  Action taken

  The Lulworth estates reverted to Colonel Sir Joseph William Weld from another branch of the wider Weld family.

  Aftermath

  Lulworth returned to the wider Weld family rather than remaining with the direct Weld-Blundell succession.

  Source

• 1843

  Adoption of the Weld-Blundell surnameOther

  Background

  Thomas Weld inherited the Ince Blundell estate from the childless Charles Blundell under a condition requiring the continuation of the Blundell name.

  Action taken

  Thomas Weld adopted Blundell as an additional surname and obtained royal authorization for himself and his descendants to use Weld-Blundell.

  Aftermath

  The change established a distinct Weld cadet branch that combined the names and inheritances of the Weld and Blundell families.

  Source

1. 1Weld-Blundell familyen.wikipedia.org