Charles Blayney Trevor-Roper

GEDCOM Note

Birth: Sep. 22, 1799 Kent, England Death: Feb. 9, 1871 Holywell Flintshire, Wales

Born in the old Hundred of Blackheath, Kent, now part of SE London. Charles Blayney (also seen written as "Blaney") was the son of Cadwallader Blayney Trevor-Roper and his first wife Elizabeth Anne (Reveley). In 1809 his father inherited the Jacobean house and estate of Plas Teg, in Flintshire, which later served also as Charles Blayney's family home.

Charles married Mary Knight of Crowcroft, Manchester on Dec. 5, 1821. Educated at Ruthin, Shrewsbury and Oxford, he was a solicitor who served as Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant of County Flint. He held the office of High Sheriff of Flint in 1835. He was also caught up in the excitement of the early Industrial Age as an investor, notably in the steam engines of the inventor and engineer James Boydell, who I believe may have been his brother-in-law. Despite his responsibilities he was known for his even, calm temper, his hospitality, good humor and his enjoyment of harmless jokes.

The family appears to have lived in Darmstadt, Central Germany during the period 1831-1833. This was the capital of Hesse at that time - the purpose of their stay there is unknown to me. On June 11, 1832, he boarded the steamship at Rotterdam which carried Sir Walter Scott back to England from his Grand Tour of Europe. He had a few brief conversations with the aged author, who was suffering from a recent stroke and whose spirit was "at a low ebb".

An avid yachtsman and member of the Royal Welsh Yacht Club, Charles Blayney owned the yacht "Wyvern", which sailed out of Caernarfon during the summer yachting season. He also enjoyed shooting and rabbiting with his sons. Archery was popular with the family, as was the hosting of balls and standing offer of hospitality at their home.

Charles Blayney and Mary Trevor-Roper had a large family of ten children, all of whom lived to adulthood. A glimpse of the family's life at Plas Teg can be found in a surviving diary kept by daughter Charlotte in 1856. Charles Dickens, who stayed at Plas Teg while on a lecture tour, described his host as "a jolly country gentleman".

Charles Blayney Trevor-Roper was buried at Hope's Parish Church - the Church of St. Cynfarch - on Feb. 15, 1871.