The reason for these Holworthy pages appearing here on the Man family web site is because on 7 August 1782 Sir Matthew Holworthy (son of Samuel Smith-Holworthy) married Ann Desborough daughter of Lawrence Desborough and Ann Byrne. Ann Desborough was the aunt of Georgiana Desborough who married Edward Man and the great aunt of Louisa Mary Harris who married Edward Desborough Man, son of Georgiana Desborough and Edward Man. She was also the great aunt of Webber Desborough Harris who married Victoria Matthews the sister-in-law of Edward Garnet Man.  A diagram illustrating these connections can be found here.

There are two Holworthy-Desborough connections, the first was between Elizabeth Disborowe (Disbrowe) (1681-1749) and Sir Matthew Holworthy (1674 -1728).  Sir Matthew's father is pictured left. Elizabeth (Disbrowe) Holworthy, was the granddaughter of Samuel Disbrowe whose brother, John, married Oliver Cromwell's sister Jane.  The second Holworthy-Desborough connection, as mentioned above, was between Anne Desborough (1757 - 1833) who married Matthew Holworthy (1755 - 1826).  Ann and Elizabeth Disbrowe were third cousins twice removed.

On 3 May 1720 Samuel Heathcote (1698/9 - 1775) married Elizabeth Holworthy at Gray's Inn Chapel.  Elizabeth was the eldest daughter of Matthew Holworthy and Elizabeth Disborowe (1681 - 1749) of Elsworth, Cambridgeshire. In 1721 Samuel Heathcote raped his sister-in-law Susannah Holworthy and in the same year she gave birth to a son, Samuel, named perhaps after the father or maybe after Susannah's great grandfather Samuel Disbrowe.  Because he was illegitimate Samuel had to adopt the name 'Smith' by church and civil laws in place at the time, he was thus known as Samuel Smith-Holworthy (1721 - 1765).  Samuel Heathcote was placed on trial for the rape of his sister-in-law and details of the trial and its outcome can be read here.  To view original copies of the reports of the trial click here. There were no children of the marriage between Samuel Heathcote and Elizabeth Holworthy and she died on 6 May 1726.

Samuel Smith (Holworthy) married Elizabeth Haddock, the daughter of Admiral Nicholas Haddock. In 1749, Samuel Smith's grandmother (Elizabeth Holworthy (nee Disbrowe)) willed him her estate, provided he took the name and arms of Holworthy.  By a special act of parliament in 1750, Samuel Smith changed his name to Holworthy and thereby inherited the estate of Elsworth.  More details on the Heathcote family can be read here (<--- PDF). Samuel's father-in-law, Admiral Haddock, was a good friend of Admiral Sir John Balchen.  Below is Sir Gilbert Heathcote whose grandson Samuel raped Susannah Holworthy.  Also The Heathcote (left) - Holworthy (right) arms on the marriage of Elizabeth Holworthy to Samuel Heathcote. Sir Gilbert Heathcote, governor of the Bank of England and grandfather of Samuel Heathcote. He was a great enemy of Sir John Blunt who married Susannah Craddock the daughter of Richard.  

Sir Matthew Holworthy was the son of Richard, of Bristol city and was the father of Matthew who married Elizabeth Disbrowe. He is described in the records as a Gentleman. His father Richard was at one time the Lord Mayor of London. Matthew attended Brasenose College from where he matriculated on 20 Oct 1626, aged 18 with a B.A. Soon after, his father sent him to France to learn to become a merchant and afterwards he resided in London where his business address was Hackney, Spanish Walk Exchange as well as at Little Palgrave, Norfolk. In 1657 Mathew purchased Sporle and Great Pelgrave in
Norfolk.  Matthew was knighted on 12 May 1655 by Charles II at Whitehall.

In his will he gave his wife Susanna [Henley - pictured right] 300 pounds, all her jewels, use of all plate and furnishings and goods during her natural life. At her death these were to go to his son Matthew who married Elizabeth Disbrowe.

He gave Cambridge University [Harvard] in New England one Thousand pounds for promoting of learning and promulgation of the Gospel in these parts. The same to be paid within Two years next coming after his decease. He gave 20 pounds each to the poor of Sporle and Hackney. He gave 10 pounds to all his niece and nephews. To Matthew [his son] the remainder of the estate he paying to every child begotten me the sum of three thousand pounds to each of them, as soon as any of them shall have attained unto the age of twenty one years. Goods were granted to son Matthew 17 Aug 1704.

There is a plaque on Holworthy Hall in Harvard University, Boston, Mass. that reads: "Holworthy Hall Built with Proceeds of a state lottery 1812 named in honor of An English Merchant Sir Matthew Holworthy who in 1681 gave 1000 pounds The largest gift received by Harvard College during the Seventeenth Century."

He died in October 1678 and was buried on 23 Oct 1678 at St. John, Hackney, London. [to be continued]