Treffry
Encyclopedia
Treffry is an Cornish surname
. The first record of the name Treffry was found in Cornwall where they were anciently seated as Lords of the Manor
of Treffry, some say, at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book
survey in 1086. The first on record was Roger Treffry about the year 1200 and 11th in descent from him in the main line was John Treffry, living in 1620.
fought under the Black Prince
at the Battle of Crécy, and captured the Royal Banner of France, for which he was awarded the honour of Knight Banneret on the battlefield, by the Black Prince and his Coat of Arms charged with the fleur-de-lis
of France. In 1457 French marauders besieged the family seat, Place House
, but met with the repulse at the hands of Dame Elizabeth Treffry, as she gathered men together and fortified Place and poured melted lead, stripped from the roof, upon the invaders. Later, Thomas Treffry built a tower to protect the mansion from French attack. Earlier, other stems of the family branched to locations in Cornwall, and this ancient and noble house proceeded down to John Treffry of Place in 1658. A younger branch settled at Rooke, in the parish of St. Kew
.
of Cornwall in 1838 and is known to have been one of the first mine owners to provide sick pay to his miners and medical attention to not only the miner but also his family. Their present family seat is still at Place. David Treffry
of Place was High Sheriff of Cornwall
in 1991.
to this family was:
The Crest was:
This does not preclude other Arms being appropriate to the name. In A Cornish Armory the colours "Tennée and Vert" are given for the trees. Three variants are given for the arms of Treffry in Fowey and Lanhydrock: Sable a chevron between three trees erased (or "three hawthorns", or "three trefoils slipped") argent.
Cornish surnames
Cornish surnames are surnames used by Cornish people and often derived from the Cornish language. Such surnames for the common people emerged in the Middle Ages, although the nobility probably had surnames much earlier on. Not until the later Middle Ages did it become necessary for a common man to...
. The first record of the name Treffry was found in Cornwall where they were anciently seated as Lords of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Treffry, some say, at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
survey in 1086. The first on record was Roger Treffry about the year 1200 and 11th in descent from him in the main line was John Treffry, living in 1620.
History
Sir John Treffry of FoweyFowey
Fowey is a small town, civil parish and cargo port at the mouth of the River Fowey in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,273.-Early history:...
fought under the Black Prince
Edward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and his wife Philippa of Hainault as well as father to King Richard II of England....
at the Battle of Crécy, and captured the Royal Banner of France, for which he was awarded the honour of Knight Banneret on the battlefield, by the Black Prince and his Coat of Arms charged with the fleur-de-lis
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis or fleur-de-lys is a stylized lily or iris that is used as a decorative design or symbol. It may be "at one and the same time, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in heraldry...
of France. In 1457 French marauders besieged the family seat, Place House
Place House
Place House is a Grade One listed building located in Fowey, Cornwall, England.Home of the Treffry family since the thirteenth century, the original structure was a fifteenth century tower, which was defended against the French in 1475 by Dame Elizabeth Treffry...
, but met with the repulse at the hands of Dame Elizabeth Treffry, as she gathered men together and fortified Place and poured melted lead, stripped from the roof, upon the invaders. Later, Thomas Treffry built a tower to protect the mansion from French attack. Earlier, other stems of the family branched to locations in Cornwall, and this ancient and noble house proceeded down to John Treffry of Place in 1658. A younger branch settled at Rooke, in the parish of St. Kew
St. Kew
St Kew is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The principal settlements in the parish are the church town, St Kew, and nearby St Kew Highway ....
.
Joseph Austen Treffry
Joseph Thomas Austen's mother was born Susanna Ann Treffry and married Joseph Austen and hence Joseph Thomas Austen changed his name to Treffry when his father died. He became High SheriffHigh Sheriff
A high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
of Cornwall in 1838 and is known to have been one of the first mine owners to provide sick pay to his miners and medical attention to not only the miner but also his family. Their present family seat is still at Place. David Treffry
David Treffry
David Treffry, OBE, was a Cornish colonial servant, international financier and High Sheriff of Cornwall.-Early life:David Treffry, a member of the old Cornish family of Treffry, was born at Porthpean in 1926...
of Place was High Sheriff of Cornwall
High Sheriff of Cornwall
High Sheriffs of Cornwall: a chronological list:Note: The right to choose High Sheriffs each year is vested in the Duchy of Cornwall, rather than the Privy Council, chaired by the Sovereign, which chooses the Sheriffs of all other English counties, other than those in the Duchy of...
in 1991.
Variations
Many spelling variations of the name Treffry are found in the archives. Although the name, Treffry occurred in many references, from time to time the surname was spelt Trefry, Treffrey, Treffray, Trefrey, Trefry, Trefray, Trefary, Trevry, Trevney, Trevray, and these changes in spelling frequently occurred, even between father and son. Scribes and church officials spelt the name as they thought appropriate. It was not uncommon for a person to be born with one spelling, married with another, and yet another appeared on his headstone.Heraldry
The most ancient known grant of a Coat of ArmsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
to this family was:
- SableSable (heraldry)In heraldry, sable is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.The name derives from the black fur of...
, a Chevron between three Trees ArgentArgentIn heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it...
.
The Crest was:
- A Cornish Chough's Head erasedErasure (heraldry)Erasure, in the language of heraldry, is the tearing off of part of a charge, leaving a jagged edge of it remaining. In blazons the concept is usually met with in the form of the adjective erased....
in the beak a sprig of laurel Vert.
This does not preclude other Arms being appropriate to the name. In A Cornish Armory the colours "Tennée and Vert" are given for the trees. Three variants are given for the arms of Treffry in Fowey and Lanhydrock: Sable a chevron between three trees erased (or "three hawthorns", or "three trefoils slipped") argent.