Various - portraits of Kingsley family

This group of miniature portraits are contained within a single frame. The sitters are all identified by very old notes inside the frame. The sitters include two ancestors of the famous writer Charles Kingsley who wrote "The Water Babies" and other books. Depicted are his father (bottom right) and his grandmother (top left). The other three images are believed to be related by marriage.

The man in the centre is James Wills and the following notes about him and his descendants are included in case they are of any interest to genealogists.

"James Wills who died 1731 married Martha Curtis and left 2 sons. (1) Godfrey, his heir - Lt Col Roscommon Militia (2) Robert of Annalee Co Carlow, and two daughters of whom one married Mr Lennox (?) a banker.

(Col) Godfrey Wills married (first) Sarah Montgomery of Ballinlongious (?) Co Monaghan - their children were (sons); (1) Thomas, his heir (2) Robert married Miss Dowely (?) (3) Caspar married Mr Carter's daughter. Daughters (1) Elizabeth married Thomas Mitchell of Castle Strange (?) Co Roscommon (2) Martha married Charles Wood of Larkfield Co Sligo (3) Sarah married Sir Ralph Fetherstone of Ardagh (4) Catherine married Ralph Owens (?) of Longford. (5) Susan married William Fetherstone of Carrick.

Col (Godfrey) Wills married secondly Charlotte Elizabeth, daughter of Luke Stirling of Mount Dutton Co Meath & had by her (4) (ie a fourth son) James Wills of Plas Bellin, who married Miss Kingsley. (5) Charles (6) Ann married William Berry of Eglish (?) Castle Kings Co.

Col Wills was succeeded by his eldest son, Thomas Wills of Willsgrove (?) who married in 1765 Jane Talbot - their children were (1) William Robert born 1779. (2) Sarah married Rev William McLoughlin (2) Elizabeth died unmarried (3) Ann married W D Burleigh, their son afterwards married the daughter of James Wills of Plas Bellin. (4) Jane died unmarried.

Godfrey the second of William & Susan Fetherstone, married in 1824 Matilda daughter of Rev Stephen Radcliff & his (her?) youngest sister Elizabeth married as her second husband, Rev Stephen Ratcliffe. Painewick (?) 30th July 1914.

The rear of the frame has a note saying "For my nephew Cecil Burleigh in New Zealand". 18