John Jennens and his family

[Dennis Williams]

There is a deal of information and some really scholarly stuff elsewhere on the Forum about this family, notably by our own John Houghton concerning John and Humphrey Jennnens and their iron trade involvements, but I thought the other key family members also deserved a mention, and perhaps a new airing for those newcomers to our Group might be appreciated. Hope the old hands won’t mind.

John Jennens, a Yorkshireman by birth, is probably remembered now more by the eponymous Road names – Jennens Row and Jennens Road - than for his many achievements. But he and his family contributed so much to Brum’s history and development, admittedly whilst making them tidily rich in the process.

John Jennens originally made his money out of ironmongery, but on his death in 1651, his son Humphrey, turned to more profitable iron-making with furnaces at Bromford, near his home at Erdington Hall; at Aston (cf Furnace Lane; at Furnace End (beyond Shustoke towards Atherstone and Nuneaton); and elsewhere.

This is what John Houghton and others wrote a few years ago (2006) about iron smelting and it’s relationship with Aston.

https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4103&highlight=jennens

The extended family lived in Erdington Hall, and this has also featured in other sites, but Humphrey Jennens also had a Queen Anne mansion in High Street, the site of the old Co-operative Society Store, plus other sizeable investments in real estate in other parts of Birmingham. I am still desperately trying to track down a photo of this building, and any help would be appreciated..

 

[Dennis Williams]

Charles Jennens

This is the Artist rather than the artisan, and a most fascinating character.

Humphrey's son Charles was an even richer beneficiary of his family’s labours, and with this came the almost obligatory eccentricity for the period. Known as ‘Suleyman the Magnificent’ by his neighbours, he normally travelled in a gilded coach and four, with four footmen (obviously). Bit like Elton John. Or as it happens maybe Bernie Taupin, because in spite of his eccentricity, he was a genius of a librettist (he wrote the words).

With his inheritance he built a monumental stately pile called Gopsall Hall in Twycross, Leicestershire, spending 80k on the grounds alone. Millions in those days. There, his protégé and friend Georges Frederick Handel no less is reputed to have written parts of his immortal Messiah. Charles Jennens wrote the lyrics. Yes. A Brummie wrote part of the Messiah. Consider this note in the records dated 9 September 1742
"Handel explains that he had intended a visit to Jennens on his way from Ireland to London in order to give a verbal account of "how well Your Messiah was received", instead however, Handel enclosed a written account of the oratorio by "no less than the Bishop of Elphim (A Nobleman very learned in musick)". Handel promises to "send the printed Book of the Messiah to Mr Sted" on behalf of Jennens. Handel reserves the account of his successes in Ireland until he meets Jennens in London, however he does state that the notion that "the Direction of the Opera next winter is committed to his care, is groundless". Handel professes that he is not sure if he will continue with Oratorios, except that in Ireland a large subscription is already planned for that purpose in 12 months time.

Charles was also a close friend of the Young Pretender (Bonnie Prince Charlie) and was godfather to Charles Finch, a son of Heneage third Earl of Aylesford, and left him 5,000 pounds when he died a batchelor on 22nd November 1773, aged 75, to be buried in Nether Whitacre.

I've included Gopsall Hall GWR train for Lloyd to keep him sweet... The Stones in the grounds of Gopsall Hall are reputed to be the remains of a Temple like edifice where Handel wrote his masterpiece.

 

[Dennis Williams]

Another excellent thread, DW. Thanks! :thumbsup:

Thanks Wendy and Peter for those encouraging words. I was amazed to discover the role of Charles in the composing of The Messiah, surely one of the greatest musical pieces ever written. This the received wisdom of the day:

The libretto was compiled by Charles Jennens and consists of verses mostly from the King James Bible, the selections from the book of Psalms being from the Great Bible, the version contained in the Book of Common Prayer. Jennens conceived of the work as an oratorio in three parts, which he described as "Part One: The prophesy and realization of God's plan to redeem mankind by the coming of the Messiah. Part Two: The accomplishment of redemption by the sacrifice of Jesus, mankind's rejection of God's offer, and mankind's utter defeat when trying to oppose the power of the Almighty. Part Three: A Hymn of Thanksgiving for the final overthrow of Death"

I was gobsmacked, and then there's the link with Charles Dickens....

 

[Thylacine]

In addition to his musical achievements, Charles Jennens towards the end of his life began to edit a new edition of Shakespeare's plays. Five volumes were published in the period 1770-1774. Unfortunately these attracted the unfavourable attention of the renowned Shakespearean scholar George Steevens (1736-1800), whose withering criticism of Jennens coloured scholarly opinion for many years. Only relatively recently has Jennens's reputation been rehabilitated, by such scholars as Dr Ruth Smith (born 1947) of Cambridge University. Dr Smith is the author of the current Charles Jennens biography in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

Pictured below:

[1] Charles Jennens (1747) by Thomas Hudson. Seen in the year in which his father died.​

​

​

​

​

[2] Gopsall Hall, Leicestershire (circa 1780). Artist unknown.​

[Source: Ruth Smith. "The Achievements of Charles Jennens (1700-1773)". Music and Letters. Volume 70. 1989. Pages 161-190.]

 

[Dennis Williams]

Thanks Peter, erudite as usual.

Not content with his Messiah connections, he also assembled the text for four other of Handel's oratorios: Saul, Israel in Egypt, L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, and Belshazzar.

He was friendly with Edward Holdsworth, sending the poet and classical scholar many letters, and he evidently became a non-juror, with a professed interest in "primitive Christianity", which prompted leading theologians of the day to brand him an anti-Deist. Much of this served to promote his radical views concerning kingship (as I mentioned he was a keen supporter of the deposed Stuart line).

As you say, Jennens had an interesting collection of books by Shakespeare, on philology and theology, and today many of his books can be found in the Henry Watson Music Library in Manchester. Quite a scholar and a talent in his own right.

 

[jennyann]

This is a fascinating thread and I am enjoying reading the posts. Here is a description of Gopsall Hall and
and it's history. Such a shame these grand mansions were demolished. This one looks like a gem.https://lh.matthewbeckett.com/houses/lh_leicestershire_gopsallhall.html

The connection between Handel and Charles Jennens is very interesting. Since visiting St. George's Church in Hanover Square with the late Peter Walker to attend a concert in October 2009 I have researched the connection between the two men. Handel's life story is fascinating and much written about with certain items turning up in some descriptions and not in others. Peter took me around to 25 Brook Street where Handel lived for over 30 years. When Handel lived there you could shoot birds all around the area. It was just open countryside. The Handel Museum is there now. I was so impressed by my visit to St. George's with Peter that I returned there on my last day in London to take photos. I would liked to have visited the Handel Museum but ran out of time. Another connection with St. George's is that George Colmore of Birmingham was a churchwarden there for several years. His name is on an individual plaque on the front of the balcony along with many others who served in this position.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handel_House_Museum

Photo replaced , not necessarily the same as original

 

[sheri]

What an interesting thread - thank you Dennis and jennyann - In my book 'The Building of a City' it says that William Jennens settled in B'ham in the middle of the 16thC and founded the Jennens dynasty -he died in 1602 leaving his wealth to sons John and Ambrose - by 1700 John's son Humphrey was one of the b iggest landowners in Warwickshire - they created two millionaires one of whom died intestate bringin the family fame as the 'Jarndyce family in Dickens Bleak House.
I love these historical threads,
Sheri

 

[Dennis Williams]

Yes, couldn't agree more about the fascination of these great men who shaped out City.

The Jennings family was of Danish extraction, and settled in England in the time of King Canute.
Here is a poem about the wealth of the family. Very Kirk Douglas sounding....no idea who wrote it.

The Jennens’ Millions

“By the hammer of Thor! By the hammer of Thor!”
Cried Jennens the smith as he smote the ore,
“Devil or Christ, I care not, I,
Good red gold will I have or die.
Lust of the Viking strain of mine,
Good red gold and good red wine,
“By the hammer of Thor! By the hammer of Thor!”
The Devil flew in at the smithy door.
“O, Jennens, smith of the Viking strain,
‘Twere shame that thou called’st sat on my name in vain”
The Devil was lean, the Devil was fat,
Gave Jennens the smith small heed to that.
His horns were short, his horns were long,
Or fire shot forth from his eyes or tongue,
Knew Jennens no whit, nor his shape nor size;
His hammer he hurled at the Devil’s eyes.
The Devil flew, but the rede is told,
The hammer was straightway turned to gold,
Whate’er it smote, the legends say,
Was turned into red gold straightway.
Gold by the hammer’s shaping shown.
“The Devil’s own! “The Devil’s own!”
“Take me and serve!” “By the hammer. Yea!”
Laughed Jennens the smith in the Viking way,
“So the gold be good. A wondrous store
Of lands and of gold shall be mine therefore.”
Jennens the smith gat lands and gold,
And gat in his pride as the rede is told.
“By the hammer of Thor! By the hammer of Thor!”
“I’ll cozen the Devil himself,” he swore.
The hammer of gold-he hath graven the same,
“In the name of Christ.” In the holy name.
The Devil flew straight from the Devil’s mass,
The graven hammer he dared not pass.
Laughed Jennens the smith, “Now Christ I bless,
The gold and the lands shall be mine natheless.”
The Devil that raged spake soft with guile,
“The land and the gold shall be thine awhile.
“Thy children’s children shall rue it yet,
But never the curse on the gold shall let.
“Thy children’s children shall seek to hold
The baleful millions of phantom gold.
“Youth shall wither, and age shall pale,
And men shall laugh at the sorry tale.
“The lands shall grow and the millions swell,
And none shall have. It is writ in hell.
“Thy soul for the souls of thy sons I give!”
“Ho! Ho!” laughed the smith, so my sons shall live,
“And the gold be mine, I will get me more,
And their souls shall be thine, By the hammer of Thor!”

 

[sheri]

What a wonderful poem - an epic - as you say Dennis very Kirk Douglas. How do you know they came in the time of King Canute - he must have beeen a Viking???
Sheri

 

[Dennis Williams]

The Jennens Inheritance saga is widely published in a variety of learned and not so learned tracts. Certainly, it is well accepted that given Charles Dickens' connections with Birmingham, ably illustrated by Aidan in his recent Christmas Carol thread, it is quite probable that his Bleak House 'Jarndyce v Jarndyce' machinations were extensively modelled on the antics of the myriad of claimants for the Jennens fortunes. You ready for this? Take a deep breath and cancel the milk, this could take some time...

The story commenced upon the death of William Jennens, Charles' first cousin and evidently the richest commoner in England. Remember Charles died a batchelor.
William was a bit of a scruff bag and a miser by all accounts, despite being of such noble stock. His father Robert was an aide de camp of the Duke of Marlborough, and he moved to Acton PLace in Long Melford, Suffolk in 1708. William died in 1798 aged 98 and left no will. Naughty boy.

In the settlement of the estate the heir-at-law (inheritor of the real estate) was declared to be George Augustus William Curzon, a descendant of Robert Jennens' eldest sister Hester. His mother Sophia Charlotte Howe (Baroness Howe and Lady Curzon) took possession on behalf of her second son, Richard William Penn Curzon (1796-1870), who was created first Earl Howe in 1821. Earl Howe was later alleged to have been an illegitimate son of a spinster named Ann Oakes, substituted as the heir-at-law. This took care of the cash and land. Complicated?? You ain't heard nothing yet.
The personal property of William Jennings was divided between the living next-of-kin who were William Lygon, first Earl Beauchamp (1747-1816), a grandson of Hester Jennens, and Mary, Lady Andover, a granddaughter of Humphrey Jennens' daughter Ann. This might have been ok, but then enter Uncle Sam et al...

The claims of American descendants of William Jennings, uncle of intestate William Jennings, are based on the fact that children of the uncle were alive in America at the time of the intestate's death and should have been considered as next-of-kin with Lady Mary Andover and Earl Beauchamp. Furthermore, if the alleged illegitimacy of the first Earl Howe could be proven, the question of proper disposition of the realty would likewise entitle the American claimants to consideration. The matter is further complicated by the fact that parish church at Nether Whiteacre, eldest son of Humphrey Jennens, died unmarried, willing his real estate and his rights in entailed property to the heirs of his sister Hester. With me so far? No I can't be bothered either, but the sums at stake would be billions today, there was a lot of money in iron making!

Whatever, all of this convoluted story is commemorated in the names of local streets, Penn Street, Curzon Street, Howe Street, Gopsall Street, Jennens Row, and Andover Street to name a few.. so that's alright then. OK?

 

[dek carr]

Thanks for that Dennis great bit of info you are a diamond. Err where does Nova Scotia St come into the equation ??? Dek

 

[Wendy]

Urmm as my maiden name is Jennings can I claim anything.....lol I always wondered why so many Americans used to contact me to see if we were related.

Joking aside a wonderful piece of local history thank you Dennis.

 

[Thylacine]

... Here is a poem about the wealth of the family. Very Kirk Douglas sounding....no idea who wrote it ...

Dennis, that lovely poem is by Ernest Marston Rudland (born 1875), and is found on page 8 of his Ballads of Old Birmingham (London: David Nutt, 1915). Lots of other gems there too.

P S. Wendy, I have read (somewhere) that the Jennens family pronounced their surname "Jennings" in the early days. I reckon you're related!

 

[Dennis Williams]

Well Wendy girl, if you really want to pursue a claim, be sure to bone up on this first https://www.archive.org/stream/greatjennenscase00will#page/n5/mode/2up Good luck!

 

[Dennis Williams]

Finally found a picture, not brilliant admittedly, of John Jennens' original Town house in High Street that preceded the Coop. Da da...

 

[Thylacine]

Alfred Rodway gives the heraldic description in the Ballads of Old Birmingham book (post #16):

Arms — Argent, a chevron between three plummets sable.
Crest — A griffin's head couped, wings expanded argent, holding in the beak a plummet sable.​

[Er ... what's a plummet?]

 

[Aidan]

oh oh I know - Plummet: an instrument used by masons and others to prove perpendiculars (a plumb-bob)

 

[Dennis Williams]

For those that, like me, love that part of unspoilt Warwickshire round the Whitacres...and that quaint little pub on the bend just before Furnace End....

What connections do Handel, Jennens and Charles Dickens have with St. Giles Church, Nether Whitacre??

Humphrey Jennens bought the manor of Nether Whitacre in 1680

Humphrey Jennens had exstensive forges at Furnace End

Charles Jennens the ironmaster has a road commemorated after him in Birmingham..Jennens Row.

Charles Jennens built and lived at Gopsall Hall, Twycross

Charles Jennens was a close friend of Handel. He was the librettist for many of his works, the most famous being "The Messiah"

He left a large collection of manuscripts and music..now called "Aylesford Collection"

Charles Jennens endowed a school in Nether Whitacre in 1775

It is believed that Charles Dickens book "Bleak House" was based around the Jennens family

There are nine members of the Jennens family buried in the family vault in Nether Whitacre Church

Jennens tombstone and vault is in Nether Whitacre Church