Robert Woollcombe

Name spelt: Wolcomb.

He is the ancestor of the HEMERDON branch of the family.

(page 155)

ROBERT WOLCOMBE, eldest son of William Wolcombe of Holland, ancestor of the Woollcombes of Hemerdon.

(from Sir Charles Louis Woollcombe's notes)

It seems to have been a tradition in the family and it is recorded in most of the pedigrees that Robert Wolcombe married Emma, elder daughter and coheiress of John Pitts, and William Wolcombe his younger brother, married Joan the younger daughter and coheiress. In the pedigree drawn up at the College of Arms the wife of Robert is thus described, but it appears to me to be utterly wrong.

In the pedigree in the British Museum entitled "Visitation of Devon 1620", the wife of Robert the elder brother is not given, but the wife of William is described as "Joan daughter of John Pitts of Pitton and his heir". (John Pitts was born in 1532). In the inquisition post mortem of John Pyttys it is stated "Joan Pyttys his daughter and next heir was aged 5 on 22 December last.

This inquisition was held 5 October 1558. She was therefore born in 1553.

Among the Ashbury papers is a document dated 1558 arranging for the custody, wardship and marriage of Joan Pitts, the daughter and next heir of John Pitts, gentleman, deceased. Also another deed dated 19 June 1577 granting to William Wolcombe and Joan his wife, as in the right of his said wife, daughter and heir of John Pytts deceased, the lands held of Reginald Mohan and others under the crown.

These prove that Joan was the sole heir of her father. No mention is made of Emma in the inquisition p.m. of John Pitts or in either of the above deeds. We know that the wife of Robert Wolcombe was called Emma from his will and from a deed dated 10 October 26 Elizabeth "Release from Emma Wolcombe widow of Robert Wolcombe of Holland to his son John Wolcombe".

William Wolcombe the father of Robert and William in his will left legacies to three sons and one daughter of Robert. The will was dated 12 December 1569 and even if John Pitts had married when he was 18 it would have been impossible for a daughter of his to have had four children by 1570.

The Rev. J. R. Powell in an article in the North Devon Journal in 1885 on the Woollcombes gives the wife of Robert Wolcombe as sister of John Pitts. I don't know his authority but the same is stated in a footnote to the pedigree.