After several decades of research by my father (Brian David Muskett) we have put together a large family tree on Ancestry and deposited at the Norfolk Family History Society archive at Kirby hall in Norwich.

My father also collected names and reconstructed families that do not appear to connect with the main tree.

This collection of data, including photographs of graves, especially in Norfolk, and contact with living Musketts in Canada, Australia and South Africa has led me to believe that a One Name Study is the next step in our research.

I read from an anonymous and undated booklet in handwriting on six pages and with a family tree folded in the back at The Norfolk County Record Office that the derivative of the name Musquet, or Muskett, is from the Sparrow Hawk, a bird of rapid flight from which circumstance the early form of rifle is named.

Perhaps the first 'Musketts' in England were falconers amongst the conquerors.  Other sources suggest 'Musquette' was a place name in Normandy.

THE  MUSKETT FAMILY OF NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK

 An anonymous and undated booklet in handwriting on six pages and with a family tree folded in the back at The Norfolk County Record Office, accessed and transcribed on 24 July 2017 by David Muskett.

p1

The derivative of the name Musquet, or Muskett, is from the Sparrow Hawk, a bird of rapid flight from which circumstance the weapon so generally used in modern warfare is named.

The crest born by the Muskett family is

“Out of a ducal coronet sable a demi antelope, collared and chained of the first”

The antelope denotes swiftness and dispatch.

            Arms: “Argent two bars between six leopards’ heads caboshed, gules”

This family resided during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Elizabeth at Haughley in Suffolk: a branch of this family continued in that village until 1774.  The paternal property was situated in the contiguous parishes of Haughley, Old Newton and Halston, the old family house having the Muskett arms carved in various places; part of the demesne is now the property of Edgar Rust Esq of Stowmarket.

The ancient Muskett arms were three Sparrow Hawks.

Moto “Fide sed qui vide”

p2

William Muskett Esq purchased in 1398 an estate and manor in Rockland St Peer and St Andrews Norfolk called Ladies Manor having been property of Lady Bigod, which estate sometime after passed to the Bloomfield family.  Anne, daughter of Simon Muskett having married Henry Bloomfield, Gent. Fersfield – it actually came into the Muskett family again, and is now possessed by Ben. Muskett, Diss.

Henry Bloomfield was grandfather to the Revd. Francis Bloomfield, Rector of Fersfield, the celebrated antiquary and Author of the History of Norfolk.

John Muskett, Gent. 1648 held some post under the Duke of Norfolk, he was proprietor of land in Fersfield and Bressingham.  The following circumstance discovers the great increase in the value of land; he held a lease of the Duke, forty acres of pasture for which he paid 3 shillings and 6 pence per annum, it is called the Lang-fen and is now in occupation of Charles Muskett, gent. of Fersfield Hall.

Andrew Muskett settled at Thelton in Norfolk about 1659, he was a man of strict integrity and industrious habits, he espoused the sentiments of the Quakers who in consequence of the high party feeling of the day were greatly persecuted.

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p3

John Muskett married Miss Hayward who was descended from a highly respectable family of that name in Sheffield.  Miss Hayward’s  maternal grandfather was the Rev^d Thomas Thurlow, rector of Warham Suffolk, she was niece to the Rev^d Thomas Thurlow, vicar of Ashfield in Suffolk and Thurston, Norfolk the father of Edward Thurlow, Lord Chancellor, and Thomas Thurlow, Bishop of Durham.  She was a woman of exemplary piety and benevolence and though the head of a large family she devoted a considerable portion of her leisure hours in visiting and relieving the poor.

Mr Muskett was an extensive occupier of land, holding at the time the fine farms of Tharston Hall, Newton Hall, and a smaller one at Shrimpling, he was noted for his hospitality and activity in business, he died possessed of estates in Roydon, Titenham and Shrimpling which were sold by his executors.

Joseph Muskett of Easton was an active and enterprising man, he was agent for the estates of Lord Bayning, Sir George Prograve, Rob^t Fellowes Esq of Shottesham, and William Fellowes Esq of Haverland – Commissioner of His Majesty’s Taxes, and in addition to this farmed about 1600 acres of land.

Andrew Muskett of Thelton, through his religious scruples involved himself in great difficulties, being committed to Norwich Castle in 1718 and in 1727 was prosecuted in the ecclesiastical court by John Philips rector of Winfathing in which parish he had land.

P3

At the time M^r Andrew Muskett was confined in Norwich Castle for his religious opinions, there were more than 2000 Quakers imprisoned in different parts of the Kingdom, many of whom died in gaol.

John Muskett Esq of Farnham is the Chief Steward and agent to the estates of the Duke of Norfolk and had the honour of attending in a public capacity at the coronation of HM George 4^th and His Majesty William 4^th he married Miss Stutter, daughter of __ Stutter, Esq of Farnham.

The Muskett family in 1831 were occupiers of nearly 10000 acres of land and proprietors of about 3000 acres.

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p5

Richard Muskett Esq of Haughley in Suffolk registered in the Heralds College in 1528, married Johan, daughter of Mr Abell.

Richard Muskett Gent. he was a sufferer during the unsettled times of Charles I and he is said to have been a man partisan of that monarch – he died in the year 1630 he bequeathed the Rockland estates to his son.

Simon Muskett Esq of Haughley who settled at Bressingham in Norfolk, he had two sons George and Charles and one daughter Anne who was married to Henry Blomfield Esq of Fersfield to whom on the death of her father the Rockland Manor and part of the estate fell and continued in the Bloomfield family several generations.  In Fersfield Church are several ancient monuments having arms Bloomfield impaling Muskett.

Charles Muskett son of Simon Muskett resided at Bressingham 1667, inherited part of his father’s estate in Rockland. Margaret his wife died in the year 1668 and was buried at Bressingham.

Andrew Muskett son of John Muskett of Fersfield settled at Thelverton in Norfolk about the year 1669.  He left four sons John, Andrew, James and Charles and one daughter Elizabeth, who first married Mr Hart of Rainthorpe Hall and 2^ndly to John Bousell a popular preacher amongst the Fiends, and author of several violent tracts controversial and theological.

p6

From the two older sons John and Andrew descend the present Norfolk family.  The third son James settled at Yelverton his family became extinct and the fourth son Charles left no issue.

John Muskett, son of Andrew Muskett resided at Newton Flotman in Norfolk in 1748, and acquired a considerable estate in Roydon and Tibeham, but leaving a large family the Property was sold at his decease.  He married first Miss Hart daughter of John Hart of Hapton Hall whose family was many years closely connected with that of Muskett in consequence of the similarity of their religious opinions, by this lady he had one son John and two daughters.  His second wife was Mary daughter of Ephraim Heywood of Diss – see preceding page.

John Muskett eldest son of John Muskett of Tharston and Newton by his first wife was a man of slender abilities, his parents brought him up to agricultural pursuits to which he had a distaste – he died at Stratton in 1816 aged 76 years.

Ephraim Muskett, the second son, (being the first by the second wife) settled in a small farm at Newton to which a malting business was attached he died in 1819 he had only one son John who died in America.

NORFOLK FAMILIES by Walter Rye, Norwich, Goose & Son Ltd 1913

MUSKETT p581

This is a Suffolk family descending from Richard Muskett of Haughly, whose son Henry in 1575 entered his pedigree and received a grant of arms to himself and to his brother, from whom was descended

Charles M of Frenze, brother of Anna, who married Henry Blomfield ancestor of the author (Walter Rye).  See pedigree in East Anglian (new series) iv p11

The name may come from Muschet, which occurs in Suffolk in 1336, or Mosquaert (see Moen’s Walloon Church) but it occurs in its present form in the Patent Roll at 1304 (see Calendar, p251).

MUSKETT [Yetts] of Intwood

Burke in an old edition of the Landed Gentry gives the pedigree as follows, but I cannot make it agree with the amended pedigree in East Anglian (new series), iv, p9

1. William M of Haughly Suffolk in 1565 bought a manor in Rockland (said to be the brother of Henry who had a grant to him and his brother in 1575) and d. 1619. He was father of
2. Robert Muskett said to be a Royalist, and d.1630,[1] was father of
3. Simon Muskett of Briningham Norfolk, father of
4. John Muskett father of
5. Andrew Muskett settled at Shelton a Quaker in 1659[2] father of
6. John Muskett of Newton Flotman in 1748. He married twice and by his first wife Miss Hart of Haptonn Hall had
7. Joseph Muskett of Easton, a land agent who bought Intwood Hall d.1808, and by Elizabeth Salusbury had (i.a.)
8. Joseph Salisbury Muskett of Intwood who married Mary only daughter of William Jary of Burlingham and was father of Marian Muskett who married Clement Unthank. Arms claimed Arg. Two bars gu. Between six lions heads cabossed
9. Henry of Clippesby b1787 d1851, married in 1817 Emily Grant of Norwich and had
10. The Rev Henry Joseph Musektt of Clippesby, married in 1847 Charlotte Heath daughter of the late William Heath Jary of Blofield

[1] I cannot understand how there could be 4 generations in so short a time

[2]  ditto