The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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Paternal Family Tree: Hare
On 1st October 1872 Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire was born to Hugh Henry Hare [aged 33].
YBcJrZjKOn 31st March 1874 Arthur Hill 5th Marquess Downshire [aged 29] died. His son [her future husband] Arthur [aged 2] succeeded 6th Marquess Downshire.
1893. Unknown Photographer. Photograph of Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire [aged 20].
On 22nd June 1893 Arthur Hill 6th Marquess of Downshire [aged 21] and Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire [aged 20] were married. She by marriage Marchioness Downshire. He the son of Arthur Hill 5th Marquess Downshire and Georgiana Elizabeth Balfour.
Before 19th November 1902 Arthur Hill 6th Marquess of Downshire [aged 31] and Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire [aged 30] were divorced as a consequence of her affair with Joseph Frederick Laycock [aged 35]. Laycock was also having an affair with Frances Evelyn "Daisy" Maynard Countess Warwick [aged 40] with whom he possibly fathered two children: Maynard Greville [aged 4] and Mercy Greville.
On 19th November 1902 Joseph Frederick Laycock [aged 35] and Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire [aged 30] were married.
Before 29th May 1918 [her former husband] Arthur Hill 6th Marquess of Downshire [aged 46] and Evelyn Grace Foster Marchioness Downshire were married. She by marriage Marchioness Downshire. He the son of Arthur Hill 5th Marquess Downshire and [her former mother-in-law] Georgiana Elizabeth Balfour.
On 29th May 1918 [her former husband] Arthur Hill 6th Marquess of Downshire [aged 46] died.
On 25th January 1927 [her father] Hugh Henry Hare [aged 87] died.
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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On 10th January 1952 [her husband] Joseph Frederick Laycock [aged 84] died.
On 2nd February 1959 Katherine Mary "Kitty" Hare Marchioness Downshire [aged 86] died.
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Hare
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Hare 1st Earl Listowel
Great x 1 Grandfather: Richard Lysaght Hare
GrandFather: William Hare 2nd Earl Listowel
Great x 3 Grandfather: Luke Dillon 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Dillon 1st Baron Clonbrook
Great x 1 Grandmother: Catherine Dillon
Father: Hugh Henry Hare
Great x 1 Grandfather: Vice Admiral William Lukin Windham
GrandMother: Maria Augusta Windham Countess Listowel
Great x 2 Grandfather: Pierre Thellusson
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Sara Thellusson