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Unit 14: Ode to the West Wind by PB Shelley

Their oldest son, Richard Sackville (1472–18 July 1524), was married in 1492 to Isabel Dyggs. Notes
Their oldest son, Sir John Sackville (1492–5 October 1557), was married to Margaret Boleyn,
a member of the Boleyn family at nearby Hever, Kent. Margaret was a sister to Thomas
Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire. His younger brother Richard Sackville had a less prominent
marriage which resulted in the birth of Elizabeth Sackville. Elizabeth herself was later married
to Henry Shelley.
Henry became father to a younger Henry Shelley. This younger Henry had at least three sons.
The youngest of them Richard Shelley was later married to Joan Fuste, daughter of John Fuste
from Itchingfield, near Horsham, West Sussex. Their grandson John Shelley of Fen Place,
Turners Hill, West Sussex, was married himself to Helen Bysshe, daughter of Roger Bysshe.
Their son Timothy Shelley of Fen Place (born c. 1700) married widow Johanna Plum from New
York City. Timothy and Johanna were the great-grandparents of Percy.

Family

Percy was born to Sir Timothy Shelley (7 September 1753—24 April 1844)and his wife Elizabeth
Pilfold following their marriage in October 1791. His father was son and heir to Sir Bysshe
Shelley, 1st Baronet of Castle Goring (21 June 1731—6 January 1815) by his wife Mary Catherine
Michell (d. 7 November 1760). His mother was daughter of Charles Pilfold of Effingham.
Through his paternal grandmother, Percy was a great-grandson to Reverend Theobald Michell
of Horsham. Through his maternal lineage, he was a cousin of Thomas Medwin—a childhood
friend and Shelley’s biographer.
Percy was the eldest of six children. His younger siblings were:

John Shelley of Avington House (15 March 1806 – 11 November 1866; married on 24 March
1827 Elizabeth Bowen (d. 28 November 1889));

Mary Shelley (NB. not to be confused with his wife);
Elizabeth Shelley (d. 1831);
Hellen Shelley (d. 10 May 1885);

Margaret Shelley (d. 9 July 1887).
Shelley’s uncle, brother to his mother Elizabeth Pilfold, was Captain John Pilfold, a famous
Naval Commander who served under Admiral Nelson during the Battle of Trafalgar.

Descendants

Three children survived Shelley: Ianthe and Charles, his daughter and son by Harriet; and
Percy Florence, his son by Mary. Charles, who suffered from tuberculosis, died in 1826 after
being struck by lightning during a rain storm. Percy Florence, who eventually inherited the
baronetcy in 1844, died without children. The only lineal descendants of the poet are therefore
the children of Ianthe.
Ianthe Eliza Shelley was married in 1837 to Edward Jeffries Esdaile of Cothelstone Manor. The
marriage resulted in the birth of one daughter, Una Deane Esdaile, who married Campbell
Carlston Thurston and had two children by him. Several members of the Scarlett family were
born at Percy Florence’s seaside home “Boscombe Manor” in Bournemouth. The 1891 census
shows Lady Shelley living at Boscombe Manor with several great nephews.

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