Swifte of Eversham
Godwin Meade Pratt Swifte born circa 1806 son of Godwin Swifte. He went on the grand tour
which included Austria and met a baroness. Godwin married Maria Theresa Plankenstern,
Baroness de Wetzlar of Austria at Paris in 1830 after the birth of their son Ferdinando. Maria
Theresa was the daughter of Von Wetzlar and Countess Von Ergb. They also married at the
RC parish church of Loitsch in Kirchdorf, Austria on 3 Feb 1833. Maria died on 30 Jan 1859
aged 48 and was buried in Vienna with her son Ferdinand.
1 Ferdinando Swifte born circa 1830.
Godwin as a bachelor secondly married Jane Anne Hopkins of Dale Street on 18 Mar 1845* at
St John's Church Liverpool after an non legal ceremony in 1842. Jane was the daughter of
Captain Richard William Hopkins of the 76th Regiment. Godwin returned with his family from
the continent in 1845 to take up residence at Swiftesheath. He took the defunct title Viscount
Carlingford as his own, was generally known and called himself Lord Carlingford. Jane died at
Lionsden, Castle Rickard on 14 Aug 1847 and is buried in the family vault.
2 Julia Ianthe Swifte born 4 Jun 1842 at 18 Charlemont Mall baptised at St Peter’s, Dublin.
She married Dr Thomas Austin O’Flaherty, an eminent London physician in 1861 at
Marylebone.
1 Austin Ronald O’Flaherty born circa 1870.
3 Harold Godwin Mossom Swifte born circa 1844 died a bachelor from typhoid on 19 Jun 1888
at the Royal City of Dublin Hospital in Baggot Street late of 56 Waterloo Road. He was buried
at Mount Jerome.
4 Longueville Meade Augustus Swifte born 9 May 1845 at Batesville, Upper Rathmines was
baptised at St Peter’s on 28 Apr 1847. He left the family home after the death of his father
with £50 given to him by his step mother which he was told was his inheritance. He joined
the RIC and died a pauper at the South Union workhouse in 1871 having gone insane 18
months earlier.
5 George Godwin Barnham Swifte born 10 Feb 1847 at Rathmines. He joined the merchant
services and travelled all over the world including New Zealand, Australia & Calcutta. He
returned home on hearing of his father's death. He left the family home having been given
£50 by his stepmother which he was told was his inheritance. He married Louis Marguerite
Reid, a widow on 20 Oct 1903 at St Peter’s Church, Dublin. Louise was the daughter of
Edward Bulkeley Swift and was his first cousin. He took a action against his father’s estate
in 1905, lost, appealed and lost again. He died 8 Feb 1928 at 56 Waterloo Road and is
buried close to his uncle Edward Swifte’s grave at Mount Jerome. Louisa died 26 Oct 1929
and is buried with her husband. They had no issue.
In 1854, Godwin Swifte patented what he called 'an aerial screw' or propeller which, according to a local
newspaper, 'was the complete solution to the problem of aerial navigation'. He designed this aerial
chariot which was built in the dining room of his house. He had to widen the doors so that it could be
moved outside. It had a boat-shaped carriage with one wheel in front and two behind; the silk-covered
wings were ‘a network of lengthened square shapes’. It was drawn by horse to Foulksrath Castle,
hoisted up to the battlements and then it plummeted to the ground with his butler (acting at pilot) on
board. The butler was lucky as only his leg was broken.
It is thought that Godwin had a liaison between his second and his third wife which resulted in the
birth of a child (mother unknown).
6 Henry Albert Swifte** born circa 1854 in Kilkenny. Both his marriage cert and his headstone
gives his father's name as Godwin Meade Pratt Swifte. He joined the RIC and on the 1901
census he was based at The Curragh. He gave his occupation as 'brought up to farming under
guardianship'.
Godwin, a widower thirdly married Mary Jane Clarke on 4 Feb 1863 at Kilkenny. Mary was the
daughter of Robert Hare Clarke and was 36 years his junior. Godwin died 4 Jul 1864 and Mary Jane
died 28 Dec 1905.
7 Godwin Butler Meade Swifte born 24 Mar 1864 in Kilkenny was educated at St Columba's
College and Trinity College. He was declared the only legitimate son of Viscount, Carlingford
Godwin Meade Pratt Swift of Swift’s Heath, Co Kilkenny and his second wife Mary Jane Clarke.
His father died when he was just a few months old and he inherited the Swifte estates. He
was a JP and DL and was high sheriff of Kilkenny in 1892 and Carlow in 1902. In 1904 his
father’s estate was contested by George Godwin Barnham Swifte, a son from the previous
marriage to Jane Anne Hopkins in 18 Mar 1845 at Liverpool. It was proven that the children
from this marriage were not legitimate as this marriage was not legal as he already had a
wife who was still living. therefor it was bigamous. (Maria Theresa, Baroness de Wetzlam of
Austria did not die until 1859). An appeal of 1912 was dismissed and Godwin Butler Meade
Swifte remained the only legitimate heir of his father.
Godwin married Elizabeth Natalie (Natalie) O’Brien at St Mary’s Donnybrook on 15 Jul 1909.
Natalie, seventeen years his junior, was the daughter of Jerome O’Brien, 28th Regiment and
Elizabeth Clarke of Bansha. She was the only niece of Lord Sir Peter O’Brien of Kilfenora, Chief
Justice of Ireland. Goodwin was also his nephew. Natalie was given away by her brother
Turlough. Godwin died at Kilkenny on 2 Dec 1923. Natalie bred and showed border terriers.
Natalie died at Eversham on 17 Aug 1949. The couple had no issue.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – July 2022
* This marriage does not appear in Burkes 1899 and was not recognised by the Courts in 1905. His
marriage to the Baroness was held to be legal and could not have been annulled as annulment was
not recognised in Austria.
** His baptism has not be looked for.
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Godwin Meade Pratt Swifte born circa 1806 son of Godwin Swifte. He went on the grand tour
which included Austria and met a baroness. Godwin married Maria Theresa Plankenstern,
Baroness de Wetzlar of Austria at Paris in 1830 after the birth of their son Ferdinando. Maria
Theresa was the daughter of Von Wetzlar and Countess Von Ergb. They also married at the
RC parish church of Loitsch in Kirchdorf, Austria on 3 Feb 1833. Maria died on 30 Jan 1859
aged 48 and was buried in Vienna with her son Ferdinand.
1 Ferdinando Swifte born circa 1830.
Godwin as a bachelor secondly married Jane Anne Hopkins of Dale Street on 18 Mar 1845* at
St John's Church Liverpool after an non legal ceremony in 1842. Jane was the daughter of
Captain Richard William Hopkins of the 76th Regiment. Godwin returned with his family from
the continent in 1845 to take up residence at Swiftesheath. He took the defunct title Viscount
Carlingford as his own, was generally known and called himself Lord Carlingford. Jane died at
Lionsden, Castle Rickard on 14 Aug 1847 and is buried in the family vault.
2 Julia Ianthe Swifte born 4 Jun 1842 at 18 Charlemont Mall baptised at St Peter’s, Dublin.
She married Dr Thomas Austin O’Flaherty, an eminent London physician in 1861 at
Marylebone.
1 Austin Ronald O’Flaherty born circa 1870.
3 Harold Godwin Mossom Swifte born circa 1844 died a bachelor from typhoid on 19 Jun 1888
at the Royal City of Dublin Hospital in Baggot Street late of 56 Waterloo Road. He was buried
at Mount Jerome.
4 Longueville Meade Augustus Swifte born 9 May 1845 at Batesville, Upper Rathmines was
baptised at St Peter’s on 28 Apr 1847. He left the family home after the death of his father
with £50 given to him by his step mother which he was told was his inheritance. He joined
the RIC and died a pauper at the South Union workhouse in 1871 having gone insane 18
months earlier.
5 George Godwin Barnham Swifte born 10 Feb 1847 at Rathmines. He joined the merchant
services and travelled all over the world including New Zealand, Australia & Calcutta. He
returned home on hearing of his father's death. He left the family home having been given
£50 by his stepmother which he was told was his inheritance. He married Louis Marguerite
Reid, a widow on 20 Oct 1903 at St Peter’s Church, Dublin. Louise was the daughter of
Edward Bulkeley Swift and was his first cousin. He took a action against his father’s estate
in 1905, lost, appealed and lost again. He died 8 Feb 1928 at 56 Waterloo Road and is
buried close to his uncle Edward Swifte’s grave at Mount Jerome. Louisa died 26 Oct 1929
and is buried with her husband. They had no issue.
In 1854, Godwin Swifte patented what he called 'an aerial screw' or propeller which, according to a local
newspaper, 'was the complete solution to the problem of aerial navigation'. He designed this aerial
chariot which was built in the dining room of his house. He had to widen the doors so that it could be
moved outside. It had a boat-shaped carriage with one wheel in front and two behind; the silk-covered
wings were ‘a network of lengthened square shapes’. It was drawn by horse to Foulksrath Castle,
hoisted up to the battlements and then it plummeted to the ground with his butler (acting at pilot) on
board. The butler was lucky as only his leg was broken.
It is thought that Godwin had a liaison between his second and his third wife which resulted in the
birth of a child (mother unknown).
6 Henry Albert Swifte** born circa 1854 in Kilkenny. Both his marriage cert and his headstone
gives his father's name as Godwin Meade Pratt Swifte. He joined the RIC and on the 1901
census he was based at The Curragh. He gave his occupation as 'brought up to farming under
guardianship'.
Godwin, a widower thirdly married Mary Jane Clarke on 4 Feb 1863 at Kilkenny. Mary was the
daughter of Robert Hare Clarke and was 36 years his junior. Godwin died 4 Jul 1864 and Mary Jane
died 28 Dec 1905.
7 Godwin Butler Meade Swifte born 24 Mar 1864 in Kilkenny was educated at St Columba's
College and Trinity College. He was declared the only legitimate son of Viscount, Carlingford
Godwin Meade Pratt Swift of Swift’s Heath, Co Kilkenny and his second wife Mary Jane Clarke.
His father died when he was just a few months old and he inherited the Swifte estates. He
was a JP and DL and was high sheriff of Kilkenny in 1892 and Carlow in 1902. In 1904 his
father’s estate was contested by George Godwin Barnham Swifte, a son from the previous
marriage to Jane Anne Hopkins in 18 Mar 1845 at Liverpool. It was proven that the children
from this marriage were not legitimate as this marriage was not legal as he already had a
wife who was still living. therefor it was bigamous. (Maria Theresa, Baroness de Wetzlam of
Austria did not die until 1859). An appeal of 1912 was dismissed and Godwin Butler Meade
Swifte remained the only legitimate heir of his father.
Godwin married Elizabeth Natalie (Natalie) O’Brien at St Mary’s Donnybrook on 15 Jul 1909.
Natalie, seventeen years his junior, was the daughter of Jerome O’Brien, 28th Regiment and
Elizabeth Clarke of Bansha. She was the only niece of Lord Sir Peter O’Brien of Kilfenora, Chief
Justice of Ireland. Goodwin was also his nephew. Natalie was given away by her brother
Turlough. Godwin died at Kilkenny on 2 Dec 1923. Natalie bred and showed border terriers.
Natalie died at Eversham on 17 Aug 1949. The couple had no issue.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – July 2022
* This marriage does not appear in Burkes 1899 and was not recognised by the Courts in 1905. His
marriage to the Baroness was held to be legal and could not have been annulled as annulment was
not recognised in Austria.
** His baptism has not be looked for.
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