A Neapolitan Mystery

[samesizedfeet]

THought the hint of ice cream in the title might encourage you all to look

I've a little puzzler I would like opinions on if I may:

About a year or so ago I found the following on Google Books:

MEMOIR OF MRS MARSTON

This lady's maiden name was Noel, her father Mr J B NOel is an artist and a gentleman of considerable literary attainments. She was born in Castle Street, Oxford Street, and is of foreign descent. Her paternal
grandfather Peter Noel was a native of France, and came to England about the year 1774 an attache to the Count de Guignes, ambassador from Louis XVI. Her maternal grandfather Don Nicola Latilla was minister of finance to Ferdinand, king of Naples.

Last week I found this on Gale:

British Gazetteer November 1759

Naples ~ The proclamation of Charles III was celebrated here and his Majesty has conferr'd the order of the Golden Fleece on Prince Ferdinand his 3rd son.
On the 3rd day his Catholic Majesty, with his 3rd son by his side reisgned the Crown of the Two Sicilies at the same time declaring prince Ferdinand legally King and Sovereign of Naples and Siciy.

BUt before the last act of Charles III his majesty filled up twelve vacancies of the order of St Janvier; he also created 8 chevaliers and declared Mr Latilla, Bishop of Avellino, to be preceptor and confessor to the succeeding Prince of the Two Sicilies

I've googled Avellion and Latilla and come up with this site:

http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/blatilla.html

It lists Archibishop Benedetto Latilla holding the following posts:

16 Dec 1754 Appointed Bishop of Avellino-Frigento, Italy
29 Feb 1760 Resigned Bishop of Avellino-Frigento, Italy
29 Feb 1760 Appointed Titular Archbishop of Myra



Are these two seperate Latillas who both happened to be connected to Ferdinand of Naples?

I'm having serious doubts about whether or not a Catholic Archbishop is going to be the grandfather of the lady who is my connection. Coupled with the fact I'm trying to match up a Nicola and a Benedetto to make one person.


I've probably not added everything I know but ut's very late and Mr Latilla is driving me bonkers

Thank you for looking

Zoe

[Kit]

The hint of ice cream did make me look, and even read. But I am quite sad to see no food supplied.

I'm too tired at the moment to take it in properly. What you said sounds reasonable but I'll need to look again later.

In the meantime someone might have a better idea.

One question what is wrong with the granddaughter that is giving you doubts?

[samesizedfeet]

Kit - cheers for looking so late.... I've no doubts about my connection to the grandaughter, I'm 100% on that.

I've doubts about whether a member of the catholic Clergy would be having children in orde rto have grandchildren. I know it happens, it's just whether one high up enough to be an Archbishop who was the teacher of the King of Naples would get away with it.

Been googling more and Ferdinand was 8 when he succeeded to the throne of Naples and Sicily so I"m guessing his "confessor" would be someone fairly upstanding.

Also - missed out of the first post: "Mrs Marston" was Georgiana Noel, born 1808 and her sister, Henrietta Noel born 1810 is my 4x great grandmother.

Off to bed now

night night

[Nell]

Well priests used to have a lot of political sway (think Cardinal Wolsey, Cardinal Richelieu) so its possible a confessor/bishop could be a minister of finance.

And its true that many Popes had illegitimate children, so again, fatherhood isn't ruled out by the cloth.

But as for proving it? Well, that's what makes this genealogy lark such fun!

[kiterunner]

They sound likely to be two different people to me, but maybe related to each other? I don't know how common a name Latilla is, though.

[Olde Crone]

My instinct is that there are (at least) two Latilla brothers. Not a bit unusual for them both to be connected to the Court, nepotism has always reigned!

I'm a bit uneasy about your mention of Peter Noel, for reasons of my own.....I have a family with a middle surname(!) of Noel, who were involved with Louis XV1 and fled to England. They have led me the most almighty dance, not least because every son was called Jean, every daughter Marie.

OC

[samesizedfeet]

Sorry I"m not responding properly. After my late night and early guitar lesson (nephew not me) I came home to a surprise birthday party.

Be back with you later I hope.


*crosses fingers for connection with OCs Noels to save me a heap of work*

[Mary from Italy]

Archbishop Benedetto Latilla was born in Naples on 20 December 1710 and died in Naples on 28 December 1767:

http://www.diocesi.avellino.it/index.asp?sez=Vescovi

I haven't found many references to Don Nicola Latilla, but there is one reference in Google books to a priest of that name, who appears to have been a party to a deed dated 1795, in which case he must be a different person from Archbishop Benedetto Latilla:

http://books.google.com/books?id=hJR...2&client=opera

[samesizedfeet]

Thank you Mary. That conclusively puts Benedetto out of the running then as the Latilla I'm looking for had a daughter on 1st September 1782 so I shall stick with Nicola Latilla as stated in that first biography I found.

OC = about you Noels.......... My two so far are John Peter (Jean Pierre) Noel born born c1760 (this is the paternal grandfather mentioned in the biography). According to son's marriage cert he's a "Gentleman".

And his son John Baptist (Jean Baptiste) Noel born c1784 in Middlesex. He's an artist.

I don't know much more than that going backwards.

Any suggestions as to where to be looking from your experience would be much appreciated.

Cheers everyone for pitching in

Zoe

[Olde Crone]

Zoe

I'll need to bone up as I haven't looked at this branch for a while. I have to go out in a minute, but from memory, I actually found mine on the IGI, lol!!! (extracted) in France, then further back in Italy.

My family was actually surnamed Deloitte by the time they came to England, but in France and Italy, their surname was Noel. They finished up with the surname Noel Levitt (Luvate) Deloitte. I have pondered that Deloitte is a corruption of De Luvate. (Noel, de Luvate)

As I said, I need to bone up, but the Noels were landed gentry in France and Italy and there is quite a bit on the IGI (extracted).

In my case, the Deloitte who fled to England was taken in by a family called Levitt (nudge nudge) and I am sure there is a previous connection to the Luvati family in Italy.

Back later.

OC