Pierre deMorlaix

Who was Pierre deMorlaix?

Pierre deMorlaix was Sergeant to Lord Hugh deSpencer of the manor of Shipton in Oxfordshire, England. Morlaix who changed his name to Pierre Perkins was born in Morlaix, Bretagne, Normandy, France and died in Ufton Shropshire, England.

An argument against the "Morlaix" name, thought to be the French version of "Morley:"

The apparent originator of the Pierre de Morlaix theory was A. T. Perkins and his book was called: “A PRIVATE PROOF printed in order to preserve certain matters connected with the Boston Branch of the PERKINS FAMILY intended only as an indication of the best points of further investigation.” Boston: T. R. Marvin & Son, Printers 1890.

The book begins as follows:

“In the latter part of the long reign of King Edward the First, 1272 – 1307, Pierre de Morlaix, the ancestor of this family so far as known, was born, whether in England or at Morlaix in France is not ascertained.”

Later he made the claim that “Henry, the son of Pierre de Morlaix by his wife Alice Taylor, who succeeded to the Stewardship of the estate of Despenser, is called Henry Pierrekins or Henry the son of Pierre.” There is no historical evidence that Henry ever called himself Pierrekyn or that he worked for the Despenser family. Since there is documentation that both his father, Peter, and his son, John, worked for the Despenser’s, it is logical to conclude that Henry was also employed by the Despenser family.