Note - some phrases below are in French. Translations are in brackets after the phrases. Please advise if anyone has a more accurate translation.

This Filleul scrap book has recently been purchased by La Société Jersiaise. It was compiled by the Rev. Samuel Edward Valpy Filleul who also compiled the larger album entitled "Island of Jersey" in the Museum Library.

It is truly a family book containing documents, photographs, maps, sketches, letters and newspaper cuttings, all of which contribute to a story of great variety. The following notes, which are all drawn from the scrap-book, do not tell the whole story; there is more for members to read themselves.

The Filleuls trace their descent from Durand Filleuls who was Maire de Rouen in 1268. Durand, his son Vincent, grandson Enguerrand are all buried in the Church of La Sainte du Mont near Rouen.

The two sons of Enguerrand - Jean and Amauri, were said to be "illustres pour noblesse et vertu". (renowned/famous/celebrated for nobility and virtue). They founded and endowed "Un Monastère, règle St. Augustin" (A Monastery, the rule of St Augustine) for the girls of Rouen, who became known as "Filles-Dieu". ("Daughters of God"?)

Jean was twice Maire de Rouen (Mayor of Rouen), in 1332 and 1341. Amauri was also Mayor in 1353 but the interesting thing about him is the note which reads "il fut envoyé en Angleterre avec Jean Mustel, pour la déliverence du Roi Jean, ils y sont morts". (He was sent to England with Jean Mustel for the deliverance/release of King John. They died there.)

Amauri Filleul was Seigneur de Freneuse, as were a number of other members of the family between 1350 and 1570. We are told that "Jacques Filleul, Seigneur de Freneuse, fit ses preuves de noblesse à Rouen en 1463". (Jacques Filleul, Lord of Freneuse, "won his spurs" of chivalry at Rouen in 1463). A letter, dated 1902, tells us that "there are no longer any Filleuls at the Château or Manoir de Freneuse". It has become a simple farmhouse.

There is a break in the genealogy at this point but it seems certain that the founder of the Filleul family in Jersey was Thomas Filleul fils Jean, a native of Pirou near Coutances who, in 1435, sold his inheritance in Normandy to his younger brother Jean whose descendants still lived at Pirou at the time of Payne's Armorial.

Thomas probably settled in the south-east of Jersey for we find his great-grandson, Jean, living at Samarès, and this Jean's son, Franczois/Ffranceoys, buying land in the "fief de hommet geysans au hutterel" (no translation yet available - may be old French) in 1573 and at "fieu de crapdoibt, mare (maire?) de Samarès" (no translation yet available - may be old French) in 1593.

This François' brother, Thomas, married someone called Jeanne. From them descends the branch of Grouville Filleuls.

François had a son Jean and a grandson Philippe. This Philippe being the first in a line of at least ten Philippes in successive generations, down to Philip who was killed in the R.A.F. in the Second World War. He left two sons; we do not know their names, but one of them must surely also be Philip.     Amongst these Philippes there were two Centeniers (Centurions/centenars - Frankish Kingdom history) and two Constables of St. Clement.

(These notes and the coats of arms sent to me by Ian Bunton)