Geva of Chester

  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ⁹⁰⁶
Geva, by her own words called herself the daughter of Hugh, Earl of Chester. It is probable that Geva's mother was at one time the mistress of Earl Hugh de Abrincis, and at another time the wife of Robert de Buci. Geva had the Honor of Weldon, apparently as her inheritance, as well as holding a part of the Staffordshire Manor of Drayton under the Earls of Chester. In her old age, she founded the Priory of Canwell, and spoke of Earl Ranulf le Meschin (the second) as her cousin (cognatus meus).

Geva's only recorded husband was Geoffrey Ridel. Geva lost her husband, Nov 1129, off Barfleur, in the wreck of the White Ship. She also lost her half-brothers, Richard, Earl of Chester and Otmer Fitz Count, one of the legitimate son and heir, and the other an illegitimate son of Hugh Earl of Chester.

Geva and Geoffrey's only daughter and heir was Matilda, who married Richard Basset. Geva survived both Richard Basset and his wife, her daughter. When she founded canwell. Geva spoke of Geoffrey Ridel (Basset) and Ralph Basset as her heirs. Both of these men were the two elder sons of Richard Basset and Matilda Ridel, and therefore the grandsons of Geva. Geoffrey Ridel succeed to the Honor of Weldon. Geoffrey's son and his son's many descendants resumed their paternal name of Basset. the line is distinguished as the Bassets of Weldon. The descendants of Ralph Basset were called the Bassets of Drayton.

~"The Liber Niger Scaccarri", Collections for a History of Staffordshire, Vol. I, p. 225

Geva married Geoffrey Ridel. ⁹⁰⁶(Geoffrey Ridel died in 1119 in English Channel returning from Normandy ¹⁴¹.)