Dron & BayReunion · 9–10 January 2027

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Beacon HillThe farm and its story since 1862Family treeBruce and June's ancestorsRoyal lineOne line back 51 generations to RomePhotosEvery picture on the siteStoriesSybil Dron's memories and heirlooms

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EveryoneAll the people, grouped by familyCoats of armsThe heraldry of the houses in the lineThe 1848 pedigreeThe family's handwritten parchmentSourcesWhere every fact comes from

Beacon Hill · 205 Paton Road, Hope, Nelson

Dron & Bay Family Reunion

Saturday 9 – Sunday 10 January 2027. Hosted by Roger & Rebekah Bay at Beacon Hill, the family home since 1862.

30 likenesses across 51 generations

Faces of the line

See the royal line →
Major Robert Mercer PatonMajor Robert Mercer Paton

gen 4

Sir William Howard, Viscount StaffordSir William Howard, Viscount Stafford

gen 10

Thomas Howard, 14th Earl of ArundelThomas Howard, 14th Earl of Arundel

gen 11

St Philip Howard, 13th Earl of ArundelSt Philip Howard, 13th Earl of Arundel

gen 12

Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk

gen 13

Henry Howard, Earl of SurreyHenry Howard, Earl of Surrey

gen 14

Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk

gen 15

Sir Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of NorfolkThomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk

gen 16

Sir John Howard, 1st Duke of NorfolkJohn Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk

gen 17

King Edward IKing Edward I

gen 23

King Henry IIIKing Henry III

gen 24

King JohnKing John

gen 25

King Henry IIKing Henry II

gen 26

Empress MatildaEmpress Matilda

gen 27

King Henry IKing Henry I

gen 28

Matilda of FlandersMatilda of Flanders

gen 29

Baldwin V, Count of FlandersBaldwin V, Count of Flanders

gen 30

Baldwin IV, Count of FlandersBaldwin IV, Count of Flanders

gen 31

Arnulf II, Count of FlandersArnulf II, Count of Flanders

gen 32

Baldwin III, Count of FlandersBaldwin III, Count of Flanders

gen 33

Arnulf I, Count of FlandersArnulf I, Count of Flanders

gen 34

Baldwin II, Count of FlandersBaldwin II, Count of Flanders

gen 35

Judith, Queen of Wessex, Countess of FlandersJudith, Queen of Wessex, Countess of Flanders

gen 36

Charles the Bald, EmperorCharles the Bald, Emperor

gen 37

Louis the Pious, EmperorLouis the Pious, Emperor

gen 38

Charlemagne, EmperorCharlemagne, Emperor

gen 39

Pepin the Short, King of the FranksPepin the Short, King of the Franks

gen 40

Charles MartelCharles Martel

gen 41

Pepin of HerstalPepin of Herstal

gen 42

AnsegiselAnsegisel

gen 43

A family on the move

From Louth to Hope

  1. 1746

    Mayne, County Louth

    Hugh Howard Stafford marries Mary Smith, heir of Mayne.

    Hugh Howard Stafford of Mayne1721–1783
  2. 1819

    Calcutta

    Lieutenant-General Hugh Stafford dies in the Company's service.

    Lieutenant-General Hugh Howard Stafford1753–1819
  3. 1820

    St John's, Calcutta

    Emily Stafford marries Captain John Forbes Paton, Bengal Engineers.

    Emily Howard Stafford1803–1871
  4. 1824

    Agra

    Robert Mercer Paton is born.

    Major Robert Mercer Paton1824–1901
  5. 1847

    Simla

    Robert marries Maria Young.

    Maria Young1826–1907
  6. 1862

    Nelson

    The family lands at Nelson from the steamer Lord Worsley, via Sydney, on 3 May with seven children.

  7. 1862

    Beacon Hill, Hope

    Major Paton buys 653 acres for £3,000 on 25 August.

A family on the move

From Strathearn to the Waimea

  1. 1838

    Arngask, Scotland

    William Dron is born, next door to the parish of Dron.

    William Dron1838–1927
  2. 1856

    Waimea West

    Elizabeth Drummond is born on the plain.

    Elizabeth Drummond1856–1951
  3. 1918

    Waimea West and Hope

    Wallace Dron, fourth son of W. Dron of Waimea West, marries Sybil Paton.

    Wallace Drummond Dron1892–1971
  4. 1937

    Beacon Hill

    Wallace buys Beacon Hill, 257 acres, from the Paton estate.

  5. 1941

    Beacon Hill

    Bruce Dron's bull Beacon Hill Topnotch wins its class at the Nelson A&P show.

    Bruce Gavin Dron

Kept at Beacon Hill

The house and its people

The history of Beacon Hill →
Plans for the additions to Beacon Hill, drawn at Nelson in February 1863: section and principal elevation, 'shewing additions without verandah'Beacon Hill Estate
John Stafford Paton as a young officer, with his grey horse and dogs. Oil portrait held by the family; he rose to General and was Sybil's 'Gt Uncle John'Beacon Hill Estate
A family group at Beacon Hill, probably the Patons in the late 1800s. Can you name them?Beacon Hill Estate
The house at Beacon Hill in an early photographBeacon Hill Estate

Arms of the houses in the line

Coats of arms

What each shield means →
Howard with the Flodden augmentation granted in 1514Stafford: or, a chevron gulesArms of William Howard, Viscount StaffordMowbray: gules, a lion rampant argentSegrave: sable, a lion rampant argent crowned orThomas of Brotherton: England with a label argentThe royal arms of England: three lions passant guardantFlanders: or, a lion rampant sable (adopted after the counts in this line)Arms later attributed to Charlemagne (heraldry did not yet exist)Berkeley: gules, a chevron between ten crosses pattée argentTalbot, Earls of ShrewsburyDacre: gules, three escallops argentDe Vere, Earls of OxfordClan Drummond crest badge: 'Gang warily'
Spring at Beacon Hill

Beacon Hill

The farm Major Paton bought in 1862, and six generations since.

A family group at Beacon Hill, probably the Patons in the late 1800s. Can you name them?

Family tree

Bruce and June's ancestors, back to Rome.

The Forum Romanum, Rome

Royal line

One line back 51 generations to Rome, graded link by link.

The Beacon Hill yaks, with snow on the ranges

Photos

Every picture on the site in one place.

The Pedigree of the Family of Howard Stafford of Mayne, County of Louth, c.1848

The 1848 pedigree

The family's handwritten Howard Stafford parchment.

An interior at Beacon Hill

Stories

Sybil Dron's recollections, heirlooms and letters.