21
May
2024

John Downing of Cradley Forge and Furnace

John Downing was for many years ‘Clerk’ at the Cradley and later Hales Forge. He is known as the Grandfather of Rev John Downing, Rector of Enville (1690-1737), who in turn was the grandfather of Rev Harry Downing, the husband of Jemima Shaw. It is clear that he is not the ancestor of the Downings of Smethwick, who became wealthy Victorian Maltsters some 150 years later. It is likely though the families are related a little further back. Continue reading →
Last updated on 29 October 2024 by JJ Morgan
03
Apr
2024

James Shaw, Artist, 1736-1784

James Shaw was baptised on 6 Sep 1736 in All Saints, Sedgley and was the younger brother of Thomas Shaw, who later became Rev Thomas Shaw-Hellier in 1786. James Shaw studied and became an artist and died in London in about 1784. Continue reading →
Last updated on 8 April 2024 by JJ Morgan
30
Mar
2024

Chaplain to William, 5th Baron Byron

William Byron, 5th Baron Byron, 1722-1798, the great uncle to the Poet, has a very shady reputation being dubbed the ‘Wicked Lord”. Most notoriously, he was tried by his fellow peers for murder in 1765 after he had run his sword through a distant cousin in a London pub. Nonetheless, it is known, he had a series of chaplains who served in his household. Continue reading →
Last updated on 29 October 2024 by JJ Morgan
01
Dec
2023

William Wylmer of Ryton, died 1551

William Wylmer of Ryton, just outside Coventry, was the grandfather of Thomas Wilmer (1554-1628), the second husband of Anne Sutton. In his will dated 22 Oct 1551 he describes himself as a Gentleman and his family is recorded in detail in the Heraldic Visitation of Northamptonshire in 1619. Continue reading →
Last updated on 5 December 2023 by JJ Morgan
18
Nov
2023

William Turton, Ironmonger of Oxford, died 1643

Placing all the William Turtons of West Bromwich and Rowley Regis in the early seventeenth century is extremely difficult. The various pedigrees stemming from the Heraldic Visitations, give a good picture of the main West Bromwich and Alrewas lines but it is difficult to tie back to surviving parish registers and particularly the recorded marriages. Continue reading →
Last updated on 4 December 2023 by JJ Morgan
17
Sep
2023

Richard Foley of Dudley, died 1600

Richard Foley of Dudley died and left a will written 28 May 1600 and granted probate at Worcester not long after. He was probably baptized on 30 Jan 1547 in Rowley Regis. He was importantly the father of the wealthy ironmaster known as Richard ‘Fiddler’ Foley, latterly of Stourbridge. This son was a significant burgher in Dudley and was instrumental amongst his many good deeds, in resecuring the finances of Dudley Grammar School. It is the early relations with the Shaw family of Dudley that are of particular interest on these pages. Continue reading →
Last updated on 24 September 2023 by JJ Morgan
31
Aug
2023

Mary Bendy (née Hayward), died 1755

Mary Hayward was born in about 1673 and became the second wife of William Bendy, marrying him on 17 Mar 1697 at St Benedicts, Wombourne. She is the grandmother of Mary Shaw, the wife of Thomas Shaw-Hellier. She lived the last thirty years of her life as a widow at Shutt End, Kingswinford and died in 1755. Her will was granted probate in 1758. Continue reading →
Last updated on 4 April 2024 by JJ Morgan
23
Jul
2023

Edward Gravenor of the Hollies, died 1654

Edward Gravenor was a great grandson of Clare Colbourne of Dudley. When he died in 1654 his branch of the Gravenor family owned and lived in the Hollies in Enville in Staffordshire. His will is particularly fascinating as he died, aged 62, with no direct descendants. His long will details numerous cousins and relations. Continue reading →
Last updated on 6 August 2023 by JJ Morgan