Thomas Leigh (abt. 1504 - 1571)

Born about 1504 in Wellington, Shropshire, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 15 Nov 1571 at about age 67 in London, England [uncertain]

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Biography

Thomas Leigh was born in Shropshire, England.

Generational Origins Dispute

Some say that he was the 2nd great grandson of Sir Peter Leigh (who survived Agincourt in 1415, d. 1422);^[1] although proofs on this claim regarding his origins are lacking;^[2] nevertheless, Camden (1877, p. 81) draws a pedigree that appears to place him as 3rd great grandson of Sir Piers Leigh of Lime in Cheshire.^[3] A later visitations [London, 1568: Cooke, Armytage & Howard (1869, p. 5)], reports only that Sir Thomas Leigh's parents were Legh and Trafford,^[4] but does go into some detail on descendants from that point. By 1682, visitations of Warwick^[5] reports parents as Roger Leigh of Wellington in Shropshire descended by a younger Branch from the Ancient Family of the Leighs of High Leigh in Cheshire.

Perhaps the most definitive lineage can be found in visitations of 1580, which shows Sir Thomas Leigh, Mayor of London as son of Roger and brother of both William Leigh of Wellington and Roger.^[6]

Family of Origin & Disputes

Sir Thomas Leigh was born about 1504/5. Some say that he was the son of Roger Leigh (1483 - 1522);^[7][2][8] whereas; a careful read of Camden (1877, p. 81) suggests that Roger Leigh (abt.1483-1522) was his grandfather, and William and an unknown (Trafford) Leigh were his parents; and, William Leigh, Usher to King Henry VIII, who married Elizabeth Harper, daughter of Sir John Harper and Roger Leigh, Usher to Queen Mary, were his brothers.^[3]

Vis-à-vis Stoneleigh Manor & Lordship

Stoneleigh manor was bought in 1561 from William Cavendish by Sir Thomas Leigh. He was son of Roger Leigh of Wellington (Shrops) and had served as factor to Sir Rowland Hill, a wealthy London merchant, whose niece he married."^[9] Obtaining lordship in 1562,^[10] dying there in 1571, and his widow remaining there until her Jan 1604 death.^[9][11]

Positions held:^[7]

• Justice of the Peace for Shropshire (1536)
• Warden/Master of the Mercer's Company
• London City Alderman (1552-71)^[12]
• Sheriff of London (1555-6)
• Lord Mayor of London (1558-9)
• Granted the title Knights Bachelor (1558)^[13][14]
• Knighted by Queen Elizabeth I (1559)
• Merchant of the Staple
• Heir of Stoneleigh Abbey
• Merchant Adventurers' Company member
• 1557 Thomas Leigh, alderman of London, purchased as a manor, Dunchurch, chiefly with Sir Rowland Hill; upon Leigh's death, Dunchurch, Thurlaston and Long Lawford were inured to Alice Leigh in 1575^[15]

Marriage

In 1536, he married Sir Rowland Hill's niece and heir,^[9] Alice Barker^[8][12] (d. 1608, alias Covedale of Wolverton), the daughter of John Barker^[3][16] and Elizabeth Hill.^[7] Alice is fairly well described:^[17]

Alice daughter of John Barker and coheiress of her uncle, Sir Rowland Hill (and Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Hill, and sister of Sir Rowland Hill, first Protestant Lord Mayor of London, in 1549).

• Married Sir Thomas Leigh descended from the Leighs of High Leigh. Guillim, p. 248, says: "She was called the favourite niece of Sir Rowland, whose hand is said to have been the reward of her husband's fidelity and industry as foreign factor of her Uncle, and likewise brought with it the wealth and estates which support the peerage of Leigh of Stoneleigh granted to her descendants."
• The extinct Lords Leigh of Stoneleigh
• Leighs of Stoneleigh Abbey

Children by his wife, Alice Barker

1. Rowland Leigh (abt.1536-aft.1596)^[8][16] of Adlestrop (an ancestor of Jane Austen, the Leighs of Longborough and Adlestrop/Baron Leigh of Stoneleigh, creation of 1839^[7]))^[12]
2. Richard Leigh^[16] (d. 1570)
3. Sir Thomas Leigh (1546-1625),^[16] 1st Baronet Leigh of Stoneleigh in Warwickshire,^[8] married Katharine Spencer circa 1570, and died 1 Feb 1625/6^[18] (Some sources^[7] say that he married Mary Egerton, daughter of Sir Thomas Egerton, but that was Francis Leigh KB (1579-1625), (grandson of Sir Thomas Leigh, by way of William, who is below-discussed), whose son, a second generation Francis was another baronet of Newneham Regis in Warwick, who died 21 Dec 1653: Cokayne (1900, p. 118-9)
4. Ralph Leigh (abt.1540-)^[3] (no other sources mention a son named Ralph, and most sources state that Rowland was his oldest son). Not named in father's Will.
5. Sir William Leigh (1551-1596)^[8][16] of Newnham Regis in Warwick, whose grandson, Francis Leigh (1598-1653), became Earl of Chichester^[7][12]
6. Mary Leigh (m. Richard / Mychell Cobbe, Esq, Robert Andros / Andrews, Esq)^[8][16]
7. Alice (Leigh) Coney (aft.1538-abt.1621) (m. Thomas Coney of Basingthorp Coney, Esq)^[8][16]
8. Catherine (Leigh) Baber (abt.1540-1601) (m. Edward Barber or Baber, SL)^[8][3][16]
9. Winifred (Leigh) Bond Colles (1538-aft.1608) (m. Sir George Bond, Lord Mayor of London),^[8] through whom she was ancestress of the Dukes of Marlborough, Viscount Melbourne and subsequently, the Dukes of Leeds;^[12][3][16] and William Hale^[7]
10. Isabell Leigh, last of the nine children named in Sir Thomas' Will

He was buried at Mercers' Chapel, London.

Arms

“confirmed to Sir Thomas Leigh or Lee, Lord Mayor of London in 1588, son of Roger Lee or Leigh, of Wellington, Co. Salop...gules on a cross between 4 unicorns heads erased or five roundels azure.”^[19]

Will

Will: 20 Dec 1570 Proved: 14 Dec 1671^[7][20]

Research Notes

• Alice (Trafford) Leigh (1487 - 1551) was previously listed in the biography as the mother of Thomas Leigh. His mother is an unknown Trafford. The sources listing Alice as his mother cite Burkes as their only source. Burkes is unreliable. The previously linked Alice Trafford married 1st Thomas Butler of Bewsey, and 2nd Thomas Gerard.^[2][8][21]

Ancestry

The following parentage, often repeated, is disproven: Sir Roger Leigh (ca. 1483-1522)^[2] Marriage: 1508(?), Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, England to Ann Trafford (ca. 1487-1551); although some say William Leigh of Wellington was Ann / Alice Trafford's husband and the father of Sir Thomas Leigh.

The following is based upon a sole source,^[3] which might be considered speculative, with no proofs attached. Other pedigrees exist.

Richard Leigh of Walington in Shropshire, son of John Leigh, who was the 2nd son of Sir Piers Leigh of Lime in Cheshire, (Richard) was the father of Roger Leighe of Walington who had a son, William Leigh of Walington that married an unknown Trafford.

William and Ms (Trafford) Leigh had the following children:

1. William Leigh, Usher to King Henry VIII, who married Elizabeth Harper, daughter of Sir John Harper
2. Sir Thomas Leigh, Mayor of London in 1 Queen Elizabeth; who married Alice Barker, daughter of John Barker alias Couerall of Camo' in Shropshire. Note that the visitations pedigree shows three children at that point, and two of the three match with other reporting.
3. Roger Leigh, Usher to Queen Mary

Additional pedigree information follows different branches, but those contributions are now under the changes tab for 19 Jun 2020 for simplicity's sake given the lack of proof. The Wikipedia articles require further review to see if they truly offer any validity.

This source suggests that William was in fact his brother:

in re: Kenilworth in Newton... was granted in 1554 to Sir Rowland Hill and Thomas Leigh, [then] alderman of London, younger brother of William Leigh.^[22]

Thomas' Will names Edward Leigh of Shawell as his kinsman. Edward was the great nephew of Thomas, grandson of his brother William.

Sources

• Wikidata: Item Q19095435, en:Wikipedia

1. ↑ Burke, John; Burke, Sir Bernard. A genealogical and heraldic history of the extinct and dormant baronetcies of England, Ireland and Scotland. 1841, p. 307. London, Scott, Webster and Geary.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Wikipedia contributors, Thomas Leigh (Lord Mayor)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Accessed 30 Jan 2019.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6} Camden, William; Fetherston, John; College of Arms, Great Britain. The Visitation of the county of Warwick in the year 1619. Taken by William Camden, Clarenceaux king of arms. 1877, p. 81. London: Harleian Society.
4. ↑ Cooke, Robert; Armytage, George John, Sir, 1842-; Howard, Joseph Jackson, 1827-1902; College of Arms (Great Britain). 'The visitation of London in the year 1568'. Vol 1. 1869, p. 11. London: The Harleian Society.
5. ↑ May, Thomas, Chester herald; King, Gregory, 1648-1712. cn; Dethick, Henry, Richmond herald; Saint-George, Henry, Sir, 1625-1715; Rylands, William Harry, 1847-1922, ed; College of Arms (Great Britain). 'The visitation of the county of Warwick 1682', 1911, p. 10. London: The Harleian Society.
6. ↑ Glover, Robert, 1544-1588; College of Arms (Great Britain). 'The visitation of Cheshire in the year 1580', Pg. 154. Published by London, 1882. archive.org
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7} Leigh, Thomas (1504?-1571) DNB00 in Wikisource. 11 Jan 2013. Retrieved 12 Mar 2020.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9} Lundy, Darryl Roger (compiler). Sir Thomas Leigh, M, #129001, b. 1509, d. 17 November 1571. Edited 11 Jul 2018. Accessed 21 Feb 2020, citing:
   • George Edward Cokayne, editor. The Complete Baronetage. Vol I, reprint of c. 1900 edition. 1983, p. 44. Gloucester, UK: Alan Sutton Publishing.
   • Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage. 107th ed, vol. 2. 2003, p. 2292. Wilmington, Delaware, USA: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd.
   • Burke's Peerage and Gentry.
   • In re: Rowland Leigh: G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant. New ed., Vol VII. Gloucester, UK: Alan Sutton Publishing.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2} Dugdale, Sir William & Hollar, Wenceslaus. The antiquities of Warwickshire illustrated : from records, leiger-books, manuscripts, charters, evidences, tombes, and armes: beautified with maps, prospects, and portraictures. 1656, p. 173, 258, etc. London: Printed by Thomas Warren.
10. ↑ "Parishes: Stoneleigh," Salzman, L F, ed. A History of the County of Warwick: Vol 6, Knightlow Hundred. 1951, 229-240. London: Victoria County History. British History Online. Accessed 22 Jul 2021. Also citing Dugdale (1562), and Cal. Pat. 15603, p. 321.
11. ↑ Reference: DR 18/10/96/1/10 Title: Bundle of deeds Description: Articles of Agreement between Sir Thomas Leigh, alderman of London and Robert Carter, citizen and fishmonger of London, whereby Carter, in consideration of £650 agrees to sell to Leigh Stoneleigh Grange, held by Thomas Dunton under lease, with Stoneleigh Mills and all other his lands and appurtenances in Stoneleigh. Carter to assure Leigh's title free from all incumbrances  Signed and sealed by Robert Carter  Witnesses: William Toft, Edward Baber, Wiliam Byrd Date: 26 July 1563 Held by: Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, not available at The National Archives
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4} Alfred P Beaven. "Notes on the aldermen, 1502-1700," in The Aldermen of the City of London Temp. Henry III - 1912. 1908, p. 168-195. British History Online. London: Corporation of the City of London. Accessed 22 Jul 2021.
13. ↑ Shaw, William Arthur, 1865-1943; Burtchaell, George Dames, 1853-1921. The Knights of England, Pg 70. Published by London Sherratt and Hughes, 1906. archive.org (accessed 25 Oct 2021)
14. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Knight Bachelor," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Knight_Bachelor&oldid=1050272380 (accessed October 26, 2021).
15. ↑ "Parishes: Dunchurch and Thurlaston," in Salzman, L F, ed. A History of the County of Warwick. Vol 6, Knightlow Hundred. 1951, 78-86. London: Victoria County History. British History Online. Accessed 22 Jul 2021.
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8} London H S & Rawlins S W. Visitation of London, (2 Apr) 1568: With Additional Pedigrees, 1569-90, the Arms of the City Companies, and a London Subsidy Roll, 1589. Vols 109-110. 1963, p. 5. The Publications of The Harleian Society.
17. ↑ Howard, Joseph Jackson editor. Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica: Barker Pedigree. Vol II: New Series. 1877, p. 514. London: Hamilton, Adams and Co.
18. ↑ Cokayne, George Edward. Complete Baronetage. 1900, p. 44-5. Exeter: W Pollard & Company, Ltd.
19. ↑ Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, Vol. III page 364
20. ↑ See also: Thomas Leigh, 1571. England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858. Prerogative Court of Canterbury: Wills of Selected Famous Persons. Digitized images. Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 1. The National Archives, Kew, England. Ancestry.com
    • Will Pg 1, * Will Pg 2, * Will Pg 3, images (free to view).
21. ↑ Chetham Society. 'Chetham miscellanies', Vol. 88, Pg. 316. Published by Manchester. Internet Archives, archive.org
22. ↑ "Parishes: Clifton-on-Dunsmore," in Salzman, L F, ed. A History of the County of Warwick: Vol 6, Knightlow Hundred. 1951, 65-72. London: Victoria County History. British History Online. accessed 22 Jul 2021.

• Thomas Leigh. 'Dictionary of National Biography', Vol. 32, Pgs. 437-438. United Kingdom: Macmillan, 1892. google.com/books/edition/Dictionary_of_National_Biography.

Additional Reading

• Salzman, L F, ed. 'Parishes: Newnham Regis', in A History of the County of Warwick: Vol 6. Knightlow Hundred. 1951, pp. 193-194. London: British History Online. Accessed 21 Jul 2021.
• Treswell, Robert; Vincent, Augustine, ca. 1584-1626; Camden, William, 1551-1623; Grazebrook, George, 1831-1917 ed; Rylands, J. Paul (John Paul), b. 1846 joint ed; College of Arms (Great Britain). 'The visitation of Shropshire, taken in the year 1623.' Vol 28. 1889, p. 264. London: The Harleian Society.
• Stephen Wright. 'Sir Thomas Leigh'. ODNB. 3 Jan 2008. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. oxforddnb.com. (subscription required to view)
• "Parishes: Leek Wootton." in A History of the County of Warwick. Vol 6. Knightlow Hundred, ed. L F Salzman 1951, p. 167-170. British History Online. London: Victoria County History. Accessed 22 Jul 2021.

See also:

• 'Jane Austen's Family through Five Generations' by Maggie Lane, published by Robert Hale Limited, London. ISBN 0 7090 4832 7. Includes extensive family trees. Details of contemporaries and other connections are also mentioned in the text.Jane Austen's Family through Five Generations