John Aldersey (abt. 1520 - bef. 1582)

Born about 1520 in Bunbury, Cheshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Ann (Aston) Aldersey — married about 1545 in Bunbury, Cheshire, England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before 17 Oct 1582 before about age 62 in Bunbury, Cheshire, England

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ann Browning [send private message]

Biography

Birth

John was born about 1520, most likely in Bunbury, where his younger brother Thomas is stated as being born. John was the eldest son of John and Anne Aldersey of Aldersey, as recorded in the Visitation of Chester in 1580.^[1]

John's father John died sometime after he had written his will dated 23 September 1528.^[2]

Although John is not specifically named his mother is mentioned as "my wyff", though not named either, but she is bequeathed "...my best place and house in Spurstowe..." with a request that the feoffees of the estate, "...to suffre my wyff...".(sic).

His wife was also instructed to use the profits and issues of the land "...to keepe nurish and feed my children..."

The more detailed profile of the Aldersey family in The history of the county palatine and city of Chester suggests that John was the eldest of 5 children. He had three brothers Thomas, Ralph, and Hugh and a sister Catherine.^[3]

Marriage and family life

John married Anne Aston the daughter of Hugh Aston of Aston Green. There is no recorded date for the marriage but it would have been between 1540 and 1545.

They had two sons and five daughters.

1. Alice
2. Elenor
3. Anne
4. Katherine
5. Elizabeth
6. Rannulph
7. John.

St Boniface church, Bunbury.

• Anna married John Rowe in St Boniface, Bunbury on 25 September 1574^[4]
• Katherine married Edward Cotton in St Boniface, Bunbury on 5 February 1574^[5]
• Elizabeth married John Egerton in St Boniface, Bunbury on 9 November 1578.^[6]

Land and property

In 1562 John paid rent for a nine year lease of two pastures called Buckell hurste and the Calner Croft, Spurstow to Richard Spurstowe of Alpraham, gent.^[7]

Family ties

In 1554 john was instructed by his brother to act as attorney in the recovery of debt.^[8]

In 1577 he issued a grant for all his goods to his brother Thomas Aldersey.^[9]

Was John not receiving income or unable to repay his own debts and had to release goods, or was it related to the sale of one of his properties perhaps?

And we see from his last will and testament he was still trying to recover debts owed.

Will

John wrote his will dated 29 November 1581 as John Aldersey of Spurstowe.^[10]

He makes the following bequests:

• "Wife Anne to enjoy all and singular my capital house in Spurstow with all ground belonginge".
• and a reversion of an indenture given and granted by George Spurstow.
• Wife Anne also to have "my house in Bunbury"
• Rondull (sic) Aldersey eldest son "my gould ring and armour and harnesses in my house, with bedtsteedes, boards, table, glasse and waynscot work"
• with reversion to Randull's son John after his decease
• John Aldersey second son dwelling in London the sum of £23 13s 4d.
• To John son of Rondull his son, a grey nagge, male saddle and best brydle and harness, and his sword and dagger.
• John Cotton son of "sonne" Cotton £10
• Anne Mowson £11 14s and 4d
• Catherine Bebington daughter of "sonne" Bebington £5
• Elizabeth Egerton daughter of "sonne" Egerton a one year old hefer calfe.
• Joane Vernan my servant a one year old hefer calfe
• To all other my children's children 6s and 8d apeece
• "I ordaine and make my trustie and well beloved brother Thomas Aldersey of London my sole true Executor".

"The will signed with a mark and witnessed by John Eggerton, Randull Aldersay, Raffe Jelycose, William Dunne, and Raffe Mottram.

The will also includes a list of debts owed to John at time of writing the will.

Death

John died in 1582.

He is described in the Visitation as "of Spurstow" and in his will but was buried in his home town of Bunbury.

Burial

"item Johes Aldersey sepultus erat 17 die Octobris 1582".^[11]

John Aldersey was buried 17th day of October 1582.

Research notes

• Family Search have images of the parish registers for Bunbury but baptisms start in 1599, Burials in 1559 and Marriages in 1559. Anne Aldersey widow was buried in 1599, and a Rann Aldersey buried in 1600, which most likely are John's widow, and his son respectively.
• Given that the marriage records for Bunbury don't start until 1559, there is no record of his marriage. It is possible they married in Anne's hometown of Aston Green, but the parish registers equally do not go back that far. The following point about marriages of some of the daughters is that even if they had been 15 or 16 when married, unlikely but possible, for instance Anna and Katherine could have been born in 1549. Separately we know that son Randull was married and his daughter Frances married in 1596, she could have been born 1576, and therefore Randul was born say 1555. But we know Randull's son John was alive in 1580 as he is mentioned in john's will of 1581. But does suggest that sort of timeframe.
• The marriage section has revealed marriages for some of their daughters, although it is only the one for Anna that is puzzling as the image shows she married married a John Rowe but the Visitation says she married a Wm Brickley. Maybe she re-married between 1574 and 1580?
• No available parish records for Spurstow on Family Search, as it doesn't have a church, and St Boniface was the nearest church in Bunbury.
• In finding John's father's will of 1528 implies that John and his brother Thomas were born before September 1528, though not named, would have been children then. A Wikipedia article for Thomas says he was born 1521 although a source is not given, so John as eldest could then have been born 1520, but again there is no proof - currently!
• In his will it is assumed his references to "sonne" he means son in law. The names of the daughter's spouses' surnames match those in the 1580 visitation - when named, accepting the note about Anna's above.
• The grant for transfer of goods in 1577, seems to have be reversed in 1583, with a grant from Thomas to Anne Aldersey widow and Randull son and heir of John Aldersey.^[12]
• If John acted as Attorney to his brother in 1554 would he not have had to qualify from one of the 4 inns of law? But whilst there are various members of the Aldersey family from Chester admitted to one of the Inns, I cannot find an admission for John in either Lincolns inn, Inner Temple nor Grays Inn, and having found the registers for Middle Temple frustratingly there is a gap in the transcribed entries between 1524 and 1551, the timeframe when John would have attended.^[13]
• I have also checked the Oxford University admissions and he is not noted there either.
• There is a record of the burial of an Anne Thompson who was John's granddaughter, the daughter of his son John Aldersey merchant of London. She died in 1607 aged 31, so would have been born about 1576. ^[14] This would mean her father John the second son of John would have been born about 1550, and eldest son Randull born about 1547 meaning John could have married Anne Aston in about 1545, then aged about 25, but is speculative.
• Having investigated a number of Chancery Court of London records (10 in total) naming a John Aldersey between 1533 and 1546, it is difficult to know whether any of these are referring to this John Aldersey of Spurstow, or until the discovery and review of the will dated 1554 whether they are referring to his father or perhaps a cousin, John Aldersey of Middle Aldersey?
• The recovery of debt by the brothers in 1554 coincides with the date of the 'mystery' Will, and could indicate it was their father's and either he didn't die until 1554, or that probate for the earlier 1528 will was not proved until then, as the recovery of debt was to settle specific legacies?

Sources

1. ↑ The Visitation of Cheshire in the year 1580 by Glover, Robert, 1544-1588; College of Arms (Great Britain); Flower, William, ca. 1498-1588; Fellows, William; Benolt, Thomas, d. 1534; Chaloner, Thomas, Sir, 1561-1615; Rylands, J. Paul (John Paul), b. 1846 Archive
2. ↑ Will of 1528 HathiTrust
3. ↑ 'Family profile
   • The history of the county palatine and city of Chester: compiled from original evidences in public offices, the Harleian and Cottonian mss., parochial registers, private muniments, unpublished ms. collections of successive Cheshire antiquaries, and a personal survey of every township in the county; incorporated with a republication of King's Vale royal, and Leycester's Cheshire antiquities. By George Ormerod by Ormerod, George, 1785-1873 Archive
4. ↑ "England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DY2H-5D9?cc=1614792&wc=MJ4W-829%3A1042832001 : 20 May 2014), 004018860 > image 79 of 959; Record Office, Chester. Family Search
5. ↑ "England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DY2H-TSF?cc=1614792&wc=MJ4W-829%3A1042832001 : 20 May 2014), 004018860 > image 77 of 959; Record Office, Chester. Family Search
6. ↑ "England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DY2H-5D9?cc=1614792&wc=MJ4W-829%3A1042832001 : 20 May 2014), 004018860 > image 79 of 959; Record Office, Chester. Family Search
7. ↑ Reference: ZCR 469/116; Description: Receipt for rent received by Richard Spurstowe of Alpraham, gent. from John Aldersey of Spurstow, gent. for a nine year lease of two pastures called Buckell hurste and the Calner Croft, Spurstow; Date: 26 Oct. 1562; Held by: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies NatArchives
8. ↑ Reference: ZCR 469/272 Description: Appointment by Thomas Aldersey, citizen and haberdasher of London of John Aldersey of Spurstow, gent., as his attorney to recover certain debts. Date: 12 Nov. 1554 Held by: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies. NatArchives
9. ↑ Reference: ZCR 469/274; Description: Copy grant from John Aldersey of Spurstow, gent. of all his goods to his brother Thomas Aldersey of London, merchant, 4 Sep. 1577; Held by: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies NatArchives
10. ↑ Will A collection of Lancashire and Cheshire wills not now to be found in any probate registry. 1301-1752. Edited by Wm. Ferguson Irvine. HathiTrust
11. ↑ Burial "England, Cheshire Parish Registers, 1538-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DY2H-T9Y?cc=1614792&wc=MJ4W-829%3A1042832001 : 20 May 2014), 004018860 > image 124 of 959; Record Office, Chester. Family Search
12. ↑ Reference: ZCR 469/275 Description: Grant from Thomas Aldersey of London, merchant to Anne Aldersey, widow of John Aldersey of Spurstow, gent. and Randall Aldersey, his son and heir, of the goods of John Aldersey at 274. Date: 29 March 1583 Held by: Cheshire Archives and Local Studies NatArchives
13. ↑ Admissions to Middle Temple Middle Temple
14. ↑ Flickr

• https://archive.org/details/recordsociety58recouoft/page/4/mode/2up?q=Aldersey
• Pedigrees Made at the Visitation of Cheshire, 1613 by Record Society for the Publication of Original Documents relating to Lancashire and Cheshire Page 5: Aldersey of Aldersey and Spurstow

Acknowledgements

This profile has been improved by a member of the England Project's Orphan Trail.