William Gresley (1760 - 1829)

Ancestors

Husband of Louisa Jane Gresley — married 5 May 1798 in Church Gresley, Derbyshire, England

Descendants

Died 1829 at about age 69 in Netherseale, Leicestershire

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The Gresleys of Drakelowe

Biography

William, son of Thomas and Elizabeth, third cousin of the 7th Baronet, father of the 9th Baronet,^[1]was born in 1760. Madan suggests that he was born on August 27 and christened on September 26 of that year, but records state that the baptism was 27th August.^[2][3]

He went in February 1779 to be private pupil of Mr. Birch of Thoresby, and thence went to London to study for the Law under a Mr. Russell but in spite of his father's strenuous insistence could not settle his mind to that profession and on June 29 1781, matriculated at Oxford from University College, taking his degree of BA on July 9 1785. He appears however to have been entered as a barrister of the Middle Temple in 1783. When his father died he finally decided to change his profession and after being on September 25 1785, ordained Deacon and on the October 2 following Priest he was at once inducted into the Rectory of Seile, a position which he held till his death. At first his two sisters kept house for him, but they left at the close of 1789.

In 1798 William married his third cousin Louisa Jane, daughter of Sir Nigel Gresley the 6th Baronet. In a private letter of March 13 1798 Miss Anna Seward, retold by Madan, describes "Louisa Gresley, the elegant, the witty, the eccentric, the agreeable, is going to marry her clerical kinsman and namesake, of silence so inflexible and solemn" and after the wedding she writes that "Mrs. Gresley never looked so healthy or so handsome" and that "she has animated her once statue-like husband with the vital light of love and happiness." The Gentleman's Magazine printed that "Mr. Gresley was alike distinguished by firmness and independence, and by the milder virtues of benevolence, humility and piety: his life exemplified the character of a faithful parochial minister and an English country gentleman."

When his brother-in-law Sir Nigel Bowyer Gresley died in 1808, William found himself guardian of Sir Roger, and had much trouble in connexion with his education, until at last in 1820 he broke with the trustees and Lady Gresley, and resigned the guardianship. His later life was probably uneventful and quiet, except for two accidents which prevented him from leading an active life. On Dec. 14, 1814, his thigh was broken by a kick from his horse, and again broken on April 26 of the following year by a fall on the gravel walk in front of his house—on which occasion it was so unskillfully set by two Ashby surgeons that he was a cripple for life.

William died on October 3 1829 at Nether Seile, where he was buried on October 10.^[4][5]

On May 5 1798, as has been mentioned, he married his cousin Louisa Jane Gresley. Madan states that the marriage took place at Gresley (ie Church Gresley) and records concur - with additional information that the service was conducted by Licence and the witnesses were Nigel B Gresley and Mary Gresley. ^[6][7] However, there are also records that state the marriage took place at Netherseal, by Banns, on the same day.^[8][9].

Louisa died on April 20 1806 and was buried at Seile on the 26th.^[10] Their issue, besides a stillborn son on December 26 1799 was :-

1. Louisa Elizabeth, born September 11 1801 christened November 15 who married on July 26 1825 at Seile the Rev. Spencer Madan, Canon of Lichfield, and had ten children. She died in the Close at Lichfield on December 22 1861.
2. William Nigel (born March 25, 1806) 9th Baronet. Debrett wrongly states that William Nigel is the son of William's second marriage.

William married secondly on August 29 1811, (at Netherseale)^{[11][12][13][14]} Mary the only daughter of Thomas Thorp Esq. of Over Seile and Loughborough, banker. After her husband's death she left Nether Seile with her family and went to live at Over Seile with her father, who died on January 15 1840 and was buried at Nether Seile on the 23rd. Mrs Gresley herself died at Over Seile on July 19 1869. Their issue was :-

1. Frances Mary, born June 20 1812, lived at Nether Seile until her father's death, and for the rest of her life at Over Seile, where she died unmarried on September 17 1888. She was distinguished for beauty, grace and intelligence, and had considerable powers of painting and drawing.
2. Harriet, born September 25 1813: married the Rev. George Madan.
3. Emma, born December 20 1814, died May 8 1815.
4. John Morewood, born July 6 1816, educated at Appleby School, entered at Harrow in October 1830, but after a term there was injured by an explosion of fireworks in his pocket at Nether Seile, and did not return to school, but went as a private pupil to the Rev. Eccles J. Carter at Bathford. On June 18 1835, he matriculated at Oxford from Exeter College (B.A. from St. Mary Hall, May 21 1840, M.A. January 23 1845), and took Holy Orders (deacon in 1841, priest in 1842). From 1841 to 1847 and again from 1860 to 1863 he was Curate of Seile, and in the interval Rector : and from Nov. 1863 till his death on May 15 1866, Master of Etwall Hospital near Repton. He was an active Secretary (and one of the founders) of the Leicestershire Architectural and Archeological Society (1855-60), and Secretary and mainstay of the Anastatic Drawing Society (1855-64), as well as a strong Conservative and an energetic parish priest. Memoirs of him will be found in the Gentleman's Magazine, 3rd Series ii. 114, and (by O. Jewitt) in the Reliquary for July 1866. Besides many archeological papers he accumulated with the utmost industry most Valuable collections for a projected Stemmata Gresleiana : Genealogies of the Family of Gresley and their Connections ; from the time of Rollo 1st Duke of Normandy to the reign of Victoria of England.' On January 23 1849, at Ashby he married Penelope (born August 12 1827), eldest daughter of the Rev. Marmaduke Vavasour and his wife Mary Ann (St. John) she was a great-granddaughter of the well-known antiquary Dr. William Stukeley, and died on February 22 1858, of pulmonary phthisis, at Bournemouth. Their sons are :- *Nigel Walsingham (born January 31 1850, educated at Repton, matriculated at Oxford from EXeter College on April to, 1869, B.A. 1872, after honours in the School of Law and Modern History, M.A. 1876: at Cuddesdon College : deacon 1873, priest 1874: Curate of Ashbourne 1873-6, of Boyne Hill 1877, of Newport Pagnell 1877, of Dursley 18 78- 9 : Vicar of Milbourne St, Andrew, 1879-87: Rector of Dursley from 1887: Rural Dean of Dursley, 1896: on Oct. 29, 1878, he married at Cheltenham Jane Charlotte, youngest daughter of the Rev. Arthur Drummond, widow of Henry Scott Gresley Esq., see p. 152), *Geoffrey Ferrers (born Aug. 17, 1851: ordained deacon 1878, priest 1879 ; Curate of Newport Pagnell 1878-83, since then a clergyman in Cape Colony, and chaplain on Robben Island in that Colony, now Vicar of Observatory Road, Capetown), *William Stukeley (born at Ashby Nov. 7, 1852: in 1889 he married Maria Elizabeth, daughter of James Archer, and has issue, Stukeley Marmaduke, born 189o, Nigel Morewood, born 1892: he now resides in Erie, PennsylVania, U. S. A.), *Roger St. John (born June 19, 1854, educated at St. Edward's School, Oxford, at Repton and at the Salisbury Theological College ; ordained deacon 1877, priest 1879: Curate of Milbourne St. Andrew 1877-79, aad of St. John's, Glastonbury, 1879-81, and of Rowbarton near Taunton from 1881: Hon. Canon of Wells Cathedral), *Lawrence Stafford (born Dec. 4, 1855, educated at Repton, matriculated at Oxford from Exeter College on April 9, 1875, B.A. May 31, 1879, after honours in History, M.A. May 11, 1882: ordained deacon 1878, priest 1881: Curate of Ashover 1879-82, and of Christ Church, Battersea, London 1882-5: Vicar of Birdsall in Yorkshire from 1885).
5. Charles, born and baptized at Nether Seile on November 28 1817, christened on March 25 following, was at school at the Rev. W. Hutchins', Winifred House, Sion Hill, Bath : and afterwards articled to Mr. Whately a well-known solicitor in Birmingham. Since 1847 he has been Registrar and Chapter Clerk of the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield. On October 21 1852 he married, at Goostrey, Augusta Catherine (born February 6 1825) youngest daughter of Egerton Leigh Esq. of the West Hall. High Leigh, and Jodrell Hall in Cheshire and his wife Wilhelmina Sarah second daughter of George Stratton Esq. of Great Tew in Oxfordshire. After their marriage they lived at the Moat House in Lichfield, but in 1853 moved to their present residence in the Close. Their children are :- *Wilhelmina Mary (born Sept. 28, 1853), *Isabel Beatrice (born Jan. 19, 1855), *Charles Egerton (born Oct. 26, 1856, died April 25, 1857), *Augusta Penelope (born Feb. 12, 1858), *Herbert Leigh (born July 27, 1859, died Aug. 26, 1859), *Nigel Egerton (born Aug. 5, 186o, educated at Radley College, matriculated at Oxford from University College on Oct. 13, 1879, B.A. 1883, after honours in the School of Law and Modern History : now farming a ranche in Wyoming, U. S. A.), Eleanor Louisa (born March 3, 1862), *Rosamond Evelyn (born June 23, 1863), *Charles Vincent (born August 2o, 1865: educated at Radley College : matriculated at Cambridge from Jesus College, B. A. 189o, M. A. 1899: ordained deacon 1895, priest 1897: Curate of Wincobank near Sheffield), *Margaret Morewood (born August 21, 1867).
6. Maria, born Jan. 25, 1821, lived at Nether Seile and Over Seile with her sister Frances till the death of the latter : since 1890 she has resided at the Moat House, Lichfield.

Sources

1. ↑ All references from Madan pages 121-124, Cokayne page 41 and Debrett page 246 unless otherwise stated
2. ↑ St Peter's, Netherseal; Baptisms on South Derbyshire BDM
3. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JQWC-KJP : accessed 6 June 2015), William Gresley, 27 Aug 1760; citing Seal, Leicester, England, reference item 11; FHL microfilm 1,752,218.
4. ↑ http://www.southderbyshirebdm.co.uk/stpetnethburg.html
5. ↑ "England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDMX-TW1 : accessed 6 June 2015), William Gresley, 10 Oct 1829; citing , reference Pg 40 No 317; FHL microfilm 1,752,219.
6. ↑ St George and St Mary, Church Gresley; Marriages on South Derbyshire BDM
7. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NVM9-T4G : accessed 6 June 2015), William Gresley and Louisa Jane Gresley, 05 May 1798; citing Church Gresley,Derby,England, reference ; FHL microfilm 422,197.
8. ↑ ["England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NN86-5YM : accessed 6 June 2015), William Gresley and Louisa Jane Gresley, 05 May 1798; citing Netherseal, Derbyshire, England, reference p.40 - 1798; FHL microfilm 1,752,218.
9. ↑ St Peter's, Netheseal, Marriages on South Derbyshire BDM
10. ↑ St Peter's, Netheseal, Burials on South Derbyshire BDM
11. ↑ Debrett has the year 1813, which is disproven by these records
12. ↑ St Peter's, Netheseal, Burials on South Derbyshire BDM
13. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NN86-5QH : accessed 6 June 2015), William Gresley and Mary Thorp, 29 Aug 1811; citing Netherseal, Derbyshire, England, reference p. 84 - 1811; FHL microfilm 1,752,218.
14. ↑ "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NN8X-95W : accessed 6 June 2015), William Gresley and Mary Thorp, 29 Aug 1811; citing Seal, Leicester, England, reference No number; FHL microfilm 1,752,219.

• Madan, Falconer. The Gresleys of Drakelowe. Oxford, 1899. Accessed via Internet Archive

• Cokayne, G.E. The Complete Baronetage - Volume I (1611-1625). Exeter, 1900. Accessed via Internet Archive

• Debrett, John & Collen, George William. The Baronetage of England. London, 1840. Accessed via Google Books

Netherseal Village website

Netherseal Conservation Area Character Statement, South Derbyshire District Council, 2011

Netherseal Hall

Drakelow Hall