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Pontefract, Yorkshire

"The situation at this place is extremely pleasant, as the town, crowning a fine eminence, is approached on all sides by a considerable ascent. The houses are handsome, the streets open, spacious, and clean, and the country about it adorned with many elegant Mansions." (Langdale's Topographical Dictionary of Yorkshire. 1822).  More than one Staveley family has made Pontefract their home, but to date no connection can be made between them.

The first family described here to take up residence in Pontefract is the family of Nathaniel Staveley.  Nathaniel's parents and place of birth are both unknown, however the following reference regarding his brother John's will and codicil, suggest this family is related to the North Yorkshire Ripon line:

Will and codicil of John Staveley of Pontefract, gentleman: Executor: nephew Richard Staveley Beneficiaries: Pontefract Charity School, nephews Richard Staveley, John Staveley and Charles Staveley, niece Sarah Staveley, cousin Staveley of Ripon, cousin Bradley junior, Dame Bramham of Darrington and her daughter and married son, Poor of Pontefract, Beverley, Old and New Malton Witnesses: Joshua Wilson, George Rhodes and Elizabeth Laverack Date of will: 19 Apr 1749 Codicil with legacy for Elisabeth Laverack, 3 Nov 1750

Although Nathaniel and John's baptism records have not been found, the following Staveley record was located at St. Giles, Pontefract in the late 17th Century:

Other Staveley records at St. Giles include the following burials, and suggest that Wilfrey's parents were likely William Staveley and Margaret:

Nathaniel Staveley was married to Sarah SCRIMSHIRE on December 8, 1726 in the parish of Thrybergh, just to the west of Braithwell, and Conisbrough.

Nathaniel's daughter Sarah married Francis LEE at St. Giles, Pontefract on March 2 1750/1.

Nathaniel Staveley, Attorney, died in 1743/44, and was buried at St. Giles, Pontefract on February 27, 1743/44.  Nathaniel's will is dated March 5, 1742.  In his Will Nathaniel refers to John as his eldest son, Charles as his second son and Richard as his third, and William his fourth (none of whom have attained the age of twenty-one at the time the will was transcribed).

Nathaniel's son Robert did not survive to adulthood, he died in 1728 and was buried at St. Giles on February 13 that year. Son Nathaniel (b. 1731) died as a young child in 1733, and was buried at St. Giles on July 20, 1733.  Daughter Catherine also died in childhood in 1741.  She was buried at St. Giles, Pontefract on October 8, 1741.  Nathaniel will also refers to his daughter Sarah, and sister Elizabeth, married and residing in London, and to a brother John:

In the name of God Amen. I Nathaniel Staveley of Pontefract in the County of York Gentleman being God be praised of a sound and disposing mind and memory but calling to mind the mortality of my body and the certainty of death do in remembrance thereof and in order to make a provision for my children herein after named make publish and ordain this my last will and testament in manner following. First I recommend my soul into the hands of almighty God that gave it me hoping through the merits and mediation of my blessed Saviour Jesus Christ to have a pardon and remission of all my sins and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors herein after named and as to all my real and personal estate wherewith it has pleased God to bestow upon me and bless me with I give devise and dispose thereof as follows and my mind and will is that all my debts funeral expenses and legacies be fully paid and satisfied and whereas I have by articles before my intermarriage and by a purchase since made in pursuance thereof settled certain lands and tenements at Moso otherwise Moseley in the said county of York in jointure upon my dear wife Sarah and which will after her and my decease descend upon my eldest son John and his heirs if living yet my will and please is and I do hereby give and devise to my said son John and to his heirs and assigns for ever a messuage burgage or tenement with the appurtenances in Pontefract aforesaid situate and being in a certain street there called ? Market in the tenures of Robert Varley and John Owram and I do likewise give and bequeath unto my said son John the sum of six hundred pounds to be paid him by Richard Frank Esquire and John Bright Apothecary and Surgeon two of my executors herein after named when he shall attain his age of Twenty one years and my will and mind is that the rents and profits of the said messuage burgage or tenement as also the proceed or interest of the said legacy of six hundred pounds shall go forward and be applied from the time of my decease towards his maintenance cloathing and education during his minority subject nevertheless to this discretionary power that my said named executors shall deduct out of the said legacy any reasonable sum of money to place my said son John out to such profession or business as he and they shall think proper. I also give and devise unto my second son Charles and to his heirs and assigns for ever my messuage burgage or tenement with the appurtenances situate and being in a certain street called Birchill in Pontefract aforesaid and now in the tenure of Thomas Barker and I likewise give and devise unto my said son Charles and to his heirs one messuage or tenement with the appurtenances situate near the old church in Pontefract aforesaid in the tenure of widow Townsend I also give and bequeath unto my said son Charles the sum of seven hundred pounds to be paid him when he shall attain his age of twenty one years by my executors herein after named and my will and pleasure is that the rents and profits of the said tenements and premisses as aforesaid devised to him as also the proceed or interest of the said legacy of seven hundred pounds shall from the time of my decease go forward and be applied towards my said son Charles's cloathing maintenance and education during his minority the said legacy subject nevertheless to the discretionary power abovementioned limitted and expressed of and concerning my said son John I also give and devise unto my third son Richard and to his heirs and assigns for ever all that my now erected messuage and barn with their appurtenances and all the lands tenements and hereditaments thereunto belonging and therewith enjoyed situate lying and being at Hensall in the said county and now in the occupation of John Salmon and I likewise give and bequeath unto my said son Richard the sum of six hundred pounds to be paid him when he shall attain his age of twenty one years by my executors herein after named and my will and mind is that the rents and profits of the said farm at Hensall and also the proceed or interest of the said legacy of six hundred pounds shall go for and be applied from the time of my decease towards my said son Richards cloathing education and maintenance during his minority subject also to the discretionary power abovementioned limitted expressed of and concerning my said son John I further give and devise to my fourth son William and to his heirs and assigns all my lands tenements and hereditaments lying and being at Baln in the said county and now in the tenure of Thomas Clarkson and I also give and bequeath to him the sum of five hundred pounds to be paid him by my executors herein after named when he shall attain his age of twenty one years and my will is that the rents and profits of the said tenement and premisses at Baln and the proceed or interest of the said legacy of five hundred pounds shall be applied and go forward from the time of my deceased for and towards his cloathing education and maintenance during his minority subject likewise to the discretionary power abovementioned limitted and expressed of and concerning my said son John and I also give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah the sum of eight hundred pounds to be paid her by my executors herein after named when she shall attain the age of twenty one years or day of marriage which shall first happen provided she marry with the joint concurrence and consent of my executors herein after named and of my dear wife and where as several of my said children are very young and the rents and profits of the said several estates respectively devised to them as aforesaid expressed and also the proceed and interest of their several and respective legacies bequeathed to them may far exceed the expense of their education and maintenance during their respective minorities my will and request is that such surplusage may be preserved by my executors herein after named and attatched to the fortune legacy or provision of such child herein before by me given in order to augment the same during their respective minorities and my will and request is that my said dear wife shall have the tuition and management of my said children during their respective minorities so long as she continues my widow and to have a fair and reasonable allowance made her for the board of such child or children as my executors think convenient and suitable to their fortune. But in case she shall change her condition and marry then I do hereby give the tuition and management of my said children to my executors herein after named with power to place them out in such hands as they shall think proper and I do hereby give and bequeath to my said dear wife her wearing apparel gold watch and equipage and her rings and also fifty guineas as a legacy and ten guineas for mourning. I also give and bequeath to the poor of Pontefract ten pounds to be distributed as a dole. I likewise give to my sister Elizabeth the wife of Matthew Parry of London p..... maker ten guineas for mourning and to my brother John one guinea to by a gold mourning ring which said last mentioned legacies I will and request may be paid by my executors within one month after my decease and I do hereby nominate and appoint the said Richard Frank Esquire John Bright and my said son John Staveley joint executors of this my last will and testament in trust nevertheless to out to and for the benefit and advantage of my said dear children and not otherwise with power to collect and receive all debts due to me upon mortgages judgements bonds notes law bills book debts or otherwise howsoever and likewise to sell and dispose of all my place linnen household goods and all other my goods and chattels whatsoever and likewise to receive from time to time the rents and profits of the corporation least I now enjoy called West Field Close and also two acres of meadow land in the West Field during the term in the said lease unexpired and which at the time of my decease will be then existing and which at the time of my decease will be then existing and likewise the tenant right and profits of the cow pasture or farm consisting of four closes which I hold and enjoy under Lord Gallway and Sir George Tempest Baronet for the uses and in trust only as aforesaid and in order to make good the legacies so as aforesaid given and bequeathed by me to my said children respectively as also to enable my said executors to make a second dividend equally amongst all my said children as herein after mentioned and whereas I have made a calculation of the principal money due on securities to me and have extracted the same out and cast them up I so find that if it exceeds the legacys before by me given exclusive of my law bills which amount to a considerable sum as also my plate linnen and furniture in my dwelling house and other my goods chattels and personal estate and which is exclusive of my securities standing out now my will and desire is that my said executors shall with all convenient speed after my decrease collect or raise to be collected my law bills. But my request and directions are that my executors may not employ my brother in law Mr. Michael Scrimshire in the collection of my law bills or any debts due on securities for reason I have imparted to Mr. Bright nor shall no place out at interest any of the trust money or security unless the same be well approved of and to the satisfaction of my said executors and more especially of the said Richard Frank Esquire and John Bright and my further will and pleasure is that my said executors immediately after my interment or burial shall take or cause to be taken an exact schedule of all my plate linnen and household goods and that my dear wife shall have the use thereof so long as she continues my widow and lives in the house I now am in and has the management care and education of my said children during their minorities and in order to make the rent as easy to my said wife I will that my said executors or some of them shall from the time of my decease annually pay to her five pounds towards the said rent so long as she continues my widow and has the care and management of my children and no longer. But in case she shall intermarry then the said annual payment of five pounds shall not only cease being paid her by my will and directions are that my said executors shall then immediately cause all my plate linnen household goods and other my personal estate in my dwelling house except a sewed bed with the curtains and vallans but not the feather bed pillows and bolster mattrass quilt sheets and blankets thereto belonging as also a sewed skreen and a sewed card table which I do hereby give and bequeath to my said daughter Sarah as likewise a quart silver tankard marked M.S. which I do also hereby give and bequeath unto my said son John to be sold up by a public and skilfull salesman and to the best bidder and after such sale to be made and from and after the payment of my said legacies then my will and desire is that the surplusage if any shall arise after all fair and just allowances made to my executors shall be equally divided by my said executors amongst all my said children or such of them as shall be then living in equal proportions share and share alike and I do hereby accordingly give and bequeath to them such surplusage to be equally divided amongst them in equal proportions share and share alike as aforesaid in aid and augmentation of their legacies or fortunes before by me given bequeathed and devised and my further will and mind is that in case any of my said children shall die during their respective minorities then, and in such case I will and require that the respective legacy of such child or children given and bequeathed in money shall be equally divided amongst my surviving children in equal proportions share and share alike and I do hereby give and bequeath the same to the intent and purpose and without my wifes intermeddling or interfering or having any pretensions to any right of administration to the legacy in money of any such child so dying during their minority and which I intend and design hereby to exclude and ? her of and so accordingly by this my will publish and declare the same to be my real intention having made an ample provision for her otherwise as by this my will and her said jointure may appear. I also give and bequeath to each of my said executors or trustees five pounds a piece to buy mourning or for their trouble in taking upon them the burthen trust and execution of this my will and to each of them a guinea for a mourning ring this my will and mind is that my said executors shall have all moderate just and fair allowances made them for their charges and expenses in the execution of this trust or any thing relating thereto and I will that not any one of my said executors or trustees of this my will be answerable one for another or for the acts receipts or neglects of the other but for their own acts only or for any more money than shall come to their hands respectively to be received by them or any one of them or by their or any of their orders or order upon this trust account nor shall they be answerable for the breach of any tenant or for the loss of any money already placed out or to be placed out hereafter by me or my said executors after my demise they acting to the best of their judgements and I so hereby revoke all former wills by me heretofore made ratifying this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fifth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty two -- N. Staveley signed sealed published and declared by the said testator to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have at the said testators request subscribed our names as witnesses hereto the words and disposing in the first line the "and" between the fourth and fifth lines the words "during his minority" between the tenth and eleventh lines the words "by my executors herein after named" between the fifteenth and sixteenth lines the words "from the time of my deceased during his minority" between the sixteenth and seventeenth lines the words "by my executors herein after named" between the nineteenth and twentieth lines the words "by my executors herein after named" between the twenty fifth and twenty sixth lines the words "to act" between the thirty fifth and thirty sixth lines the words "tenant right and" between the thirty seventh and thirty eighth lines the words " and a sewed card table" between the forty ninth and fiftieth lines the words "by my executors" between the fifty first and fifty second lines the words "her my" between the fifty fifth and fifty sixth lines and the words "and her said jointure or trustees" between the fifty sixth and fifty seventh lines being first interlined - J. Craig - John Loadsman - John Laycock   On the fifth day of August in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy five administration with the will annexed of all and singular the goods chattles and credits of Nathaniel Staveley late of Pontefract in the county of York deceased was granted to Richard Staveley the son of the said deceased and only surviving residuary legatee named in the said will he having been first worn duly to administer for that Richard Frank Esquire John Bright and John Staveley the son also of the said deceased survived him but respectively died without having taken upon them the execution of the said will at least in the prerogative court of Canterbury.

 

Note: the property mentioned in Hensall is approximately 10 miles east of Pontefract, and the property mentioned in Baln (Balne) was in the district of Snaith (BALNE, in the parish of Snaith, wapentake of Osgoldcross, liberty and bailiwick of Cowick and Snaith; 4 miles SW. of Snaith, 9 from Pontefract).  Below are some extracts pertaining to some property transactions involving Nathaniel between 1728 and 1732.  The last entry refers to Pollington, also within the parish of Snaith.

Lease and release relating to land at Hensall Dated: January 29-30, 1728 Parties: 1) William Makin and Mary his wife 2) Nathaniel Staveley of Pontefract, gentleman Property: dwellinghouse with barns, stables, outhouses and appurtenances thereto wherein John Hair then dwelt at Hensall and croft adjoining containing half an acre, Airs Grass containing 2 acres and several closes et cetera lying dispersedly in the fields and territories of Hensall Consideration: £180 Witnesses: Robert Staveley and William Sugdon, junior Includes: Final agreement Parties: 1) Nathaniel Staveley, gentleman, plaintiff 2) Henry Metcalfe and Mary his wife and William Makin and Mary his wife, deforceants Property: 2 messuages, 1 barn, 10 acres land, 4 acres meadow, 3 acres pasture, pasture for 2 beasts and common of pasture in Hensall Consideration: £120

Lease and assignment of mortgage relating to land in Hensall Dated: September 11-12, 1730 Parties: 1) John Brewer of Little Erming, gentleman 2) Nathaniel Staveley of Pontefract, gentleman Property: dwellinghouse at Hensall wherein Margaret Bailes then dwelt and another dwellinghouse in Hensall wherein William Crowther then dwelt, with a little close thereunto belonging and several parcels of arable meadow or pasture ground lying dispersedly in the Townfields of Hensall Consideration: £123 Witnesses: John Simpson, Michael Scrimshire, junior

 

Lease and release relating to land at Hensall Dated: 19-20 Apr, 1736 Parties: 1) William Makin and Ann his wife, and John Makin of Little Heck, yeoman 2) Nathaniel Staveley Property: cottage at Hensall wherein John Benson then dwelt with barn, orchard or croft adjoining and the lands appertaining to the said cottage at Hensal Consideration: £40 Witnesses: Thomas Wade, Thomas Hudson and William SmithsonIncludes: Final agreement Parties: 1) Nathaniel Staveley, gentleman and William Wrigglesworth, plaintiffs 2) Thomas Sumersall and Mary his wife, William Makin and Ann his wife and John Wriglesworth and Frances his wife, deforceants Property: 1 messuage, 1 barn, 8 acres land, 9 acres meadow, 5 acres pasture and common of pasture with appurtenances in Baln, Hensall and Oulton Consideration: £60

Assignment of mortgage for £31 relating to lands at Pollington Dated: April 10, 1732 Parties: 1) Nathaniel Staveley of Pontefract, gentleman, William Padgett of Pollington 2) John Morton of Pollington, yeoman Property: 2 acres of land with the horse mill built thereon at Pollington Witnesses: William Dixon and William Winteringham

A second unrelated Staveley family known to have inhabited Pontefract is that of William Wray Staveley (of the Aysgarth Line) and Sarah Maria Senior.  William was born in 1854 in Pendleton, Lancashire, the son of John Staveley of Aysgarth and Mary Ann WALMSLEY.  He married Sarah Maria Senior of Edinburgh, Scotland in 1880 in Barton Upon Irwell.  By 1881 the family is located in West Bromwich, Stafford.  They are found in Pontefract at the time of the 1891 census with following children:

1891: Census: Walkergate, Pontefract, Yorkshire

William Wray Staveley died in Pontefract in 1891 at the young age of 37. After William's death, Sarah took the children to live back in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, where we find them in the 1901 census.

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