George Legh (abt. 1465 - abt. 1529)

Biography

George Ligh of Manchester^[1]

George Legh was born about 1495. He was probably born at the Westhall in High Legh, Cheshire, England, where his paternal ancestors had lived for centuries.

George was the son of Thomas Leigh of High Ligh of the Westhall, Cheshire, and his wife, Dowce Booth, the daughter of Sir William Bouth of Dunham, Cheshire.^[1] The indenture for his parents' marriage was dated 3 December, 1461.^[2]

George was the brother of:

1. Richard Leigh alias Legh, their father's eldest son and heir, predeceased his father, married Beatrix, the daughter of Geffrey Boidell^[1] alias Bedell of Pulcroft; their fathers agreed that Richard had lawfully married Beatrix in 3 Henry VII,^[2] which was 22 August 1487-21 August 1488;
2. James;^[1]
3. John;^[1]
4. Roger, Parson of Lymm;^[1]
5. Jane, who married Matthew Ligh of Swinehead;^[1]
6. Alice who married 1) Hamnett Massy of Hale and 2) George Newton;^[1]

After his mother's death, his father married Jane, daughter of John Holcroft of Holcroft, Lancashire.^[1] From his father's second marriage, George had half-siblings:

1. John;^[1]
2. Thomas;^[1] and
3. Jane, who was married to Thomas Sanky.^[1]

Marriage and Children

George Ligh, of Manchester, and his unknown wife, were the parents of a daughter and heir who was married to Alexander Barlow.^[1] Her name was Elizabeth Legh and her husband, Alexander, was the son of Ellis Barlow of Barlow and his wife, Anne, the daughter of Otis Reddish of Reddish.^[3] On 24 September, 1528, Anne Barlawe, widow of Elys Barlawe, and John Redyche, esq, made an indented agreement with George Leghe of Manchester, gentleman, respecting the marriage of Alexander Barlawe, son and heir of Elys and Anne, and Elizabeth Leghe, a daughter of George, with a bond for performance of the agreement..^[4]

When Sir John Stanley of Honford (Handforth), Knight, made his will on 30 June, 1527, he was paying a yearly fee or pension of 20s to George Leegh of Manchester, which he willed George to continue receiving during the nonage of his son and heir, John Stanley, on the condition that he aid, help and assist him with his best counsel, labour and advice.^[5]

Research Notes

This George Legh from the Legh family of Highlegh of the Westhall, Cheshire, did not have any sons: both The Visitation of Cheshire in the Year 1580^[1] and The Visitation of the County Palatine of Lancaster, Made in the Year 1567^[6] record Alexander Barlow of Barlow's wife being the daughter and heir of George Legh of Manchester, a younger brother of the house of Highlegh of the Westhall, Cheshire. William Flower, the herald who conducted the 1567 visitation of Lancashire, stated that Elizabeth's husband, Alexander Barlow, was living in 1567,^[6] and presumably he was the person who provided the information for his family's pedigree.

The History of Parliament article on Alexander Barlow says his wife, Elizabeth, was daughter and coheir of George Legh of Manchester,^[3] which means he had at least one other daughter but no sons.

George Leigh of Adlington had a son, Thomas, who married Mary, the daughter of Richard Gravenor of Eaton, and a daughter, Elizabeth.^[7]

This George was not married to Joan Larke. Jane, daughter of Peter Lack, of London, was married to 1) George Leigh of Adlington, and 2) Sir George Pawlett, brother of the Marquess of Winchester.^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13} John Paul Rylands, ed., The Visitation of Cheshire in the Year 1580 Made by Robert Glover, Somerset Herald, for William Flower, Norroy King of Arms, with Numerous Additions and Continuations, Including Those from the Visitation of Cheshire Made in the Year 1566, by the Same Herald. With an Appendix, Containing the Visitation of a Part of Cheshire in the Year 1533, made by William Fellows, Lancaster Herald, for Thomas Benolte, Clarenceux King of Arms. And a Fragment of the Visitation of the City of Chester in the Year 1591, Made by Thomas Chaloner, Deputy to the Office of Arms, (London: Harleian Society, XVIII, 1882), 146. e-book Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/visitationofches00glov/page/146/mode/1up : accessed 27 July, 2022). [Pedigree: Leigh of High Ligh, of the Westhall].
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Rylands, "The Visitation of Cheshire in the year 1580", 143. [Pedigree: Ligh de Westhall].
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Alan Davidson, "BARLOW, Alexander (by 1525-84), of Barlow in Chorlton cum Hardy, Lancs." The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558, ed. S T Bindoff, (1982). The History of Parliament: British Political, Social & Local History (http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/barlow-alexander-1525-84 : accessed 26 April 2016).
4. ↑ The National Archives Website: Discovery: 133 - Manchester University: University of Manchester Library: CRU - CRUTCHLEY MUNIMENTS: CRU/508 - Indenture of agreement between Anne Barlawe, widow of Elys Barlawe, and John Redyche,..., (https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/821296f0-e5ad-4253-92f7-955cf465b619 : accessed 3 January, 2023).
5. ↑ W M Fergusson Irvine, ed., A Collection of Lancashire and Cheshire Wills Not Now to be Found in Any Probate Registry. 1301—1752, (The Record Society for the Publication of Original Documents relating to Lancashire and Cheshire, XXX, 1896), 56, e-book Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/publications11chesgoog/page/n76/mode/1up : accessed 28 July, 2022).
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Rev F R Raines, MA, ed, The Visitation of the County Palatine of Lancaster, Made in the Year 1567 by William Flower, Esq, Norroy King of Arms (The Chetham Society for Remains Historical & Literary connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester, LXXXI, 1870), 5. e-Book Internet Archive (https://archive.org/details/remainshistorica81chetuoft/page/5/mode/1up : accessed 27 July, 2022). [Pedigree: Barlow of Barlow].
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} John Paul Rylands, ed., The Visitation of Cheshire in the Year 1580, (1882), 152. [Pedigree: Leigh of Adlington].