Early Midgley Names

 


                                                                                     PERSON NAMED    ORIGINAL SOURCE                             REFERENCE
'Petri de Migelaya', a.k.a Peter de de Flockton, Peter de Birkin, Peter Fitz-Assulf [son of Assulf the great land owner in the West Riding during the 1100's and elder brother of Jordan de Thornhill, constable of Pontefract.] Perhaps the earliest appearance of the Midgley place-name used as a surname which refers to 'Little Midgley' near Wakefield. Charter St. John's, Pontefract. No. CCCXXIII No date but between 1110 and 1143 Holmes, Richard. The Chartulary of St. John of Pontefract vol II, Y.A.S. Record Series, vol. xxx, 1901,  p. 426.
Adam FitzPeter of Birkin, progenitor of the Birkins of Birkin, Peter FitzAssulf's son, was called, or called himself Adam de Birkin, Adam de Falthwaite, Adam de Flockton, Adam de Middleton, Adam de Midgley, Adam de Sitlington, Adam de Stainborough, etc. for he had interests in all those places, most of which he had received with his wife.  Adam's wife was Matilda [Maud] de Cauz, Lady of Laxton, Notts. Their eldest son was known as Roberto filio Ade filii Petri and later as Robert de Midgley. This Robert inherited lands in Midgley [Holmes, Richard. The Chartulary of St. John of Pontefract vol II, Y.A.S. Record Series, vol. xxx, 1901, pp. 602-3.] Robert conceded the gift of his father to Pontefract Priory in a charter for a bovate in 'Little Midgley' with other lands. Robert also witnessed grants to Rievaulx Abbey in Midgley for rights to mineral resources [probably iron & coal]. He d.v.p. before 1185. Robert had at least five other siblings, Peter Fitz Adam, John de Birkin, Roger, William and Isabel:

Peter inherited lands in Midgley [Ibid., pp. 602-3.], hence in all probability, he was named Peter de Midgley.

John is mentioned in  the Chartulary of St. John of Pontefract vol II, 1901, p. 426, 427, as John de Birkin ,the third son of Adam who inherited the manor of that name [Birkin] on the death of his father in 1207. He held lands at Lepton near Huddersfield and was a follower of Roger 'Helle' de Lacy [d. 1211.] having witnessed at least one of his charters.  He was keeper of the forest of Sherwood and died  in 1227.

The younger brothers, Roger and William, had lands to the east, in a certain degree dependent upon Birkin.  [Holmes, Richard. The Chartulary of St. John of Pontefract vol II, Y.A.S. Record Series, vol. xxx, 1901,pp. 602-3] 

John's sister, Isabel, as heiress of Laxton Notts. through her mother Matilda de Cauz  [all Isabel's siblings having predeceased her], married Sir Robert de Everingham, master forester of the forest of  Sherwood. Their son  Sir Adam de Everingham b. 1231, was also keeper of the forest of Sherwood and held lands at Lepton near Huddersfield which he had inherited through his mother from her brother John de Birkin of Birkin Yorks. and Laxton, Notts. [d. 1227]

  Holmes, Richard. The Chartulary of St. John of Pontefract vol II, Y.A.S. Record Series, vol. xxx, 1901, pp. 396-397.
Thomas de Midgley supposedly born about 1154 probably of Stansfield Hall, Todmorden, West Yorkshire.  According to the author of the Stansfield history, Sir Thomas Midgley bore : Sable, two bars gemelles, or ; on a chief of the second, three Catharine wheels of the first. [although the Harleian MS. says the former only.] Note: In this the Harleian is likely to be correct as the 'Catharine wheels' are believed to be a later Quaker addition to the earlier arms sometime in the 1700's and are said to represent water wheels. See Midgley of Rochdale.
Doubt can be cast upon this birth year proffered without citation in the I.G.I. A recent analysis of the Stansfield claims made by the author of the Stanfield
history indicates that he has omitted many generations* between the supposed ancestor, Wyan Maryons and Jordan who married a daughter of 'Sir John de Townley'.  Jordan was the father of Oliver de Stansfield [d. ~1349] who is mentioned as the constable of Pontefract in Henry de Lacy's  i.p.m. in 1311. The 'Sir John de Townley' of the Stansfield history is undoubtedly the alias of John de la Legh who married Cecilia de Towneley, sole inheritor of the Towneley estates. [Indicated by Oliver's grant of the manor of Worsthorne in 1292 by William 7th earl Warrene] This places Jordan as living in the late 1200's and early 1300's. Edmund de Stansfield, (Jordan's great grandson) who married Agnes Midgley, d. of Mr/Sir Thomas Midgley is therefore seen to be living in the late 1300's thus placing her father as living in the early 1300's.  * e.g. Descendants of Assulf, Fergus de Stansfield, John son of Fergus de Stansfield, Richard de Stansfield [1274].
Not cited.
The History and Antiquities of Halifax, Rev. J. Watson, 1775.

I.G.I. 1992

Stansfield History - pdf download                        
    
Agnes Midgley supposedly born about 1176 [I.G.I.] Stansfeld. She appears to be the daughter of the above Thomas. A deed for an Agnes 'at the gate of Northowram' was witnessed by a John de Midgeley. Agnes married Edmund de Stansfield, supposedly a descendant of Wyan Maryons a follower of William de Warrene who accompanied William The Conqueror in 1066. The line of Stansfields descended from Edmund through Ralph, Henry, Thomas when a Savile marriage occurred before descending two more generations to the Stansfields of Hartshead, who held the lands on which the Kirklees nunnery was established. The Armitages later  purchased this site Not cited.
The History and Antiquities of Halifax, Rev. J. Watson, 1775.

I.G.I. 1992

Stansfield History

'Magistro'* Ricardo de Madelaya [this may be a phonetic for Methley] 1218 charter witness relating to Dodsworth with John de Birkin [grandson of Petri de Migelaya above], 'Robert Walensis' [Robert le Waleys], Gilbert de Notton, William de Stapleton, William de Campsall & others. * Although Holmes considers this title an error.   Holmes, Richard. The Chartulary of St. John of Pontefract vol II, Y.A.S. Record Series, vol. xxx, 1901, p. 438
Ivone de Medeleia and Henrico clerico de Medeleia were a witnesses to a charter to St. John's Priory, Pontefract. This 'Ivone', perhaps Ivo, the modern Ivan, appears to have been residing in the Whitwood - Snydale -  Normanton area. 1220 Charter St. John's, Pontefract. Holmes, Richard. The Chartulary of St. John of Pontefract vol II, Y.A.S. Record Series, vol. xxx, 1901, pp. 338-339.
Ivone de Medeleia witnessed a charter between Peter de Mara [i.e. of Whitwood Mere] and Roger de Castleford and others of Featherstone and Whitwood Mere. 1222 Charter St. John's, Pontefract. Holmes, Richard. The Chartulary of St. John of Pontefract vol II, Y.A.S. Record Series, vol. xxx, 1901,  p. 336.
Witness of a charter - Henrico clerico [de Medeleia - see above] 1246 Charter St. John's, Pontefract. Holmes, Richard. The Chartulary of St. John of Pontefract vol II, Y.A.S. Record Series, vol. xxx, 1901, p. 339.
Hugh de Mikelay confirmed as abbot of Kirkstall Abbey on 17th April 1259. Died June 1262. Other sources say he was created abbot 16th March 1260.   V.C.H. A History of the County of York, vol. 3, 1974. Kirkstall Abbey.
John de Miggeley,[x2] forester of Sowerbyshire residing at Hathershelf, near Mytholmrod on the margins of the once great forest of Hardwick.
Robert or Richard de Miggeley father of Michael de Miggeley,
John de Miggele
1274 Court Rolls of the manor of Wakefield see on-line reference
Adam de Miggele In the earl Warrene's court Adam De Miggele gave 12d to replevy [recover] beasts which had been distrained on Sir Adam De Everingham.*

Adam de Miggele, Ivo and John of Sowerby, Richard was the son of Ivo.

1275 Court Rolls of the manor of Wakefield. 

1274-1297 Ibid.
Yorkshire Archaeological Society. Volumes 29, 36, 57, 78, (1901-45)

Wakefield Court Rolls I  136

Henry de Miggeley
Sir John Soothill of Soothill, Knt., in 1276 leased to Henry, son of Adam de Miggeley the fourth part of one assart in Ovenden.

Not cited.
J.W. Walker's Yorkshire Pedigrees T-Z and Index Nominum and Locorum (1944) (Harleian
Society Publication 92)
Miggeley Township 1285 the township of Miggeley gave 1m [one silver mark] for respite of suit of Sir Robert De Everingham#, for the land of Miggeley, till Michaelmas Wakefield Court Rolls  I,  p. 209.
John Miggele
16th Dec 1296 at a Parliament at Nayland - "Letters for Osbert de Spaldyngton, staying in Scotland on the king's service, nominating Richard de Helmesleye and John Miggele his attorneys for one year." C.P.R., 1292-1301, p. 224.  
1297 Alanus de Miggelay of Sitlington   YAS Record Series Vol. 16: Yorkshire lay subsidy, being a ninth collected in 25 Edward I, 1297, ed William Brown, 1894. Yorkshire Lay Subsidies. p. 110
 Simon de Miggelle. Confirmed as abbot of  Jervaulx Abbey in Wensleydale. Abbot John followed afterwards who died or resigned in 1312. Simon replaced Abbot Ralph [1289-1300]. York Archepis. Reg. Sed. Vac. flo. 33. V.C.H. A History of the County of York, vol. 3, 1974.
William de Miggelay 1305, "Feet of Fines"  Yorkshire Archaeological Society. Volumes 2, 5, 7, 8, 42, 52, 62, 67, 82, 121, 127, (1887-1965)
William de Miggeley, Knight of the Shire
Various
Various
On the 24 Feb 1325 Roger de Stanbury surrendered 6 acres in Saltonstall to Hugh son of John de Migeley 

Previously on 24 June 1324 William de Ridding sued Roger de Stanbury for having him arrested without cause by earl Thomas' bailiff three years before (1321). However, Roger said that the land in question, at Saltonstall, belonged to him, William agreed and paid a fine.

  (WCR 1322-1331, p. 67.)

W.C.R., 1322-1331, p. 37.

Alice widow of Henry Midgley demanded part of a messuage of one acre of meadow in Sowerby against Robert Hode of Sowerby. She was fined 6d for a false claim but forgiven by the steward and was given restitution of 2/3 of the tenement from Robert Hode.
1331  Wakefield Court Roll
10 August 1331 Sowerby.
Adam Migge [x4] of Ossett, Sowerby and Warley. This person appeared at Sowerby on the 14th May 1333 and surrendered 3 acres in Warley, for the same session a Robert Hode was fined 2 pence for not attending. 1332-3 Wakefield Court Roll Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Leeds, 1982.
Avice de Miggeley of Blackwood near Sowerby. 1332 Wakefield Court Roll Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Leeds, 1982.
Elias de Miggeley 1332 Wakefield Court Roll Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Leeds, 1982.
Thomas de Miggeley son of Elias de Miggeley, Sowerby. 1332 Wakefield Court Roll Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Leeds, 1982.
Richard de Midgeley 1459 Kirkstall Abbey Rent Roll Thoresby Society. Vol.ume 2, 1891.


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 ©Copyright. Tim Midgley,1999 revised 18th July 2023.