The GILLAM Family
We turn now to the Gillam family of Leicester and Countesthorpe, a family two Brewin girls married into. The first intimation of this family is a tantalising entry in the 1327 Lay Subsidy of Wykingeston which lists an individual called Richard Gylemyn. It sounds as if it could be Gilman, but i can find no reference to a Gilman family living at Wigston, so was this a very early Gillam in Leicestershire?
The first possible Gillam ancestor to our family was JOHN GILLAM. All we know of him is from a Marriage Settlement. He was a Freeman of Leicester in 1500, so saw the transition from the Plantagenets to the first Tudor, Henry VII. He had 2 sons, THOMAS and Robert, they being born around 1515/1520. Robert married Amy Ward, a member of a notable local family, and founded a parallel line to ours; he died in 1562, leaving a Will.
THOMAS married ELIZABETH FRANCIS of Ticknall, Derbyshire, She was an heiress and would have brought Thomas sizeable wealth at their marriage. [ the Francis family of Foremark, who had acquired property in the parish at an early date, and the Abels, who from the early 1300s were being granted land by the Prior of Repton, including land where the Limeyards are now. Both families continued to own land in Ticknall after the Dissolution. Part of the Francis share passed to the Burdetts of Foremark and Bramcote in Warwickshire. See Sir Robert Francis, died 1419/20, at: http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/francis-sir-robert-141920 A notable ancestor was Sir Adam Francis who was Lord Mayor of London, and the family returned two Members to Parliament. One of the girls, Maude, became the Countess of Salisbury; she was foster-mother to Henry V.] The Countesthorpe and Foston Heritage Group have found shards of Derbyshire pottery dating from the period around Green Lane, next to the Gillam's residence which it is possible Elizabeth brought from her home at her marriage. Thomas and Elizabeth had 2 sons, Thomas and FRANCIS, the latter being born about 1570 at Ticknall. Thomas senior died in 1639; his estate was Administered by his sons Francis of Blaby and Thomas, both styled Yeoman. [From a family tree: The dates don't add up here. If Thomas died in 1639, he could not have been born circa 1520. I think there was another Thomas in between, born around 1545, or it could refer to Thomas junior, but there is no record to prove this.]
Francis married 3 times, the first being to Katherine Hall of Wigston Magna in 1602; they had 1 daughter, Susan/Susannah, born in 1603, and Katherine died 2 years later.
It was at this time that the house in Countesthorpe came into the Gillam's possession, in 1604. It was then called Gillam's Farm, later as Gillams, and presently as The Manor House. Radiocarbon tests on the roof timbers have dated the construction back to around 1496. The house was extended and given a smart exterior in the 18th century. There have been 7 owners in all, the longest occupiers being the Gillams, who finally sold it in the late 19th Century, there being no heir.
'Gillams', Countesthorpe
Back view of 'Gillams'
His second marriage was to MARGARET MANSFIELD, the daughter of FRANCIS MANSFIELD, the Rector of Foston, in 1609 at Foston. [There is a marriage licence for Thomas Gillam of Countesthorpe and Elizabeth Mansfield, w, of Kymcoate, dated 1611. Maybe she was the one buried with her child at Countesthorpe in 1613.] Undoubtedly Margaret was married to Francis by her proud father, who had first been appointed Rector of Foston by Queen Elizabeth I in August 1598. Thomas and Margaret had 6 children: THOMAS, born around 1610; Sarah (died when a baby); Mary; Sarah; Francis; and William.
After Margaret died in 1630 Francis married for the third time, a lady named Mary Wood, a widow, in 1632. He died in 1648.
Francis' son THOMAS junior (born circa 1610) married MARY NORTON, daughter of Humpherie Norton of Norton by Gaulby, in 1636, and their Marriage Settlement is held at Leicestershire Records Office (Bray & Bray). William Burton, the antiquary, stated in his book Descriptions of Leicester Shire in 1622 of Norton by Gaulby: " In the 6th Edward I [1228] Robert de Norton was seized of the greater part of this town, held of the manor of Winchester". Mary Norton would have been a descendant of this Robert, the family having retained Norton as their surname. Thomas and Mary had 7 children: Mary, baptised 1639, never married; Frances, baptised 1641, married Joseph Bent, Thomas died as a baby in 1642; Elizabeth, baptised in 1645 married William Elliott; Jonas, baptised in April 1648 married Elizabeth Sleath of Willoughby Waterless.; THOMAS, baptised in November 1648 ; Sarah, baptised in 1652. Thomas died in 1658; he left no will and the estate was administered by his widow 'Mariam' and William Orton. Mary did leave a Will when she died in 1727. This was a non-cupative Will, that is, in front of witnesses but not written down. The memorandum states that 'she did give and bequathe all her estate unto Mary Tansor alias Gillam, Saray Gillam and Jonas Gillam her children with words or the like in effect was uttered and declared did [-?-] in the presence of Thos Gillam [her son] and his wife Mary Gillam and John Elliott.' All 3 signed. She did not leave anything to Thomas because he had inherited the property and estate on the death of his father. Mary was leaving her personal goods.
This Thomas, son of Thomas and Mary, married MARY BREWIN, daughter of WILLIAM BREWIN [Brewerne] of Belgrave. [The Brewernes were a notable family, being yeomen and landowners. They had been in Belgrave since the 15th century.] They married at All Saints Church in Leicester, by Licence in 1670. Thomas was a Yeoman. Their children were: Thomas (1672-1672);THOMAS, baptised 1673; William, in 1675; Mary, in 1676; Elizabeth in 1680; Ann, in 1682 and 1691; Sarah, in 1683; George, in 1684 and Brewin, in 1691. Thomas senior died in 1696, his estate being administered by his wife Mary. She died in 1707; her Will mentions her deceased son William's widow, Hannah; son Brewin; daughter, Ann Meadows (" if now with child if born alive"); son Meadows [Ann's husband];; grandsons Thomas Gillam, William Gillam, John Clarke and John Noone; grandaughters Mary and Ann Meadows;; cousins William Orton 7wife; sons in law John Clarke and Thomas Noone. In all, she left £125 in bequests, a sizeable sum for a woman then. Son Thomas is not mentioned; he had inherited the bulk of the estate directly from his father.
Mary married at Braunstone in 1695 John Clark of London, a wine cooper; Ann married Richard Meadows 'of Wixton' in St. Marys in Arden; Elizabeth marriedThomas Noon.
Thomas, being the eldest son, inherited the estate; he was a Freeman of Leicester and a Gentleman. He married firstly MARY GEE, the daughter of WILLIAM GEE of Aylestone in 1707. William and Emanuell Gee appear on the Lay Subsidy Hearth tax Rolls for 1663; both had 3 hearths, and only the Earl of Rutland and William Paske, a clerke, had more. A theory suggests that the 2 Gees were Stewards of the Earl. William Gee was sent to London, to be apprenticed to a goldsmith, by his father Emanuel, and who died in 1681, but no baptisms have been found to confirm if this was Mary's father. Baptism records are sketchy during the Interegnum.
After Mary died in 1707, Thomas married ELIZABETH BREWIN, daughter of ROBERT and MARY BREWIN of Wigston Magna, on 18th May 1710 by licence. It was this Thomas Gillam who, with others, petioned Parliament for enclosure:
"Inclosure passed by Act in 1666 for Parish of Countesthorpe. The king was described as being patron of the Rectory of Countesthorpe and Blaby. Thomas Gillam, Thomas Hastings and John Young and others were seized of residue of lands and grounds in the open and common fields of Countesthorpe."
The Gillams now owned a vast amount of the Parish, as well as land at Kilby Bridge and Belgrave. Thomas though, died in 1772 .
Mary was 35 when she had their only child, THOMAS, who was baptised on 20th December 1712. Thomas married JANE MEADOWS by licence on 25th June 1733 at Blaby. Jane was a daughter of THOMAS and MARY MEADOWS of Wigston Magna, born there in 1708.. Richard was an Inn-holder there, and although I have not found his parentage, he ,in 1739, and wife Mary , in 1747, did leave Wills, and an Inventory showing every item in the house and brewhouse underneath. Thomas left land and pasture to his daughter Elizabeth, including arable and grassland purchased from the influential Freer family. He also left Elizabeth and her sisters, Jane Gillam and Mary Painter, and their brothers Richard and Thomas £100 each. Richard also received the contents of the Brewhouse, as well as the Horse-trough and Pump in the Yard. Wife Mary received £100, and the residue after legacies had been paid. Mary could only leave personal goods; she left the fixed bedstead in the Best Chamber to son Richard, £20 to son Thomas, daughters Elizabeth, Mary and Jane all her other goods, cattle and personal estate whatsoever, share and share alike.
Thomas and Jane Gillam had 5 children. They were: Mary, 1734-?; Elizabeth, who married Benjamin Humphries, 1736-?; Jane, who married Thomas Coleman, 1739-?; CATHERINE, who married WILLIAM HEARD, 1738-1817, William, who married Anna Iliffe, 1747-1828. We will meet Catherine again during the story of the Heard family. Thomas and Jane are buried within St. Andrew's Church and a plaque records this.
Thomas and Anna Gillam had 12 children: Jane, Thomas, Anna, Elizabeth, Mary, Sophia Anna, Catherine Anna, William Meadows, Edward Thomas, Harriet, Bennett Thomas, and Jonathan.
William Meadows, Catherine' nephew, was born 1785, and kept The Black Swan Inn at Kilby Bridge. He died at the Inn in 1823.
Bennett Thomas, Catherine's nephew, was born 1794, and went to Canada, where he was a Timber Merchant at Quebec. He became involved in a Court case in 1827, when a ship he had chartered, the Trusty, was not unloaded within the allotted time at the docks in England. it was found that bad weather prevented the ship leaving Quebec on time, thus the owner of the ship, along with Bennett Thomas, became liable.
Catherine Anna's son, John Savage, also went to Canada, where he witnessed his Uncle Bennett's Will.
Thomas, Catherine's nephew and heir to the Gillam estate, was born in 1775. He married Elizabeth Robinson at Shearsby in 1804. Thomas' obituary, in 1833, states that 'he died of care and gout'. As his 2 eldest sons emigrated, one wonders if that caused his 'care'. He and Elizabeth never saw their boys again. They had 12 surviving children Thomas Meadows, William, Mary Ann, John, Jane, Harriett, Catherine, Anna, Sophia Ann, Elizabeth, and Bennett Thomas. Three of these are interesting;
Jane, Catherine' great-niece, married a Scot, Peter Reid in 1837. He was a Railway Contractor and I think must have been involved with the Midland Railway line through Countesthorpe for them to meet. They moved, presumably with Peter's work, all over; their 5 children were born in Kent, France, Berlin, Oswestryand Gloucester between 1843 and1850. 3 sons became Civil Engineers. The youngest Charles, corresponded with his Gillam cousin, William Merritt and was very anxious to discover the history of the Gillams. He did have a rather romantic view of the family though, being convinced that we were pure Angles, while giving his children Saxon names. It is through his letters to, and preserved by, William Merritt and passed on to his descendants that we know about that branch today.
Catherine's 2 great-nephews', and their families' stories read like a 'Boys' Own' adventure, they span the world. As we are not descended directly from them though, their stories are told separately.
William, the second son of Thomas Gillam and Elizabeth Robinson, was the first to leave for Australia. He left before 1829 as we know that his elder brother followed him and arrived in Australia that year. William went straight to Sydney, or maybe Newcastle, NSW. He traded from there to China, having taken to the sea as a profession. It is thought that he took his nephew in as his partner but the ages are wrong, It is more likely that he left young Thomas Jenkins Gillam in charge, because he made his way to India.
The first possible Gillam ancestor to our family was JOHN GILLAM. All we know of him is from a Marriage Settlement. He was a Freeman of Leicester in 1500, so saw the transition from the Plantagenets to the first Tudor, Henry VII. He had 2 sons, THOMAS and Robert, they being born around 1515/1520. Robert married Amy Ward, a member of a notable local family, and founded a parallel line to ours; he died in 1562, leaving a Will.
THOMAS married ELIZABETH FRANCIS of Ticknall, Derbyshire, She was an heiress and would have brought Thomas sizeable wealth at their marriage. [ the Francis family of Foremark, who had acquired property in the parish at an early date, and the Abels, who from the early 1300s were being granted land by the Prior of Repton, including land where the Limeyards are now. Both families continued to own land in Ticknall after the Dissolution. Part of the Francis share passed to the Burdetts of Foremark and Bramcote in Warwickshire. See Sir Robert Francis, died 1419/20, at: http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1386-1421/member/francis-sir-robert-141920 A notable ancestor was Sir Adam Francis who was Lord Mayor of London, and the family returned two Members to Parliament. One of the girls, Maude, became the Countess of Salisbury; she was foster-mother to Henry V.] The Countesthorpe and Foston Heritage Group have found shards of Derbyshire pottery dating from the period around Green Lane, next to the Gillam's residence which it is possible Elizabeth brought from her home at her marriage. Thomas and Elizabeth had 2 sons, Thomas and FRANCIS, the latter being born about 1570 at Ticknall. Thomas senior died in 1639; his estate was Administered by his sons Francis of Blaby and Thomas, both styled Yeoman. [From a family tree: The dates don't add up here. If Thomas died in 1639, he could not have been born circa 1520. I think there was another Thomas in between, born around 1545, or it could refer to Thomas junior, but there is no record to prove this.]
Francis married 3 times, the first being to Katherine Hall of Wigston Magna in 1602; they had 1 daughter, Susan/Susannah, born in 1603, and Katherine died 2 years later.
It was at this time that the house in Countesthorpe came into the Gillam's possession, in 1604. It was then called Gillam's Farm, later as Gillams, and presently as The Manor House. Radiocarbon tests on the roof timbers have dated the construction back to around 1496. The house was extended and given a smart exterior in the 18th century. There have been 7 owners in all, the longest occupiers being the Gillams, who finally sold it in the late 19th Century, there being no heir.
'Gillams', Countesthorpe
Back view of 'Gillams'
His second marriage was to MARGARET MANSFIELD, the daughter of FRANCIS MANSFIELD, the Rector of Foston, in 1609 at Foston. [There is a marriage licence for Thomas Gillam of Countesthorpe and Elizabeth Mansfield, w, of Kymcoate, dated 1611. Maybe she was the one buried with her child at Countesthorpe in 1613.] Undoubtedly Margaret was married to Francis by her proud father, who had first been appointed Rector of Foston by Queen Elizabeth I in August 1598. Thomas and Margaret had 6 children: THOMAS, born around 1610; Sarah (died when a baby); Mary; Sarah; Francis; and William.
After Margaret died in 1630 Francis married for the third time, a lady named Mary Wood, a widow, in 1632. He died in 1648.
Francis' son THOMAS junior (born circa 1610) married MARY NORTON, daughter of Humpherie Norton of Norton by Gaulby, in 1636, and their Marriage Settlement is held at Leicestershire Records Office (Bray & Bray). William Burton, the antiquary, stated in his book Descriptions of Leicester Shire in 1622 of Norton by Gaulby: " In the 6th Edward I [1228] Robert de Norton was seized of the greater part of this town, held of the manor of Winchester". Mary Norton would have been a descendant of this Robert, the family having retained Norton as their surname. Thomas and Mary had 7 children: Mary, baptised 1639, never married; Frances, baptised 1641, married Joseph Bent, Thomas died as a baby in 1642; Elizabeth, baptised in 1645 married William Elliott; Jonas, baptised in April 1648 married Elizabeth Sleath of Willoughby Waterless.; THOMAS, baptised in November 1648 ; Sarah, baptised in 1652. Thomas died in 1658; he left no will and the estate was administered by his widow 'Mariam' and William Orton. Mary did leave a Will when she died in 1727. This was a non-cupative Will, that is, in front of witnesses but not written down. The memorandum states that 'she did give and bequathe all her estate unto Mary Tansor alias Gillam, Saray Gillam and Jonas Gillam her children with words or the like in effect was uttered and declared did [-?-] in the presence of Thos Gillam [her son] and his wife Mary Gillam and John Elliott.' All 3 signed. She did not leave anything to Thomas because he had inherited the property and estate on the death of his father. Mary was leaving her personal goods.
This Thomas, son of Thomas and Mary, married MARY BREWIN, daughter of WILLIAM BREWIN [Brewerne] of Belgrave. [The Brewernes were a notable family, being yeomen and landowners. They had been in Belgrave since the 15th century.] They married at All Saints Church in Leicester, by Licence in 1670. Thomas was a Yeoman. Their children were: Thomas (1672-1672);THOMAS, baptised 1673; William, in 1675; Mary, in 1676; Elizabeth in 1680; Ann, in 1682 and 1691; Sarah, in 1683; George, in 1684 and Brewin, in 1691. Thomas senior died in 1696, his estate being administered by his wife Mary. She died in 1707; her Will mentions her deceased son William's widow, Hannah; son Brewin; daughter, Ann Meadows (" if now with child if born alive"); son Meadows [Ann's husband];; grandsons Thomas Gillam, William Gillam, John Clarke and John Noone; grandaughters Mary and Ann Meadows;; cousins William Orton 7wife; sons in law John Clarke and Thomas Noone. In all, she left £125 in bequests, a sizeable sum for a woman then. Son Thomas is not mentioned; he had inherited the bulk of the estate directly from his father.
Mary married at Braunstone in 1695 John Clark of London, a wine cooper; Ann married Richard Meadows 'of Wixton' in St. Marys in Arden; Elizabeth marriedThomas Noon.
Thomas, being the eldest son, inherited the estate; he was a Freeman of Leicester and a Gentleman. He married firstly MARY GEE, the daughter of WILLIAM GEE of Aylestone in 1707. William and Emanuell Gee appear on the Lay Subsidy Hearth tax Rolls for 1663; both had 3 hearths, and only the Earl of Rutland and William Paske, a clerke, had more. A theory suggests that the 2 Gees were Stewards of the Earl. William Gee was sent to London, to be apprenticed to a goldsmith, by his father Emanuel, and who died in 1681, but no baptisms have been found to confirm if this was Mary's father. Baptism records are sketchy during the Interegnum.
After Mary died in 1707, Thomas married ELIZABETH BREWIN, daughter of ROBERT and MARY BREWIN of Wigston Magna, on 18th May 1710 by licence. It was this Thomas Gillam who, with others, petioned Parliament for enclosure:
"Inclosure passed by Act in 1666 for Parish of Countesthorpe. The king was described as being patron of the Rectory of Countesthorpe and Blaby. Thomas Gillam, Thomas Hastings and John Young and others were seized of residue of lands and grounds in the open and common fields of Countesthorpe."
The Gillams now owned a vast amount of the Parish, as well as land at Kilby Bridge and Belgrave. Thomas though, died in 1772 .
Mary was 35 when she had their only child, THOMAS, who was baptised on 20th December 1712. Thomas married JANE MEADOWS by licence on 25th June 1733 at Blaby. Jane was a daughter of THOMAS and MARY MEADOWS of Wigston Magna, born there in 1708.. Richard was an Inn-holder there, and although I have not found his parentage, he ,in 1739, and wife Mary , in 1747, did leave Wills, and an Inventory showing every item in the house and brewhouse underneath. Thomas left land and pasture to his daughter Elizabeth, including arable and grassland purchased from the influential Freer family. He also left Elizabeth and her sisters, Jane Gillam and Mary Painter, and their brothers Richard and Thomas £100 each. Richard also received the contents of the Brewhouse, as well as the Horse-trough and Pump in the Yard. Wife Mary received £100, and the residue after legacies had been paid. Mary could only leave personal goods; she left the fixed bedstead in the Best Chamber to son Richard, £20 to son Thomas, daughters Elizabeth, Mary and Jane all her other goods, cattle and personal estate whatsoever, share and share alike.
Thomas and Jane Gillam had 5 children. They were: Mary, 1734-?; Elizabeth, who married Benjamin Humphries, 1736-?; Jane, who married Thomas Coleman, 1739-?; CATHERINE, who married WILLIAM HEARD, 1738-1817, William, who married Anna Iliffe, 1747-1828. We will meet Catherine again during the story of the Heard family. Thomas and Jane are buried within St. Andrew's Church and a plaque records this.
Thomas and Anna Gillam had 12 children: Jane, Thomas, Anna, Elizabeth, Mary, Sophia Anna, Catherine Anna, William Meadows, Edward Thomas, Harriet, Bennett Thomas, and Jonathan.
William Meadows, Catherine' nephew, was born 1785, and kept The Black Swan Inn at Kilby Bridge. He died at the Inn in 1823.
Bennett Thomas, Catherine's nephew, was born 1794, and went to Canada, where he was a Timber Merchant at Quebec. He became involved in a Court case in 1827, when a ship he had chartered, the Trusty, was not unloaded within the allotted time at the docks in England. it was found that bad weather prevented the ship leaving Quebec on time, thus the owner of the ship, along with Bennett Thomas, became liable.
Catherine Anna's son, John Savage, also went to Canada, where he witnessed his Uncle Bennett's Will.
Thomas, Catherine's nephew and heir to the Gillam estate, was born in 1775. He married Elizabeth Robinson at Shearsby in 1804. Thomas' obituary, in 1833, states that 'he died of care and gout'. As his 2 eldest sons emigrated, one wonders if that caused his 'care'. He and Elizabeth never saw their boys again. They had 12 surviving children Thomas Meadows, William, Mary Ann, John, Jane, Harriett, Catherine, Anna, Sophia Ann, Elizabeth, and Bennett Thomas. Three of these are interesting;
Jane, Catherine' great-niece, married a Scot, Peter Reid in 1837. He was a Railway Contractor and I think must have been involved with the Midland Railway line through Countesthorpe for them to meet. They moved, presumably with Peter's work, all over; their 5 children were born in Kent, France, Berlin, Oswestryand Gloucester between 1843 and1850. 3 sons became Civil Engineers. The youngest Charles, corresponded with his Gillam cousin, William Merritt and was very anxious to discover the history of the Gillams. He did have a rather romantic view of the family though, being convinced that we were pure Angles, while giving his children Saxon names. It is through his letters to, and preserved by, William Merritt and passed on to his descendants that we know about that branch today.
Catherine's 2 great-nephews', and their families' stories read like a 'Boys' Own' adventure, they span the world. As we are not descended directly from them though, their stories are told separately.
William, the second son of Thomas Gillam and Elizabeth Robinson, was the first to leave for Australia. He left before 1829 as we know that his elder brother followed him and arrived in Australia that year. William went straight to Sydney, or maybe Newcastle, NSW. He traded from there to China, having taken to the sea as a profession. It is thought that he took his nephew in as his partner but the ages are wrong, It is more likely that he left young Thomas Jenkins Gillam in charge, because he made his way to India.
I was very interested to read your article on the Gillam family. My wife is related to William Gillam born in 1673. Her grandfather 6 times removed.
ReplyDeleteRegards Michael