Vicarage Farm and Thomas Hiley's family

The previous Blog tells a story about Hiley ' th' Vicarage, written by John Travis. Travis refers to him as John Hiley but his proper name was Thomas Hiley (or Highley).

He was the illegitimate son of Mary Highley (1761-1820). Mary was the first child of James Highley and Martha (nee Greenwood), 5 x great grandparents.

Thomas married Sally Haigh, the daughter of John Haigh (the younger) of Pastureside, Walsden. John Haigh became a wealthy man and owned a lot of land and property on the moors above Walsden, including Pastureside, Vicarage, Nicklety and Coolam. Thomas and Sally were given the tenancy of John's farm at Vicarage.

The couple had 11 children including Reuben, featured in the Blog post of 7th May 2019 and the subject of John Travis's story 'Mother Wit', and John, known as Hiley i' th' Horsepasture and the subject of a forthcoming Blog post.

The ruins of Vicarage 2018

Foul Clough Road, the road to the Coalpits

Vicarage is in the far distance, near the middle one of the 3 big trees

The ruins of Pastureside Farm, home of John Haigh the younger and his family. 2018