The Hilileighs of Clifton (Part 4) Thomas Hilileigh 1636-1673

Thomas's signature in the petition for John Briggs

Thomas Hilileigh was one of the 7 children of Robert and Alice Hilileigh - see the last post. Robert died in 1669 and, as the eldest son, Thomas would have inherited the family's estates. 

Thomas married Judith Ellis at Hartshead in 1667. The couple had 3 children - Robert, Thomas and John. Thomas senior died in 1673.

There are a number of references to Thomas Hilileigh of Clifton, including the assessment of his home (Highley Hall) for the Hearth Tax of 1672, and then as a certifier in two Civil War petitions in 1668 and 1670.

Hearth Tax

The Hearth Tax was introduced soon after the Reformation with the object of trying to provide an adequate income for Charles II, and was repealed in 1689. It was an unpopular tax. Occupiers of properties worth 20 shillings or more a year were taxed at the rate of 2 shillings per hearth, paid in 2 instalments at Lady Day and Michaelmas.

In the assessment for Hartshead cum Clifton Thomas Hilileigh ('Hyley' in the records) was taxed on the basis of having 5 hearths. There were 61 properties assessed and only 4 were shown as having more hearths than Thomas, suggesting he was one of the wealthiest men in the area.

Civil War Petitions

During the Civil War of 1642 to 1651, Parliament, and later the restored monarchy, offered war pensions to wounded soldiers, as well as the widows and orphans of those who died in service.

In order to claim a pension, veterans and bereaved family members had to submit a petition detailing their service. These were often written for the claimant by literate acquaintances, who tried to make them appear as deserving as possible, but claimants still had to defend these accounts in person as true in open court.

Thomas Hilileigh served as a 'Certifier' or 'Endorser' on 2 occasions - for John Briggs of Clifton in March 1668, and for Matthew Drake of Hartshead in January 1670. 

Matthew Drake's petition is shown below, with a transcription following it. 

To the Right Worshipful his Majesty's Justices of Peace at their General Quarter Sessions to be held at Wakefield.

The humble petition of Matthew Drake of Hartshead.

Humbly showing to your good worships that your poor petitioner served his late Majesty under the command of Sir Francis Armytage, Baronet. In which service, your poor petitioner was very sore wounded, lost two of his fingers, and was stripped and exposed to very much hardship, by reason whereof your poor petitioner is very much disenabled to labour for his living, having a wife and four poor children.

It would therefore please your good Worships to take premises into consideration and grant an order that your poor petitioner may be entered a pensioner in the stead of one Anthony Hepworth of Mirfield or Robert Ledgard of Durkar?, lately deceased, or any other whom your Worships shall think fit. And your petitioner, as in all duty bound, shall daily pray etc.

We whose names are hereunto subscribed do know the contents of this petition to be true.

John Greene
Christopher Empson
Thomas Nayler
Thomas Hilileigh
Edward Gibsone
John Ramsden
Samuel Drake
Nathan Drak

Ordered that what sum was due to Anthony Hepworth for this last quarter be paid by the Treasurer to the petitioner as a gratuity and that the petitioner be entered into the pension roll in the place of the said Anthony Hepworth and to receive the same pension the said Anthony Hepworth formerly received.

The records show that Matthew's gratuity was 10 shillings and that his annual pension was 40 shillings.

With thanks to the Civil War Petitions project for permission to use material from their site: Civil War Petitions

Next post: Thomas Hilileigh 1671-1702