Introduction
Elinor had married Nicholas Ley in 1723. Mr Ley was at least ten years older than Elinor and by trade a “victualler”. Last week we suggested he might have taken over the running of the Cross Keys Tavern after the death of Elinor’s father, Georg.
What little we do know about Nicholas reflects the short amount of time he was able to spend as Elinor’s loving husband.
Freeman
On 30th March 1724 Nicholas bought his freedom of the city from the Worcester Corporation. Being a freeman gave a person additional rights within the city boundaries. The most important of these rights was the right to setup ones own business within the city. Freemanship did not come cheap though and cost Nicholas “15 nobles”. A noble was worth 6 shillings and 8 pence, so 100 shillings ie £5, possibly 2 or 3 months wages
Earlier entries exist for a Hugo Lea (1663-64), two William Leas (1668-69 and 1687-88) and a Thomas Lea (1668-69). Any of whom could have been related to Nicholas.
Joy
Elinor and Nicholas Ley had a son, April 1724, named Nicholas after his father. Nicholas junior was baptised in St Helen’s church on the 12th of April. That’s the same location that his parents had been married of course – less than a year before. This, their only child, survived the rigours of infancy and would grow into adulthood.
Pain
Tragically, after two years of marriage and less than nine months since the birth of his son, Nicholas the elder dies. He was only 40. He wrote his will just one month before his death. It clearly shows that by Christmas 1724 he was seriously ill and unlikely to survive . Even in the 1720s death at 40 would have been considered premature. Having survived infancy that is. Indeed, in his will he uses the phrase:
…being sick and weak in body but of sound and perfect mind memory and understanding…
He knew his end was coming and decided (or was persuaded) to write out a will before it was too late. The will is pretty short and matter of fact, everything he owns he leaves to Elinor. There is no inventory attached or even referred to. So did he not have much in the way to leave?
It may be co-incidence but at the same time John Bird is fined at the Worcester Quarter Sessions for “selling ale without a license”. A leap of faith perhaps, but is it possible that during Nicholas’s illness Elinor’s brother assisted in the upkeep of their business?
A Memory In Stone
Elinor buried her husband at St Helen’s – their parish church. The Church Warden’s accounts show that this cost her just over 6 shillings (about £40).
Some time later she paid for a memorial stone as well. This was placed on the floor of the nave of the church of St Helen’s and read:
Here lyeth the Body of
Nicholas Ley of this Parish
who departed this life
January 25th 1724/5
Aged 40 yrs
We can fairly conclude that this cost Elinor more than the 6s she paid for the grave. How much we can only speculate. It must have been paid direct to the stonemason not to the church. There is no record in the parish accounts for it. In a way the actual amount is not important. The fact that she was able to afford this additional expense – a luxury item if you will – suggests one of two things. She was either good for the money or her bond with her late husband was so great she felt the need to find the means to pay for the memorial. Given their relatively lowly social standing it is also unusual for such a memorial to be placed within the church. Maybe this too hints at some previous bond between the Ley family and the clergy at St Helen’s.
Gone But Not Forgotten
We know that the memorial stone remained in St Helen’s until 1956. It was reported to have been removed as part of the alterations that the church underwent when it was redeveloped as the county records office. It was also documented in a number of surveys taken prior to this date. A copy, in the form of a rubbing, made as part of the 1956 work. Ironically, the rubbing ironically was held in the records office itself. One such survey describes it thus:
large plain slab 6ft x 2½ ft, the first 5 lines done in a “flourishing” hand
Where it went after this is unknown – perhaps it is still there underneath the present furnishings?
Read Part Two: First LoveRead Part Four: Enter Thomas Shipway