Can anyone help me please! The above two individuals lived in the Spon End area of Coventry on the 1841 census. In 1844 they were appearing at Warwick Assizes, where they were being prosecuted for trying to forcibly enter the Stoneleigh Abbey grounds. Apparently they felt that they had more rights to the estate than Lord Leigh, the incumbent at that time. I believe that I may be related to these individuals, but apart from identifying them on the 1841 census and the write-up of the case in the Leamington Courier, I can find nothing prior to 1841 or post. The family name that I'm researching is Pearson and they were living in Coventry, certainly from around 1750 and up to the present day. My three times great grandmother was Sarah Lee (Leigh) and from 1810 onwards the name Leigh has featured as a middle name, both male and female right through to the present day. It may of course be a total coincidence, however family myth has it that there was a connection with the disputed estate ownership and I am anxious to either disprove or prove it.
I feel sure that there is a family connection, but not being able to find any information on the two above individual's means that I am unable to positively make that connection. The disputed rights over the Stoneleigh estate, had great notoriety at the time. I have read the newspaper reports, but can find nothing on the individual's (where they were born, who their parents were, and where they came from). If anyone can come up with anything or can advise me where I can look, I should be very grateful.
