Gilling, North Yorkshire

[Geordie Mag]

I've been reading about the importance of "interest" among the 18th century gentry - which was all about making lots of connections with influential people and then working them like mad. All this stuff you've been finding about the Lowthers etc seems an excellent illustration. The top guy to know was the Duke of Newcastle, who had lots of positions at his disposal and if I remember right (seems a long time ago!) was the patron at one point of Theophilus Lindsey. I wonder if the link with Theophilus gave John Hall a connection to the all-powerful Duke. It might explain why he was useful person to know.
No luck in finding John Hall. I was hopeful - a John and Alice Hall had sons John and William -but John died at school. William was still alive in 1818, but don't know what he was doing.

[Geordie Mag]

I have been practising my palaeography on the NE Inheritance database, trying to read the will of the Joseph Hall who died 1701 in Durham. It is very difficult, especially for aging eyes! However, I have picked out some family names. He seems to speak about his brother John, his sister Catherine (surname is Old...something or other) and then (5 lines from the bottom if you don't count the final half line) "my brother Leonard Hall and his chancery suit" - I think. Now looking at the national Archive chancery records, in 1700 Leonard Hall and Henry Hall were pursuing a case against John Todd over lands at Selby in Yorkshire. Leaving aside all the tempting trails seeking to lead me away, this does mean that Joseph had at least 2 brothers, John and Leonard, from whom your John might be descended. A John and Ann Hall had 3 children baptized at Danby Wiske,N Yorks (near Richmond) - Leonard and John in 1667. katherine in 1671. A John Hall had a son Joseph baptized at St Margaret's Durham in 1664, which wouldn't rule out it being the same John.Anyawy, I leave this information for your reflection. Mag

[zalib]

The will is challenging. After John HALL getting a moiety (half share) he mentions Nathaniel HALL I think getting the other half before Catherine. I cannot make out what comes after her name. Brother GIBSON (his wife's brother) is mentioned.

I'm stuck at this time. The HALLs of Newsham and the HALLs of Byerside seem to be related, but there's no tree filling the gap in years around 1700 to 1750. These HALLs seem to link back to Gretford in Lincolnshire, possibly the Thomas HALL of Kettlethorpe and Amy MILDMAY marriage. None of it helps with my quest though.

I was reading a book about how 'uneducated' people got into the church, how grammar schools were able to educate children who the became priests. The main thing I learned from that is that there are many more documents still held by the church that probably contain the information I need, letters a reports on how or why a person was accepted.

I'm now researching life around Chew Magna and possible family links from my tree.