Sleford/Sliford family, Wilsthorpe area.

[coombs]

Hi

Anyone else come across any Slyford/Sleford ancestors in Lincolnshire. I descend from a Richard Slyford born c1520-died c1580-1590 in Bothaw, London (St Mary Bothaw parish). He was a haberdasher.

Richard's brother William Sleford left a will in 1563 and he mentions his brothers John, Richard, Thomas and Rowland Sleford, plus "cosen Sparkes, widow" and his old master Lancelot Stringer. Richard Sleford Snr had a son Richard born c1540-died 1593, who in his will mentions children, and brother Rowland Slyford, also mentions lands in Lincolnshire, Rutland, Norfolk and Kent. I descend from Margret Sleford born c1555 who wed Peter Scales, then Peter Cartwright. In her will she mentions her sister Susan Mordant, who wed Henry Mordant in 1570 at St Dunstan Stepney. Margaret also mentions lands in Lincolnshire.

In the 1562 Lincolnshire Visitation, a Sleford family is listed, and they may possibly be my ancestors. A Richard Sleford wed Margaret daughter of Thomas Williams of Stamford. They had children Thomas, Richard and Robert as listed in the visitation. Not sure if the Thomas Williams is the same one who was still alive in 1527 in Stamford, and died by about 1545.

A Thomas Sleford Esq, sold land to Sir Robert Carr in 1566. It said Thomas Sleford, kt (knight).

Also in 1602, Edmund Sleford, son of the late Thomas Sleford, Esq, sued his cousins Henry and Helen Sleford, children of Richard Sleford, younger brother of Thomas Sleford (also Rowland Sleford was mentioned) over possession of the manor of Wilsthorpe and other lands Thomas had in Obthorpe, Thurlby, Greatford and Baston, Lincolnshire.

Apart from the 1566 ref to sales of land to Robert Carr, and the 1602 ref, I cannot seem to find any other info on Thomas Sleford esquire.

[coombs]

A small update. William Sliford (uncle of my ancestor Margaret Sliford, later Scales and Cartwright) who died in 1563, mentioned a "cosen Sparke, widow" in his will.

Now, if he was the son of Margaret Williams (later Sliford), (not totally sure yet but looking likely), she had a brother Anthony Williams and a sister Elizabeth Williams who wed William Sparke. Anthony mentions "sister Sparke" in his 1557 will.

Also William's old master was Lancelot Stringer, who seemed connected to Richard Williams, as they both took an oath to an inquisition into the death of Ralph Clarvaux, citizen and grocer of London in 1557.