Chapter 16: WASLEY of Gloucestershire

The name Wasley is relatively rare. The 'ley' element indicates that it is probably derived from a place name, as 'wasley' means a glade by a wet place as in Alderwasley. In 1851 there were only approximately 190 males who bore the name. These lived mainly in two areas, with 40% in a small part of Cornwall and 25% in part of Gloucestershire. Based on these concentrations, it is likely that the name originated independently in the two counties.

The family under consideration here is related to the Gloucestershire line. John and Mary Wasley lived in Bishops Cleeve, in the centre of the name occurence concentration in that county. The couple had at least three children, born between 1734 and 1746. The oldest of these children, William, married Esther (or Hesther) Manns in Churchdown, to the east of Gloucester, on 5 January 1761. The couple's first child was baptised in William's home parish, however their five subesquent children were baptised back in Churchdown. Esther lived to a great age, dying in Churchdown at 98 years old.

Thomas, the oldest son of William and Esther, moved to Chaceley, on the west bank of the River Severn. He married Ann(e) Hobb and had eight children by her, all born in Chaceley. Thomas worked as a labourer and lived near to 'The Grey House' in the village. His daughter-in-law Elizabeth, lived next door.

Elizabeth's husband was Thomas Frederic(sic), a coachman to John Surman Surman of Swindon Hall, near Cheltenham. Thomas worked alongside his nephew, Thomas Lees Wasley. Swindon Hall started as a smaller house probably built in the mid 17th century. This house was expanded over the years such that by the early 19th century it was referred to as a mansion house. However in 1840, Surman, who's predessessors had lived in the house since 1700, came into a legacy from his employer and relative Jemmy Wood, the miser banker of Gloucester, upon whom Dickens modelled his character Scrooge. The money allowed Surman to undertake a major expansion of the house including building that part of the Hall which overlooks the playing fields. He also bought many of the houses and much of the land in the parish and paid for the expansion of the Rectory, into which he moved his brother as rector. Surman money helped rebuild the church and establish the school. On Surman's death in 1880 the estate was split up and the Hall was owned by a number of families until it was taken over by the Army during the Second World War.

Thomas Frederic must have been reasonably well paid as a coachman, for in the mid 1850's he took on the grocers shop in Swindon village and by the early 1860's was a pubican at The Midland Inn, on Gloucester Road in Cheltenham. During the 1850's three of Thomas Frederic and Elizabeth's daughters worked as servants; one in a house in Wiltshiure and two in the home of Henry Arthur Herbert, curate of Eldersfield, in Chaceley. One of these latter two girls, Harriet, later married Richard Jones (chapter 15), a stone mason living in Swindon village, who she probably met on her return visits to her parents shop on the village. Harriet's brother Thomas worked as a servant for Daniel Cook in Swindon village.

The Wasley's seem to be destined to work in some form of service, as Thomas Frederic's brothers William and James were a warehouse porter in Gloucester city and a groom in Leigh, Worcestershire, respectively.

.John WASLEY m.Mary -
. . William WASLEY b1734 m.(H)Esther MAN(N)S
. . . Ann WASLEY b.1765
. . . Priscilla WASLEY b.1768 d.>1792 m.John HUMPHRIES
. . . Sarah WASLEY b.1771
. . . Thomas WASELEY\WASLEY b.1780 d.>1851 m.Ann(e) HOBB
. . . . .Ann WASELEY b.1804
. . . . .Esther WASELEY b.1807 m.#1 George NOTT #2 - -
. . . . . . #1 Alfred Augustus NOTT b.1826 m.1852 Eliza LEWIS
. . . . . . . George Frederick NOTT b.1855 d.1925 m.Mary Elizabeth ROWLAND (Chapter 11)
. . . . . . . . .Alfred Augustus NOTT b.1878 d.1938 m.Alice BALL
. . . . . . . . . . Doris Evelyn NOTT b.1903 d.1993 Francis John YEATES
. . . . . . . . . . . Cynthia Frances Evelyn YEATES m.Anthony WALLACE
. . . . . . . . . . . . .John Stewart WALLACE
. . . . . . . . . . . . .Julie Anne WALLACE m. Robert SIMMONS
. . . . . . . . . . . Angela YEATES
. . . . . . . . . . Florence May NOTT b.1901 d.c1980
. . . . . . . . . . Gladys Irene NOTT b.1906 d.1993
. . . . . . . . . . Rhoda Alice NOTT b.1909
. . . . . . . . . . Ivy Hilda NOTT b.1912 d.1982
. . . . . . . . . . Alfred George NOTT b.1914 d.1981
. . . . . . . . . . Frederick William NOTT
. . . . . . . . .Florence May NOTT b.c1874
. . . . . . . . .Gertrude Emily NOTT b.c1883
. . . . . . . . .Frederick Rowland NOTT b.c1887
. . . . . . . . .Louis Bertram NOTT b.c1892
. . . . . . #1 Ann NOTT b.1829
. . . . . . #1 Sophia NOTT b.1831
. . . . . . #1 Helen NOTT b.1834
. . . . . . #1 Henry NOTT b.1837
. . . . . . #2 Thomas Lee(s) WASELEY b.1824 d.>1871 m.- -
. . . . .Thomas Frederic (aka Frederic) WAS(E)LEY b.1815 d.1866 m.Elizabeth PARKER
. . . . . . Sarah WASLEY b.c1832 d.>1851
. . . . . . Ann WAS(E)LEY b.c1832 d.>1851
. . . . . . Harriet WASLEY b.1835 d.>1872 m.Richard JONES (Chapter 15)
. . . . . . Thomas WASLEY b.1838 d.>1851
. . . . . . Charlotte WASLEY b.1840 d.>1861
. . . . . . Elizabeth WASLEY b.1846
. . . . .William WASELEY b.c1816 d.>1851 m.Elize -
. . . . . . Katherine WASELEY b.c1846 d.>1851
. . . . . . Oliver WASELEY b.c1847 d.>1851
. . . . .Charlotte WESLEY\WASELEY b.1820
. . . . .Harriett WESLEY\WASELEY b.1820
. . . . .James WASELEY b.c1822 d.>1861 m.Mary -
. . . . . . George Frederick WASELEY b.c1846 d.>1871
. . . . . . Alfred Augustus WASELEY b.1851 d.1856
. . . . . . Elizabeth WASELEY b.c1852 d.>1872 m.William BOLTON
. . . James WASLEY b.1783
. . . Jeremiah WASLEY b.1786
. . Thomas WASLEY b.1737
. . John WASLEY b.1746