Chapter 6: James Hingley (1766-1846)

James Hingley was the founder of a large family. He was born to James and Ann in 1766. Baptised in Halesowen, he was the third of eight children. He married Mary Billingham, daughter of Samuel and Leah (Timmings) in Rowley Regis parish church, on Boxing Day 1791. Mary was mid-way through pregnancy at the time since their first child was baptised less than four months later. Twelve more children followed, of whom, remarkably, only one died in infancy. Another, Timothy, died aged twenty. The rest all married.

The precise nature of James’ employment status is not obvious. On many occasions he is referred to as a chainmaker, on others he is a chain manufacturer. The former might indicate that he actual made chains over an anvil, the latter that he employed people to make chains for him. At the time of his death he had horses, cows and husbandry (farming) implements to dispose of, in addition to a (chainmaking) shop, but appeared to have lived in a house without an attached workshop. In the mid-1790’s he was living on Furnace Lane, Rowley Regis. By the late 1790’s he stated that he was variously living at Cradley Heath, Cradley Bridge and Rowley. These were probably all descriptions of the place. He was in Haden Hill by 1812. His father’s will of 1822 granted James a meadow on Cradley Heath and a messuage, tenement and shop (probably a chainmaking workshop) on Lawrence Lane.

When James made his own will in 1850 he left his household goods, as well as a (chainmaking) shop, tools, horses, cows and implements of husbandry (farming) to his wife, Mary. He also granted her messuages, to be split between their sons and daughters on her death. In addition he granted a freehold shop and messuage on Lawrence Lane to his oldest son, James the younger. This was no-doubt the same property that James had inherited from his father.

James also had a piece of land, with a house, at Cradley Heath, on the Stourbridge to Rowley Regis road to dispose of. This was probably the meadow that he had inherited from his father. In the interest of fairness James split the land into ten lots, and granted a portion each to all of his children other than James junior. Six of the plots were all the same area, 884 square yards. Tobias and Samuel’s plots were only half this size, but Tobias’ abutted land he already owned. Barzillai and Henry had slightly larger plots, but Barzillai seems to have had the better deal however, as he had a house already standing on his allotted portion. A study of old maps indicates that the piece of land in question was on the north side of what today is the High Street in Cradley Heath. The shapes of the plots laid out by James are still visible in the ground plans of the backyards of the shops on today’s High Street.

James’ plot of land at Cradley Heath, 1834

James’ plot of land in Cradley Heath in 1839

The same area in 1882

The lives of James and Mary’s children, James, Samuel, Tobias and Barzillai are considered in later chapters.

Their sister, Ann, married William Hodgetts in Oldswinford parish church, in January 1820. The couple had at least seven children. William Hodgetts gradually 'improved his lot', for he started life as a labourer, but by the early 1850's he was farming 16 acres on Old Chester Road, Sutton Coldfield. Within ten years he was farming 50 acres and employing two men, and running The Greyhound public house on Chester Road. By 1881 William and Ann's son Joshua had taken over the farm and public house. Before that time Joshua worked as connecting link maker. He held his father's properties for a number of years, but apparently did not have his father's business acumen, for by 1901 was living next door to the The Greyhound and working as an agricultural labourer.

Less than two months after Ann’s marriage to William Hodgetts, her sister Mary married Joshua Bannister, also in Oldswinford church. The Bannisters had at least six children, the first five of whom were baptised in Park Lane Presbyterian Chapel in Cradley. Like William Hodgetts, Joshua Bannister was also a farmer, with 83 acres at Barr Common, Great Barr, in the 1860's. This was no doubt one of the nine tenant farms created by the enclosure, in 1795, of Great Barr Common at the behest of local landowners including Sir Joseph Scott of the Nether Hall, Great Barr, and Mrs. E Foley of Great Barr Hall. By the 1880's James William had taken over from his father and increased the holding to 200 acres, probably by the amalagamation of a second farm. In the 1890's he moved to Preston Hill Farm in Preston Bagot where his son Samuel was a stockman for his father.

Martha married Benjamin Col(l)ey, a chain maker, and had six children. Benjamin was born in Kingswinford, which is where he married Martha. The couple’s children were all baptised in Cradley parish church. Hannah married Robert Brooks, who was born in Amblecote, in Rowley Regis parish church on 1 August 1824. Their first two children were born in Rowley Regis, their third in Cradley Heath and their forth in Stourbridge, apparently. The first three children were baptised in Park Lane Presbyterian chapel, the forth in the Stourbridge’s Wesleyan chapel. In the 1830's the family moved to Liverpool where another six children were born before the family moved back to the Black Country in late 1850 or ealry the following year. Why Robert took his family to Liverpool is not known. He became a steel drawer on his return.

Timothy died at twenty years old. His brother Henry was a shoe maker and leather cutter. He remained on Cradley Heath High Street until the 1860's when he moved to Bridgnorth Road in Wollaston. Henry must have been reasonably prosperous as his household always had a servant and, whilst he was still working, an apprentice. In the 1880's his house on Bridgnorth Road was called Ingley House. Henry died in 1884; Leah ten years later. Henry and Leah had five known children, all born in Cradley Heath. The oldest of these was Selina. Whilst Cradley and Cradley Heath grew in size and populations throughout the nineteenth century, the village of Rowley Regis retained its rural nature. This is typified by Selina’s husband, John Grainger, who was a hay and corn dealer based in Rowley Regis High Street. Their son Henry Hingley Grainger assisted his father. Henry's younger brother John became a mechanical engineer, moving first to Coalbrookdale during the 1890's then to Madely in Shropshire by 1901.

3 . . . . .James HINGLEY b 1766 d.1846 m.Mary BILLINGHAM
4 . . . . . . James HINGLEY b.1792 d.1873 m.Mary WILLIAMS
4 . . . . . . Samuel HINGLEY b.1793 d.1869 m.Ann(e) HOMER
4 . . . . . . Tobias HINGLEY b.1795 d.1873 m.Mary Ann WARD
4 . . . . . . Ann HINGLEY b.1798 d.>1871 m.William HODGETTS
5 . . . . . . . John HODGETTS b.c1821 d.>1841
5 . . . . . . . Hannah HODGETTS b.c1826
5 . . . . . . . Mary HODGETTS b.c1830 d.>1851
5 . . . . . . . Joshua HODGETTS b.c1832 d.>1901 m.#1 - -;#2 Ann -
6 . . . . . . . . .#1 William H. HODGETTS b.c1852 d.>1871
6 . . . . . . . . .#1 Joshua J. HODGETTS b.c1854 d.>1901 m.Sarah A. -
6 . . . . . . . . .#1 Selina E. HODGETTS b.c1856 d.>1881
6 . . . . . . . . .#2 Albery E. HODGETTS b.c1863 d.>1881
6 . . . . . . . . .#2 John HODGETTS b.c1868 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . .#2 Ann HODGETTS b.c1870 d.>1871
5 . . . . . . . Martha HODGETTS b.c1834 d.>1851
5 . . . . . . . Ann HODGETTS b.c1838 d.>1861
5 . . . . . . . Elizabeth HODGETTS b.c1845 d.>1861
4 . . . . . . Leah HINGLEY b1800 d.1800
4 . . . . . . Mary HINGLEY b.1801 d.>1840 m.Joshua BANNISTER
5 . . . . . . . Edward BANNISTER b.1820
5 . . . . . . . Eliza BANNISTER b.1822 d.>1851 m.- KENN
6 . . . . . . . . John KENN b.c1849 d.>1861
5 . . . . . . . Hannah BANNISTER b.1824
5 . . . . . . . Sarah BANNISTER b.1828 d.>1851
5 . . . . . . . Mary BANNISTER b.1835
5 . . . . . . . James William BANNISTER b.c1841 d.>1901 m.Jane Tomkinson CHARLES
6 . . . . . . . . Samuel BANNISTER b.c1869 d.>1891 m.Kate -
7 . . . . . . . . . Charles BANNISTER b.c1891 d.>1901
7 . . . . . . . . . Annie BANNISTER b.c1892 d.>1901
7 . . . . . . . . . Willie BANNISTER b.c1894 d.>1901
7 . . . . . . . . . Arthur BANNISTER b.c1895 d.>1901
7 . . . . . . . . . Harry BANNISTER b.c1897 d.>1901
7 . . . . . . . . . Bucher BANNISTER b.c1898 d.>1901
7 . . . . . . . . . Cecilia BANNISTER b.c1900 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . Joshua J. BANNISTER b.c1870 d.>1891
6 . . . . . . . . Mary J. BANNISTER b.c1872 d.>1891
6 . . . . . . . . Edward BANNISTER b.c1874 d.>1891
6 . . . . . . . . Charles J. b.c1876 d.>1891
6 . . . . . . . . Florence BANNISTER b.c1877 d.>1891
6 . . . . . . . . Minnie BANNISTER b.c1879 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . Jinnie BANNISTER b.c1880 d.>1891
4 . . . . . . Martha HINGLEY b.1803 d.>1842 m.Benjamin COL(L)EY
5 . . . . . . . Samuel COL(L)EY b.1827 d.<1901 m.#1 Charlotte JONES #2 Mary Ann BARNSLEY
6 . . . . . . . . #1 Martha COLEY b.c1850 d.>1851
6 . . . . . . . . #1 Benjamin COLEY b.c1853 d.>1871
6 . . . . . . . . #1 Thomas COL(L)EY b.c1855 d.>1871
6 . . . . . . . . #1 John COL(L)EY b.c1859 d.>1871
6 . . . . . . . . #2 Lottie COLLEY b.c1874 d.>1891
6 . . . . . . . . #2 Walter J. COLEY b.c1877 d.>1901 m.Martha -
7 . . . . . . . . . Stanley Coley b.c1900 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . #2 Percival Benjamin COLEY b.c1879 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . #2 Albert (known as Victor) COLEY b.c1882 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . #2 Rowland COLEY b.c1886 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . #2 Patience COLEY b.c1889 d.>1901
5 . . . . . . . Caroline COLLEY b.1829
5 . . . . . . . James William COLLEY b.1831 d.1900 m.Hannah -
6 . . . . . . . . William COLEY b.c1850 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . Phe(o)be COLEY b.1850 d.>1891 m.William Thomas BROOKS
7 . . . . . . . . . James BROOKS b.c1876 d.>1891
7 . . . . . . . . . Martha Coley BROOKS b.c1878 d.>1891
7 . . . . . . . . . Caroline (know as Kate) BROOKS b.1880 d.>1901
7 . . . . . . . . . Sidney BROOKS b.c1883 d.>1901
7 . . . . . . . . . Benajmin BROOKS b.c1884 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . Martha COLEY b.c1853 d.>1861
6 . . . . . . . . Mary COLEY b.c1857 d.>1881 m.Noah WAINWRIGHT
7 . . . . . . . . . William WAINWRIGHT b.c1878 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . Ann Marie COLLEY b.c1859 d.>1871
6 . . . . . . . . Sarah COLEY b.c1862 d.>1881
6 . . . . . . . . Caroline COLLEY b.c1865 d.>1881
5 . . . . . . . Sarah COLLEY b.1833
5 . . . . . . . Benjamin COL(L)EY b.1836
5 . . . . . . . John COL(L)EY b.1842
4 . . . . . . Hannah HINGLEY b.1805 d.>1840 m.Robert BROOK(S)
5 . . . . . . . William BROOKS b.1824 d.>1881
5 . . . . . . . Henry BROOKS b.1826 d.>1851
5 . . . . . . . Ann BROOKS b.1828 d.>1851
5 . . . . . . . Mary Ann BROOK(S) b.1830
5 . . . . . . . Eliza BROOKS b.c1838 d.>1851
5 . . . . . . . Barzillia BROOKES b.c1842 d.>1861
5 . . . . . . . Albert Edward BROOK(E)S b.c1844 d.>1861
5 . . . . . . . John BROOK(E)S b.c1846 d.>1871
5 . . . . . . . Leonora/Hannah BROOK(E)S b.c1848 d.>1861
5 . . . . . . . Henrietta Hingley BROOKS b.1850 d.>1871
4 . . . . . . Timothy HINGLEY b.1807 d.1827
4 . . . . . . Henry HINGLEY c.29Jan1809 d. AFT 1881 m.Leah MASON
5 . . . . . . . Selina (H)INGLEY c.9 Feb 1834 d. AFT 1881 m.John GRAINGER
6 . . . . . . . . .Henry Hingley GRAINGER b. ABT 1859 d. AFT 1881
6 . . . . . . . . .Amy GRAINGER b. ABT 1864 d. AFT 1881
6 . . . . . . . . .John GRAINGER b. ABT 1868 d. AFT 1901 m.Anne -
7 . . . . . . . . . . Alice GRAINGER b.c1893 d.>1901
7 . . . . . . . . . . Marjorie GRAINGER b.c1897 d.>1901
7 . . . . . . . . . . Doda GRAINGER b.c1900 d.>1901
6 . . . . . . . . .Francis Edward GRAINGER b. ABT 1872 d. AFT 1881
6 . . . . . . . . .Leah GRAINGER b. ABT 1875 d. AFT 1881
5 . . . . . . . Sophia HINGLEY b. ABT 1840 d. AFT 1861
5 . . . . . . . Hannah HINGLEY b. ABT 1843 d. AFT 1861
5 . . . . . . . Mary HINGLEY b. ABT 1845 d. AFT 1861
5 . . . . . . . James HINGLEY b. ABT 1849 d. AFT 1851
4 . . . . . . Barzillai HINGLEY b. 1810 d.2 Oct 1876 m.Ann WORRALL
4 . . . . . . Selina HINGLEY c.19 Mar 1812 d. AFT 1840 m.William BENNETT
4 . . . . . . Leonora HINGLEY c.16 Oct 1814 d. AFT 1840 m.Joseph HOMER
5 . . . . . . . Emeline HOMER c.18 Sep 1837 d.24 Mar 1920 m.Joseph PARSONS
6 . . . . . . . . .Mary Ann PARSONS b.1861 d.<1871
6 . . . . . . . . .James Hingley PARSONS b.1862 d.>1891
6 . . . . . . . . .Albert Edward PARSONS b.1865 d.>1901 m.Marth Rebecca -
6 . . . . . . . . .Miriam PARSONS c.1 May 1870 m.Reuben PARSONS
6 . . . . . . . . .Kate PARSONS b.1874 d.>1901
5 . . . . . . . George Henry HOMER