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"Memoirs of
the Hartley Family of Bingley and Staveley, Yorkshire" |
 Foreward
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Memoirs I have been asked to write this little memoir by various members of our family - not indeed because I possess any literary talent - far from it - but because from almost a child, I have been deeply interested in these stories related to us by those who have passed on and so learned the last wonderful secret man may know. I start this record with an inferiority complex and crave therefore forgiveness from ^11 my people at present still on earth, and those into whose hands in future generations it may pass. The Hartleys - James Hartleys I do not know as much about the Hartleys as about some others of my immediate forbears, but will tell what I can. My great grandfather James Hartley (priest) bought the living of Staveley in Yorkshire in 1775. He was the son of (I do not know the Christian name, but shall call him John) John Hartley who lived at Helvic Hall near Bingley, Yorkshire. (Note 1). This old gentleman seems to have enjoyed life hugely. He hunted a pack of hounds and Algy Hartley my cousin has a picture of him taken with them. He had (if reports are true) about fifteen sons, and they, I think, drained his purse nearly. I do not know what any of them did except my great grand-father James, who bought the living. He married a lady of the name of Aitken - but that is all I know of her, except that my Uncle Henry used to say "The Aitkens were a race of giants". This I well believe seeing that their extra broad shoulders and fine physique kept recurring in our family - so I am glad to have been told where they came from. I think she had money - or my grandfather could not have done so well for his sons. Of these he had three, John the eldest, James, and Richard my grand-father, My great grandfather James lived in the old rectory where the stable yard and coach house are now. It was a long low house and must have been very large for my great grandfather had also two daughters, making five in the family, with my great grandmother and himself, a goodly crowd, not counting domestics. In course of time my great grandmother died, and after, I hope, a decent interval James began to think of taking unto himself another lady to grace his table. Now James seems to have been a very handsome old gentleman - clever and charming and a ruler of men, and I expect women too. Uncle Henry used to say he wore buckled shoes and I think silk stockings and carried a beautiful cane and when he brought it down in a tantrum all the village trembled. James you see did everything for his flock - hence the fear of offending him. He looked after their poor little souls, and no doubt drove them into church. He drew their teeth. There was no one else to do this ( except a distant doctor) and he helped them through any difficulties they may have got into - even the occasional need for legal advice and so on. Things were at this stage when James began his second courting. I hope the sons were then out in the world - John was curate of Marton-cum-Grafton and Vicar of Boroughbridge then an important little coaching centre, it even returned a member of Parliament and later mentioned by Dickens and from there the coach started for London. James's daughter Christiana lived and died a maiden lady and his other daughter married Squire Farsyde-Watson of Bilton Hall where she lived in peace and plenty. Now there lived not far away, but I do not know where - a certain lady who was the daughter of Mr. Bryce-Fisher, who lived at Folly Foot Lodge, near Harrogate. There is a portrait of him in oils:' short white wig, dark coat with gold braid. He was a very rich man and an M.P., first for Malmesbury, then for Boroughbridge (Note 2), |
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