Widnes Memories: Leigh Estate's origin revealed?
HISTORICALLY important and of real significance, two documents detailing the holdings of the Leigh Estates in Widnes can now be seen at the Catalyst Museum in West Bank.
Such a finding will obviously be of considerable interest to many of the townspeople in and around the borough.
Museum curator Paul Meara and his staff are understandably delighted the documents have landed on their doorstep, more or less out of the blue as it were.
They were sent by Jean Finlan, of The Haystacks, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, who describes herself as "An old Widnesian in every sense of the word!"
In a letter to the museum, Jean explained that the documents had been in her possession for many years but without her looking at them.
"When I discovered them again I found they were very interesting,' she said.
Jean's maiden name was Passey and she lived in Greenway Road, Widnes.
She attended Fairfield Infants School and Simms Cross School before going on to the old Wade Deacon Grammar School.
She became a teacher and taught at Warrington Road School from 1953-57 before moving to Scotland after she was married.
Her mother, Bella Passey, taught at West Bank School for many years and her maiden name was Sant.
She said: "I am sure there will be descendants of the Passeys, Sants and Finlans somewhere in Widnes but I have no immediate family there now.
"The last time I was in Widnes was about eight years ago. I remember going to the Chemical Industry Museum in the old Gossage's building (impressive!) so I thought someone there might be interested in these documents."
The documents show the Leigh Estates were in the ownership of Lt Col John Cecil Gerard Leigh.
Born in December 1889, he was the son of Captain Henry Gerard Leigh and a certain Marion Lindsay Antrobus.
He married Helen Goudy, the daughter of William Judd Goudy, in 1913. He died in 1963.
Educated at Eton and Sandhurst, he was commissioned in 1909, serving in the 1st Life Guards throughout the First World War.
Later, between 1922 and 1925, he was a member of London City Council.
A magistrate for Leicestershire in 1937, he became deputy lieutenant for Leicestershire in 1946 and was High Sheriff in 1948.
He lived at Thorp Satchville Hall, Melton Mowbray.
He had three children, Col William Henry Gerard Leigh, who died last year, Mary Catherine Gerard Leigh (born 1917) and Margaret Carolyn Gerard Leigh (born 1919).
But what was his connection with Widnes other than the vast expanse of land which formed the Leigh Estates, including, Leigh Avenue, Milton Road and Moorside Terrace? Therein lies something of a mystery.
I spoke to Jean Finlan at her Buckinghamshire home but the only light she could throw on the subject was that her father was engaged in the building of the properties in Milton Road and Moorside Terrace.
Hopefully, someone out there may be able to tell us more. If you can, please contact the Newsdesk
The first picture shows the front cover of the Leigh Estates brochure in 1913 and the second, the original plan of the Leigh Estates.
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Hello I am researching my paternal family history and have tracked it back to my father's great grandfather. His name was Henry Leigh, and his son Leonard Leigh. In Leonard's will proved november 1817 he names several estates he bequeathed his sons John and Robert.1st- Upcott,in the parish of Winsford, higher Naplock,Leys grounds,East Town Place, Naplock grounds. I have been trying to locate these estates, and to what may remain. Would that artifact named as the "Leigh estates' now at the catalyst museum in west banks, be willing to find a connection for me?
could you pass this along to Paul Meara?
much appreciated
Carolyn Leigh
Hello,
I am also a decendant of Henry and Leonard Leigh of Winsford Somerset. I visited the village a few years back and surprisingly the properties still bear the names of Upcott, Naplock Ground etc. You can walk from the charming village centre to Naplock and Upcott , Ley's Ground appears to have been renamed Lee's Farm or something close to it.
If you stay at the Winsford Hotel you can have a beer where your forefathers no doubt also did. The place is amazingly charmed.
David Leigh
Toronto, Canada