Sir Thomas Leigh, Lord Mayor of London

Sir Thomas Leigh, Lord Mayor of London

• Occupation: Merchant
• Sheriff 1555-6.
• Mayor 1558-9.
• Knighted before 9 Feb 1559;
• Master Mercers 1554, 1559, 1564, 1569.
• Will (PCC 48 Holney) 20 Dec 1570; proved 14 Dec 1571.

Sir Thomas Leigh (c. 1509 – November 17, 1571[1]) was Lord Mayor of London in 1558. He was an Elizabethan soldier, diplomat and, for 40 years, the cut-throat Governor of Guernsey.

Thomas was born about 1509 in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, England to Roger and Anne Leigh. He was the great-great grandson of Sir Piers Legh II, who was wounded at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

Thomas was raised by Sir Roland Hill, a wool merchant in London. Thomas later joined Roland's business, and around 1537, he married Roland's niece and heir, Alice Barker,[1] daughter of John Barker and Elizabeth Hill. Thomas also served as Sheriff of London[2] in 1555[3] and in 1558 as Lord Mayor of London.

In 1558, after the death of Mary I of England, Thomas led the procession leading up to the coronation of Elizabeth I of England.[4] In 1559, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth.[5]

In 1561, Thomas Leigh and Roland Hill purchased Stoneleigh Abbey after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and a house was built on the site of the monastical buildings. Some of Leigh's descendants lived in the estate from 1561 to 1990.

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Was made Lord High Mayor of London in 1558

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Wikitree: Thomas Leigh (abt. 1504 - 1571)

Marriage
In 1536, he married Sir Rowland Hill's niece and heir,[9] Alice Barker[8][12] (d. 1608, alias Covedale of Wolverton), the daughter of John Barker[3][16] and Elizabeth Hill.[7] Alice is fairly well described:[17]

Alice daughter of John Barker and coheiress of her uncle, Sir Rowland Hill (and Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Hill, and sister of Sir Rowland Hill, first Protestant Lord Mayor of London, in 1549).
Married Sir Thomas Leigh descended from the Leighs of High Leigh. Guillim, p. 248, says: "She was called the favourite niece of Sir Rowland, whose hand is said to have been the reward of her husband's fidelity and industry as foreign factor of her Uncle, and likewise brought with it the wealth and estates which support the peerage of Leigh of Stoneleigh granted to her descendants."

The extinct Lords Leigh of Stoneleigh
Leighs of Stoneleigh Abbey

Children by his wife, Alice Barker

1. Rowland Leigh (abt.1536-aft.1596)[8][16] of Adlestrop (an ancestor of Jane Austen, the Leighs of Longborough and Adlestrop/Baron Leigh of Stoneleigh, creation of 1839[7]))[12]
2. Richard Leigh[16] (d. 1570)
3. Sir Thomas Leigh (1546-1625),[16] 1st Baronet Leigh of Stoneleigh in Warwickshire,[8] married Katharine Spencer circa 1570, and died 1 Feb 1625/6[18] (Some sources[7] say that he married Mary Egerton, daughter of Sir Thomas Egerton, but that was Francis Leigh KB (1579-1625), (grandson of Sir Thomas Leigh, by way of William, who is below-discussed), whose son, a second generation Francis was another baronet of Newneham Regis in Warwick, who died 21 Dec 1653: Cokayne (1900, p. 118-9)
4. Ralph Leigh (abt.1540-)[3] (no other sources mention a son named Ralph, and most sources state that Rowland was his oldest son). Not named in father's Will.
5. Sir William Leigh (1551-1596)[8][16] of Newnham Regis in Warwick, whose grandson, Francis Leigh (1598-1653), became Earl of Chichester[7][12]
6. Mary Leigh (m. Richard / Mychell Cobbe, Esq, Robert Andros / Andrews, Esq)[8][16]
7. Alice (Leigh) Coney (aft.1538-abt.1621) (m. Thomas Coney of Basingthorp Coney, Esq)[8][16]
8. Catherine (Leigh) Baber (abt.1540-1601) (m. Edward Barber or Baber, SL)[8][3][16]
9. Winifred (Leigh) Bond Colles (1538-aft.1608) (m. Sir George Bond, Lord Mayor of London),[8] through whom she was ancestress of the Dukes of Marlborough, Viscount Melbourne and subsequently, the Dukes of Leeds;[12][3][16] and William Hale[7]
10. Isabell Leigh, last of the nine children named in Sir Thomas' Will

He was buried at Mercers' Chapel, London.

Arms
“confirmed to Sir Thomas Leigh or Lee, Lord Mayor of London in 1588, son of Roger Lee or Leigh, of Wellington, Co. Salop...gules on a cross between 4 unicorns heads erased or five roundels azure.”[19]

Will: 20 Dec 1570 Proved: 14 Dec 1671[7][20]

Research Notes
"Alice (Trafford) Leigh (1487–1551) was previously listed in the biography as the mother of Thomas Leigh. His mother is an unknown Trafford. The sources listing Alice as his mother cite Burkes as their only source. Burkes is unreliable. The previously linked Alice Trafford married 1st Thomas Butler."

"Family of Origin & Disputes" – in Wikitree's 28 Jen 2024 update
"Sir Thomas Leigh was born about 1504/5. Some say that he was the son of Roger Leigh (1483 - 1522);[7][2][8] whereas; a careful read of Camden (1877, p. 81) suggests that Roger Leigh (abt.1483-1522) was his grandfather, and William and an unknown (Trafford) Leigh were his parents; and, William Leigh, Usher to King Henry VIII, who married Elizabeth Harper, daughter of Sir John Harper and Roger Leigh, Usher to Queen Mary, were his brothers.[3]"

Comments

THOMAS IS POSSIBLY CONNECTED TO THE WRONG PARENTS AND BROTHER.

- updated Jan 2014. Should be correct now.

Also note the Wikipedia update. They now say:

"He has been wrongly credited to be the ancestor that links Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge as cousins. The actual common ancestor is Sir Thomas Leighton, the governor of Guernsey."

Notes

From Shakespeare Centre Library and Archive - Leigh of Stoneleigh [DR 18/2 - DR 18/3]

The Leigh family originated from Shropshire but the first to achieve prominence was Thomas Leigh (d. 1571), a London merchant, who bought the site, and many of the estates, of the medieval abbey of Stoneleigh, as well as the manor of Adlestrop, formerly belonging to Evesham Abbey. Nearby Longborough lands were acquired through marriage. On his death these holdings were divided between two of his sons, Thomas II and Rowland, the former receiving the Warwickshire lands and Rowland those in Gloucestershire. Thomas II (died 1626) was created a baronet in 1611 and his grandson, Thomas III, a baron in 1643. A marriage in 1588 had added lands at Leighton Buzzard (co. Beds.) to the family estates, and Thomas II purchased lands in Ardington (co. Bucks.) and Hamstall Ridware (co. Staffs.).

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Sources

• Page: Visitation of Warwickshire 1682 Harleian Society Vol. LXII (1911) Leigh of Stoneleigh pp.10-12.
• general and heraldic dictionary of the peerages of England, Ireland, and Scotland, extinct, dormant, and in abeyance.  England (Google eBook) John Burke 1831.  Page 310.  "Leigh"
• "Pedigree of the Leigh Family of Rushall." Records of Rushall, County Stafford: With a Transcript of the Old Parish Register and Extracts from the Churchwardens' Accounts (Google eBook) Frederick William Willmore. Robinson, 1892 - 195 pages. Page 82

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• A general and heraldic dictionary of the peerages of England, Ireland, and ... By John Burke
• A general and heraldic dictionary of the peerages of England, Ireland, and ... By John Burke
• Pg. 310
• ROGER LEIGH, of Wellington, in Shropshire and Rushall, in the county of Stafford. This gentleman had issue, . . . .
• And a younger son,
  • THOMAS LEIGH, who was brought up under Sir Rowland Hill, a rich merchant of London, and Lord Mayor of that city; by whom, for his knowledge and industry, he was made his factor beyond sea; and in that trust deporting himself with the highest integrity, Sir Rowland bestowed upon him the hand of his favourite niece, Alice, daughter of John Barker, alias Coverall, of Wolverton, in the county of Salop, by Elizabeth, his wife, daughter of Thomas Hill, and upon the issue of the marriage he entailed the greater part of his estate. Thomas Leigh subsequently served the office of Sheriff of London, and was Lord Mayor at the death of Queen Mary. He was knighted during his mayoralty, and dying in 1571, was buried in Mercer's Chapel, London, with this epitaph upon is tomb: . . . .
  • His widow lived at Stoneleigh to a very advanced age, having seen her chiildren's children to the fourth generation. She died in 1603, and was buried at Stoneleigh, where she had founded an hospital for five poor men, and five poor women, all of them to be unmarried persons, and nominated after her decease by Sir Thomas Leigh, her son, and his heirs for ever. Sir Thomas Leigh had issue by this lady,
    • ROWLAND, who was largely provided for at Longborough, in Gloucestershire, by Sir Rowland Hill, his godfather. He m. first Margery, daughter of Thomas Lawe, of London, vintner, and secondly, __, daughter of Sir Richard Berkeley, Knt., of Stoke-Gifford, in Gloucestershire.
    • Richard, died s. p.
    • THOMAS, of whom presently.
    • William (Sir), of Newnham-Regis, in Warwickshire, who m. Frances, dauther of Sir James Harrington, of Exton, in Rutlandshire, and left a son, . . . .
    • Mary, m. first, to Robert Andrews, of London and secondly, to __ Cobb.
    • Alice, m. to Thomas Connye, of Lincolnshire.
    • Katherine, m. Edward Barber, of Somersetshire, Serjeant at Law.
    • Winifred, m. Sir George Bond, Lord Mayor of London.
  • The second surviving son,
    • THOMAS LEIGH, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, and created a baronet, upon the institution of that order, 29th June, 1611. Sir Thomas m. Catherine, fourth daughter of Sir John Spencer, Knt., of Wormleighton, in the county of Warwick, and had issue,
• _________________
• Thomas Leigh
• M, b. circa 1515, d. 17 November 1572
• Thomas Leigh was born circa 1515 at of Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, England. He married Alice Barker, daughter of John Barker and Elizabeth Hill, circa 1536.1 Thomas Leigh died on 17 November 1572.
• Family Alice Barker b. c 1518, d. 1600
• Children
  • Alice Leigh+1 b. c 1537, d. b 1621
  • Winifred Leigh+ b. c 1538, d. a 1592
• Citations
• 1.[S61] Unknown author, Family Group Sheets, SLC Archives.
• From: http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p2264.htm#...
• ____________________
• A. Richard Cony of Bassingthorpe (bur 12.04.1545) m. Jane Ellis (bur 05.07.1549. dau of Thomas Ellis of Paunton)
  • i. Thomas Cony of Bassingthorpe (b c 1529, bur 15.10.1611) m. Alice Leigh (d before 1621, dau of Sir Thomas Leigh, Lord Mayor of London)
• From: Stirnet.com
• ________________________
• Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry, Volume 1 By John Burke
• Burke's genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry, Volume 1 By John Burke
• Pg. 573
• The ancient family of "HILL OF COURT OR HILL," had enjoyed many centuries of distinction in the county of Salop.
• III. Thomas, who m. Margaret, dau. of Thomas Wilbraham, of Woodhey, in Cheshire, and had issue,
  • Elizabeth, m. to John Barker, Esq. of Haughmond, in Salop, and had a dau.,
    • ALICE BARKER, who m. Sir Thomas Leigh, and from this alliance lineally descends the present CHANDOS, LORD LEIGH of Stoneleigh.

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References

• FIND A GRAVE https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/64246202/thomas-leigh
• https://archive.org/details/visitationcount01britgoog/page/81/mode/...
• https://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=Leigh,_Thomas_(1504%3F-...
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Leigh_(Lord_Mayor) Sir Thomas Leigh (c. 1504 – 15 November 1571[2]) was an English merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1558-59. He served as a City Alderman from 1552 until 1571.