Thomas Heveningham

''add'' Address 22 North Street Wolverhampton (1818)

Heveningham of Wolverhampton
VIIIb. THOMAS HEVENINGHAM (identified above as son of Henry). That he was brother of Charles (VIII) of Lichfield is stated in a letter written by the above-mentioned Lady Judkin-Fitzgerald (his great-neice) somewhere about the year 1880. It is also borne out by the Abstract of Title mentioned above, in which Charles Appears as trustee for the marriage settlement of Thomas, the latter being then of Birmingham ; but the Abstract includes a sttement by Elizabeth Barney that Thomas had subsequently settled at Wolverhampton. He was like Charles, a Roman Catholic, as his descendants are at the present day, and I have thus no hesitation in identifying these three brothers, John, Charles and Thomas with the three sons of Henry Heveningham (VII) bearing these names. It seems obvious that they did not (as Mr. William Parry imagined) belong to the Protestant branch of the family, of which I give an account in Section III.

It is shown by the Abstract of Title referred to above, that Thomas Heveningham then of St. Martin's Parish, Birmingham, married on the 11th of April, 1774, Elizabeth Reeve of Aston-juxta-Birmingham, and that she was the daughter of Thomas Reeve, late of Houndsfield, King's Norton, and then of Erdington, Gentleman, by his then late wife Ann, formerly Ann Astley, spinster. The use of the word "then," almost implied that Thomas Reeve had a "now" wife; and it appears that on the 30th September, 1772, Thomas Reeve and Mary "Heaveningham" were married by licence at St. Michael's, Lichfield. I expect that Thomas Reeve married Thomas Heveningham's sister Mary to whom her mother (as already mentioned) left seven acres in St. Michael's parish. If this were so, the match between Thomas Heveningham and Elizabeth Reeve, would easily follow. His wife Elizabeth having died at Wolverhampton in November, 1787, Thomas Heveningham married as his second wife Sarah Turton, who is described as "of this parish" in the register of King's Swinford where the marriage took place by licence on the 31st March, 1791. The abstract includes a certificate by William Fleeming of Wolverhampton that this Sarah was his sister formerly Sarah Fleeming, afterward Sarah Turton, widow, and that she married the late Thomas Heveningham of Wolverhampton in about 1790.

Thomas Heveningham was described to me by his grandson as "a free and easy going old gentleman in farily comfortable circumstances, giving more attention to his hunters than to either his family or his business. He lived in a fine old house in North Street, and had either one or two Malt Houses in the same street."

He died at Wolverhampton on the 10th of April, 1823, aged 80. He was therefore born in about 1743, and would be aged only five or six when his father died. The following is a copy of his Will, which was proved at Lichfield - Wolverhampton Perculiar - 22nd Novermber, 1824.

This is the last will and Testament of me Thomas Heveningham of Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, Maltster. Unto my daughter Teresa Howse my Diamond ring. To my daughter Ann Heveningham my other ring set with pearls. The residue of my Real and personal Estate unto my beloved wife Sarah Heveningham and she, and Henry Smith of Wolverhampton, Gentleman, Executors.

7 October 1806.

(Signed) Thomas Heveningham.

Witnesses : - Walter Blount, Eliza Turton, Mary Ann Smith. Proved under £450 by Henry Smith, it being stated that the Testator died 5th April 1823.

Thomas Heveningham had a large family of whom I give particulars, derived for the most part from the above-mentioned Abstract of Title, for the benefit of those interested in Wolverhampton Families. Subsequent generations it will be unnecessary to give fully, as they are set out in a printed pedigree which, will, I hope be copied for the William Salt Library.