Middlemore Family Genealogy

Hawkesley Family

56. George Middlemore, of Hawkesley, gentleman, third son of William (53), succeeded on the death of his brother William (55), in 1711,  Born 6 November, 1658, and registered at King's Norton. He was of Bromsgrove in 1705, and of Northfield in 1715 and 1725. He appears as of Northfield, gentleman, in a list of Roman Catholics, non­jurors and others who, in 1715, refused to take the oath to King George.  Became possessed of the land at Dormeston, 1705, by devise from his uncle, .John Middlemore.  On 7 December, 1723, he settled Hawkesley, and other premises in King's Norton, on himself and his surviving sons, John, William, Thomas, Robert and Richard.

This settlement was between .the following parties George Middlemore of Hawkesley, gent., and Nicholas Parker of the Inner Temple, gent. (1 ), John M., William M., `Thomas M., Robert M., and Richard M., sons of George M. (2),.: and Edward Moore of Barns Arren, co. Worcester, esq., and :Richard Savage of Birmingham, sadler (3).  By it he granted Hawkesley; with premises in King's Norton and Cofton Hacket and a messuage on West Heath to Parker upon the following trusts: (i) To himself for life.  (2) To the use of Moore and Savage for 500 years, and after determination of term to the use of his sons John, William, Thomas, Robert, Richard, in tail male successively, to raise annuity of £4 for Richard M., and a sum of £80 for . Robert M.   Settlement revocable with consent of Thomas M.

He was buried at King's Norton, 23 January, 1727-8.

Will, 4 September, 1725, in which he is described as "of Northfield, gentleman," though he refers to his household goods "which are at Hawkesley"; to his sister Mary Middlemore, one guinea for a ring; to his sons William and Thomas, 1s. each; to son Robert, ,£80, charged on realty; to son Richard Middlemore, annuity of £6, charged on realty; sons Robert and Richard to make a conveyance[9] to the lord of the manor of Dormston, when they are twenty-one; son John Middlemore to pay the legacies. Wife Ann, executrix. Friend Edward Moor of Barns Arren, Esq., overseer. Proved at Worcester, 27 June, 1728.  Inventory valued at £15 16s.

As both the settlement of 1723 and his will in 1725 are signed as a marksman, it may be inferred that he was then in ill health. No other example of his signature has so far been discovered.

He married Anne, eldest daughter of Thomas Culcheth, of Wappenbury, Warwickshire, by Mary his wife, and niece of that Anne Taylor who had married John Middlemore, his brother. Proved her husbands will in 1728, and was buried at King's Norton, 18 May, 1730.

Though the record of this marriage has not been found, for the Wappenbury registers of this period are wanting, there seems no reason to doubt that she was a Culcheth, since Roger Culcheth, of Wappenbury, in his will speaks of his " sister Middlemore of Bromsgrove."

George Middlemore and Anne Culcheth had issue:

  1. John Middlemore, of Hawkesley, of whom next (57).
  2. William Middlemore, and,
  3. Thomas Middlemore, both living 4 September, 1725, and named in father's will as legatees for 1s. ; but of these and the two next, nothing more is known, and it may be presumed that they died young.
  4. George Middlemore, living 1 October, 1713, according to deed in the Prattenton MSS.

    5. Father "Lewis" Middlemore.  It has been suggested that the Franciscan Father Lewis Middlemore was a son of George Middlemore, and this seems quite probable.

    Besides John, Robert and Richard, there are mentioned in their father's will, as recipients of nominal legacies, also William, Thomas and George. Their ages would be appropriate for Father Lewis Middlemore, whose name of Lewis is an assumed one, being that by which he was known "in religion," in accordance with the custom, inconvenient most certainly from the genealogical standpoint, by which those entering a religious order changed their Christian names.  Unfortunately his baptismal name has not yet been discovered, and therefore it is not possible to identify him.  Father Thaddeus, O.F.M., in his book "The Franciscans in England, 1600 to 1850," says that Lewis Middlemore was approved for preaching and hearing confessions in 1728, and for the mission the following year. He was vicar of Douai and novice master, 1734 and 1737, confessor at Bruges in 1737, Guardian, 1738, 1741, titular

    Guardian of Cambridge, and at Aire in 1741 and 1742, Definitor, 1743-6, and also confessor at Bruges, titular Guardian of Greenwich in 1746, when he was reappointed confessor at Bruges.
  5. Joseph Middlemore, baptized at Northfield, 4 December, 1707.
  6. Maria Elizabeth, baptized at St. Peter's, Birmingham, 4 July, 1709.
  7. Robert Middlemore, of Birmingham, of whom hereafter, from whom descend the Middlemores of Birmingham.
  8. Richard Middlemore, of Pauntley Court, Gloucestershire, gentleman, in 1725, and on 27 May, 1731, but was of Great Missenden, Bucks, 10 November, 1731.  Youngest son, living 4 September, 1725, when his father devised to him an annuity.

    9. Will, 10 November, 1731, and proved 28 July, 1747, in which he described himself as of the parish of Great Missenden, son of George Middlemore, of Hocksley, in King's Norton, and devised all his estate to Edward Webbe, of Gray's Inn, esquire. He was probably a Roman Catholic. An Edward Webbe is mentioned in many Roman Catholic wills about this time, and it may be conjectured that Webbe was a secret trustee for the Roman Catholic Church.