Youlgreave Parish

Youlgreave Parish Register 1558

Baptisms, Marriages and Burials (Abodes Given)

Peter Clay marrield Matilda Meinoll. February 10th, 1627.

John son of Peter and Matilda Clay baptised. September, 1629 - Pilhough.

Maria daughter of Peter and Maud Clay baptised. December 11th, 1631 - Hill.

Richard son of Peter and Matilda Clay baptised October 28th, 1643 - Birchover.

John Clay son of Peter Clay of Youlgreave parish married Elizabeth Winterbotham - daughter of George Winterbotham of Darley parish - February 2nd,1656.

Richard Clay married Dorothy Shaw. August 12th, 1666 - Birchover.

Abraham son of Richard and Dorothy Clay baptised March 24th, 1666 - Birchover.

Grace Clay married Henry Briddon. November 6th, 1666 - Youlgreave.

Petrius Clay of Birchover buried. March 16th, 1670.

Madlin widow of Petri Clay of Birchover buried February 6th,1672.

Ann and Isaac twins of Richard Clay of Birchover baptised. August 16th, 1679.

Isaac Clay buried Aug. 20th, 1679 - the affidavit of Mary Clay (witness) and Richard Clay of Birchover.

Dorothy daughter of Richard Clay of Birchover baptised March 12th, 1681.

Ann Clay married William Oldfield. October 30th,1683 - Youlgreave.

Elizabeth daughter of Richard and Dorothy Clay baptised April 3rd, 1688 - Maulstone.

Elizabeth Daughter of Richard and Dorothy Clay buried May 23rd, 1689 - Maulstone.

Grace wife of Henry Briddon buried September 4th, 1691 (nee Clay).

Richard Clay buried June 16th, 1692 - Maulstone.

Mary daughter of Mary Clay buried April 22nd, 1692 - Rowter.

Richard son of Henry and Hellen Clay baptised August 10th, 1692 - Youlgreave.

Abraham Clay married Dorothy Barns. April 15th, 1694 - Maulstone.

Richard son of Dorothy Clay buried January 10th, 1695 - Youlgreave.

Mary daughter of Abraham and Dorothy Clay baptised July 7th 1696 - Youlgreave.

Mary daughter of Henry and Hellen Clay baptised December 18th, 1698 - Youlgreave. 

Richard son of Henry Clay buried February 4th, 1700 - Youlgreave.

Ann daughter of Henry and Hellen Clay baptised April 1702 - Youlgreave.

Hellen daughter of Henry and Hellen Clay baptised March 18th 1703 - Youlgreave.

Abraham Clay pauper buried Nov. 30th I705. Youlgreave. (This vicar describes large numbers of people as paupers).

Dorothy daughter of Henry and Hellen Clay baptised January 1st, 1707 - Youlgreave.

Sarah daughter of Henry and Hellen Clay baptised August 1711 - Youlgreave.

Elizabeth daughter of Henry and Hellen Clay buried 1714 - Youlgreave.

Mary daughter of Dorothy Clay buried May10th, 1715 - Youlgreave.

Dorothy Clay. Widow. buried January12th, 1731.

Mary Clay infant buried May 22nd, 1737 - Eagleston. 

William son of William and Mary Clay baptised June 17th, 1739 - Eagleston.

Henry Clay buried June 23rd, 1752 - Winster.

Ellen Clay buried. April 27th, 1744.

George Clay married Ann Marsden. June 30th,1806.

William son of George and Ann Clay baptised August 23rd, 1807.

Ann daughter of George and Ann Clay baptised September 10th,1809.

Mary daughter of George and Ann Clay baptised April 18th, 1813.

Joseph son of George and Ann Clay baptised February 25th, 1816.

Margaret Clay married William Heathcote April 6th, 1833.

(Checked Youlgreave parish register from beginning 1558 with Ultra Violet Light - no place of abode given for Peter Clay's marriage in 1627 and no Clay's in the register prior to that date indicating that he came from elsewhere. 

Youlgreave Churchwardens and Constables

Account Book 1604 - 1722

1632. John Clay. Plummer is paid £1-2-0 for laying of leads.

1653. Jarvas Clay. The plummer who did the work is paid  £6-7-9.

Youlgreave Related References

1619. Peter Clay witness to Will of John Pidcocke of Matlock.

1638. Derbyshire Muster Roll. (17,308 names) all able bodied men aged between 16 and 60 are listed. Peter Clay is out of the county.

1641. Protestation Oath Roll. Peter Clay is listed working out of the county with John Greaves at the Eyres manor house in Rampton. Nottinghamshire.

1645. Ralph Bache of Stanton in Youlgreave. PCC Will. Leaves to his cousin Mary Clay. 40 shillings. (TNA).

1662 + 1664 Hearth Tax. Peter Clay of Birchover taxed on 1 hearth. (TNA Ref. E179/94/378 and E179/94/403).

1670. Hearth Tax. Peter Clay of Birchover taxed on 1 hearth. (Derby Library Ref.- DC 9955).

1670. Hearth Tax. Richard Clay of Birchover taxed on 1 hearth. (Derby Library Ref.- DC 9955).

1670. Peter Clay of Birchover. Witness at church dispute between Beeley and Bakewell, youngest of them being 76 years old gave evidence in favour of Beeley “that according to their ancestors”etc. (Ref.---Beeley Parish Register).

1669. Will of Robert Clarke of Longstone, he is owed £23-15-4. by Richard Clay. (Possibly Richard Clay of Birchover). (Ref.- Staffordshire Record Office).

1692. Will of Richard Clay of Malstone in Youlgreave parish. Wife - Dorothy. Abraham Clay is mentioned. (Ref.- Staffordshire Record Office).

1703. Winster parish register. Dorothy Clay of Youlgreave (Widow) married Richard Ashton of Winster. (Ref.- Derbyshire Record Office.).

1728. Ann Clay and Richard Ouldfield both of Youlgreave parish were married at Matlock church. Nov. 6th. (Ref.- Derbyshire Record Office.).

1784. John Clay. Esq. of Youlgreave. Jury service.

1799. John Clay of Winster. Youlgreave parish. Land Tax. Owner of 10 houses rented out to tenants.

1811. Derby Mercury Newspaper. Auction of Freehold land in Winster. Lot 1. Corner Close with timber trees containing 4 acres, tenant Thomas Clay. Lot 3. Meadow containing 4 acres, tenant Thomas   ----- Clay.

1824. Derby Mercury Newspaper. Burgalry from a house at Winster. The lodger stole items and was pursued by Thomas Clay assistant constable of Winster for 12 miles and he apprehended him at Tibshelf.- Prisoner  was sentenced to death by the court.

1841 Census. Bank Side Winster. William Clay age 15 Male Servant. Born Derbyshire.

1934. May 9th. Derby Daily Telegraph.- Funeral of George Holmes of Shirland, amongst the mourners were Mr and Mrs Clay of Youlgreave.

Richard Clays Farm

Richard Clay (son of Peter) had Mawestone Farm in the parish of Youlgreave but died in 1692 at the the age of 49 he didnt get to make a Will but at the Administration of his goods they were transferred to his widow Dorothy Clay and his son Abraham Clay was the witness.

An Inventory of his goods were taken and priced by George Birds senior and George Birds junior as follows...

The Inventory of Richard Clay (Transcript by David Clay - Original at Staffordshire Record Office)

A true and perfect Inventorie of all the goods, cattle and chattels of Richard Clay late of Malstone in the parish of Youlgreave and county of Derbie deceased so valued and aprized by we whose names are under written this 14th day of November in the year of our Lord 1692.

                                                                                                 £  -  s  - d

His purse and apparel                                                 1 - 3 - 4

Two cows.                                                                          4 -10 -0

Two stears.                                                                        3 - 0 - 0

One Horse.                                                                        2 - 0 - 0

One swine.                                                                            13 - 4

Three sheep.                                                                        12 - 0

Corne.                                                                                 2 -15 - 0

2 Hay ricks.                                                                       4 - 0 - 0

Brassen ware.                                                                 1-10 - 0

Pewter.                                                                                    12 - 0

3 Pair of Bedstocks.                                                         10 - 0

Bedding.                                                                           1 - 10 - 0

One chest, 1 cupbord. 1 dishbord and--                              

----one seat, a liitle table, 3 chairs.                    1 - 0 - 0

Wooden ware.                                                                    10 - 0

Land iron and tonges and other iron ware.          5 - 0

For anything left unaprized.                                         2 - 0

                                                                            Sum    £  24 -12 - 8

George Birds. Senior.

George Birds. Junior.

Aprizars.

Peter Clay of Birchover

Lack of information on this mans place of birth has led to a stumbling block in the latter part of the 1500s. Numerous visits to various archive establishments and extensive research over many years have so far failed to find the required evidence to link Peter Clay to any of the parishes where the Clay's were living in the late 1500s. He was not born in the parish of Youlgreave.

The first reference to this particular Peter Clay is in the year 1619 when he was a witness to the Will of John Pidcock a yeoman farmer of Matlock. Peter would have had to have been at least 21 years old to be a witness, no Clay's are found in the Matlock parish register around that time indicating that he was not from that particular parish. The next reference to this Peter Clay is 3 miles away in 1627 when he marries Matilda Meinoll of Winster in Youlgreave parish (her christian name was also known as Maud or Madlin she was descended from a gentry family (Meynell's) who had held the Manor of Winster since the 1200s and possibly before). It is highly likely that Peter was a tradesman and an explanation for him marrying into gentry is given in the book "English Society 1580 - 1680" which states - "Entry into a trade or proffession enabled youths to be placed on ladders of rank and with luck and ability to carry them to positions far superior to that of the rural squire,even those who attained only modest success could compare to the lesser gentry, the wealthiest craftsmen were the most sought after as sureties for recognizances and as witnesses to Wills, - labourers scarcely ever participated in village administration." In the 1600s an apprentice had to serve seven years and had to live in his masters house,he would not be allowed to be married until his apprenticeship was served, at that time the average age of marriage for men was 29.

Youlgreave parish register begins in 1558 but there are no Clay's prior to Peter Clay's marriage in 1627 which indicates that he had come from elsewhere but he now became settled in that parish with his wife and they had a son John Clay baptised there in 1629, their place of residence given at that time in the parish register was Pilhough which is a very small hamlet with only a few cottages in the parish of Youlgreave and in 1631 they have a daughter Maria Clay baptised in the same church.

After the baptisms of their children in 1629 and 1631 they disappear from the parish of Youlgreave for some ten years. The 1638 Derbyshire Muster Roll lists every able bodied man in all towns and villages aged between 16 and 60 and Peter Clay was absent from the county. All the evidence points to the fact that Peter Clay was involved with another gentry family in the ajoining parish of Beeley namely the Greaves , the Greaves family had lived in Beeley for centuries until in the 1600s they bought various properties in Youlgreave parish and  eventually moved there, Peter Clay appears to be living in one of the Greaves properties in Youlgreave parish.
 

During Peter Clay's absence from the county 1631 - 1641 we find him and also John Greaves listed on the Nottinghamshire Oath Roll of 1641 at Rampton in Nottinghamshire where the gentry family of Eyre had a Manor House, the same family of Eyre had property in Birchover in Youlgreave parish where Peter Clay later lived. It could well be that Peter Clay was a tradesman possibly a plumber or stonemason as he was well in with the gentry Greaves, Eyre's and Meynell's he was most likely working on the Eyre's manor house at Rampton between 1631 and 1641. He signed his mark with the letter P in the oath Roll of 1641 just the same as he also later signed with a P as a witness at a Beeley Church dispute in 1670.

 
In 1642 the Civil War began in England and it was at this time due to the troubles that Peter Clay came back to Youlgreave in Derbyshire, the Greaves, Eyre's and Meynell's are listed as Royalists and no doubt Peter would be too as in general workers had to side with their employers.

Now back in the parish of Youlgreave Peter and Matilda had another son Richard Clay baptised in 1643 and their place of residence is now given as Birchover in Youlgreave which was also a place in the parish where the Greaves and Eyre's had property.

Peter and Matilda spent the rest of their days at Birchover and he was listed there in the Hearth Tax Rolls from 1662 to 1670 as having one fireplace (as did most ordinary people).

 
Another reference to Peter Clay may give some clue as to his original birthplace, in 1670 Peter Clay along with three other men were called to give witness in a church dispute between Beeley and Bakewell, Peter and the other witnesses spoke in favour of Beeley. This account of the tribunal is given in Beeley parish register. - "etc - the youngest of them being 76 years old who said upon their oaths that they have been informed by their ancestors that ye ancient chapel at Beeley was built and consecrated many years before Bakewell church --and the inhabitants of Beeley for about 70 years past have had absolute power to choose their own minister etc. In testimony whereof the parties named hereunto set their own hands. - John Froggatt of Froggatt, Peter Clay of Birchover, Hugh Wilson of Fallinge and Anthony Holme of Beeley". They all signed with an initial, Peter Clay signed with the letter P just the same as he had signed at Rampton in 1641.

The other three men were from Beeley parish families as evidence from the parish register shows but there is no documentary proof that Peter was from the parish of Beeley but it would seem likely that he was either born there or lived there from a very young age or somewhere very close by in an ajoining parish. The fact that they had "Been informed by their ancestors" must mean their ancestors were local, they would not have called on Peter Clay of Birchover to be a witness at Beeley if he was an outsider. It could even be that Peter Clay was in some way related to the gentry family Greaves of Beeley.

Unfortunately there is no baptism for Peter Clay in the Beeley parish register, it may be that there was a family of Clay's there that did not have their children baptised or that the register was not properly kept which does seem the case for some particular years. Peter Clay may have been baptised in an ajoining parish where the earlier registers have not survived ie.- Brampton or Ashover are possibilities.

The witness account of 1670 states .- " the youngest of them being 76 years old". which would mean that if Peter Clay was the youngest of those four men he would have been born in 1594 but he may not have been the youngest so that date given soley by me is only a guess.

In 1631 Peter Clay is listed in the parish register as living at "Hill" in Birchover, Youlgreave Parish. John Greaves had acquired property in1612 at Stanton Woodhouse in Youlgreave Parish and moved there from Beeley and also acquired Pilhough and "Hill Place" at the "Hill" in Birchover, Richard Greaves his brother is listed as living there at "Hill " in 1623. No doubt Peter Clay was living in properties acquired by the Greaves first at Pilhough and later at the 'Hill' ('Hill Place' was demolished in the late 1600s and it has been suggested that it stood on land now quarried out).

After over 30 years research the birth place of Peter Clay still remains a mystery but all evidence points towards Beeley.

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