This week I managed to make a start to preparing a form of the family tree to publish on this website. There have been many comments about our ancestors on the Duggleby History page and it would be nice to have an easy-to-use, flexible, framework to relate these to and capture updates as necessary.

You can download a PDF version of the family tree covering the period from 1086 to the 1600s by double clicking on the light blue text below:

130707 First 4 pages of Chris Duggleby Family Tree from 1086

As the family tree grows I will make sure that updates are published on this site (here).

The reason I am publishing the oldest information first is because I believe this is what connects all members of the global Duggleby community. You may still not be able to trace the exact path from your name back to the original village of Duggleby in Yorkshire but there is a pretty good chance that if you are a Duggleby or related to one this village is where your origins lie. You will see from the first 500 years that for some of the names mentioned we are unsure of the spouse or whether that person had children. If your own family tree can not be precisely traced back more than a few hundred years you may be related to one of these individuals.

Even for connections where we have a little more confidence (for example I have tried to highlight in dark blue my own family links back to Sir Henry Duggleby) there are some steps which depend on close geographical proximity of individuals or very old documents, which may be handwritten or require some interpretation. The challenge with the documents is highlighted by the number of variations in the spelling of the word ‘Duggleby’ in the early records.

The early information was gathered from a period where there were few if any formal births, deaths and marriage registers. Much of the information comes from old Will and Testament documents which Ellen Reid and other contributors to the greatly missed Duggleby.info site painstakingly gathered and analysed (we all owe a tremendous debt to Ellen and without her initial efforts most of what you see here about the Duggleby heritage would not have been possible).

To illustrate some of the documents used to populate the early entries in the family tree take a look at the following reference to Willim Dogilby (William Duggleby born 1402 in the tree) in his cousin Ric’ (presumably Richard) Dogilby’s Last Will and Testament. In a number of places the handwriting was illegible so some ‘interpretation’ was required:

In God’s name. Amen. 27th day of the month of April in the year 1452. I, Ric’ Dogilby, vicar of the parish church of Wharrum appoint and make my will in this manner. Firstly, I leave my soul to God Almighty, to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all His saints, and my body to be buried at the church of Saint Mary’s Wharrum.

I leave my best animal in the name of mortuary payment.

I leave 2 pounds of wax to be burned about my body for my divine service.

I leave to the church chaplain for my funeral obsequies’ 6 d.[= 6 old pennies]

I leave to the cleric of the aforesaid parish of Wharru’ 2 d.

I leave to the [same?] church cleric compensation of 1 d.

I leave Marione my sister 2 cows.

I leave Willim’ Dogilby my cousin 2 oxen, 2 horses and 1 cow.

I leave Beatrici my servant 1 cow and 2 sheep.

I appoint the aforesaid Willim’ and Mariona as my true executors to this my present will for the arrangement of the salvation of my soul. To the church with respect to the fees (easements) better due I appoint Lords Johenn’ Calsthorn’ [and] Mathew Kyrsabye’ to complete this my last will and aforesaid wish.

Proved 30th April 1457.

In some cases we are fortunate enough to have the Last Will and Testament of key individuals such as that of Thomas Duggleby (1460 – 1503) which help to identify their immediate relatives:

Will of Thomas Doggleby of Thornholme. 1503. Probate Register 

In the name of God amen the 22 day of the month of June in the year of the Incarnation of the Word 1503 I Thomas Doggilby of Thornholme, sick in body but of sound mind, make and decree my last will and testament in this way.

Firstly I commit my soul to Almighty God, to Saint Mary the Virgin and to all the saints of heaven and my body for church burial and I bequeath in the name of my mortuary payment what is suitable following the laudable custom of my parish. Moreover I bequeath to the high altar for forgotten tithes 3 shillings 4 pence.

Also I bequeath to Margaret my wife £6 13 shillings 4 pence and to Walter, my
son and heir, £6 13 shillings 4 pence.  Moreover I bequeath to a secular
chaplain [= not of a monastic order] of honest reputation through two years to celebrate divine service particularly for the salvation of my soul £8. Also I bequeath to Joan my daughter £6 13 shillings 4 pence and to Alice my daughter £6 13 shillings 4
pence.

Moreover I bequeath to each person occupying a tenement or part tenement
and having a hearth for himself in that tenement or part tenement, that is
within Thornholme aforesaid, Burton Agnes and Haisthorpe, 2 pence. Moreover I
bequeath to each of my godsons and each of my god-daughters one angel [=an old English gold coin, first struck in the 1480s, whose value varied: in the 1480s it was worth 6 shillings 8 pence, by the early sixteenth century it was worth over 7 shillings] of this year.

Also it is my mind or will that the son and heir of Thomas Ward of Bessingby, if he is able and wishes, shall redeem from the hands of the executrix of my will those lands which I, Thomas Doggelby, bought from the aforesaid Thomas Ward, on the condition that the same heir shall retain the same lands for his own use and not alienate any part of them, so that for the complete redemption of the lands themselves he shall pay, or make to be paid, to the aforesaid executrix £13 5 shillings 8 pence. Moreover I bequeath to John Whitell one bi-coloured cow. Moreover I bequeath to the Gild of St Mary at Burton Agnes one quarter of barley. In execution of this my same last will and
testament I make I commit to the aforesaid Margaret my wife that she shall thenceforward dispose of all and every my bequests following the aforesaid, and the goods not bequeathed, my funeral expenses and debts having been paid, and portions being set aside for my daughters shall be retained totally for the supervisors [of this will] Dame Agnes Clyffton widow and Walter Gryfforth, knight. These being witnesses that is John Lonnesdale secular chaplain, John Webster, John Whitell above named, Thomas Stephenson, William Maynpurs and others. Given the day and year above written.

The present will was proved on 14 September in the year above said [1503] and
administration was granted to the executrix named in the same will.

The final Last Will and Testament I would like to share with you in this weeks blog is that of the last entry in the early Duggleby Family Tree: William Duggleby (1510 – 1561). Of particular interest here are the variations in the spelling of the name Duggleby within two generations of a single family. Here are the details:

William Duggleby, North Dalton.

In the name of God Amen. The 13th day of May 1561 I William Douglebi of North Dalton within the county of York, yeoman, being of whole mind and perfect remembrance unto Almighty God therefore belaud and praise, do ordain and make this my last will and testament in manner and form following.

First and principally I commend my soul to Our Lord Jesu Christ my maker, redeemer and saviour in whom and by the merits of whose bitter passion is all my whole trust and clear remission and forgiveness  of all my sins and that he will take me unto his mercy. And my body to be buried within the church of Allhallows in North Dalton, my parish church. In primis I bequeath to the said church works 6s 8d.

I bequeath to Cuthbert Duglebe a stot of three years old and half one oxgang of corn.
I bequeath to John Dougelbye half one oxgang of corn.
I bequeath to William Dougelbe one cowe.
I bequeath to Issabell Owston one sack of barley.
I bequeath to Mychell Vawser one sack of barley.
I bequeath to Frances Dougeibi one sack of barley.
I bequeath to Ellyn Dougeibi one sack of barley.
I bequeath to Audry Dougelbe, daughter of my son Robert Dougelbe £10.
I bequeath to every one of my god children 4d .
The residue of all my goods unbequeathed my debts paid and legacies discharged I give and bequeath to Robert Dougelbe my son whom I make my full executor of this my last will and testament.
These being witnesses William Harrison, Cuthbert Dougelbe and Sir Bryan Metcalf with others more.
Proved 22nd January 1561/2 by William Harrison and Robert Duggleby, witnesses named in the will. Administration granted to the son of the deceased and executor named in the will.

I hope that some of you will find this piece of Duggleby family history interesting. Sadly most of the information we have is related to the deaths of those concerned but these documents although open a little window into the lives of the Dugglebys living over half a millenium ago.

If you find this subject interesting you may like to refer to the blog articles here and here on the same subject. Just click on the light blue text and a new window will open containing blog articles which describe some of the ancient documents I found useful in tracing the family history.

Let us treasure our long and noble heritage,

Chris Duggleby

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