H
HARTOPPEdmund Bunney, born in 1749 in Freby, Leics grandson of Edmund Cradock married Anne Hurlock, a widow and also sole heir to a branch of the Hartopp family.
Pursuant to the provisions of the wills of his uncle Joseph Cradock and his wife's grandfather, Sir John Hartopp he changed his name to Cradock-Hartopp in 1777.
He aquired Four Oaks Hall and estate in 1792. He was MP for Exmouth 1798 and for Leicestertshire 1798 to 1806. He was created a Baronet in 1796.
His first son George Harry William born at Merevale Hall, Warwick in 1785, changed his name to Fleetwood-Hartopp as a memorial of his descent from Charles Fleetwood, Lord Deputy of Ireland under Oliver Cromwell. . He was appointed Warden of Sutton Coldfield in November 1823 but died in 1824 whilst in office and his father Sir Edmund completed his year of office and died in 1837.
His second son Sir Edmund succeeded in 1837 but died in 1849.
His third son became the 3rd baronet ; Sir William Edmund was born in Sutton and was Warden in 1835. He died in 1864 and shortly afterwards the family sold up in Sutton.
In 1881 Sir John W Cradock-Hartopp, born in Sutton Coldfield in 1830, son of William Edmund and then the 4th baronet was living in style in Kingswood, Surrey, with his family and twelve servants.
HASTINGS
The story of Rev James Henry Hastings illustrates the extent of the influence and control effected over the governance of Sutton Coldfield by the Rector in the 18th century,
James Hastings was born in 1755, the son of a wealthy wine merchant of Chipping Norton and Hanover Square, Sir Charles Hastings and grandson of GW Hastings MP. He was educated at Wadham College, Oxford and was ordained in 1779. In 1781 he married Elizabeth Paget the sister of the even weathier banker Thomas Paget of Chipping Norton and Bole Hall Estate, Tamworth.
The newly wed James achieved, no doubt with his brother in laws help, appointment as assistant curate in Sutton Coldfield.
This 29 years old, assistant curate , two year resident of the town and third in line in Church was, in 1784, appointed to the highest office in the town, that of Warden, a position which he held for two years no doubt carrying out his duties to the Rectors satisfaction.
He left Sutton to be curate at Wichford, Shipston on Stour, and in 1791 his brother in law acquired the advowson of Bitterley, Shropshire and appointed James as Rector. The similar acquisition of the advowson of Martley, Worcester led to his appointment in 1795 to one of, if not the weathiest Rectory in the country ( perhaps then worth £1600 a year).
He lived the life of a country gentleman, employing, as his mentor in Sutton had taught him, curates and assistants to run the Parish. This lifestyle was brought to an abrupt end when he was severely disabled by a riding accident in 1806.
He lived the rest of his long life as an imbecile. He died aged 100 in 1856. The Rectorship passed to other family members and remained a Hastings asset until 1958. James had fifteen children, the first four being born in Sutton.
None of his eight daughters married. His seven sons included two admirals, two knights, a lawyer, a Rector and the doctor who founded the BMA
HENEAGE
Sir Thomas Heneage (d.1530) was private secretary to Cardinal Wolsey. friend of Bishop Vesey and Chancellor to King Henry VIII from 1515 to his fall in 1529. Sutton Coldfield was a Crown estate at that time ( before the Charter of 1528) and it seems highly likely therefore that George Heneage who was Rector of the town 1516 to 1521 was a kinsman of Sir Thomas.
The grandaughter of Sir Thomas’ brother Robert, Elizabeth Heneage married Sir Moyle Finch in 1578. Their son Sir Heneage Finch was Speaker of the House of Commons and the first of a line of six succesive Sir Heneage Finchs, two of whom , the 4th and 5th Earls of Aylesford, were later High Stewards of Sutton Coldfield
SEE FINCH
HIGH STREET
In the 14th century the township of Sutton Coldfield comprised a cluster of tenements and cottages around Holy Trinity church and a number of outlying settlements such as Hill, Little Sutton, Four Oaks, Maney and the Wyld and Walmley and Beyond the Woods. As the population grew the centre of Great Sutton developed along Coleshill Street, High Street and Mill Street.
The precise history of many of the buildings in High Street is obscure but several probably began life as stone cottages built by Bishop Vesey in the 16th century. The principal industry was agriculture and each house had its croft or fields at the rear.
New buildings erected during the 17th century included William Wilson's Moat House and for many years thereafter High Street was the chosen residence of many of the wealthiest inhabitants. In the 18th century new properties included the great Georgian mansions 'The Anchorage' and 'The Rookery' ( both long since demolished), and the new Grammar School buildings, and many of the older houses were remodeled or rebuilt with impressive Georgian facades.
By the begining of the 19th century however the long decline of High Street had begun; the road was turnpiked and became the main route from Birmingham to Burton and Derby and the north east (A38) and the wealthy residents began to move away. High Street became a bustling commercial centre inhabited by shopkeepers and traders.
But the rapid growth of the town after the arrival of the railway created a need for improved facilities and when the new retail area was developed on the Parade from the late 1800s the fate of High Street was sealed. Now remote from the retail centre, a long period of decline has continued until the present day as the authorities fail to find a solution to growing decay and the heavy traffic grinding along the narrow thoroughfare.
The High Street was ( ironically) designated a Conservation Area in 1973 and despite the loss of many buildings demolished for the new Midland Railway in 1879 and the extension of the Lichfield line in 1884, a large number of important buildings , including over twenty with Grade II listing, survive.
The listed buildings include:-
No. 1. Possibly 15th century in origin, once the family home of the Addenbrookes and later Dr Sir Alfred Evans, its boasts an impressive seven bay Georgian frontage in red brick
No. 2. A Georgian house which later served as a school, a lodging house , the YMCA and now offices
No. 3. 'Vesey House'. See seperate section
No. 9. Georgian, once the home of CB Adderley and later in the 19th century the home and shop of the Brockas family of Hatters
No. 11. Georgian, once the home of the Wilkins family of Butchers
No. 19. 'The Three Tuns' reputedly the oldest pub in Sutton is said by some to have hosted King Charles 1 and Dick Turpin
No. 20. Ivy House, built as a family residence in about 1675 and later the home of the Smith family of Druggists and briefly Lloyds Bank
No. 25 'Royal Hotel' . See seperate section
No. 36 'Culls House'. See seperate section
No. 38. Thought to be the 17th century home of Samuel Stevenson, High Sheriff of Warwick in 1697. It has a blind window so as to reduce the number of windows taxable under the Window Taxes Act 1798 to the minimum level ; which suggests the facade dates from about 1800.
No. 46 'Sadler House' dates from the mid 18th century but with a three bay facade of about 1800. Also has a blind window. Once the office of Richard Sadler, Solicitor and still occupied by a successor firm.
HIGH STEWARD
Prior to the Charter of 1528, Sir Walter Devereux, Lord Ferrers of Chartley held the office of High Steward under the Crown. He also held office as Bailiff of the Manor, Keeper of the Rolls and Keeper of Coldfield Walk. The salaries for these posts , under a grant of 1825 were to be paid at the rate of £16 a year to him and his son Henry for life.
The Warden and Society did not exercise their power under the Charter to appointa High Steward until 1547.
The High Stewards appointed by the Corporation were appointed for life and were to be entitled to a Deputy to assist in the High Stewards duty of holding courts.At least in the 16th century the High Steward was expected to have a knowledge of English law but the role soon became symbolic, the duties largely ceremonial and the work done entirely by deputies.
The High Stewards were all persons of standing and mostly members of aristocratic Warwickshire and Staffordshire families
The High Stewards were:-
1547 John Throckmorton
1582 Henry Goodere
1595 Richard Repington
1612 Robert Devereux ( later Earl of Essex)
1646 Richard Newdigate
1679 Thomas Thynne ( later Viscount Weymouth)
1714 Four Willoughbys in succession - all Lords Middleton
1781 Thomas Thynne ( later Marquis of Bath)
1796 Heneage Finch ( later 4th Earl of Aylesford )
1812 Willoughby, Lord Middleton
1835 Heneage Finch ( later 5th Earl of Aylesford)
1859 William Henry Leigh , Lord Leigh of Stoneleigh
1905 Sir Benjamin Stone
1925 Sir Francis Newdigate-Newdegate
1936 Sir Henry Ramsay Cameron Fairfax-Lucy
1944 Vacant
1951 Rupert William Dudley Leigh, Lord Leigh
In 1974 the Corporation of Sutton Coldfield merged with that of Birmingham and the office of High Steward became extinct.
SEE SEPERATE SECTIONS DEALING WITH EACH OF THESE PERSONS
HOLBECHE
There is clearly a close connection between Holbeche in Sutton Coldfield and the old legal and landowning family of Fillongley and Farnborough, Warwickshire, but the precise details of the descent are not known.
Emmanuel College was established in Cambridge in 1584 and its endowment included significant property holdings in Sutton. Thomas Holbeche, third son of William Holbeche of Birchley Hall, near Fillongley, was a fellow of the College and its Master from 1675 until his death in 1680. Whether the Holbeche connection with Sutton Coldfield preceeded the Emmanuel involvement or vice versa is not known.
The first reference linking Holbeche directly with Sutton appears with Martin Holbeche who was Deputy Steward of the town ( and therefore a lawyer) in 1683.
Amillian Holbeche ( this unusual name occurs several times in the Fillongley family) probably born about 1750 married Mary Vincent and brought up a family in Lichfield including Thomas born 1772 who married Sarah, became a solicitor and settled in Sutton Coldfield. He was Warden of the Town in 1797 and 1798. He was appointed Deputy Steward (equivalent to Town Clerk ) before 1835. He had thirteen children and lived in a large house in Coleshill Street opposite the Church. He died in 1848 aged 76.
His first son Vincent born 1806 married Emma Addenbrooke, of Kingswinford,about 1846. Having qualified as a lawyer he took his place in the family firm. Henry Addenbrooke brother of Emma joined the Holbeche legal firm in about 1851 to create the partnership Holbeche and Addenbrooke and together they acted as Deputy Stewards of the town.
Before his marriage Vincent probably lived at 22 or 24 High Street. Later he lived at Park House in the Park and then in the family home in Coleshill Street. He had seven children.
His first son Thomas Vincent born in 1846 carried on the family legal tradition and although he married , he is not known to have had children. He lived in Maney Cottage and later in 1987 built a new house in Wentworth Road on the new Four Oaks Park estate. He was appointed the first Town Clerk of the towns newly formed Municipal Corporation in 1886. He died in 1904
Other sons of Vincent were Edward Addenbrooke Holbeche, Aemillian Henry, Richard and Arthur Oliver.
Edward born 1847 emigrated to New Zealand ( as did one or two Addenbrooke cousins) His son Thomas Vincent was born at Hawkes Bay in 1916. He himself died in 1917 in WW1 action.
Arthur became a medical practitioner in Malvern and had three daughters.
Aemillian ( known as Will) became a surveyor and land agent like his uncle John.
Richard had a succesful army career. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel to the oldfamily home in Sutton where probably prompted by the death of his mother in 1891 and the imminent move out of the old house, he wrote in 1892 the so called Holbeche Diary, an evocative account of life in Sutton Coldield in the days of his youth ( probably 1855 to 1865). The Diary provides a fascinating and detailed record of life in the town in those days.
A Mary Holbeche ( Holbeach) is believed to have married Edward the 3rd Lord Leigh and this connection may account for the later appointment of the 4th Lord Leigh as High Steward of the town in 1859.
HOLLAND
Joseph Oughton a Birmingham 'barrel forger' was granted a lease of land at Stonebed Moors, Sutton Coldfield in 1754 for the purpose of damming the Ebrook there, creating a pool and building a water mill. He was probably also the occupier of the substantial house that had been built there in 1732. (He was Warden of the town in 1767.)
A large 12 acre area was covered with pools and ozier beds( willow reed used for weaving baskets) and became known as Holland.
'Gentlemans Magazine' of 1762 refers to a mill for boring musket barrels and the Holbeche Diary referring to Holland in about 1855 recalls ' three pools and a mill dam and a mill in which bayonets and gunbarrels were found'
John Oughton and his wife Mary Vaughton, whom he married in 1810, were living at Holland House in 1841 but by 1851 Mary was a widow there.
Oughton Mill had ceased to operate by 1889 and by 1892 the house gardens had extended into what had been the area of pools.
The house was demolished in 1936 and in 1939 Riland Bedford Secondary School was built on the site. ( In 1986 the name of the school was changed to Plantsbrook School)