FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
JOHN NEAL
AND HANNAH WHYTE


John Neal was christened 23 April 1676 in Banbury, Oxfordshire, the son of John Neal and Mary Flye. He married Hannah Whyte 4 October 1696 in Cropredy. His occupation was church sexton.


John Neal marriage

Marriage record for John Neal and Hannah White in Cropredy:
"John Neal and Hannah White both of Cropredy were on the fourth day of October betwene the hours
of eight and twelve in the morning joyned in holy matrimony, the bannes being thrice published according
to the canon without any contradictions, 1696"


Hannah was christened 11 February 1662/3 in Cropredy, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Whyte. "John Neal, who was to marry Hannah, was the sexton and now lived conveniently opposite a church gate. Hannah was paid for scrubbing the lectern and heating the irons when the leads on the church roof were done. They die poor.”  The lectern is a well-known feature of the Cropredy church: “In the church is a brass eagle of very curious workmanship. The lectern is an eagle standing on a globe, supported by three small lions. The beak of the eagle was used to collect Peters pence, sometimes called Pentecostals, Whitsuntide farthings or Smoake farthings. The farthings were removed from the eagle’s brass tail feathers.”

During the Civil War, the lectern was hidden: “In 1643 the townsmen thought the treasures again in danger, this time from the Parliamentarians on the eve of the battle of Cropredy Bridge. They carried the eagle down to the River Cherwell and hid it there. Unfortunately, due to lost church accounts the date when the eagle was brought back is unknown. Entries of the eagle being scoured yearly begin in 1695. Dame Whyte or her daughter Hannah, with John Neal were paid 2d. for the work. As she scoured, the word generally used for a vigorous polishing, it would be clear that the eagle was made of brass, not bronze. After rescuing the eagle, which was discolored from the immersion and missing a lion, a replacement in bronze had been hastily made to match, only to find too late that the eagle was made of shining brass. The lectern must have been left for many years for the men to have forgotten how bright it used to be. Had they enquired of the women in the Whyte family no doubt the truth would have been found out sooner.”  (The Town of Cropredy, 1570-1640; Pamela Keegan)

Their house in Cropredy was a craftsman's house: "By the fourth generation, when the rebuild fits in, John's youngest child Hannah had the copyhold and married John Neal who became the sexton. It was not until their son moved up in the world that they could afford to repair the house. This was too late for the structural evidence. Had John Neal been entered onto the copyhold only on condition they altered the cottage walls around the timber structure with the landlord contributing the stone?  (The Town of Cropredy, 1570-1640; Pamela Keegan)


John died and was buried 6 October 1724 in Cropredy.


John Neal burial

Burial record for John Neal in Cropredy:
"John Neal of Cropredy was buried on ye 5th day of October 1724"


John and Hannah had the following children:


1. Thomas, christened 8 January 1698 in Cropredy; buried 30 January 1780 in Cropredy.
 

2. John, christened 7 January 1699 in Cropredy; married Elizabeth; occupation - laborer; buried 8 May 1740 in Cropredy.
 

*3. Ann, christened 20 September 1702 in Cropredy; married Thomas Giles in 1727 in Deddington, Oxford; buried 13 April 1742 in Cropredy.


Anne Neal baptism 

Baptism record for Anne Neal in Cropredy: "Anne, the daughter of John Neal of Cropredy labourer and of Hanna his wife
was borne on the eighteenth day of August and baptized on the twentyeth day of September: 1702"


4. William, christened 1 October 1704 in Cropredy; married Mary Watts 18 October 1733; died 6 October 1795 in Cropredy.

 
 
SOURCES: Cropredy parish register; Cropredy Bishop's Transcripst; IGI; “The Town of Cropredy 1570-1640”, Pamela Keegan.
 
 


FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
JOHN NEAL AND
MARY FLYE


John Neal was born in about 1646 of Banbury, the son of Robert Neal and Elizabeth Burwell. He married Mary (Flye) Borton 19 March 1671 in Banbury. Mary was a widow at the time of her marriage.

John Neale marriage

Marriage record for John Neal and Mary Flye Borton in Banbury:
"March 19th John Neale & Mary Borton wid. were mareyed with license"

Mary was christened 1 April 1638 in Banbury, the daughter of Creswell Flye and Margarett Neale. Mary Flye had married Samuell Borton 28 May 1667 in Banbury. Mary and Samuell had a baby son, Samuel, the next year. Just a little over one month later, Samuell the father died, leaving Mary as a young widow with a baby. She married John two years later. Mary and John were second cousins. John's father Robert was the brother of Mary's mother Margarett (both Robert and Margarett were the children of Thomas Neale and Elizabeth Pope.)


John was buried 18 February 1700 in Banbury.

John Neale burial

Burial record for John Neale in Banbury: "John: Neale buryed the - 18"


Mary and Samuell Borton had the following child:


1. Samuel, (Borton) christened 2 February 1668 in Banbury. 


Samuell died and was buried 14 March 1669 in Banbury.


John and Mary had the following child:
 

*1. John, christened 23 April 1676 in Banbury; married Hannah Whyte 4 October 1696 in Cropredy; occupation: church sexton; buried 6 October 1724 in Cropredy.

John Neale baptism  

Baptism record for John Neal in Banbury: "Aprill: 23 John Neale son of John Neale baptized"

 

SOURCES: Banbury parish register; IGI; Cropredy parish register;“The Town of Cropredy 1570-1640”, Pamela Keegan..
    


 

FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
ROBERT NEAL AND
ELIZABETH BURWELL


Robert Neal was christened 8 November 1607 in Banbury, the son of Thomas Neal and Elizabeth Pope. He married 1) Fraunces, 2) Elizabeth Burwell 3 October 1627 in Banbury.


Robert Neale marriage

Marriage record for Robert Neale and Elizabeth Burwell in Banbury:
"Robert Neale and Elizabeth Burwell 3 daye"


Robert's occupation was mason. He was a Taster for Banbury in 1632-3 and 1636-7. He died and was buried 4 July 1644 in Banbury.

Robert Neale burial

Burial record for Robert Neale in Banbury:
"Robeart Neale mason buried - 4th day"
(This was during the English Civil War. Notice that the next burial record was for a soldier lodged in Banbury.
In the same month is a long list of "theise supposed to dye of the plague in this month of July" - those thought to have died of the plague)

 

Robert and Fraunces had the following children:
 

1. Marey, christened 25 August 1622 in Banbury.
 

2. Samuell, christened 4 July 1624 in Banbury.
 

3. Ann, christened 28 January 1627 in Banbury.
 
 

Robert and Elizabeth had the following children:
 

1. Hanna, christened 24 August 1628 in Banbury.
 

2. Thomas, christened 28 October 1629 in Banbury.
 

3. Robert, christened 24 July 1631 in Banbury.
 

4. Martin, christened 18 November 1632 in Banbury.
 

5. Elizabeth, christened 8 April 1634 in Banbury.
 

6. Richard, christened 19 June 1636 in Banbury.
 

7. Elizabeth, (twin) christened 29 October 1638 in Banbury; buried 2 November 1638 in Banbury.
 

8. Alyce, (twin) christened 29 October 1638 in Banbury; buried 2 November 1638 in Banbury.
 

9. Christian, (female) christened 10 November 1639 in Banbury; buried 9 July 1643 in Banbury.
 

10. Joseph, christened 13 May 1642 in Banbury; buried 9 July 1643 in Banbury.
 

*11. John, born in about 1646 in Banbury; married Mary Flye Borton 19 March 1671 in Banbury.
 
 

SOURCES: Banbury parish register; IGI.
 
 


    FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
THOMAS NEALE AND
ELIZABETH POPE


Thomas Neale was born in about 1580 of Banbury. He married Elizabeth Pope 30 April 1604 in Brailes, Warwickshire. Thomas' occupation was butcher. Elizabeth was christened 16 January 1581 in Banbury, the daughter of Thomas Pope and Jane Berdiswith.

Thomas Neale marriage Brailes

Marriage record for Thomas Neal and Elizabeth Pope in Brailes:
"Thomas Nealle et Elizabetha Pope nupt fuerant inprielis"


Brailes

Brailes


Thomas Neale died and was buried 12 December 1617 in Banbury, leaving an inventory.

Thomas Neale burial

Burial record for Thomas Neale in Banbury:
"Thomas Nealle buottcher was buried ye xijth day of Dessember"

Inventory for Thomas Neale:

Thomas Neale inventory

Inventory of Thomas Neale of Banbury, 1617


Thomas Neale, butcher, buried 12 December 1617, taken 1 July 1618, exhibited 1 July 1618, Account dated 3 July 1619.

Inventory taken by Thomas Wyng and William Reson.

Debts owing to Thomas Neale as followeth: vizt.,
Thomas Middleton of Banburye, 3: John Garvis of Warrick, 15 s.; Caudin of Warricke, 5s.; Gibbes of Warricke, shoomaker, 6s. 8d.; Thomas Brabon of Killinworth, 5s.; John Hobson of Easome, 2s.6d.; Richard Taster of Shunnington, 8s.4d.; Mr Buttris man, 5s.2d.; Thomas Ellis, 3.18s.; Mr Candish, 13s.5d.; Mr Griffin of Bloxham, 3; Richard Foxe of Chacombe, 1.

The goods in the hall: A table and frame, a cubberd, a stoole, a forme, a cheire, fire shovle and tonges, potthangers and a paire of bellowes, twoe kettles, a spitt, a driping pann, a chaffing dish and other smale implementes, 4.8s.6d.

In the parlor: A table and frame, twoe stooles, twoe chests, twoe boxes, a sheire, a beddsteed, twoe coverleeds, a blankett, a flock bedd, twoe bosters, one pillowe, one other boster, five paire of sheets, fower table cloathes, fower cushions, hiss apparrell, three pailes, a saddle, a parie of blanketts and kiverleed, tubes, a woollen wheele and other implments, 9.2s.10d.

A stacke in the yard, buckitt and chaine, a coule and other implements, 8s.

In the slauther house: An axe, a twible, an axe leaver, scales, transoms, and other implements, 1.

Twoe sheepe, a sheepe skin, and a leane sowe, 14 s.

Oweing him more by Nayler and Palues wief of Brayles 5s. 4d.

(Banbury Wills and Inventories)
 

Elizabeth was affected by the great Banbury fire of 1628. Over one hundred houses, approximately one-third of the town was destroyed by the fire. "Soldiers were apparently moved to Banbury from Woodstock in February 1628 and on 1 March the Privy Council ordered the Lord Lieutenant to billet the troops and levy money for their maintenance despite 'the refractory humours of some ill-affected persons'. The next day, a Sunday, a large part of the town, estimated at one-third, was destroyed by a fire. There is strong evidence that the fire began, through negligence, in a malt-house, a fact that afforded the vicar William Whately with the moral for a long sermon. Soldiers in the town helped to fight the fire, but in view of the trouble that had already arisen it was inevitable that it should be thought that soldiers had started it. Later in the month a constable, George Phillips, arrested a soldier for a breach of the peace and so sparked off a row which was carried as far as the House of Lords, where Phillips's claim that the soldiers started the fire was investigated and abandoned through lack of evidence." (British History Online - Banbury) The town of Coventry raised money to assist those who had been impacted by the fire, including "Elizabeth Neal, widow". Elizabeth died and was buried 18 May 1632 in Banbury, leaving a will.


Elizabeth Neale burial

Burial record for Elizabeth Neale in Banbury:
"Elizabeth Neale widdow buried the 18 day"


The will of Elizabeth Neale, 1632:

Elizabeth Neale will

Will of Elizabeth Neale of Banbury, 1632

 

Elizabeth Neale of Banbury, widow. Will dated 16 May 1632, buried 18 May 1632, Inventory taken and exhibited 6 November 1632.

In the name of God Amen, the sixteenth day of May in the eight yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God of England, Scotland, Ffrance & Irelalnd King, Defender of the Faith: I Elizabeth Neale of Banbury in the Countie of Oxford, widdow being sick and weake of bodie but of pfect mynd and memory thanks be to God, doe make and ordayne this my last will and testament in maner following, ffirst I bequeath my soule into the hands of Allmyghtie God my maker, hoping though the merits of Christ my Saviour to have full pardon and remission of all my sinnes. And my bodie I will shall be buried in the church yarde of Banbury at the discretion of my executor heerafter named. Item, Item, I give unto my daughter Bridgitt Neale ten poundes if shee doe marry Christopher Ingraham of Banbury: which yf so it happen fyve poundes therof shall be payde her at the day of her marriage and the other ffyve pounds on whole yeare next after her sayde marriage, but yf shee ye sayde Bridgitt doe not marry with ye sayd Christopher, then my will is that shee shall have but ffyve poundes which shall be payde her within on yeare next after my decease. Item, I give to my daughter Margaret Neale ffyve poundes to be payde her within on yeare net after my decease. And allso yf my sayde daughter Bridgitt doe not marry withing ye sayde Christopher then my sayde daughter Margarett shall have ffyve poundes more payde her within tow yeares after my decease. Item I give unto my sonne Thomas Neale twelve pence: and doe allso remitt and forgive unto hym all such mony which he oweth unto me yf I decease at this leave and sicknesse whichnow God hath layde upon me. Item, all the rest of my goods, cattelles & chattelles unbequeathed I give and bequeath unto my sonne Robert Neale whome I make my whole and sole executor paying my deptes and pforming my bequests. And I doe intreate and allso apoynt my brother Seath Pope and my brother Richard Pope of Banbury my overseers of this my sayde last will and testament requesting them to see this my will above exprested duly performed. And I doe revoke and disanull all former willeswhatsoever heretofore made. In witnesse wherof I the sayde Elizabeth Neale have here unto put my hand and seale the day and yeare first above written. 1632
Read, sealed and subscribed in presence of us whose names are hereunder written.
Robert Bendbow
John Knibbe
Elizabeth Neale inventory

Elizabeth Neale inventory

Inventory taked by Seth Pope, Henry Richards, and Robert Bendbow

In the hall
On table and frame, 2 formes, on chayre and on stoole   7s.
All the brasse and pewter with other implements   1,10s.

In the buttery
On cubbord and a wheele  10s.

In the kitchin
On cowle, on kyver, on payle   5s.

In the chamber over the hall
On table and frame, on bedsteede, on trundle bed and wool bed and other implementes   2

In the chamber over the buttery
On bedsttede and furniture and on trundle bed   1,4s.
All the linen and apery ware   2
All her aparrell   1,10s.
In readie mony and deptes   15
 

Thomas and Elizabeth had the following children:
 

1. Thomas, christened 22 June 1605 in Banbury. Thomas is mentioned in a Peculiar Court of Banbury fine against Anne Wooton in 1626 for "incontinence with Thomas Neale; she is a pauper: appeared: confessed that she hath had a child unlawfully begotten by one Thomas Neale of Banbury a year and a half since, who is now run away".
 

*2. Robert, christened 8 November 1607 in Banbury; married Elizabeth Burwell 3 October 1627 in Banbury; buried 4 July 1644 in Banbury.

Robert Neale baptism 

Baptism record for Robert Neale in Banbury: "Roberte Neale sonne to Thomas Neale baptized the viijth daye"

3. Bridgett, christened 18 December 1609 in Banbury; married Isaack Piner 4 October 1632 (contrary to her mother's will).
 

*4. Margarett, christened 18 October 1612 in Banbury; married Cresswell Flye 31 August 1637 in Banbury; buried 19 February 1671 in Banbury. 

Margaret Neale baptism  

Baptism record for Margarett Neale in Banbury: "Margeret Neale daughter to Tho: Neale baptized ye 18 day"

 

SOURCES: Banbury parish register; IGI; www.familysearch.org; Banbury Corporation Records: Tudor and Stuart; Banbury Wills and Inventories, Thomas's will dated 1617; Elizabeth's will dated 1632; Brailes parish register, www.findmypast.com.