Events
Date of Birth: unknown.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Date of Death: unknown.
Place of Death: unknown.
Relationships
Father: William Chambers alias Ireland.
Mother: Margaret.
William names his unmarried daughters Agnes, C..y.., and Ellen in his will. Margaret the wife of William Chambers was buried 1544 in Rowley Regis.
Spouse: Thomas Willets.
See the Commentary section.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
William Willets (baptized 29 June 1566 in Rowley Regis).
Thomas Willets (baptized 8 November 1568 in Rowley Regis).
Richard Willets (baptized 13 October 1573 in Rowley Regis- buried 20 February 1659/60 in Rowley Regis) married Elizabeth Dudley.
Margery Willets married Richard Foley 9 February 1602/3 in Rowley Regis.
Eleanor Willets.
Commentary
Thomas Willets is described as a “brother” in the 1598 will Edmund Darby of Oldbury. Edmund Darby seems to have married a sister of Thomas Willets: he is called “my wellbeloved Edmund Darby” and made an overseer in the 1551 will of Thomas’s father Thomas Wylotes of Rowley. This role is easily explained if Edmund was the elder Thomas’s son in law, although he is not specifically called that in the will.
Thomas Willets is described as a brother-in-law in the 1596/9 will of John Chambers alias Ireland of Halesowen. Normally this would mean that either John married Thomas’s sister or that Thomas married John’s sister. It is unlikely that John married Thomas’s sister for these reasons:
A. Timing. Thomas Wylotes (the elder) mentions no daughters in his 1551 will, although he does mention Edmund Darby, who we are saying married Thomas’s daughter. It is fairly normal for a married daughter not to be named in wills, or to receive only token bequests, as they would have received their portions at the time of their marriage, but Thomas would almost certainly have left a bequest to an unmarried daughter. Instead, he specifies that if one of his sons dies, his portion is to be split between the elder Thomas’s surviving son and the children (not sons) of the elder Thomas’s brother. Therefore, if John had married a daughter of the elder Thomas, it would have been before 1551. However, we know that John married Amy ('Anme') Darby in 1563 in Halesowen, and his eldest child was baptized there in 1564. He married secondly Joyce Kirkome, the widow of Robert Underhill, in 1592 in Halesowen. Joyce had married Robert in Halesowen in 1572 and had several children thereafter, including two named in John’s will, and the last being baptized in 1582. It is unrealistic that she had been married previously to her marriage to Robert for more than twenty years.
B. The plausibility of the bequest in John’s will. John leaves a yearling heifer each to “Elynor and Margerye Willetts the daughters of Thomas Wylletts my brother in lawe”. It seems to me that he would be more likely to make such a bequest to his sister’s children than to the children of the brother of his deceased wife. This would also be more consistent with the other bequests made in his will.
On the other hand, we know that John had three unmarried sisters at the time of his father’s death in 1558. One, Agnes (the younger)/Anne (“Agnes” and “Anne” were often treated as variants of the same name.) was still unmarried in 1596, but it is perfectly plausibly that Thomas married one of the others not long before 1566.
I think it was probably “Elyne”, as Thomas had a daughter named Eleanor.
A note on the wills below. Somewhat oddly, Ellen had two brothers named John, as is shown in her father’s will. This was not that uncommon in the period. The wills of the two Johns below are clearly those of the two brothers. The younger’s will, made in 1597, mentions his sister …ett Wainwright and his brother John Chambers. The elder’s, made in 1596 but not proved until 1599, mentions his sister Margaret Wainwright (although the name of another sister, Anne Chambers, seems to have been accidentally omitted in the register copy of the will). The name “Anne” for John’s wife in the 1563 marriage in the Halesowen transcription below is presumably a misreading of “Ame”, which is how “Amy” was often spelled in the period.
Evidence
For the 1558 will of Ellen’s father, see his page.
In it, he mentions:
John his eldest son;
Wyllyam his son;
John his youngest son;
his three unmarried daughters: Angnes, C..y.., and Elyne;
his four married daughters (unnamed);
his brother Phelyp.
He makes a bequest to Symon Astley between bequests to his married and unmarried daughters.
His executors are his three sons, and his overseers are his brother Phelyp and Symon Asteley.
In parish register for Rowley Regis, it is recorded that:
Simon Astely and Mary Chambers married in 1546.
Hendry Waynwright and M’gret Chambers married in 1548.
Richard Whiston and Agnes Chambers married in 1551.
William son of John Jerland was baptized in 1567
Agnes daughter of John Ierland was baptitzed in 1574.
Jone daughter of John Chambers was baptized in 1575
In parish register for Halesowen, it is recorded that:
“John Chamber’s & Anne Darbye were married the xjth day of Julye” in 1563.
“Christopher Ireland, sonne of John Ireland” was baptized 11 June 1564.
“Richard vndrell & Joyce Kirkome were married the vth day of februarye” in 1571/2.
“John vndrell, sonne of Richard vndrell by Joice his wieffe” was baptized in 1574.
“Johane Ireland, daughter of John Ireland by Amye his wieffe, was Baptized the vjth day of marche” in 1574.
“Richard, the sonne of Richard vndrell by Joyce his wieffe” was baptized in 1577.
“Willm, the Sonne of Richard vndrell by Joice his wieffe” was baptized in 1578/9.
“Elienor, the daughter of Richard undrell by Joice his wieffe” was baptized in 1581.
“Willm, sonne of Richard undrell by Joyce his wieffe” was baptized in 1582.
“Richard Undrell was Buried the ixth day of September” in 1592.
“John Chambers & Joyce Vndrell were married the xxviijth daye of September” in 1592.
“Edmunde Darbye was Buried the vth day of September” in 1598.
“John Chambers, als. Ierland, was buried the xixth day of January” in 1598/9.
The will of Ellen’s brother John Chambers alias Ireland (the elder):
In the name of God Amen, The Fifteneth daie of Januarye in the years of our Lord God One Thousand Fyue hundreth Fourescore and Sixteene according to the Computac’on of the Church of England./ I John Chambers al’s Ireland of the parryshe of halesowen in the Countie of Salop beeing sicke in bodye but of good and perfecte mynde and remembrance (God be thancked for it) doe make this my laste will and Testament in maner and forme following. / First I bequeathe my soule to Almightie God my Creator and Redeemer, / And my bodye to be buryed in the Churcheyard of halesowen./ Also I geue and bequeathe to Joyce my wife, Sixetene Strykes of Rye and Eighte Strykes of Otes, And Three young beastes suche and so good as I hadd with her, or else Foure pounds, and Tenne groates in money whether shee will./ And all other goods and Chattels which I had w’th her. Also I geue and bequeathe to the said Joyce my wyfe to the value of Fortye shillinges in victualles to be delyuered to her at thappoynctm’ and discretion of thoverseers of this my laste will./ Item I geue and bequeathe to the said Joyce my wife, All the Lien rent whiche her sonne John oweth me/ And he oweth me by his owne confession Fyve nobles and Fortye pence more, w’ch my Exeutors shall haue./ Allso I geue and bequeathe to Elianor Underhill my daughter in lawe Three pounds to be paid her within one yeare nexte after my decease./ Allso I geue and bequeathe to Johan Curtler my daughter the wife of John Curtler./ All that my cotage and Tenement, and garden thereunto belonging withall lands, Tenem’ts howses, buyldinges, gardens, orchards, meadowes, Rents, Revercons, proffitts comodyties and heredytam’ts of myne whatever with their Appurtenances scytuat, lieng, and being, in the Towne, hamletts, and Feylds of Wall’rhampton in the Countie of Stafford, or elswhere within the said Countye of Stafford./ All w’ch I hadd and purchased of Will’m Stynton of Woollu’hampton Curryer./ To haue and to hould all the said p[re]misses to the said Johan Curtler, and to the heires of her bodye lawefully begotten for ever./ Also I geue and bequeathe to the said Johane Curtler my daughter Tenne poundes in money./ Item I geue and bequeathe to my Three Sisters Margarett, Waynewrighte, and Avice, and Will’m Davies Three shillings fourepence a peice./ Item I geue to Amy, (my sonne Christopher his daughter,) the bigger of the Two pannes, w’ch Amy my wife wisshed shee should haue,/ And thother lesser Panne, I geue to Marye his daughter./ Also I geue and bequeathe to John, Christopher & Francis (my Sonne Christopher his chilldren) Fower ewe Sheepe a peece./ Allso I geue and bequeathe to John Curtler my daughters sonne, Fower live sheepe./ I geue and bequeathe to Elynor, and Margerye Willetts the daughters of Thomas Wylletts my brother in lawe) to either of them, a yeareling heiffer./ Item I geue and bequeathe to my househould servaunts Two shillinges a peice,/ And to my Godchilldren Tweluepence a peece/ It’m I geue and bequeathe to the poore people of the p[ar]ishe of halesowen Twenty shillinges To be bestowed on them at the discretion of my Executors./ All the reste and Residue of my Goods, Cattelles, and Chattelles unbequeathed my detts being paid, and I honestly broughte home, I geue and bequeathe to the Executors of this my laste will, to be equally parted, and devided betwene them./ But yet my will is, That Jone my daughter shall have a Cofer w’th all thinges in yt, which her mother gaue her, and a Tableboord, and a chasterne more than xpofer my sonne./ Item I ordaine, and make Christopher Chambers al’s Ireland my sonne, and Johan Curtler my daughter my full Executors./ And I appoynte Thomas Wylletts my brother in lawe & Symon Ryder to be thoverseers of this my laste will./ In wytnes whereof I haue to this my laste will and Testament putt my hand and Seale, the daie and yeare firste aboue wrytten./ Theis beeing wytnesses./ Thomas Willetts./ John Curtler. Simon Rider, and others./
[proved 10 May 1599]
The will of Ellen’s brother John Chambers alias Ireland (the younger):
[The top left of the will is torn away.]
[...]in the ij daye of november in the yere of oure lord 1597 and in the xxxix yere [...] Soueraynge ladie Elizabeth by the grace of god quen of England Fraunce & Ireland defender [... …] I John Chambers alias Ireland of the parishe of Rowley in the Countie of Stafford & Dyoces of [... …] in bodye but wholle in mynde thanks be geven unto all myghtie god doe make this my laste [...] in maner & forme hereafter followynge/ firste I bequethe my soule unto allmyghtie god my [... …] by whose meryts I truste to be saved and my bodie to be buryed in the Churche or churche [... …] Item I geve and bequethe unto the poore people of the p[ar]ische of Rowley xx s to be Dystribyted [... …] of my executors & ouersears/ Item I geve & bequethe & [...] unto John Chambers alias Ireland my sonne the yeres in the said lease yett to come which I have of Rychard Stabeler his howse as in the [... …] at large apperythe/ Item I geve & bequethe unto the said John Chambers & Chrystofer [...] all my entereste & tearme of yeres which I have as yetto come of in & to all those two meadowes lyeng & beyng in Rowley in the Countie of Stafford [... …ke] of william grove equallie to be devided betwene them bouthe/ Item I geve & bequethe unto [...ters] my dawghter fortie pounds of lawfull money of England to be paid unto her at the daye [... …yage] or within one yere next after my deceasse/ Item I geve and bequethe unto euery of my childrens [...] a shepe a pece to be paid them within one yere nexte after my decease/ Item I geve & bequethe [...] Russell my dawghter xxs / Item I geve and bequethe unto anne marten my dawghter xxs [... …] bequethe unto walter garrett iijs iiijd / Item I geve and bequethe unto John Sowthall my servand [...] Item I geve & bequethe unto margery pennell my servand xvjd/ Item I geve & bequethe unto [..ett] waynewryghte my syster iijs iiijd/ Item I geve and bequethe unto anne chambers my syster Item I geve & bequethe unto John Chambers and Christofer Chambers my sonnes all my smethy towles equally [...] devyded betwene them (excepte one peyre of bellowes which I geve and bequethe unto Willm chambers my sonne) Item I geve & bequethe unto ales my wyffe my vj oxen with all waynes yokes cheynes with ther all Implements belonginge to the teame so longe as she kepythe her selfe sole and unmaryed and if she to marrye then my will is and I geve & bequethe iij of my oxen with halfe the Implements afor seyd unto John and Christofer Chambers my sonnes to be deuyded equally betwene them/ Item more I geve and bequethe unto ales my wyffe vj kyne to her owne use to do with them what she pleasythe All the reste of my goods & Cattells movable and unmovable unbequethed my detts beynge paid my will [perfo]rmed my funerall dyscharged I geve & bequethe unto ales my wyffe John Chambers and [Chri]stofer chambers my sonnes equally to be devided a mongste them/ and I doe Constitute order & make ales my wyffe John and christpher chambers my Sonnes my executors to se this my last will & testamente p[er]formed & executed/ and I make John chambers my brother and thomas darby my brother in lawe my oversears/
The will of Edmund Darby:
In the name of god amen the xxj daye of June in the yere of oure lord god 1598/ I Edmonde Darby of Owldburye in the parishe of halesowen & Diocies of worcester sicke in bodie but wholle & in good and perfecte remembraunce thanks be unto god doe make my laste will & Testament in maner & forme followyng Firste I bequethe my soule to allmyghtie god my Creator and redemer trustynge to be saved by no other meanes but by the mercie of god throughe Jesus Christe and my bodie to the earthe from whence it came & to be buryed in the churche or churcheyard of halesowen/ Item I geve and bequethe unto the poore mans boxe of the churche of halesowen unto the use of poore people there iij s iiij d Item I geve unto the poore people of the parishe of Rowley regis iij s iiij d Item I geve unto the poore aaowghte the chappell of owldburye ij s Item I geve & bequeathe unto Ales Ireland my dawghter x s of lawfull englishe money Item I geve unto the seven children of John Ireland and the said Ales my dawghter and to euery of them iij s iiij d a pece to be paid by myne executors ymedyatlye afte my decease Item I geve unto the three children of Thomas Darby my sonne x s equally to be devided betweene them Item my detts beyng paid my legacies performed and all my funerall costs dyscharged onte of the wholle my will is that the reste of my goods movable Detts & Cattels shall remayne unto Jone my wyffe and my two dawghters Jone and Agnes to lyve upon together solonge as theire mother lyuethe if the same so agree and after de Decease of my wyffe to be equallie parted betwyxte my said two Dawtghters if they shall be bothe then a lyve, and if either of my said dawghters Jone & Annes cannot be contentid to lyue to gether with her mother and syster as aforesaid or els doe marrye then my will is that the same dawghter shall have the thirde parte of all my forsaid goods detts & Cattells and so to departe and goe her waye, and of this my laste will & Testamente I doe ordeyne and make my said two dawghters Joan and Annes my executors. and of the execucion of the same I make & ordeyne my welbeloved brother Thomas Willetts Thomas Darbye my sonne & Willm chambers alias Ireland oversears and doe geve unto ether of them inconsideracon of theire paynes to be taken therin iij s iiij d with theire charges to se this my laste will & Testaments truly fulfylled, my legacies performed, and I utterly revoke & adnulle all & euery other former testaments wills legacies bequests executors and ouersears by me in any wyse before this tyme made named willed & bequethed, these beyng witnes Charles Dudson clerke Thomas Darbye and William Ireland
The inventory was taken 8 September 1598 by Thomas Willetts, William Turton, Thomas Darby, William Ireland, and William Rownd.
References
The Registers of Halesowen. (The Parish Register Society, 1910).
Rowley Regis Parish Register. (Staffordshire Parish Registers Society, 1912).
Will of John Chambers alias Ireland. Proved 1598 in the Consistory Court of Worcester.
Will of John Chambers alias Ireland. Proved 1599 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
Will of Phelyp Chambers otherwise called Ireland. Proved 1562 in the Consistory Court of Worcester.
Will of William Chambers otherwise called Ireland of Halesowen. Proved 1558 in the Consistory Court of Worcester.