Events
Date of Baptism: 25 March 1600.
Place of Baptism: Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.
This is assuming the parents given below are correct.
Date of Burial: 12 June 1690.
Place of Burial: Clent, Worcestershire.
The burial is recorded in the parish register and in the bishop’s transcripts.
Relationships
Father: Anthony Cole.
Mother: Alice Milward.
See the Commentary section below.
Spouse: Ann Taylor. Married 25 June 1633 at Clent.
Ann’s name is given in the baptism record of William Cole. The marriage is recorded in the parish register.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
William Cole (1634 - 1711) married Mary Scott 7 June 1666 in Chaddesley Corbett.
Elizabeth Cole (baptized 12 July 1639 in Clent - buried 1 March 1721 in Bromsgrove) married Anthony Dowbridge.
Gilbert Cole possibly married Elizabeth Waldron 3 February 1673/4 at Clent.
Isabel Cole (buried 10 March 1663 at Clent)
Ann Cole (buried 2 May 1665 at Clent)
Commentary
Gilbert’s parentage:
There were two Gilbert Coles of approximately the same age living in the area in the period.
One Gilbert Cole is mentioned as Gilbert Cole, scythesmith of Clent, in the 1653/64 will of his brother William Cole of the Brooke.
The second Gilbert Cole was the son of Anthony Cole of Chadwich, baptized in 1600 in Bromsgrove. This Gilbert was left 20 shillings in the 1650/4 will of his father and an annuity of 5 pounds in the 1661 will of his elder brother Anthony Cole, who left no children. A daughter of this Gilbert Cole married Anthony Dowbridge, who appears with several of Anthony Cole’s relatives in the Chadwich hearth tax returns. The Chadwich returns also mention the “William Cole of Clent”. This William was the son of the Gilbert of this page.
Further evidence of a connection between the family of the second Gilbert and the Gilbert of this page is provided by the records of the lease of the manor of Chadwich in the Christ Church, Oxford, archives. These records show that Anthony’s mother Joan acquired the lease in 1559. Her husband John left it to Anthony in his will in 1577, and he left it to his son Anthony in his 1650/4 will. The younger Anthony left it to Anthony Dowbridge, the husband of a daughter of the Gilbert of this page. In 1683 it is in the hands of “William Cole the elder, of Clent”, definitely the son of the Gilbert of this page. By 1692 it was back in the hands of an Anthony Dowbridge.
The property evidence is good enough to show that the Gilbert of this page was the second Gilbert, and therefore Gilbert’s father was Anthony Cole the elder of Clent.
Anthony Cole married Alice Milward in Alvechurch in 1593, a couple months after the illegitimate birth of their first son. Alice’s burial (“Alitia uxor Anthony Cole”) is recorded in the Bromsgrove register.
The evidence is sufficient that Gilbert’s parents were Anthony Cole the elder of Clent and Alice Milward.
The two Gilberts were related by marriage: the sister (Jane) of the second Gilbert married the brother (Edward) of the first.
Evidence
from the Bromsgrove parish register:
[1600]
The xxvth daie of March was baptized Gilbart the son[n]e of Anthonie Coole
In his 1653 will (proved 1663 and 1664) William Cole of the Brooke, Belbroughton makes his executors "my loving brother in law Anthonie Cole of Chadwich in the County of Worcester gent and my loving brother Gilbert Cole of Clent in the County of Stafford sythesmith".
The 1666 Hearth Tax for Bromsgrove lists, under Chadwitch, a William Cole of Clent (1 hearth, void). William was the only person under Chadwitch specified to be of somewhere else.
Will of William Cole of the Brooke:
In the name of god amen I William Cole of the Brooke in the p[ar]ish of Bellbroughton in the Countie of Worcester yeoman being both in bodily health and of a disposing memorie praise bee given to god therefore to the and after my decease all incertaintie and contention forever concerning the sharing and dividing of that small estate wherewith it hath pleased allmightie God to bless mee so farr as in mee lies may bee prevented do make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manner and forme following. And first My will is And I do give and bequeath unto my loving wife Alice Cole and her assignes All that my cottage or tenement for with the appurtenances scituate lying and being in Bellbroughton in the County of Worcester and now or late in the tenure and occupation of Humphrey Hawthorne, and all houses edifices buildings gardens orchards and backsides thereunto belonging and all that one acre of arable land with the app[ur]tenances called the Millwood lying and being in and of the common feilds of Bellbroughton aforesaid called Ribball Hill which acre was heretofore used or demised together with the same cottage or tenement To have and to hold the said Cottage or tenemt and the houses edifices buildings gardens and backsides and all that acre of arable land called the millwood with their and everie of their appurtenances unto the said Alice and her assignes from & after my decease for and dureing(?) and [...] [...] full and of the terme and time of xx of yeares if shee the said Alice shall so long live//////and from and after the end and [...] or third [...] of the sd terme I do give & bequeath the same cottage acre of land & premisses unto my son Richard Cole hs executors admrs and assignes to have & to hold the same unto him the said Richard his executors admrs and assignes for & dureinge & to the end of 900 years so Item for the better maintenance and education of the children of mee the said William upon the bodie of her the said Alice begotten I do further give and bequeath unto my said wife All my lands tenements and hereditaments leases reversions and remainders whatsoever with their and everie of their appurtenances and the rents issues and proffits thereof To have and to hold all my said lands tenements leases Reversions & remainders & their and everie of their appurtenances and the rents issues and proffits thereof unto her the said Alice and her assignes for and untill such time and my son Gilbert shall (or may if hee so long live) attaine to the full age of one and twentie yeares; if shee the said Alice shall so long live continue sole and unmarried; and from and after the death, or marriage of her the said Alice, or the effluxion or expiration of so much time as shall (or may) compleat and accomplish the full age of my said son Gilbert if shee so long live as aforesaid which of them shall first happen; I do hereby give and bequeath the same in manner and forme following That is to say first I do give and bequeath and bequeath (sic) unto my said son Richard Cole all those two acres of land with the appurtenances now in possession of my son John Cole or his undertenants or assignes one acre and half an acre whereof are lying & being in one of the common feilds belonging to Belbroughton aforesaid called Broadfeild one acre whereof lies on the length of the/////
same fould called Follours alike(?) length and is bounded with Nichol[..] Bennets land on the southside and part of the Glebe land in the north side thereof one half acre thereof is bounded with Mr John Pagrtts land of the south side and Mr William Cookes his land of the north side thereof and the other half acre is lying and being in another Common feild of Bellbroughton aforesaid called Brookefeild in [...]length there called Cherrie tree butts Mr William Cookes land lying on both sides thereof (which said two acres of land last mentioned were heretofore used or demised together with the said cottage or tenement before mentioned to bee now or of late in the tenure and occupation of the sd Humphrey Hawthorne; and also all that cottage or tenement with the appurtenances lying and being in Bellbroughton aforesaid now in the tenure of John Porrington with the orchard garden and yard thereto belonging and all those foure acres of arable land together with the same cottage or tenement last mentioned now or heretofore used occupied or demised; two acres whereof are lying and being in one of the common feilds of Bellbroughton called Broad feild one of which acers is bounded with the land of Nicholas Bennett on the south side and the land of Mr William Cookes on the north side thereof, one half acre in the same////
feild lying toward Pagetts mills(?) bounded with the land of Mr John Pagett on the north(?) and the land of Nicholas Bennett in the south side thereof the other half acre in the same feild is bounded with the land of Nicholas Bennett on the south side and the land of Thomas Aston on the North side thereof the other two acres are lying and being in a common feild of Bellbroughton aforesaid called Brooke feild one acres whereof is bounded with Mr Pagetts land on the east side and the land of Nicholas Bennett on the west side thereof one half acre lying in a certaine length in the same feild called turtlemore(?) poole length is bounded with Mr William Cooks land on the one side and Nicholas Bennetts land on the other side thereof the other half acre lying in the same feild is two butts and shutts downe to the maine streame & is bounded in Cooks land in the one side & N. Bennetts land in [...] To have and to hold the said two acres of arable land in possession of my said son John Cole and the said cottage or tenement before mentioned to bee in the tenure of John Porrington & all those foure acres of arable land now or heretofore with the same cottage or tenemt used occupied or demised with their and every of their appurtenances unto the said Richard Cole his executors admrs and assignes from and after the death or marriage of my said wife Alice or the effluxion of so much time as shall or may compleat or accomplish the full age of my said son Gilbert which of them shall first happen for and during & untill the full end of the terme and time of one thousand years from thence next ensueing/////
and fully to bee compleat and ended. Item I give unto my yongest son William all that cottage or tenement with the appurtenances scituate and being in the parish of Belbroughton in the County of Worcester now or late in the tenure and occupation of Edward Bowen or his assignes and all houses edifices buildings gardens orchards yards and foldyards and all that close or backside thereunto adjoineing or belonging with their & every of their appurtenances To have and to hold the said cottage or tenement houses edifices buildings gardens orchards yards & foldyards close and backside with their & everie of their appurtenances unto the said William my yongest son his exers admrs and assignes from and after the death or mareage of my said wife Alice or the effluxion of so much time as shall or may compleat or accomplish the full age of my said son Gilbert which of them shall first happen for and during and untill the full and of the terme and time of one thousand yeares from thence next ensueing and fully to bee compleat and ended. Item I given and bequeath unto my son Gilbert Cole all other my lands tenements and hereditaments wages and termes of yeares whatsoever (to the intent that hee the said Gilbert shall pay or cause to bee paid the sev[er]all & respective sum[m]es of money to the [cut off] hereafter named) with their ///////
and every of their app[ur]tenances To have and to hold the same unto the said Gilbert Cole his executors admrs and assignes from and after the death or marriage of my said wife Alice or the effluxion of so much time as shall or may compleat or accomplish the full age of my said son Gilbert (which of them shall first happen for and during and untill the full end of the terme and time of one thousand years from thence next ensueing & fully to bee compleat and ended yeilding and paying the severall sum[m]es of money hereafter mentioned to the severall p[er]sons at the sev[er]all times hereafter limited and appointed that is to say, to my daughter Joane the sum[m]e of twelve pounds within one yeare after my decease to my son John the sum[m]e of twelve pounds within one yeare and half after my decease; to my son Richard the sum[m]e of twelve pounds to bee paid at his full age of 21 yeares and in the meane time the yearely sum[m]e or annuity of twenty shillings every yeare upon the 25 day of March during his minority to my youngest son William Cole the sum[m]e of 12 li to bee paid at his full age of 21 yeares and in the meane time the yearely sum[m]e or annuity of 20s everie yeare upon the 25 day of March during his minority to my Daughter Anne the full sum[m]e of twelve pounds to bee paid at her full age of one and twenty yeares and in the meane time the yearely sum[m]e or annuity of twenty shillings every yeare upon the/////
25 day of March during her minority and if the said sev[er]all and respective sum[m]es of money or any of them or any part thereof shall bee behind and unpaid by the space of twentie daies next after any of the said daies of paymt then my will is & I do hereby authorise and appoint that my executors of this my will shall sell and demise for the terme of one thousand yeares all those my lands lying in a feild in the parish of Bellbroughton aforesaid called Chumall and all those my lands lying in another feild in the same parish called the Preach(?) for the payment or better security of the payment thereof as the same shall become due; and that my said executors having raised the said severall sum[m]es out of the purchase money that shall bee so contracted for upon such sale, & haveing deducted for themselves their reasonable charges & expences about sule(?) thereof shall bee accountable and make payment of the overplus of such money if any shall bee unto him the said Gilbert his executors admrs or assignes. all the rest of my goods chattells cattell houshold stuff moneys & p[er]sonal estate whatsoever being devided into foure parts I do give & bequeath unto my loving wife Alice the one full fourth part thereof and the other three parts I do give and bequeath unto my two daughter Joane & Anne to bee equally divided betweene them. And I do nominate & appoint my loving brother in law Anthonie Cole of Chadwich in the County of Worcester//////
gent and my loving brother Gilbert Cole of Clent in the County of Stafford sythesmith my full and whole executors of this my last will and testament and do desire my loving freind and neighbor Mr John Cole of the mill to bee the overseer of this my will entreating my said executors and overseers to use their utmost endeavors that this my last will may bee fulfilled in every particular. In witness whereof I have published this my last will and testament being written upon both sides of foure sheetes of paper and have subscribed my marke upon each side of everie sheet thereof and to the backside of the last sheet thereof I have putt my seale the two and twentieth day of Februarie in the yeare of or Lord one thousand six hundred fiftie and three.
the marke of William Cole @ [seal]
signed sealed and published as the last will of the said William Cole the day and yeare above written in presence
Leon: Simpson
John Cole
James Parskutt
[proved 5 February 1663 by Gilbert Cole
[proved by John Cole, John Cole, and Gilbert Cole 21 December 1664]
A codicill to be added to the last will and Testament of [...] William Cole late of Belbroughton in the Dioces of Worcester deceased and to be taken & deemed as p[ar]te of the same will (vizt)
The sayd William Cole, after the makinge of his sayd will in writinge nowe remaininge in the Registry of the Dioces of Worcester, beinge of sound and p[er]fect memory, did give and bequeath by word of mouth unto his sonne Richard Cole beinge then an Infant under the age of seaven yeares Two cottages and certaine Acres of Land with thapp[ur]tenances, To have & to hould the same to the sayd Richard his sayd sonnes for the space or tearme of One thousand yeares to begin immediatly from and after the death of Alice the then wife of the sayd Testat.r William Cole [ (inserted above) And of one John Hoskins(?)] And did declare that it was his will & intent That the sayd Richard his sonne should have the same two cottages & Land [(inserted above) & the said twenty shillings yearly] in the same sort & manner as he had formerly given or bequeathed the same unto Richard Cole (the former sonne of the sayd William Cole then deceased) in & by his sayd will in writinge’ And desired the sayd Legacys might be altered (his’(?) to the former Richard deceased,) in the sayd will, & to be entred or sett downe as given to the sayd Richard his sonne then livinge; Or he gave bequeathed nuncupated or declared to that or the like effect in the p[re]sence or hearing of divers credible wittnesses.
[Written sideways on the left side]
And did Alsoe give unto the sayd Richard his sonne twenty shillings yearly untill he should accomplish the age of one & twenty yeares to be payd by Gilbert Cole sonne of the sayd William,
John Cole Agricola
[proved by John Cole and Gilbert Cole 21 December 1664]
Gilbert Cole’s will:
Februar th 2 1690
A just and trew Invitory of the goods of Gilbert Cole the Elder of the p[ar]ish of Clent in the County of Stafford yeoman
Imprimis his purss and girdle and wearing apparell --- 1 - 0 - 0
Item one joynd bedd and all as belongs to it --- 1 - 10 - 0
Item in the parler one joynd bedd one press and cubard one chest --- 2-15-0
Item one table boord in the hall --- 0-10-0
Item for brass and pewter --- 2-0-0
Item for trumpey 2 pints 3 barrels ---0-5-0
Tot. --- 8-0-0
Paul Perrins
John Porter
In the name of God Amen this fifteenth day of January in the yeare of our Lord one Thousand six hundred eighty eight I Gilbert Cole of the parish of Clent in the County of Stafford yeom[an] being weake in body but of a sound mind thanks be given to God therefore Duly weighing with my selfe the certainty of Death, but the uncertaine houre of my Dissolution not knowing; yet my age and Dissabilitys (being considered) cannot be farr off And therefore do make and ordayne this my Last will and testam.t and first I com[m]end my soule into the hands of God who gave it trusting through the meritts of my ever blessed Saviour Jesus Christ to obtaine everlasting life my body I comitt to the earth from whence it came desireing the same may be Decently buryed in such Christian manner as to my Executor hereafter named [...] most meete And as concerning that Temporall estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me my will is and I do hereby give and devise the same as followeth Imprs: I give and Devise to my son William Cole the sum[m]e of twenty pounds Item I give to Mary Cole wife of my son William Cole ten shillings Item I give and devise to my Grandson William Cole Ten pounds Item I give and Devise to my Grandaughter Elizabeth Cole ten pounds Item I give and Devise to William Cole son of Richard Cole five pounds to be payd to them within twelve monthes next after my Decease Item I give and Devise to my Daughter Elizabeth wife of Anthony Dowbridge ten shillings Item I give and Devise to the six Daughters of the said Anthony Dowbridge (now Living) forty shillings a peece to be payd to them assoone as they come to the sev[er]all and Respective ages of one and twenty yeares and if any or either of them shall happen to Dye before she or they shall attaine to the said ages of one and twenty yeares then my will and meaning is that the money so devised to the Daughter or daughters (now Living) shall be equally Divided betweene the Surviving Daughters. Item I give and Devise to my son Gilbert Cole all and singler my freehold and Leasehold mesuages Lands tenem.ts and hereditam.ts whatsoever scituate Lying and being in the parish of Belbroughton and else where in the County of Worcester with the appurtences and all my right title and Interest in and to the same and all deeds writings and evidences touching or concerning the same primisses or any part thereof to have and to hold All and singler the said mesuages Lands tenem.ts and hereditam.ts above devised with all and ev[er]y their appurtences unto the said Gilbert Cole for and dureing the terme of his naturall Life and from and after his decease I do hereby give and devise the same to my Grandson Gilbert Cole son of my son Gilbert Cole and to the heires Male of his body Lawfully begotten and to be begotten and for want of such Issue to the use of the second son of my son Gilbert Cole and to the heires male of his body Lawfully begotten and to be begotten and for want of such Issue to the use of the third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth or tenth son of my son Gilbert Cole Lawfully begotten and to be begotten and to the heires male of such son Lawfully begotten and to begotten (thelder still preferred before the younger) and for want of such Issue to the use of my son William Cole for and dureing the terme of his naturall Life and from and after his decease to my grandson William Cole and to the heires male of his body Lawfully begotten and to be begotten and for want of such Issue to the use of the second third fourth fifth sixth seventh eighth ninth or tenth son of my son William Cole Lawfully begotten & to be begotten and for want of such Issue to the use of the Right heires of the said Gilbert Cole for ever and to and for none other use Intent or purpose whatsoever Item I give and Devise to John Cox of Clent in the County of Stafford gent and Thomas Penn of the parish of Hagley in the County of Worcester gent their Executors Admrs and Assignes the sume of ten pounds to the Intent and purpose and upon speciall trust and confidence in them the said John Cox and Thomas Penn their Executors and Assignes putt and reposed that they the said John Cox and Thoms Penn and the Survivors of them and the Executors and Assignes of such Survivors shall and will place out and continue at Interest the ten pounds (so devised as aforesaid) upon sufficient and undenyable security and securitys and at a day certaine yearely and any yeare distribute the Interest thereof amongst such of the poore of the parish of Clent as are and may be reall and propper objects of charity whose Lowe and despicable condicon may absolutely crave or stand in need of the Compassionate Releife from the same parish And my further will and meaning is that the ten pounds principall money remaine and be as a Bank or stock for the poores use for ever and the Interest thereof disposed off to such charitable uses intents and purposes as in this my will above directed so that no Overseer or Collector for the poore of the said parish of Clent or any person else upon any Colour or pretence whatsoever shall have demand require or dispose of the same or any part or parcell thereof either principall or Interest without the consent and approbacon of the said John Cox and Thomas Penn and their assignes and the survivors of them and the Executors and Assignes of such Survivors. And as concerning all the Rest of my goods Cattell and Chattells of what nature or kind soever I do hereby give and devise the same to my son Gilbert Cole whom I make and ordayne to be the sole Executor of this my Will desireing him to pay my debts discharge my Legacys and fun[er]all expences and to see me well brought home in the Christian Manner as becomes a person of my degree And I do hereby Revoke all former wills by me made and I do appoint my son William Cole and Henry Croswell of Clent aforesaid shoemaker to be overseers of this my will desireing them to be Assisting to my said Executor and to see that this my will be in all things performed In witnes whereof I have hereto putt my hand and seale (being wrott upon two sheets of paper) the day and yeare abovesaid./
Signed sealed published & declared to be the last will & Testam.t of the said Gilbert Cole and the words (and Leasehold) being first interlined in the presence of
signed
Willi [mark] Perrins
signed
Mary [mark] Deeley
Sam: [mark] Marshall
signed
Gilbert: [X] Cole sen
[proved 17 February 1690]
References
Clent, St. Leonard Parish Registers, Staffordshire Parish Registers Society, 2004.
"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," Database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JWW5-NF4 : accessed 27 June 2015), Willim Cole, 02 Sep 1634; citing CLENT,WORCESTER,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 246,649.
Will of Gilbert Cole, proved 17 February 1690, Worcester consistory court, FHL film 98166.
Will of William Cole of the Brooke, Belbroughton. Proved 1664 in the Worcestershire Consistory Court.