11. HEY

Tootle Tree

RICHARD HEY and ALICE (11)

 

RICHARD HEY. The baptisms of Richard’s children give him a likely birth date around 1635. There is just one Padiham baptism in that period.

Baptism. St Leonard, Padiham.
1636 Dec 25  Richardus filiius Jacobi Hey de Northwood.
His father’s name could be Jacob, but more probably James.
His mother was Alice Pollard from Burnley.

Richard was the seventh of nine children. Only one of his siblings died in infancy, suggesting that the family were fairly well off.

His birthplace of Northwood lies north of Padiham, halfway between the town and Pendle Hill. Its location makes it highly likely that Richard’s father was engaged in farming, probably as a yeoman farmer, rather than a labourer. The area was almost entirely devoted to sheep farming.

Richard was born into a time when there was considerable unrest between King Charles I and Parliament. He was only four in 1641 when men were required to take the Protestation Oath, pledging loyalty to the king, Parliament and the Protestant religion. The Padiham return shows “James Hey his family”, as well as his uncle John Hey, who also lived in Northwood.

He was 12 when Charle I was exectuted. Oliver Cromwll’s Republican Commonwealth was instituted the following year and lasted until 1660, when the monarchy was retored under Charles II.

Richard’s marriage has not been found. It probably took place during the Commonwealth Republic of the 1650s, when there is often an interruption in the parish registers.

We learn from the burial register that his wife’s name was Alice.

They raised their family in Padiham. 

Baptisms. St Leonard, Padiham.
1661 Apr 30  Ann
1665/6 Feb 21  Ayles. The family abode is hard to read, but could be Heyhouses.
1667 Jul 3  Rebeccah. Abode: Heyhouses.
1677 Apr 30  Richard. Abode: Heyhouses

The Padiham register is in poor condition and parts can no longer be read. There were probably other children between Rebeccah and Richard.

Heyhouses lies further north than Northwood, at the foot of Pendle Hill. It is now part of the village of Sabden.

The Hearth Tax for 1666 shows that 16 hearths were assessed in Heyhouses, but no house had more than two hearths.

On 4 April 1676 there was a burial for Richard Hey of Padiham. This is probably not our Richard.

More relevant is the following burial.

Burial. St Leonard, Padiham.
1677 May 2  Alice wife of Richard Hey of Heyhouses
This was two days after the baptism of Richard junior.

The fact that she was not a widow suggests that Richard outlived her. We have not found his burial. It is probably one of the illegible entries.