History of the Johnstones, 1191-1909, with ... - Electric Scotland

FORMER OWNERS OF FULFORD HALL 255
This Knight's descendant was living at Baddesley Ensore, in Warwickshire, in
1434. One of his great-grandsons migrated to Derbyshire, and was ancestor
of the baronet of that name. The Levinges who remained in Warwickshire
owned Fulford Hall in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Sir Cresswell Levinge's
children were William Cresswell and Catherine. His grandson is described as
a gentleman of Westminster in 1720 and a K.C. The elder daughter of the
K.C., who inherited Fulford Hall, married one of the Holdens, who then owned
Erdington Hall (Wood End); and their only daughter married the Rev. Thomas
Wearden, who came from Lancashire to hold a mastership at King Edward's
School in Birmingham in 1747, but resigned it when he married to take the
Rectory of Solihull.
The Holdens, like the Carvers, were people of substance in the district
when a tax was levied by Edward HI. for the war in Scotland. Fulford Hall
was left to Mrs Wearden, while her brother, much younger than herself, inherited
Erdington Hall. The Weardens lived at Olton Hall, and when Mrs
Wearden was left a widow, about 178 1, she took a house for the winter in the
Old Square. There Edward became acquainted with them. The sisters were
highly accomplished. Catherine had lived much in London with her aunt,
Mrs Caldecott, her uncle being a K.C. ; but she was much worn by her sister's
long illness, and Edward's father was less pleased with the marriage than his
son expected, as he hoped to re-establish a strong family on his little Scottish
estate, and at present his only grandson was Thomas's very delicate boy.
Thomas, after losing .£2000, which his father gave him, as well as his wife's
money in business, had taken Holy Orders. He married, in Aug. 1779, Sarah
Hale, a descendant of the eminent judge, Sir Matthew Hale ; and from a letter
asking Dr Parr to preach for his charity schools at Bewdley, he seems to have
been an earnest clergyman, at issue with most of his congregation on the
advisability of teaching the labouring class to read and write, though he pointed
out that it would make them better servants. He held several livings, as
pluralists were then allowed, and his father thought he had done enough for
him, compared to what he was able to do for his other children, also that
Thomas, as an Episcopal clergyman, could not legally officiate in Scotland, so
ought not to live there. On hearing of Edward's engagement, he offered to
settle Galabank on Edward as his part of the marriage settlement, for his son
had lent him £2000, to be repaid at his death. Edward declined, urging the
prior right of his elder brother. The offer was repeated after Edward's first
child was born, and again refused, but the old gentleman was not to be dictated
to as regarded Thomas, and it appears to have been left to Edward as late
as 1795.
Lockhart, the youngest brother (except William, who died young), was
reading for the Bar, and his father in 1790 wrote to him about a Chancellor's
living. Lockhart, a spoiled child, who took far more liberties with his parent
than the elder sons ventured to do, replied : " The Chancellor [Thurlow] has
not resigned, nor is he likely to quit his office for some time to come.
Immediately upon his last quarrel with Pitt he disposed of about forty vacant