Clerk was born about 1298, the son of William Le Personnes, Clerk and Margaret de Baskerville. The place is not known.
His wife is not known. They were married, but the date and place have not been found. Their only known child was Richard (c1320-?).
| | ||||||||
| | ||||||||
| | | |||||||
| | ||||||||
| | | |||||||
| |
| Event | Date | Details | Source | Multimedia | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | ABT 1298 |
Note 1
!Note: Summary Boteler, Hesketh, and the Lancashire Re-Formation:
An early marriage between the Botelers of Wem and the de Ferrers line — through Ankaret le Boteler [1310–1361] and Thomas de Ferrers [1305–1353] —
shows an established partnership between those families and the wider Sybil-descended group.
By the early 14th century, the lines of Henry [de Baskerville] Hesketh of Hesketh [~1206 - ?] and Sir William Hawkins Hesketh [~1243 - ~1327] are
established in the Hesketh and Heskin area, along with the Clerk and Taillour lines, forming a working local network.
At the same time, the Lancashire Botelers are split between the Warrington barony, which ends c.1328, and the Wem barony, created 1308 and continuing
through William le Boteler [d. 1334], William [d. 1361], and William [d. 1369].
During the final phase of the Wem line, Nicholas le Boteler is active in Lancashire from about 1331 to 1368, holding land beside Hesketh and supporting
the group, including land transfers into their hands. This places the Wem interest directly next to the developing Hesketh network.
In 1369, the 3rd Baron of Wem dies and the line passes through Elizabeth, effectively ending the male baronial line. At the same time, Nicholas
disappears from the Lancashire record.
What follows is a short gap in authority for the Botelers. The local Hesketh-side group remains in place, but the Boteler structure is no longer unified.
The turning point comes in 1389, when Elizabeth Boteler of the Warrington line marries Richard Boteler of the Rawcliffe line under papal dispensation.
This reunites the two Lancashire branches into a single organized line.
After this, authority stabilizes. By the 1390s, Sir John Boteler of Rawcliffe appears as sheriff, marking the return of a functioning Lancashire leadership.
!Source: The National Archives' catalogue https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/59b6c8b0-5355-4500-84fd-0a190d665d0f
55 - Lancashire Archives
DDHE - HESKETH of RUFFORD
DDHE 25 - LONGTON
Catalogue description Grant : Adam son of Henry of Longeton to Robert son of William son of Thomas the Clerk,...
Reference: DDHE 25/32
Description:
Grant : Adam son of Henry of Longeton to Robert son of William son of Thomas the Clerk, senior, of Longeton -- 7ac. in Longeton had from Nicholas the Botiller, viz. 1 toft and building, containing 2ac. and 1ac. in the Caliardstade, and 4ac. in Osbernescrofte with 1 head abutting towards Waldemyr on the south and towards Apaldsick on the north; also 1 place of meadow land had from Henry Pluket -- with remainder to John brother of Robert, then to William their brother. Witn: Sir Robert, lord of Shirburne, William of Farington, Adam Banastre of the Bonk, William of Hoghwik, Adam the Clerk of Penwortham and others. Given at Longeton, Mon. in Feast of Nativity of St. John Baptist, 5 Ed. III.
Date: [24 Jun. 1331.]
Held by: Lancashire Archives, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Note: Nicholas the Botiller may be a member of the Botterell family from Shropshire. There is little use of the Botiller form in England in the 1300’s, nor is there any recorded Botterell family presence in Lancashire until the 1800’s, suggesting he was not a local man. The Botterell family were established in the Northwood area, within the same general network as the Baskervilles and Ysolda’s descendants. What may be happening here is that the Botterell family from Aston Botterell, whom the “le Clerks” likely served, appears as the earlier source of this land, and may have intentionally provided or transferred it into their hands. The rarity and distribution of the Botterell/Boterel forms, which likely derive from “butler”, along with their association with specific landed contexts such as Aston Botterell, indicate that the name functions as a family identifier rather than a general occupational label. The appearance of “Nicholas the Botiller” in the Longton record, in the absence of any local Lancashire presence of the name, suggests an origin outside the county and raises the likelihood of connection to the Shropshire Botterell lineage, though the record itself does not explicitly state this.
!Source: The National Archives' catalogue https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/499468c6-5525-4dde-866f-2a12e0689325
55 - Lancashire Archives
DDHE - HESKETH of RUFFORD
DDHE 25 - LONGTON
Catalogue description Grant : Abell son of William son of Abell of Longeton, to Roger son of William son of...
Reference: DDHE 25/42
Description:
Grant : Abell son of William son of Abell of Longeton, to Roger son of William son of Thomas the Clerk, senior, of Longeton -- 1 messuage and curtilage and 2 selions land in Longeton lying between land of the Abbot of Evesham and of William of Lee -- paying yearly to Sir William, lord of Lee, 12d. silver. For life of Roger, then to John his brother, then to Robert their brother. Witn: Sir Robert, lord of Shirburne, William of Farinton, William of Hoghwik, Thomas of Noteshagh, Adam the Clerk and others. Given at Longeton, Fri. after Translation of St. Thomas Martyr, 8 Ed. III.
Date: [8 Jul. 1334.]
Held by: Lancashire Archives, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
!Source: The National Archives' catalogue https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/128554cd-c5d3-47d8-afe5-c37ec4640765
55 - Lancashire Archives
DDHE - HESKETH of RUFFORD
DDHE 25 - LONGTON
Catalogue description Grant : William son of Thomas the Clerk of Longeton, senior, to William his son --...
Reference: DDHE 25/45
Description:
Grant : William son of Thomas the Clerk of Longeton, senior, to William his son -- properties in Longeton had from Adam son of Adam Pluket -- remainder to John, brother of William, then to Robert their brother. Witn: William of Farinton, William of Hoghwik, Thomas of Noteshaghe, William of the Hall, Adam the Clerk of Penwortham, and others. Given at Longeton, Fri. before Whit., 11 Ed. III.
Date: [6 Jun. 1337.]
Held by: Lancashire Archives, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
!Source: The National Archives' catalogue https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/6220a596-a5ae-4402-9508-c0311c9352d9
55 - Lancashire Archives
DDHE - HESKETH of RUFFORD
DDHE 23 - HUTTON
Catalogue description Lease for lives : William son of Thomas the Clerk, senior, of Longeton, and Richard son...
Reference: DDHE 23/3
Description:
Lease for lives : William son of Thomas the Clerk, senior, of Longeton, and Richard son of John son of Dobbe of Longeton to William Breton of Hoton, Alice his wife, and William his son -- all property had from Robert of Loxum in Hoton -- Witn: Sir Robert of Shirburne, William of Farington, William of Hoghton, William Gedirpeny, Adam son of the Clerk of Longeton, Adam the Clerk at Penwortham. Given at Hoton, Tues. in St. Mark, 11 Ed. III.
Date:
Held by: Lancashire Archives, not available at The National Archives
Language: English
Physical condition: Damaged.
Note: Leasors are the Clerk family: William son of Thomas the Clerk, senior, of Longeton, and Richard son of John son of Dobbe of Longeton.