Isaac Haley and Hannah Sutcliffe
Introduction
John Riley of Halifax married his first wife, Frances Haley, in 1832. She was the daughter of Isaac Haley and Susannah Kitchin from the village of Northowram, just to the north-east of Halifax. When Frances died in 1852, John Riley married Frances' half sister Elizabeth, the daughter of Isaac Haley and Hannah Sutcliffe. This page relates the history of Frances and Elizabeth's parents.
Isaac Haley (1787? – 1859), Susannah Kitchen and Hannah Sutcliffe.
Isaac Haley was born at some point between 1787 and 1789. His family seems to have been in Northowram for some years and his parent’s names were Jonas and Hannah. Isaac Haley appears to have had a broad range of careers. Across the course of his life he was listed in documents as a stone merchant, farmer and worsted spinner. He married Susannah Kitchen who came from a nearby parish of Southowram in January 1808
Susannah Kitchin and Isaac Haley had two daughters, Frances (1810) and Susannah (1818). It’s not usual that there was such a large gap between children during this period so there may have been other children who did not survive. Susannah Kitchin died in early 1818, around the same time as her younger daughter’s birth. Just over a year later, Isaac Haley married Hannah Sutcliffe at the chapel in Northowram. Isaac Haley and Hannah Sutcliffe went on to have four children, John (1822 - 1901), Elizabeth (1823 - 1892), Joseph (1825 - 1893) and Isaac (1827 - 1870).
Isaac Haley and Hannah Sutcliffe lived out their days in Northowram. Hannah Sutcliffe died in 1852 and was buried in the churchyard at Coley St John. Isaac Haley in 1859 and was buried in the family plot alongside his two deceased wives. Isaac Haley and Hannah Sutcliffe’s children continued to live in the Northowram area with Joseph Haley and Isaac Haley (son) continuing the family business as quarrymen and farmers.
Isaac Haley and the Manor of Wakefield - a (very) loose connection to Robin Hood
Isaac Haley had an intriguing historical connection as his extensive land holdings made him a part of the medieval Manor of Wakefield. The Manor of Wakefield, established by the crown around 1121, held significant importance and was renowned for its association with the legendary tales of Robin Hood.
Isaac Haley's land holdings were quite substantial, encompassing parcels of land scattered across West Yorkshire, including areas such as Hipperholme and Northowram. By virtue of his tenancy, Isaac Haley gained admission to the Court Rolls. This bestowed upon him the right to be heard at the Manorial Court and made him eligible to serve as a juror in cases pertaining to the Manor.
Following Isaac Haley's demise in 1859, his sons John, Joseph, and Isaac, along with John Riley (Isaac Haley's son-in-law), were admitted to the Court Rolls in 1868. Their names were recorded on vellum parchment, which is currently preserved at Leeds University.